A Variation

I was so in love with all my WPlus9 Drummer Boy die cuts, I decided to see how it might look on a slightly different background.  In this case, the die cut images were colored the same - using my Inktense watercolor pencils and then blending with water and a brush.  I kept the background wash very light and faint blue using my Mission Gold watercolors, gold embossing the sentiment and star before die cutting the background using my WPlus9 Sunshine Layers die.  I kept the rest of the design the same layering the scene onto some ruby red cardstock.  The baby Jesus is raised a bit with some foam squares to keep him the focal image.

All of these were also a birthday gift for my mom.  I'm thinking she's feeling pressured now to send out a bunch of Christmas cards!  Oh well, she knows the creative freak that I am and that I won't mind if some are saved for next year.  Christmas is coming.  Are you ready?

More Drummer Boy Christmas Cards

So, my mom enjoyed my cards made last year using the WPlus9 Drummer Boy stamp and die set.  Given my playing around that I mentioned in a post late last week, I decided to mix it up a bit and make this set of cards in a landscape orientation.  I am really pleased with how these turned out, liking them a bit more than the portrait version I posted earlier.

I kept the design simple again - not wanting to take away from the lovely scene created on the front of the cards.

Just like the earlier sample, the die cut images are colored with my Inktense watercolor pencils and then blended using water and a brush.  I die cut the images after coloring using the matching dies.  The background wash was created on watercolor paper using my Mission Gold watercolors.  The sentiment and star are gold embossed onto the paper and then the entire background is die cut using my WPlus9 Sunshine Layers die.  To finish the front off, I layered the image onto some ruby red cardstock as a nice frame.  The baby Jesus is raised a bit with some foam squares to keep him the focal image.

I gave these to her as a birthday present.  I'm hoping she puts them to good use and sends them out with well wishes at Christmastime.  What gifts have you been working on?

Christmas Cards with WPlus9

I had mentioned that I had a surprise gift for my mom's birthday and this is the start of that.  I purchased the WPlus9 Drummer Boy stamps and matching dies last year.  I did a few cards that really captured my interest last year and I've been contemplating designs every since.  My mom spoke about how cute they were so I decided to play around with the set as a gift.  The die cut images are colored with my Inktense watercolor pencils and then blended using water and a brush.  I die cut the images after coloring.  The background wash was created onto watercolor paper using my Mission Gold watercolors.  The sentiment and star are gold embossed onto the paper and then die cut using my WPlus9 Sunshine Layers die.  To finish the front off, I layered the image onto some ruby red cardstock as a nice frame.  The baby Jesus is raised a bit with some foam squares to keep him the focal image.

On the inside, a simple sentiment in cranberry red ink.  I thought I could improve a bit on the design so I've made some changes and ultimately a set of cards as the gift.  There are a few photos to edit, so I'll be back when I get them uploaded to share the final product.

PA-Rum-Pa-Pum-Pum

I had mentioned using my WPlus9 Little Drummer Boy stamp set and matching dies in a post earlier this week.  I'm back to share a similar, but different card.  I stamped the images with black Archival ink onto watercolor paper.  I then colored the images with my Inktense Watercolor Pencils and die cut them out.    They were sitting waiting for a card front when my grandma asked me to make some.  My grandpa quickly pointed out that the drummer boy is not in the Bible (ah duh!) and so I avoided using him on a card for my grandma.  The background was created using palette paper, a watercolor brush and my Prima Oil Pastels onto watercolor paper.  I edged the paper with Embossing Ink and some gold embossing powder and stamped the sentiment in black Archival Ink.  This time, the star was stamped and then colored with a gold paint pen.  This added just a bit more shine to the star.  I really like the notes stamped onto the card front - adds a bit of movement to the card.

On the inside was a simple sentiment stamped in black Archival ink.  When I shared this card with my grandma she gobbled them up to take and use as well.  Guess we know who writes the Christmas cards in that family, yes?!

Wishing you and your family a blessed Christmas and Advent.

True Meaning of Christmas Joy

When my grandma was here for Thanksgiving I shared with her my new WPlus9 Little Drummer Boy stamp set.  I had purchased the stamp set and matching dies earlier in the month.  I didn't think I'd fall so in love with this stamp set, but I truly have.  Well, my mother's maiden name is Burrows and so my grandma likes anything with a donkey (or burrow) on it.  She especially requested these lovelies.

I stamped the images on watercolor paper using black Archival Ink and then colored them with my Inktense Watercolor Pencils.   I never really thought of myself as a talented colorer, but I am so pleased with how these turned out.  Those donkeys are adorable!  I've been talking about my little baby Jesus' for weeks and to see them on this finished card is thrilling.

The background was created using palette paper, a watercolor brush and my Prima Oil Pastels onto watercolor paper.  I edged the paper with Embossing Ink and some gold embossing powder.  This is a trick that Kristina Werner got me into and I think it very effective here.  Other than the black Archival Ink sentiment, the star is also embossed with the same gold embossing powder.

I made up a few of these and gave them to my grandma who will used them as her Christmas cards when she returned home.  I was thrilled.

I'm entering this card into the City Crafter Challenge Week 292 : The Heat is On because I heat embossed the gold edges and Word Art Wednesday's Challenge 213 Anything Goes.

Wishing you a wonderful Advent as we anticipate celebrating the birth of Jesus, the little baby Jesus!