Hi friends! It's Christmas cards today. I did better than last month in that I have three more to add to the box. Loll's CAS Christmas Challenge is back and I was eager to play. I'm not good at clean and simple as I tend to want to add that little something extra, but I always loved this challenge. The theme this month is "Bird" -- yes, please!
My bird is colored with Tombow markers on hot pressed watercolor paper. I painted the snow on the berries with white acrylic paint and then applied Stickles Stardust glitter. I probably shouldn't have embossed the background as the guidelines say "no pattern", oops, but I sure do love the way it looks. I used a double-sided adhesive sheet to apply thin vellum to cardstock before embossing it and was surprised at how white the embossed patterned turned out.
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| Stampendous Chickadee Holiday, Spellbinders Scallop Labels and Tag, Spellbinders Pinecones & Berries 3D embossing folder, older retired Stampin' Up Joy die |
CAS Christmas Challenge -- Bird
CAS Definition
The next two cards are not intended for the CAS Christmas Challenge. Pictured below is the same Stampendous bird set as the first card, called Chickadee Holiday. I did not color them as Chickadees and that's just okay. They're cute little birds that probably look like something, but I'm not sure what. I carried on with the vellum and double-sided adhesive, this time on dark green cardstock. It appears as though I applied white ink which smeared onto the non-embossed areas, too. I'm flabbergasted by the whiteness.
Next, I switched to another Stampendous set called Heavenly Birds. These plump little cutie birds and the starry background are all one stamp. I stamped once in Ranger Archival Black for Tombow coloring, and once in white ink on navy cardstock for the white embossing. Cut each with a frame die, mounted on navy, then white, and finally a navy card base. Added the star and gem. Definitely not CAS, but not too much, either.
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| Stampendous Heavenly Birds, Scrapbook.com North Stars die Memory Box Oval Master Frame, Poppystamps Christmas banners with dies |
Total Christmas cards in the box: 17
I may do more Christmas cards this month, but I'm not sure. No pressure, just come what may.
Thank you so much for your time!
21 comments:
Cute cards. With the weather we’re having it almost feels like winter. Have a great day
Never too much! I agree that's true of all your cards, Leslie, as you are so good at placing elements together that seem made for each other and adding just the perfect details. How I love these bird cards for Christmas. Amazing trick with embossing the vellum and card stock together. I love the result!
I adore the embossed vellum and am always surprised by the 'whitened' look of the details when vellum is embossed - it's also fabulous over top of the green! He could be a Chipping Sparrow! LOve the snowy berries - sure to bring JOY this Christmas!
=]
Hi, Leslie! These are not only heartwarming, with little birdies singing cheerfully, but they are beautiful! I am always amazed at the numbers of techniques you employ on a single card, and the cards never look "over-busy", but like miniature works of art. I especially like the inked EFs and the pretty watercolor effect in the background. Three Christmas cards done! I am jello. lol - hugs, de
All three of these Christmas card are fantastic. First I love the sweet birds and the embossed vellum adds another delicate element. You should enter all three in the challenge at Seize the Birthday. The topping is to use vellum. I think you have some winners!
A trio of fabulous birdies Leslie!! You've colored all of them beautifully, and I'm really loving your embossed vellum backgrounds...so need to remember to try that!! And I agree with Michele that your 2nd bird could very well be a Sparrow...we have all kinds of them around our house! Lovely, lovely cards my friend and YAY for 3 more for the Christmas stash!! Hugs. :0)
Your birds are all delightful, Leslie, and I'm so impressed with the embossed vellum! What a fantastic background it makes! Three more fantastic Christmas cards, my friend!
All three of your bird cards are STUNNING! I have always loved the stampendous birds, and these are no exception. Your colouring of them is so amazing, and I love the gorgeous backgrounds you created with the whisps of colour around the branches. The embossed backgrounds are so pretty, especially with the vellum on top. The white of the vellum is a happy accident that makes them even more special. Amazing art, Leslie. Thanks for joining us at CAS Christmas! Love, Loll
What a lovely trio of bird cards, Leslie! Your background embossed with the vellum overlay is SO pretty (even over white card it would look pretty!) I love the glittery snow on the berries and your wonderful coloring of the sparrow (?) Thank you for joining us at the inaugural CAS Christmas Challenge - Bird! Julia xx
Gorgeous cards. I love that you didn't mat the images. They are so perfect on the backgrounds.
All fabulous cards and embossed backgrounds, love all the cute little birds-look a lot like our Hedge Sparrows or little Wrens.
Carol x
A trio of prettiness, Leslie! It's not too much for me that you embossed that background, it's fantastic and I love the little bits of frostiness you added. Love all of these little tweets and so happy to have your sharing with us at CAS Christmas!
Each of the cards is a work of art. Love all of them for the things you add, the vellum, the embossing folders, the paint, the sparklies. great adds to your stash.
What a lovely set of Christmas cards. i think the first one is my favourite. I love the effect you have achieved with the embossing on vellum. I am going to have to try it I think xx
OMG so many sweet little Christmas birdies. Your velum background has reminded me how pretty it looks over coloured card. I'm so glad you're playing along with CAS Christmas xx
What a beautiful selection of lovely cards, colours and inspiration plus xx
Always feels good when you can accomplish something doesn't it :) These are just lovely and like you said birds that is a good challenge. I am so loving that technique with the vellum and cardstock, I have never tried that and will have to give it a go :) Love the look of the paint and glitter for the snow too! Your coloring is just gorgeous, I love how you made the chickadee look more like a sparrow, let's us get more out of our stamps! Beautiful creations!
Before I even finished looking at all of your wonderful cards, I got out some bird dies that I wasn't sure that I had, and also some thin vellum. I even added the vellum to some cardstock and did the embossing! LOL! Now I just saw it on the dark, and I have to do that, too!!! Awesome cards, Leslie, and thanks for the technique! (Funny that my first thought was to try it on black, because I have black cardstock already cut. Here I go. :-) )
Leslie, your bird cards are fabulous! I love your coloring and especially love the background you made! Excellent designs that I may try to incorporate into my cards! thanks for the inspiration and thank you so much for playing with us at CAS Christmas, we are so glad it is back too!!
Oh my Leslie, you've outdone yourself with all three of these darling cards. I adore watching the birds in our yard and your coloring skills really bring these birds to life. You are truly an artist! All the finishing touches you've added to each card is over the top, fantastic too.
Three lovely cards with those birdies. I really like how you embossed the vellum on the first card, just lovely. You design on each card is wonderful as is your coloring. TFS
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