Just A Pinch...

Hello everyone!

Hope you all had a lovely weekend and your Christmas preparations are in full swing! I will admit being slightly behind with mine but I'm sure everything will be ok on the big day!!

In the meantime, if you're feeling creative then there is a brand new challenge starting today over on the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog and this week the theme is ~ Just A Pinch! Whether it's embossing powder, a flick of ink or a touch of sparkly glitter, we want you to add a pinch of something to your projects and can't wait to see what you create!

For my woodland themed Christmas card, I decided to add a pinch of Christmas magic to highlight the antlers of my Prancing Deer and the tips of the pinecones. To be honest, I'm not a huge glitter fan but at Christmas, I do love to see a sprinkle of glitter on my projects and with the addition of Tim Holtz's new Vintage Platinum Glitter Dust, I might be converted to adding some more sparkle throughout the year! Have you tried it yet? If not, you are seriously missing out...it is gorgeous and the colour is just perfect for adding that vintage touch!

To begin with, I created a card base from kraft card, measuring 20 x 18cm. I flicked small amounts of Picket Fence over the surface of the card and set aside to dry.

I then cut a piece of paper from the Yuletide Paper Stash, distressed and inked the edges before matting it onto gold card stock. I wrapped some burlap twine around the card and then mounted the matted layers, using foam pads onto my card base before moving onto the woodland background. 

For this, I used the stunning Birch Trees Thinlits Die to die cut a sheet of watercolour card. Once cut, I then added a coat of Brushed Pewter Distress Paint to the card. Leave to dry and then add a coat of Picket Fence Distress Paint directly over the top. Once the paint was dry, lightly sand the surface and then I used my finger tip to brush a light coat of Frayed Burlap and Tarnished Brass Distress Paint over the top to give the texture of bark. Ink around the edges with Walnut Stain Distress Ink, to complete the die cut section.

For the background to the trees, I applied a small amount of each colour of denim, pearl mixative and aqua alcohol ink to my craft sheet and combined it with the blending solution. Cut a piece of glossy card the same size as the birch trees and then, swipe the card through the inks to create a beautiful marbled effect.

I attached the birch tree die over the top of the glossy card and then mounted it not a piece of copper coloured Metallic Kraft Core Card Stock.

Die cut the Prancing Deer from kraft card and give him a coat of Walnut Stain Distress Paint. Add highlights around his chest using Pumice Stone Distress Paint. For the antlers and his little feet, add a small amount of glossy accents to each section and sprinkle the Vintage Platinum Glitter Dust over the top. Tip the excess back into the bottle and leave to dry.

Once it was dry, I then wrapped a piece of the Boxwood Twine around his neck and added two bells, which I altered with Hazelnut Alcohol ink. Use your fingertip to add a small amount of Picket Fence Distress Paint to the leaves and bells.

To complete my deer, I added a pearl eye and a sparkly gem for his nose before attaching him with foam pads onto my background.

Add a base of cheesecloth around his feet and I also used two snowflakes from the Frozen Alpha Parts, which I applied Glossy Accents too and then covered in Rock Candy Distress Glitter before adding them to the background.

To complete the scene, I added the final pinch of sparkle by filling a mini corked vial, which I crackled with Rock Candy Distress Paint, filled it with gold glitter and then used a Joyeux Noel remnant rub on the front. 

The final embellishment for the card is some sparkly gems in each of the corners and the crinkled ribbon bow which I dyed with Forest Moss Distress Spray Stain. I then added kraft card, die cut pinecones, tipped with Picket Fence Distress Paint and Glossy Accents, before being dipped into the Vintage Platinum Glitter Dust.

I really hope you've enjoyed the creative process behind this card and that you love the finished project!

As always, if you need any further inspiration for this challenge, then you need look no further than our blog to see all the wonderful creations from all the very talented Design Team members and every week, one lucky random participant has the chance to win a $50 gift voucher from Simon Says Stamp. Good luck....

Just click on the link below to go shopping:

Follow Simon Says Stamp on Instagram

Thank you so much for all your visits today and hope you all have a great week ahead

See you again soon...love Emma xx

Products used:

Tim Holtz/Sizzix Dies: Tattered Pinecone, Prancing Deer, Birch Trees Thinlits Die

Distress Ink: Walnut Stain

Distress Paint: Picket Fence, Walnut Stain, Tarnished Brass, Brushed Pewter, Frayed Burlap 

Distress Spray Stain: Forest Moss

Mediums: Glossy Accents, Vintage Platinum Distress Glitter Dust, Rock Candy Distress Paint, Rock Candy Dry Distress Glitter

Alcohol Ink: Denim, Pearl, Aqua, Blending Solution, Hazelnut

Idea-ology: Mini Corked Vials, Crinkle Ribbon, Christmas Time Remnant Rubs, Boxwood Twine, Yuletide Paper Stash, Frozen Alpha Parts

Surfaces: Metallic Kraft Core Card Stock, Watercolor Card, Kraft Card, Glossy Paper

Bells

Ranger Craft Sheet

Blending Tool

Heat Gun

Tim Holtz Splatter Brush

Big Shot

Foam Squares

Crystal gems, cheesecloth from my own stash