Inspiration: Card Maps Sketch October 2018
I found a really good Card Maps sketch to use my Oddball Boy Elf, which was part of my Stamping Bella placed earlier this year when they announced they'd retire dies altogether. I got the elf stamps and die at that time, but I wasn't in Christmas creation mood at that time, so this is the first time I'm using it. As you can see, I'm slowly starting to ease into Christmas projects. I had also purchased the Simply Vintage Country Christmas 6" x 8" paper pad very late into last year's Christmas season and it had remained untouched, so I decided to pair both together. I used to be very adamant about not buying new supplies and letting them sit untouched but in the last few years, things have gotten away from me a bit on that front, it seems.
I really love the sketch's design and I was able to very clearly reproduce all of its elements with things that I had in my stash. I was particularly happy to bring out the Wonky Circle Frames from Avery Elle, which I love. I paired it with the Golden Satin specialty paper from Tonic. Its texture reminds of vintage Christmas cards, and so it was perfect with the Simple Vintage collection from Simple Stories.
I initially planned on doing a sentiment strip like the sketch, but I had already moved the bow to the bottom for better balance and when I found the Traditions de Noël stamp set, it seemed like a really good match to the card, so I switched gears and used this instead, which allowed me to fill in the empty space in the middle of the circle. I did add a little green polka dot banner underneath the punched sentiment.
My little elf boy was colored with Polychromos pencils. I added a smidge of Midas Touch Aqua Shimmer to the bell and buckle for glimmer. Red pearls and gold glitter enamel dots were added for embellishment.
For the envelope, I needed to make my own since I had made my card (5½" x 5½") just a little too big for my existing square envelopes. I remembered I had another vintage Christmas collection from Simple Stories - Simple Vintage Christmas) - so I dug it out and used one 12" x 12" sheet to make an envelope. I used one of the paler sheets from the 6" x 8" paper pad to make my address block, picking a die from the Planner Essentials 21 dies from Elizabeth Craft Designs. I am really getting a lot of use out of those planner dies for everything but planners!
Supplies
Stamps: Oddball Boy Elf (Stamping Bella); Traditions de Noël (Stampin' Up!)
Cardstock: Thick Very Vanilla, Shaded Spruce (Stampin' Up!)
Patterned Papers: Very Vintage Christmas, Very Vintage Country Christmas (Simple Stories);
Golden Satin Specialty Paper (Tonic)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento); Cherry Cobbler Classic Ink (Stampin' Up!)
Dies: Planner Essentials 21 (Elizabeth Craft Designs);
Wonky Circle Frames (Avery Elle); Oddball Boy Elf (Stamping Bella)
Accessories: Gold Glitter Enamel Dots, Mini Stampin' Dimensionals, Garden Green/White Baker's Twine,
Designer Buttons, Real Red Baker's Twine, Envelope Punch Board, Tag Punch, Border Punch (Stampin' Up!);
Polychromos Pencils (Faber-Castell); Midas Touch Aqua Shimmer Brush (Nuvo);
Pearls - Glossy Berry Mix (Little Things from Lucy's Cards)
Comments