Friday, December 14, 2018

Ding Dong Merrily On High...

Hi folks, I'm having a "Ding Dong, Merrily On High" kind of a morning and if it wasn't so early I might be tempted to pop a cork, because all my personal cards and gift cards are now done and dusted. I crossed the finishing line yesterday with the gift cards for my two grandsons and because they are older now, I decided to go with something a little bit more grown up but still with a fun whimsical look using what is probably one of my favourite dies from this year's Tim Holtz/Sizzix Thinlits release...the super cute and adorable Deer from Cool Yule.
I trimmed Simon Says Stamp #120 Ultra White to create two 4" x 8" panels, coloured with Iced Spruce Distress Oxide, spritzed with water and patted with kitchen towel to create that water droplet effect.
I added a strip of Tim Holtz Idea-ology Christmas Stash Paper and stamped the snowflake image from Simon Says Stamp Christmas Cheer stamp set with Versamark and heat embossed with Ranger Superfine White Embossing Powder.
I die-cut ovals from the Christmas Stash Paper using Tim Holtz/Sizzix Stitched Oval Thinlits and stamped a smaller snowflake with Ranger Carnation Red Archival Ink
 and added White heat embossing to the edges
I die-cut the deer from Idea-ology Classic Kraftstock and Christmas Stash Paper using Tim Holtz/Sizzix Cool Yule Thinlits and fixed in place with Distress Collage Medium Matte.
I've had lots of e-mails from folks struggling with picking up and fixing the teeniest bits and pieces. Everyone is different but I can't seem to get on with tweezers, I don't seem to have the dexterity so here's what works for me. I always work on a piece of white copy paper so that if any of the smallest pieces fall out of the die, they don't get lost on my black Glass Media Mat (trying to locate a teeny black eye on a black background is not my idea of fun). I also use a Sticky Pick Up Tool which is great for picking up beads and sequins too and after applying a small dot of adhesive, I use my Craft Pick to nudge the little blighters into place.  I always have a small container on my workdesk when I'm using small dies to keep the dies safe until I'm ready to put them back on their magnetic sheet. Born out of necessity because it's so easy to sweep one up with the die-cutting debris and before you know, you're on your hands and knees searching through the waste paper bin.
I die cut the sentiment from white card using Tim Holtz/Sizzix Retro Merry ChristmasThinlits, one of last year's favourites and matted the panels on to White card blanks.
a little bit of stamping on the envelopes and I have crossed the finishing line of this year's Christmas card making marathon.
Now it's time to deck the halls with boughs of holly but first I need to persuade hubby to venture up into the loft to retrieve the tree...oh dear, that's going to be a major bah humbug moment so I might just be popping that cork sooner rather than later.
Toodle-oo for now
Hugs Kath xxx

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