Thank you for taking the time to stop by - especially this close to THE BIG DAY! I hope you are all ready and set for the fun and games and that you've maybe even managed to squeeze some creative chilling time in to your hectic schedule.
If you regularly visit me you may be aware that back in October I entered the "It's Halloween - Let's Tag It On" (using surface texture) challenge over at Our Creative Corner. I entered my Creepy Castle Tag, and was thrilled to be chosen as the "Top Talent". Challenge winners are invited to submit a second project, of their choice, and be interviewed and featured in a special post over at Our Creative Corner - so here I am, "in the spotlight" with a little festive make to share with you. (you might want to pop over to OCC when you've finished here - I've put the link at the bottom of the page too.)
The banner is made from two sets of My Mind's Eye Lost and Found album covers (I thought I was buying complete mini albums when I bought them, but they turned out to be just the covers - (always read the small print!) I'm REALLY glad I picked them up for half price now!)
I decided to use both the front and back sides of the covers to give a bit of variation. Since taking my Art Journal classes I've discovered that I really love building up backgrounds, so I had fun adding layers of interest over the slightly pink text pages. I wanted to add some texture, but not overwhelm the piece, as I knew I wanted to add embellishments and still be able to clearly read the lettering.
I knew that my colour palette was going to feature the traditional Christmas colours of red and green and that I wanted a slightly faded vintage feel to the piece, to tie in with the shabby feel of the album covers with their pinkish tint, faded brown type and "inked" edges.
I used Memento Rich Cocoa to randomly stamp a Hobbycraft Merry Christmas sentiment and some Artemio flourishes and Peeled Paint and Victorian Velvet DIs to stamp some Hot Off The Press borders and flourishes around the outside of the banners, leaving the middle section clear for the lettering. (The font I used is Santa's Sleigh available free here) which I cut out from plain old red cardstock using my Craft Robo. All the elements have been inked with Gathered Twigs DI to add to the vintage feel and to tie all the pieces together.
The N and the E flags are created using the "front" cover of the album and already had the glittered flourishes which I wanted to incorporate into my design - I don't normally "do" glitter but you can't beat a bit of a sparkle at Christmas!
In a nod to the original challenge, which required the use of surface texture on the Halloween tag, I used texture paste and a ledger stencil to add some random raised areas.
As you can see each flag is embellished differently, but uses the same colour palette. Where the N and E flags have the glitter flourish, the O and L flags have die cut TH Elegant Flourishes to give some continuity. The flourishes are cut from greyboard which has been covered with aluminium tape which I have then coloured with Copic marker to give a glorious red shine.
In brief - (as I'm sure there is probably a mince pie with your name on it waiting) the deets for the embellishments are as follows
N - Stampin' Up "Ornament Keepsakes" stamped in Peeled Paint DI and heat embossed with clear embossing powder - the embossing is not consistent on the DI but I love the shabby feel.
O - TH Elegant Flourishes die, TH Tattered Florals cut from red Core'dinations and Dovecraft's Back to Basics Christmas - Vintage 6x6 paper (my FAVOURITE general purpose Christmas paper EVER!). The ivy (and robin) are Marianne Creatables LR0206 and the ivy is cut from both Dovecraft Back to Basics Christmas and Papermania Woodland Folk.
E - The Christmas tree is Marianne Creatables LR0136 and Back to Basics Christmas with a few red gems - I borrowed the holly die from my crafty neighbour and forgot to write down the make - sorry!
L - TH Paper Rosette die (I cut the strip down the middle to make the smaller rosette), a couple of Papermania snowflake card toppers, a tag from stash and some Prima ivy leaves completes the project.
All that remains is for me to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and creative New Year.
My interview for Our Creative Corner can be found here.
