Merry Little Christmas Poinsettia

I’m posting this card a bit earlier in the day than I usually blog. That’s because inspiration struck for a challenge that I knew was closing imminently. Sometimes inspiration is very inconvenient!

I started by digging out some snippets of red from my snippet folder. I ended up with two different shades as I didn’t have enough of the right size to get them all the same. I used the darker red for the back two layers and the brighter red for the front two. I used the Tattered Poinsettia by Tim Holtz Sizzix Bigz die to cut out all the red snippets. I then used a sponge and some gold pigment ink to go around the edge of each of the elements to give a bit of extra interest.

Next I went back to my snippet folder and found some dark blue snippets which I cut with the Sizzix Spring Greenery Sizzlit to make two branches of leaves. I considered sponging them with gold too but decided not too.

I pulled out a card base from my stash, choosing one that is made of white shimmer paper. The shimmer is very subtle but I felt it added to the Christmassy feel of the card. I arranged my die cut elements on the card base until I was happy with them, then used that as a guide as to where I should place my sentiment. The sentiment comes from Lawn Fawn’s Merry Messages. I masked and selectively stamped it so that the scripty word was in the same gold I’d used to sponge the poinsettia, and the rest of the sentiment was in a dark blue to tie in the blue of the leaves.

Given that I had no idea where I was going with this when I started on it I am very happy with how it turned out. When I started sponging the flower I was a bit annoyed because I was worried I’d ruined it, but actually I think it did help give some nice dimsenion to the flower.

Love,

Lady Joyful

Challenges included:

Christmas Cards All Year ‘Round – Anything Goes

City Crafter – Something Beginning with S (I went for shimmer/sparkle – as I said I used shimmer paper for the card base, though it doesn’t show as well as I would like in the pictures!)

Craftyhazelnut’s Christmas Challenge – Anything Goes

Craftyhazelnut’s Christmas Challenge Extra – Anything Goes

HLS Anything Goes With Dies – Anything Goes

 

HLS Christmas Challenge – Anything Goes and Optional: Dies

Muse: ChristmasVisions – Inspiration Card (I was inspired by the colour palette, scripty with plain sentiment, white space, layers, floral element)

Muse Inspiration card by Jessica Frost-Ballas

Rudolph Days – Anything Christmas

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday – Anything Goes

Simon Says Work It Wednesday – Add Sparkle (I used a shimmer/sparkle card base)