Skating Together - Hello Bluebird Stamps

Hi!  I do hope you've enjoyed a Happy Holiday?   This card today might seem a little late but I made it in very early December and couldn't reveal it until I'd given it to my intended recipient (victim).  Still, there are ideas and inspiration to take away from this.



This was another of my slimline cards.   Finished card dimensions are 3 1/2" wide x 8 1/2" so from an A4 sheet of cardstock cut the length at 7 inches then score and fold in half (4 bar).  My panel is cut from the remainder of the A4 sheet and the dimensions are 3.2" x 8.2".  A simple online search for coordinating envelopes for this size of card will yield you many results.   Contact me if you have any issues and I'll share a link or two with you but these are #9 envelopes or Size 9, also called slimline or invitation envelopes - there's plenty of choice out there including colours and at very reasonable prices.



For this card I formed a card base using red cardstock and made a panel from the remainder of the A4 sheet.  I ink blended the panel using a combination of red ink and Distress Oxide in Black Soot, slowly building the colour to the intensity I was wanting and creating a focal point that appears to be lit from within.



I adhered this panel to the card base and then on Bristol Smooth cardstock I stamped my characters from Skating Together using Ranger Archival Ink in Black and watercolour painted them with Kuretake Zigs, finally they were die cut and adhered into position using foam tape.  I highlight some points on them with a Uniball Signo White Gel Pen.



With Versamark Ink the 'swoosh' marks were stamped and heat embossed in white.  I ink blended the little strip of red cardstock (which is a natural remnant from your original A4 sheet of cardstock) and stamped and heat embossed it in silver with a sentiment from Typed Christmas.  I applied the sentiment strip with foam tape.



The final touch was to add a whole lot of delicate glitter in the form of Stickles in 'Crystal'.  I applied points of it on the characters and then through the 'air' around them I dotted in plenty of it and this is absolutely dazzling as the card is moved in the light - a little bit of Christmas Magic!

When a card such as this is made from coloured cardstock I always use 80lb white paper and make a writing insert for the inside - makes the card feel even more substantial and special too!

So, there it is, my final holiday card of the season.  I LOVE making Christmas cards and can't wait until it is time to start back up again .... that'll be about August/September'ish? :D :D :D

Enjoy your New Year's Celebrations!

Nicky x