Christmas in July - Twas the Night before Christmas with Walter

Hi, friends!  It’s Walter on the blog with you today with my final project for Christmas in July. Christmas is such a magical time for all of us - young and old.  That magic is expressed in so many songs and stories of the season - but in none more than Clement C. Moore's classic poem, "Twas the Night before Christmas."  The idea of Santa Clause being seen by an adult and that adult telling others, young and old alike, about what he spied brings so much joy.  That joy is perfectly captured in the Twas the Night before Christmas Rubber Stamp.  Santa flies over the tops of the buildings guided by eight reindeer as the city below sleeps and waits for his arrival.

 

Here's what I used to make it:

•  Twas the Night before Christmas Rubber Stamp
• A2 white card base
• A2 piece of Christmas patterned paper
• 4"x5.25" piece of gold glitter cardstock
• 3.75"x5" white card panel 
• Alcohol markers
•  Gel pens
• Nesting rectangle dies
• Antique Linen and Tea Dye Distressed Inks
• Salvaged Patina Oxide Ink

Here's how I made it:

I began by adhering the piece of patterned Christmas paper onto the card base.  I created a frame from the gold glitter cardstock using two nesting rectangle dies.  I used one that was approximately 4"x5.25" and one two sizes smaller than it.  I ran this combination through my die cut machine to cut out the center.  Vintage Patina Distress Oxide ink was gently applied around parts of the frame to add some age to it.

I stamped the image onto the white card panel and began to color.  I colored the image using a combination of alcohol markers and gel pens.  The gels pens were mostly used for details (rooftop snow, house lights) and small areas (Santa's sleigh) and the alcohol markers for the rest.  Once finished, I applied Antique Linen and Tea Dye Distress inks to add some vintage grunge.

The final steps were to adhere the stamped image to the card and then the frame over it using double sided foam tape strips.

This is such a fun card that would be wonderful to send to a family with children.  I can only imagine the "ooh's and ahh's" as the gaze upon it! 

Thanks for spending some time with me today.  I’ll see you again next month with more posts.  Until then . . . be well!

Be sure to visit our social media sites for more stamping fun!

 

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Walter Zemrock Social Channels - https://linktr.ee/zemstones.by.walter

 

Christmas in July - Sleigh it! with Walter

Hi, friends!  It’s Walter on the blog with you today with another Christmas in July.  I've always loved the art of Currier and Ives.  It's so nostalgic, folksy, and pretty.  Each piece is so full of detail that it's so easy to tell a story with it.  It seems like there is a book in every print!  That was my inspiration for this week's card - a similar type of of look and feel and one that tells a story.  I want to jump right in and live here!

 

 Items used to create it:

• Sleigh Ride Rubber Stamp 
• Let it Snow with Snowflakes Word & Image Art Rubber Stamp 
• Lost Shadow Distress Oxide Ink
• Antique Linen, Tea Dye, and Vintage Photo Distress Inks
• Alcohol Markers
• Gel Pens
• A2 White card base
• A2 Navy card panel
•  3.75"x5" white card panel
• 4"x5.25" sized piece of cardboard
• Sizzix Silver Luster Wax
• Brutus Monroe Coastal Mint Cosmo Glaze 

Here's how I made it:

I began by adding Lost Shadow splatter to the Navy card panel.  To do this, I smooshed the ink pad onto my glass crafting surface, spritzed with water, mixed it with a paint brush, and then flicked that mixture onto the card panel.  Once dry, I adhered the panel to the card base.

I created a frame from the cardboard using two nesting rectangle dies.  I used one that was approximately 4"x5.25" and one two sizes smaller than it.  I ran this combination through my die cut machine to cut out the center.  I then rubbed the frame with Sizzix Silver Luster Wax to give it a nice silver metallic look.  An alternative is to use Brushed Silver cardstock for the frame; however, I think that the Luster Wax gives it more of a vintage look.  I then spread some Brutus Monroe Coastal Mint Cosmo Glaze across certain portions of the frame to give it the look of a patina being formed on the frame.  This is to age it and make it look more vintage.  You may achieve a similar look using Vintage Patina Distress Oxide ink.  The difference is that the Cosmo Glaze has little bits of glitter in it that give the patina a bit of sparkle.

I put the frame aside to dry and stamped the Sleigh Ride image onto the 3.75"x5" white card panel.  I decided to color the panel using a combination of alcohol markers and gel markers due to all of the detail in the image.  Alcohol markers and gel pens give you more control over the coloring then watercolor, which is another fine method for coloring it.  You may use whatever colors set the scene you want to see.  For example, I knew that I wanted the scene to be at night rather than during the day and that impacted my decision to color the sky a darker blue.  As you color, don't forget to add in details like snow on the tress (accomplished with a white gel pen), lights in the windows (a yellow gel pen), and varying colors on the stone wall and chimney.

Once happy with the coloring, I wanted to add a border around the outside of the ink to make it look like the print was painted without clear borders and a jagged edge.  I created this effect by using a small blending brush and adding Lost Shadow Distress Oxide ink around the edges to blur them.  I then added varying degrees of vintage grunge to the image using Antique Linen. Tea Dye, and Vintage Photo Distress Inks.

To finish the card, I adhered the stamped panel to the card base and then adhered the frame around it.

This was such a fun card to create and I am very happy with how it turned out.  All of the detail and aging really helps make it stand out vs. a more simple stamp and color process.  As a bonus, the recipient may choose to frame it and use it as a Christmas decoration.  It's exactly what I would do if I received it!

Thanks for spending some time with me today.  I’ll see you again next week with my final Christmas in July project.  Until then . . . be well!

Be sure to visit our social media sites for more stamping fun!

 

The Blank Page Muse- https://blankpagemuse.com/

FB Fan Page-  https://www.facebook.com/groups/blankpagemuse/

Instagram Shop-  https://www.instagram.com/blankpagemuse/

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Walter Zemrock Social Channels - https://linktr.ee/zemstones.by.walter

 

Christmas in July - Victorian Skaters with Walter

Hi, friends!  It’s Walter on the blog with you today and the team is celebrating Christmas in July this month.  It’s hard to believe that we’re halfway through the year already.  Keep in mind though that it’s never too early to start making your Christmas cards!  Today I’m featuring what may be my most favorite stamp from Blank Page Muse: Victorian Skaters Art Rubber Stamp.  There is something so magical and nostalgic about this stamp.  It reminds me of a scene from A Christmas Carol or the great musical film, By the Light of the Silvery Moon.  Two people skate along on a pond on a cold winter’s night and enjoying the magic of the season.  It’s a scene that anyone would love to receive on a card!

I used the following items to create it:

• Victorian Skaters Art Rubber Stamp
• Beyond the Border Christmas Set 1
  
• Season’s Greetings Word Phrase Rubber Stamp
  
• Brutus Monroe Alabaster Sparkle and Raven Embossing Powders
• Brutus Monroe Fall Snow Glitter Glaze
• Nuvo Shimmer Pen
• Nuvo Silver Metallic Marker
• Alcohol Markers
• Sizzix Blue Sparkle Card Stock for the A2 card base
• 4”x5.25” White card panel
• Stacked Oval cutting dies

Here’s how I made it:

I began by stamping the snowflake border onto the card base with clear emhossing ink.  I repeated it several times across the panel, applied the Alabaster Sparkle embossing powder, and heat set it.  Alabster Sparkle is a white embossing powder that has fine glitter mixed in with it to add some shimmer to each snowflake.  You may always substitute regular white embossing powder or a color of your choice.  Light blue would also look nice set against the dark blue cardstock!

The next step was to stamp the image of the Vitorian skaters.  I decided to heat emboss them with black embossing powder to really make them stand out and add some dimension.  Once again, I stamped with clear embossing ink, applied the Raven embossing powder, and heat set it.

I colored the image with alcohol markers to ensure rich color and shading.

Once colored, I went over the ice with a light cool gray alcohol marker to further blend it and add additional shading.

I dried the panel with my heat tool on low to make sure all of the ink was dry and set, and then used a small paint brush to apply a coat of Brutus Monroe Fall Snow Glitter glaze to everything but the skaters.  I did this to make the sky, snow, and ice sparkle.  It helps add further dimension to your card by making the background stand out from the skaters.

Once dry, I used a Nuvo Shimmer pen to add some shimmer to the skaters.  This makes them have a slight shimmer that is different than sparkle on the background.  This again makes them stand out against the background and adds more dimension.

I used a larger oval in my stacking ovals die set, centered it on the scene, and cut it out with my die cut machine.  I choose to do this to make it look more like a framed image set against the snowflake embossed background.  I ran a silver metallic marker around the edge of the oval panel, applied double sided foam tape to the back, and adhered it to the card base.  I stamped the sentiment, cut the strip to size, and applied it to the card.

I truly love this card!  I love the image, the story it tells, and how much dimension was achieved with the coloring and glazes.  It actually looks like the skaters are coming off of the card when the light hits it a certain way.

Thanks for spending some time with me today.  I’ll see you again next week with another Christmas in July project.  Until then . . . be well!

Be sure to visit our social media sites for more stamping fun!

 

The Blank Page Muse- https://blankpagemuse.com/

FB Fan Page-  https://www.facebook.com/groups/blankpagemuse/

Instagram Shop-  https://www.instagram.com/blankpagemuse/

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Walter Zemrock Social Channels - https://linktr.ee/zemstones.by.walter

Christmas Wishes

It is not too late to start your Christmas cards!  Even if you don't send Christmas cards this is an easy technique to make a lot of cards in a short amount of time.  You can do this technique with any stamps.  

Stamp from Blank Page Muse

Santa on Sled with Reindeer Art Silhouette Style RubberStamp

Stamp from I Brake for Stamps

Bold Christmas Wishes

Other Supplies:

Watercolor paper

Dinkles Powder - Pine

Silicone mat

Versafine Black Ink

Embossing Powder Clear

Heat Tool

Wide tip gold Sharpie

Stamp images on watercolor paper with black Versafine ink. Heat emboss with clear embossing powder. 

On a silicone mat sprinkle Dinkles powder, spritz with water to dissolve the powder.  With image face down place the watercolor paper in the water on the silicone mat. 

When the watercolor has dried, edge with wide tip gold pen. Mat on black cardstock.  

May you have a great time creating your holiday cards. 

Please visit our social media sites for more stamping fun!

I Brake for Stamps - https://ibrakeforstamps.com/

The Blank Page Muse- https://blankpagemuse.com/

FB Fan Page- https://www.facebook.com/groups/blankpagemuse/

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Here We Come A-Caroling 12/20

 

Hey there, friends!

It’s creative team member Walter back on the Blank Page Muse blog today.

It's hard to believe that Christmas Eve is only four days away.  The weeks leading up to the holiday just seem to fly by so fast.  I was able to squeeze in a viewing of A Christmas Carol, which is one of my favorite Christmas movies.  (Side note: I enjoy both the 1938 and 1951 versions, but prefer the 1938 one!)  It always helps put me into the Christmas spirit.  That's why I knew that I had to make a card with the stamp featured on today's card - Vintage Style Christmas Carolers.  It looks like they stepped right out of Victorian England!

Here's what I used to make it:

• Vintage Style Christmas Carolers Art Rubber Stamp
• Beyond the Border Christmas Set 1 CLEAR Stamps designed by Pam Bray

I just love this card!  Looking at it transports me to Victorian London.  I can smell the goose roasting, see the carolers singing, and Tiny Tim blessing each of us.

You may read more about my creative process on my blog.

Thank you for spending some time on the blog with me today.  See you next year!

Find more inspiration by visiting the following :

Visit our social media sites for more stamping fun!

I Brake For Stamps -https://ibrakeforstamps.com/ 

The Blank Page Muse- https://blankpagemuse.com/

FB Fan Page-  https://www.facebook.com/groups/blankpagemuse/

Instagram Shop-  https://www.instagram.com/blankpagemuse/

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Winter Village Card

 Hello from designer, Heidi!   I was thinking of an idyllic Christmas morning scene when I made this card, but it really could be used all winter long, OR you could start a stash for next year!

I masked off the building in this scene and then sponged a wintery sky using Distress Oxide inks in Shaded Lilac, Tumbled Glass and Spun Sugar.  I sprayed the background with water to get texture.  I then added some depth to the black stamped lines by adding some black marker on some of the trees.  This makes some trees appear more toward the foreground and some more in the background.  

I colored the buildings with markers and then added plenty of glitter glue to depict the snow.  I also added some white gel pen snowflakes.

This stamp is part of the I Brake for Stamps line. 
It is called Small Christmas Sheet and includes other super sweet images in the set.  

You can also find more inspiration at the links below:

The Blank Page Muse- https://blankpagemuse.com/

FB Fan Page- https://www.facebook.com/groups/blankpagemuse/

Instagram Shop- https://www.instagram.com/blankpagemuse/

Instagram Blog- https://www.instagram.com/blankpagemuseblog/

Twitter- https://twitter.com/BlankPageMuse

Pintrest- https://www.pinterest.com/blankpagemuse/boards/