Tis the Season to be Jolly

Elaine here with another card for the Winter Challenge - for this I've used the Christmas Tree and the Block Frame stamps.

I started by spraying some stamping card with Citrus Lime Ink in a Bottle and added some Green as Grass Pigment Ink.  Once this was dry I stamped the Christmas Tree twice and embossed with Midnight Sparkle embossing powder.  I then cut alternate layers (with a section above) from both trees and fastened it together with foam pads to create the decoupaged tree. 

You can just use the Christmas Tree flat but I love the movement it gives to the card. I decorated it with gems and a glittery star on top.




For the background I've silver embossed the Block Frame and then stamped and coloured in the boxes - Tis the Season (on some leftover sprayed card)  and fa-la-la-la-la from the Deck the Halls set and the Music stamp.

Hope you like my project and have been inspired to join in with the November Challenge - full details are on Facebook - the Oak House Studio page and the INKspired group.  There's a prize to be won so why not give it a go!!

101 ways with the Block Frames Stamp

Well now the One Stamp event is over, don't forget October's Challenge is FRAMES and BORDERS - full details are HERE.

I was given the Block Frame stamp by Lynnda and asked to write a post about it.  As the great man himself would say, there are endless possibilities with this stamp......if you don't like faffing then there is a very nice Christmas version (on the right) but I saw the empty frame and thought it was very versatile - add an image, a sentiment, whichever way you like and it obviously frames your work.

You may have seen my clean and simple Christmas card made with the Block Frame - this was embossed with Red  embossing powder and then stamped in each of the blocks separately.  I've used the small Christmas Corner and just watercoloured it with Aquash.   The sentiment is from the Peace and Joy set and 25 from the Numbers set.

The next card is another Christmas version but this time adding the sentiment in the square box. Before I started on this card,  I stamped the design on some scrap card and then cut out the boxes to create a mask.  

 I began by spraying a mix of Citrus Lime and Peacock Green Ink in a Bottle onto some card and then embossed the Block Frames stamp with gold powder.  Onto this I stamped the Deck the Halls sentiment and some Holly leaves from  the Big Christmas Collection set - both in Green as Grass Pigment ink.  I then used my mask to stencil a little Forest Green Pigment Ink around the sentiment.  The Holly Leaves outline is gold embossed and then painted with Emerald Acrylic Ink.   The Baubles (again from the Big Christmas Collection) are gold embossed onto some red card sprayed with Glorious Gold Ink in a Bottle and I've highlighted the stars with Ruby Acrylic Ink.  Its just finished with the red beaded berries and gold thread.



This next card has a more wintery feel.  I stamped the Block Frame and a couple of Snowflakes and embossed with Silver embossing powder.

Over this I sprayed Blue Jeans and Totally Turquoise Ink in a Bottle and then added more Snowflakes and Let it Snow with Midnight Pigment Ink.






My last card - the Party Invite - is completely different but still uses the Block Frame stamp.  I started by clear embossing the stamp, spraying with Totally Turquoise, Precious Purple and Paris Pink Ink in a Bottle and then ironing off the embossing powder to leave the white outline.  I've just added the Four Candles, words from the Look Who Is set and the Numbers Stamps.

Ok I admit I haven't made 101 cards but I hope you get the idea - you can use the stamp whichever way up you like and for whatever occasion - as they say, it's not just for Christmas!   Thanks for looking and I hope I've given you some ideas for the Borders and Frames Challenge.