Beautiful Bare Trees

I have been playing around A LOT with the Bare Tree Duo Stamp. This Christmas version has me all googley-eyed. The q-tip stippling I did created a bokeh-ish effect which makes this card very unique.

If you follow my blog (http://rodonner.blogspot.com), you may have seen this stamp used not too long ago with a very different result. (You can see all the details HERE.)

Hard to believe both of these cards were created with the SAME stamp! Can you see why I love it so? I already have lots of ideas for spring, summer and a few other occasions.

But back to the Christmas version.

You can see in this photo the supplies I used to create the card.

(As an aside, I store all of my stamps in CD cases. I trim down the cover and name and attach it to the inside cover. All my cases are purchased hubless so the stamps fit very well in them, even the background stamps. For larger sets, I used hubless DVD cases. I attach a label to the end and store them on a CD storage shelf. It's enormous...holds 1,080 CDs and I hope to have every shelf filled before I die! She who dies with the most craft supplies wins! lol)

This card was extremely easy to create, although you wouldn't guess by looking at it. This is how I created it...

✱  I began with an A2 card base I created from 110# gray cardstock. I added a hand-drawn border using a Kaisercraft Metallic Gel Pen. (I love the big set...it has metallics, pastels, neons and glitter - 48 in all.)

✱ On the same CS I used for the base, I stamped the image with Espresso Beans Memento Ink. I liked the look of the brown on gray tones.

✱ Using a bundle of q-tips that I rubber-banded together, I inked and stamped in a stippling motion all over the tree and ground area with Platinum Brilliance Ink.

✱  I trimmed down the piece and added a glittered edge to it with a Nuvo Glitter Marker in Urban Graphite (one of my favorite colors in the collection!)  I like adding a border like this on the edge of the panel to make it really stand out.  I added foam tape to the back and attached it to the card base.

✱  For the sentiment, I stamped in Memento Ink one of the phrases from the Victorian Greetings Set of 6.  I trimmed down the panel and attached it using foam tape.

This card has shimmer and dimension, and the nearly tone-on-tone look with a bokeh feel will have this one standing out on someone's mantel.

I sure hope you found some inspiration today and are having fun making your holiday greeting cards. If you like the products I've used, you can save 10% on everything in the Technique Junkies' store by simply adding my special code when you check out.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Til next time,

Keepin' it inky!