Saturday 7 November 2015

Let it Snow

I've started getting into the spirit of Christmas now that Halloween is out of the way.  I can't face making Christmas cards until now, unless I really have to.
This card started as a request to do something based round a snow globe design - and grew outwards from there.  Between the glossy shine of the mirri card, the acetate and the glittery snow, I decided to enter this card into the SImonSays Stamp Monday Challenge - Glossy


I started by cutting the snow globe and inner circle from silver mirri card.  I also cut the snow globe outer from the acetate that came with an embossing folder, as I wanted something really sturdy.  I used the inner circle to cut a white background template for the scene.  The base card is a pre-made 20cm x 20cm white card.  I stamped the front all over with the Special Christmas stamp by Anna Marie Designs, using black Archival ink.  This stamp has pre-arranged spaces that allow you to add one or more of the additional small greetings in another colour.  I chose the 'with love' greeting, which I stamped in Vermilion Archival ink and the 'Wishing you a' greeting, which I stamped in Fern Green Archival ink.  Having trimmed the top and bottom flaps off the silver and acetate snow globe blanks, I used tacky glue to stick the acetate to the back of the silver panel.  I was careful not to use too much glue and to keep to the centre of the border, as I didn't want the glue to squeeze out onto the acetate, when the two panels were pressed together.  
I cut out the fence piece from the Tiny's Winter Village set by Marianne, as well as the Horizon Winter Village and Pine Trees Horizon (also by Marianne) from super smooth stamp card - leaving sufficient space below each horizon to cover the back ground circle panel.  I coloured each of the sections using my ProMarker alcohol pens, taking care to follow the curve of the horizons and leaving the areas below white.  I used the smallest moon mask by ClarityStamp on the background panel and brushed over it using Denim Adirondack  ink and the largest ClarityStamp stencil brush.  Once all the background panels were complete, I was nearly ready to build up the layers.  Before I did so, I laid the village section over the inked background; used pencil to mark the windows and doors; removed the section and coloured below all the window and door apertures, using a gold metallic marker by American Crafts.  Only then did I stick the village panel into place and trim to match the circle background.  I added on the Pine Trees Horizon section, again trimming to match the circle; stuck the Fence in the fore ground; finally I used a glue pen and the Pure Sheen Glitter Diamond Nuvo glitter by Tonic Studios to add 'snow' to the roofs, trees, fence and hills.  
Once dry, I stuck the circle background panel onto the front of the card.  Before adding the show globe front, I added a double layer of foam pads to the back of frame round the acetate - ensuring that there were no gaps.  I then wiped the inside of the acetate with an anti-static bag.  Before placing the snow globe frame onto the card over the background panel, I added a pinch of soft snow (the sort you can get to sprinkle over the snow fabric for Christmas Village decorative displays).  Once everything was in place, I finished off by adding the Ice Crystals Arc by Marianne, die cut from white glitter card.  When the card is shaken, the snow moves around the snow globe.

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