The Real Reason for Christmas

  If you can believe it people are already decorated for Christmas around here!!  It's not even Thanksgiving yet people!!  There are 2 houses on our way to my sons preschool that are all decked out with the blow up decorations, light up deer, candy canes and lights.  And they've been that way for 2 weeks!!  I saw someone's Christmas tree inside all lit up.  Are there even real Christmas trees for sale yet??  Anyway, I see all this stuff and feel like we're being rushed onto the next season or holiday before we've even had a chance to celebrate the current one.  I don't know if it's the marketing media that is causing this or what but I solidly refuse to even think about Christmas (besides cards!) until I've had a chance to celebrate and give thanks on Thanksgiving.  Next year, people will have their Halloween and Christmas decorations out at the same time!  Come on people!  =)

  Since the only Christmas spirit that I'm willing to get into yet is making cards I'm going to share this one.  I'm embarrassed to say that I've had this set since July and this is the first card I've made with it.  I didn't even have the stickers on the rubber until I sat down to make this card.  It's a beautiful set and perfect for watercoloring (which I am not terribly good at but I'm trying!).  Over on Splitcoaststampers there is a group of demos called the Creative Crew which issues challenges every month.  All are welcome to play along so I decided to make this card for one of the challenges.  This one was to make an easel card using the Letters to Santa DSP or the colors that are in this DSP.  I went with the colors since I wanted the focus to be on the Holy Family.

  The base of the card is Early Espresso with a layer of Marina Mist.  I stamped the image with Stazon on watercolor paper.  I used all the colors from the Letters to Santa DSP to watercolor with an Aquapainter and inkpads.  Early Espresso, Marina Mist, Old Olive, Riding Hood Red, and Blushing Bride.  I did use a bit of Soft Suede to color in the cow since the Early Espresso kept turning pink (!!) on me.  I guess EE is a red based brown and for some reason I kept getting a pink hue.  I had to layer it on thick for the donkey and you can still kind of see some red in him.  I knew a red cow just wasn't going to make this an attractive card so for the sake of everyone's eyes I used a little bit of Soft Suede.  Also to add a bit of detail I outlined the whole image with a very light layer of Crumb Cake.

  The star is filled in with Dazzling Details to make it sparkle and shine.  Baby Jesus' blue blanket has a very light layer of white shimmer paint that I brushed on with a dried Aquapainter.  I also added an Early Espresso fork bow to the right side. 

  To make this easel card stand up and display the image I used a strip of Marina Mist embossed with the Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder on the inside.  I then cut out a half scallop circle from the Petal Cone die and stamped the sentiment with Stazon.  I popped the half scallop circle up on dimensionals to help keep the easel card open.

  Here's the side view of the card opened....

  I don't know if I'm going to be able to give this card away...maybe I'll make some more and keep one for myself so I can display it during Thanksgiving....oops I mean during Christmas!  =)

   Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Tidings of Joy

Ink: Stazon, Early Espresso, Marina Mist, Old Olive, Riding Hood Red, Blushing Bride, Soft Suede, Crumb Cake

Paper: watercolor paper, Marina Mist, Early Espresso

Accessories: Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder, Petal Cone die, satin ribbon, Dazzling Details, white Shimmer Paint