Friday, August 03, 2018

CAS Christmas August Challenge

Hi everyone.  It's the start of the CAS Christmas August Challenge.  The challenge this month is being run by the extremely talented Hideko (Papercraft Bouquet) and she picked ...


For my card I used an old stamp that I've probably had for about twenty years. :)  I swiped the stamp with a light green ink pad, then dabbed a darker green ink pad randomly over top.  Stamped onto mixed media paper and then used a water brush to move the ink around.  I also added some brown ink for the trunk.  This created a background for my tree.  I repeated the same steps, but only lightly touched the image with my water brush so it didn't blur and the image stayed sharp.

Once dry, I heat embossed the tree in clear to set the colour.  I sponged the sky with two shades of light blue, sprinkled Shabby White Frantage over top for falling snow and melted it onto my card stock in my griddle.  Previously I would heat the frantage from underneath using my heat tool, but it would fly all over the place and I usually ended up with just a little sticking to my card.  Using the griddle means that every speck melted. :)

I added a torn piece of white card stock for a snow hill at the bottom of the tree and then framed it in white with a green stamped sentiment.

Here's the close-up ...

We are excited to have Barb (Barb's Studio Creations) as our Guest Designer this month.  Check out the challenge blog to see the wonderful card made by Barb, along with our beautiful Designer's cards.  Then come play along.  Remember to keep your card CAS.

We are so happy to have two new Designers, Colleen (One Smile Lifts a Spirit) and Linda (Lin's Craft Corner), joining our team.  Welcome Colleen and Linda!! :)

Stamps:  Lovely as a Tree (Stampin' Up!); Snowman Sayings - Retired (AmyR)
Paper:  Mixed media (Strathmore 140 lb. 400 Series); White (Neeenah 110 lb. card stock)
Ink:  Distress Inks:  Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint, Gathered Twigs, Tumbled Glass, Broken China (Tm Holtz); Versamark
Accessories & Tools:  Clear embossing powder, heat tool, sponges, Shabby White Frantage (Stampendous), griddle, Rectangle Nestabilities (Spellbinder)

Challenges:
CAS Christmas August Challenge - Tree

32 comments:

Barb Ghig said...

Such a gorgeous Christmas card, Loll! I love how you stamped the tree with 2 shades of green...it adds so much dimension...I also love your beautiful background! Great idea to use your griddle to melt the Frantage, too...the snow looks so pretty against your blue sky!
Thank you so much for the honor of having me along as your GD for August!

Colleen said...

Loll, this is just too lovely for words...the soft background of blue is stunning and your snow...a technique I have yet to try...a griddle? that kind of scares me a little truth be told!! Your tree is beautiful and one you must use again! Thank you so much for inviting me to join you in this challenge, I am honored to be along side you and all the other talented ladies! Heart Hugs, have a wonderful weekend! Col

Liz said...

Love this Christmas card, Loll. The effect of using two green ink pads in beautiful. xx

BożenA said...

Your tree looks so fairy-tale, Loll. I love darker tones of background on the edge of the card and brighter in the center, around the tree. And white dots look like slowly spinning snowflakes as they lazily and slowly fall to the ground. Such a beautiful card, Loll !!
Hugs,
BożenA

jimlynn said...

I'll have to try that with the Frantage and griddle. I don't even use the Frantage anymore because, like you said, it flies everywhere - and usually off the card.
Beautiful card and a lovely, lovely tree!
Lynn

Christine Alexander said...

gorgeous Loll, I love the depth of colour you got with your tree using the light and dark green. The lightly falling snow and snow banks make the perfect setting.

Nstiz said...

What an incredibly beautiful gradient LolL! Love the tree too, an old favorite. Love the different values of green you achieved on your tree too. Fun theme this month!

Linda W. (ScrappinBari) said...

Just love all the shades of your tree, Loll - so gorgeous! Love the torn snowbanks and the beautiful blue sky too!!

MaryH said...

It's gorgeous. I'm so pleased to see that several of the CAS Christmas cards this month are using some well-loved stamps. Sometimes I think the older stamps were much prettier than what is being designed today. (Then again, I'll see a new clear one, and it's pretty too!) Love the way the frontage turned out too. The shading on the tree adds so much depth. TFS & Happy wkend. Hugs

Papercraft Boutique said...

Gorgeous tree and the snowy sky, Loll! Just looking at the card makes me feel calm and peaceful. It looks like snow is really falling. The 20-year old stamp must be happy to be inked beautifully. Heat-embossing the tree in clear to set the color is a great idea before sponging the sky. I thought about masking, but I didn't think about clear heat-embossing. Always learning. Thanks, Loll!
Hideko xx

Trina P. said...

Incredible inking and colouring of your tree, Loll! The random two tones of green looks so realistic. Your sky is beautifully ink blended. The griddle frantage was the perfect finish to this wonderful winter scene. xx

Aileen said...

Absolutely beautiful Loll, love it. The soft scene framed in your card, the little bit of vellum, just perfect.

nancy littrell said...

I LOVE your Trendy "Lovely as a Tree" stamped image, Loll. You have given new life to an old, but wonderful stamp set. That was my very 1st SU stamp set 15 years ago and...I still have it! You have me inspired...Again, my friend. Loved how you solved the flying Frantage snow issue too:-) TFS and I plan to play soon! Love and Hugs...Nancy

Izzy Scrap said...

WOW ! I'm totally in love with your tree, Loll ! It seems so real ! I really have to try this technique. Love the two shades of green and the blue sky with falling snow is just stunning ! Thanks so much for sharing and for inspiring. xx

Julie B said...

Love the background to your tree Loll, it glows just like sunlight off snow! :)

Marcia said...

I had to stop by and tell you how beautiful your card is! The background is stunning. I love how you blended the blue colors. Great tip on using the frantage. I think I have some around here and will have to try it again!!

Jeanne said...

Such a beautiful card, Loll! That tree looks so realistic and the background sky is gorgeous. I don't believe I've ever heard of frantage. It looks pretty dimensional. Thanks so much for sharing, Loll!

Bonnie said...

This is my all time favorite tree stamp and I LOVE how you've varied the colors and covered it with snow. Your sponged background is so smooth. Wish I could get my sponging to look like that! Great idea to melt the Frantage with the griddle!

Faith A at Daffodil Cards said...

Amazing result.
Faith

Darnell said...

What a cool idea to corral the white frantage on your griddle, Lolly! It really makes the snow look 3D and real on top of your pretty and classic Christmas tree! Gorgeous blended sky and framed card!! Hugs, Dolly

Linda said...

Thanks Loll for the nice welcome. I am so honored to be on the CAS Christmas team. Your card is absolutely beautiful and really wasn't going to do the griddle thing, but my friends said we may have to try it when I come down for a visit.

Susan said...

Love the way you got the variety of green tones into the tree! And a beautiful snowy sky too. The frantage really does sound easier on the griddle!

Marcia Hill said...

LOVE your SU! tree Loll...it's one of my favorites too! Really like how you used a few different greens (and brown) and then just added a little bit of water to blend the colors...SOOOO pretty! And love how you did your snow with the Frantage on the griddle...think I'm going to try it with one of my flat frying pans on low on my gas stove since I don't have a griddle and see if that will work as I really like the look and not having to have all the little pieces flying everywhere when I try to heat it from underneath...grrrr! Anyway, lovely, lovely card my friend!! :0)

Linda said...

I love everything about this. The tree is one of my favourites, and the way you've given it a watercoloured look is fab. Love the sponged sky behind and the falling snow ..... gorgeous!xx

aussie aNNie said...

Just admire this card and the gorgeous frantage snow. Very admirable and inspiring...have sent you an email Lolls re a question.xx

Brenda in IN said...

I'm so happy to see Colleen and Linda joining the team. This is a stamp that will never go out of style. I like how you did the variegated colors on it and the snow looks great.

Mac Mable said...

What a classy and beautiful card. The tree looks amazing and love the blended background and the frantage. Yes I am using my pancake maker more often than not now to stop the powders etc flying off....such fabulous inspiration x. Love how you've framed the card which draws your eye right into that stunning tree x.

Mac Mable said...

Forgot to say that I love the background x

Anita in France said...

Beautifully detailed with a fantastic sense of depth, Loll ... a gorgeous tree in a magical scene ... I do love that frantage snow! Hugs, Anita :)

Karen Dunbrook said...

such a beautiful, elegant holiday card...love the look.
xx Karen

Nance said...

Wow, Loll! Fabulous card. I love all the different things you did to come to the finished product!

Bobby said...

Lovely tree and beautiful scene, Loll.