All of my Christmas cards

This is all of the cards sent this year (minus a couple I forgot to photograph). The stamps are all Paperartsy and Cherry Pie, and I used all of my favourite products and techniques on them. Thanks for looking!

Happy Birthday Sara!

It is my friend Sara's birthday today, and last night a small group of us went out...alone! No babies! They were all in the good hands of their Daddies, and suffered no ill effects, of course. This is the card and gift I gave to her, so I can now show the photos.
The canvas was coloured with a mix of Distress Inks and Brilliance. I stamped the image of the Mother and child, and the oval swirls onto tissue and adhered them to the canvas using Klear floor wax. I found it was better to just let the tissue settle onto the wax, otherwise it takes the colour from the canvas if you brush too much. The tissue then turns clear, don't ask me how! I sponged Distress Ink around the figure, but not the ovals, you can see from the photograph the difference this makes. The heart was stamped directly onto the canvas with Brilliance Pearlescent Crimson, then I used the Iridescent Medium to pull the colour into the image. I also used it on the skin of the figure. I stamped the stars in Silver Brilliance, and went over them with my Sakura clear Stardust pen (as recommended by Julie), and I traced over the oval swirls with it. What you can't see is that the edge of the canvas was stamped with my Klimt swirls. All stamps used were by Cherry Pie.
The card came together in stages. The chipboard flowers I blogged about a couple of days ago. The background for the centre panel was made a couple of evenings ago. I used a piece of glossy photo paper and a sea sponge, and just added lots of layers of colour, including a couple of colours of Brilliance. It ended up looking like a piece of granite. I stamped my new stamp, from Crafty Individuals, over this background using Versamagic chalk ink in Eggplant, then added some to the back of the circle flower shapes. The main part of the card was stamped using Ancient Page and an Aud Design swirl at the weekend, then I put it all together, stamped the words (Beach Bum Stamps), and made a little acetate butterfly.
I forgot to photograph the inside and envelope, but with all of my cards I print a sentiment out on the computer, then stamp around it, and on the envelope too, as a little hint of what's inside. I can't leave a surface unstamped! I use softer colours, but keep it co-ordinated. Next time I will remember!

Thanks to Godelieve.

This is another of my half-done projects, but when I am time-challenged I do tend to just do a small project rather than a whole card or page. Last night was not a sleeping night for Dan, so whilst Paul was cooking, I decide to decorate some Maya Road chipboard flowers.
The story behind this is that a few months ago, Godelieve showed a project using the Windsor and Newton Iridescent medium. I looked for it at the time with no joy, and then forgot about it. It gives a finish a little bit like H20 paints, and you can either mix it in or paint it over your painted project. Well, I went shopping to a huge place which stocks a lot of basic craft and art equipment (plus loads of homeware, it's a tempting shop!), and there it was, on the shelf!
Naturally, I had to have it, and last night it was sitting on the table when I got downstairs. Godelieve has also recently decorated some chipboard flowers, the ones from Maya Road which I have had for nearly two years and hadn't used. So I thought: iridescent medium, Godelieve, flowers, and this is the result! I used a mix of Brilliance and Versamagic inks, plus a little Distress Ink, stamped with my Hero Arts script stamp, then over-washed with the Iridescent Medium. I am planning to use them on a card, I have an idea in mind, but let's hope Dan sleeps this evening!