Sunday 22 December 2013

One Last Card.

Welcome to Magpieheaven! Tomorrow has to be mince-pie day, as the mince-meat is now made and just awaits the little pastry cases! All in all tomorrow looks like it's going to be a day of frenzied preparations so I don't see myself getting very much crafting done! No doubt everyone in Blogland is very busy preparing for the big day, but I just wanted to share one last card before the 25th. I have not made 'batches' of cards, preferring to concentrate on making them just for special friends and family members. This is the one I made to go on the mantelpiece in my mum's new flat close to our home. I should like to enter it for The Artistic Stamper December 'Anything Goes' Challenge.
My mum is 84 years old and she has found moving and settling into a new home very challenging. Mr Magpie and I have been decorating her flat with fairy lights and sparkly winter branches over the past few days to make it cosy and festive for her. I shall take over this card tomorrow to put on her mantel-piece. I wanted to create a card with restful colours and an appealing image and I hope that my mum, who is a great animal lover, will like the little deer die-cut, which has certainly won my heart this Christmas.
 I covered a card blank from some I bought at The Range with some handmade paper sent to me by my dear Magpie Cousin, Dianne. This paper has all kinds of glints and textures and little leaves embedded in it and I can hardly bear to cut it up and use it! For my next layer I used some Bo Bunny double-sided paper with a beautiful holly design, then a golden holly patterned paper also by Bo Bunny from their Silver and Gold Range and finally a layer of Bo Bunny with a tree design on it. I stamped the corners with some script from the Paper Artsy Mini   26, which I've used a lot this Christmas, using Wendy Vecchi Potting Soil Archival Ink. Then it was time for some die-cutting and punching.
I had a die-cut of a little frame from a Tim Holtz tag die and I painted this with Paper Artsy Fresco in Tinned Peas. I then added a little green gem. Next I found all my scraps of painted and stamped papers left over from other projects and stamped out leaves with a little leaf punch. There are some stamped with script, some that are Crackle Glazed - Antarctic over Baltic Blue and I can see a little brown crunchy waxed paper one there too. I also punched out some snowflakes from my scraps and placed pearls at the centre.
My die-cut deer has a necklace of leaves too. For the deer's body, I painted her with Fresco Nougat and edged this with Fresco Cinnamon. I then sprinkled with Shabby Rose Frantage and a little Gesso blobbed in places. A little green gem for an eye finished off this simple card. I was very pleased with the way that the deer's coat turned out. I hope that my mum will feel settled and happy in her flat and that this Christmas will be a time when she begins to feel truly at home there and a little more confident and happy.  Thank you for stopping by at this busy time. I hope you will have some lovely crafty presents for Christmas and time to do some crafty activities too!

15 comments:

  1. It's beautiful, and I hope your Mum loves it too.

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  2. Love how you have shaded your deer. Hope your mum settles in her new flat. Sounds like she loves Christmas with you making it all sparkly for her.

    Julie x

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  3. Your Mum will adore it Julie (who wouldn't). Such a delicate card and the deer looks so pretty.

    Warm crafty hugs from Shirl x x

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  4. Forgot to say have a very Merry Christmas x x

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  5. Aww this will be just perfect for her Julie Ann

    Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas time

    Sam xx

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  6. This little deer is adorable Julie Ann and I am sure your Mum will love it, Hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year, Thank you for your lovely comments this year and your support. Hugs Mo x

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  7. Lovely card, I'm sure your mum will be delighted with it.

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  8. Gorgeous card, Love the design... the little deer is beautiful...I'm sure your dear Mum will treasure this...Merry Christmas & A blessed 2014 to you & your family... Hugs May x x x

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  9. Such a beautiful card Julie Ann! I'm sure that your dear Mum will adore it.I love that little deer too.
    Wishing you all a very Happy Christmas, & a healthy New Year.
    Alison xxx

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  10. You've been a busy bee. Wonderful pieces to see.
    Just coming around to wish you and yours a Merry Christmas and a blessed year 2014.

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  11. A beautiful card! I'm sure your Mum loved it! I do hope she soon feels that her flat is Home! It took us a while but now I wouldn't be anywhere else (well, maybe at the caravan occasionally He! He!!!) Wishing you a Wonderful Christmas! Chrisx

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  12. How lovely that you've been decorating your mum's new house... I hope she finds her feet this Christmas and starts to feel that it's home. A beautiful card!

    Wishing you and yours a very merry Christmas!
    Alison xx

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  13. Oh, and thank you for joining us at The Artistic Stamper of course!
    Ax

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  14. I do hope your Mum starts to feel more at home in her new flat Julie Ann. My Mum is 85 and just having her to stay with us for a week when her kitchen was refitted & central heating updated upset her badly. I'm sure all the effort you and Mr Magpie have put in will work its magic very soon though. Your Mum is bound to love this beautiful card. The little deer is adorable in her pretty coat!

    Hugs
    Lesley Xx

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  15. Oh wow truly stunning card, and I'm sure it looked lovely on the mantel piece. I love those little leaves and how you have made them so different and the deer is fabulous, especially with his texture and those leaves. I love the background and the papers are fantastic. Lots of hugs Kerry Ann xxxxxxxx

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