Saturday 15 November 2014

Making Mini26 Festive!

Welcome to Magpieheaven, where I'm still busy with Christmas makes! I promise that next week I'll be taking a bit of a break from Christmas, as I don't want to overdo the festive spirit too much before the actual festive season begins! Over at the Craft Stamper Blog Here they have a challenge that my crafting friend, Chris of the blog Pearshaped Chris thought might interest me! I've been challenging myself to create cards with non-Christmas stamps and that is what Craft Stamper would like to see so I should like to link up this pair of Christmas cards to the challenge. The stamp I chose for these cards in PaperArtsy Mini26 - a really versatile little script stamp, which is not specifically Christmas themed.


I began with a new Masterboard: lots of brayering, stencilled birds and branches from a big stencil by StencilGirl and some stamping with my chosen non-Christmas stamp, Mini26. With its medieval look...
It reminds me of illuminated manuscripts in vibrant colours with gold lettering. If you click on the image, you might be able to see how the text blends in with the winter woods. There's a JOFY Mini snowflake Christmas stamp to create the wintry atmosphere.
After die-cutting some Tim Holtz deer, I painted them with PaperArtsy Fresco paint, then stamped them with some paint sponged onto the Mini26, embossing with clear embossing powder and then covering with Treasure Gold. The arch I'm experimenting with in the picture is also a Tim Holtz die-cut. I spread it thickly with Prima Crackle Paste and left it to dry.
In this close-up, I hope you can see the effect of the crackle on the arch and the raised embossing on the deer. I stamped the script on the arch too - without a block to give an aged, worn away look. I sponged the edge of the arch with some Fern Green Wendy Vecchi Archival ink to give the look of lichen.
The deer are fixed with little foam pads to give a 3D effect. Although the script is not intended for Christmas projects, I think it gives an impression of a medieval manuscript coming to life and it reminds me of one of my favourite carols:
The rising of the sun and the running of the deer,
The playing of the merry organ sweet singing in the choir.
I used the text from Artistic Outpost's 'Snowy Woods' plate to give a context...
and fixed all my elements to Kraft card. Thank you for stopping by Magpieheaven today. Have a lovely weekend full of creativity!

21 comments:

  1. Loving your kraft card make, very pretty:-) xxx

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  2. I love those - the stencil on the background looks amazing. What clever cards. Well done Chris for pointing you (and therefore us) in the direction...

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  3. love every element in this composition--the background is stunning Helene

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  4. Wonderfully beautiful and organic!! I love everything about these Julie Ann! The fact that you stayed away from the typical stamps and just brought in all of the natural beauty of nature between your colors and textures! Bravo my dear!! xo

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  5. AMAZING masterboard and beautiful cards!

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  6. Absolutely gorgeous! You are really working that arch shape!

    Lucy x

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  7. Another beautiful master board, these are fab Julie Ann xxx

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  8. Beautiful masterboard and cards!!!!

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  9. thanks for sharing your creative inspiration

    my blog moved to: www.pearlmaple.com

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  10. Hello Miss Julie Ann, okay this is my favorite master board, with the birds and the trees, the script with the circles, brilliant, then the added crackle, love how you added the wisps of snow, yup, yup, yup, I just looooooooove it, thanks for sharing and always being so inspiring, wishing you a wonderful week.. ((( BIG HUGS )))..

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  11. Lovely masterboard and beautiful cards, I love your blue colours Julie Ann xxx

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  12. This is a beauty! Thanks for joining us at the Take It, Make It Challenge.

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  13. It feels Christmassy without the stamps!. Love the colour scheme and the textures, Kraft cards are my favourites!

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  14. Still creating that Christmas magic I see!! A walk through the woods humming the tune looking out for those little birds - I'm there and this is beautiful! The fabulous masterboard and the craft card are so brilliant together! Big hugs, Chrisx

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  15. Oh, now you see I've been resisting and resisting that bird stencil, but that's gone and torn it! Absolutely stunning masterboard - gorgeous, fresh colours and delicious crackle on the finished piece. The deer look adorable, and it all looks fabulous against the kraft card. Perfection!

    Sorry I've missed so much, but I'm looking forward to getting back in the swing of visiting.
    Alison xx

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  16. Great looking masterboard .. love the colours. Thanks for joining in with the TIMI challenge ..... good luck! Linda xx

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  17. Fab masterboard and card, and you've got me singing that carol now!!! Thanks for joining us in the TIMI challenge this month. Nikki K. xx

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  18. Gorgeous make, love the background. Thanks for joining us at the Take It Make It Challenge. Elizabeth xxx

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  19. Wow another amazing masterboard and wow the detail especially the cracks are gorgeous and I love the cards, wow they are fab. Kezzy :-) xxx

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