Welcome to InKing Royalty’s July Blog Hop! During this year’s blog hops, we are enjoying a year of celebrations. This month’s projects celebrate Christmas in July. Demonstrators have been able to order new products from the upcoming August-December Mini Catalog, so prepare yourself for a gorgeous mix of new products, products available in the Annual Catalog, and returning favorites. What fun! We are excited to share our creations with you today! After you read my post, I hope you’ll hop over to the next person on the list at the base of this post.
Here is my Christmas in July card. A little chalkboard look is always fun. And I used watercolor smooching to get the mottled pine boughs.
The Peaceful Boughs stamp set and Beautiful Boughs coordinating dies are one of the carryover sets from 2019. It is still one of my favorites.
There are quite a few techniques used on this card. I used dry embossing, heat embossing, smooshing, die-cutting, chalkboard effect, and a double bow. Are you ready for the instructions? Okay, here goes …
- Thick Whisper White cardstock: 4-1/4″ x 11″ scored at 5-1/2″
- Cherry Cobbler cardstock: 4″ x 5-1/4″ frame around card panel
- Whisper White cardstock: 3-3/4″ x 5″ to be embossed
- Whisper White cardstock: 3-1/2″ x 3-1/2″ for die-cutting snowflakes
- Basic Black cardstock: 3″ x 4″ for sentiment
- Crumb Cake cardstock: 1″ x 2″ for pinecones
- Braided Linen Trim: about 20″ (NEW AUG-DEC 2020 catalog will have Real Red Braided Lined Trim – Yeah!)
Stamp the Good Morning Magnolia image onto the vellum panel using Basic Gray ink. The lines will be blurred by the Stampin’ Blends and the alcohol to create a faux watercolor effect.
Color the image starting with the lightest color. Use Dark Daffodil Delight for the center. Dip a fine-tip paintbrush into the rubbing alcohol and gently move the color. I added Champagne Shimmer Paint to my rubbing alcohol.
Next, color non-adjacent petals with Dark Flirty Flamingo. Gently blur the stamped line. Let dry and repeat on other petals. Do the same for the leaves. TIP: Blow into a straw to gently direct the ink flow in the desired direction.
Add a second layer of color after the image is dry. Repeat the process of alcohol painting and gently blowing the ink.
OPTIONAL: Pick up some clean rubbing alcohol with the paintbrush and flick it over the image. This will create small droplets that will lighten some areas by moving the color outward.
Adhere the vellum panel to the Basic White cardstock panel using Stampin’ Seal or a light amount of Multipurpose Liquid Glue. Add to Basic Black card base.
Stamp the sentiment in White Craft ink and heat emboss with with embossing powder. Trim to you liking. Add to card panel with small black Dimensionals.
Customize the message insert and the envelope with some flicks of color from the brush end of the Stampin’ Blends.
CARD PANEL
- Emboss Whisper White card panel using the Brick & Mortar 3D embossing folder.
PINE BOUGHS & SNOWFLAKES
- Die-cut snowflakes from Whisper White scrap using Christmas Layers dies.
- Prepare Soft Sea Foam cardstock for die-cutting.
- Ink craft mat with Old Olive ink.
- Spritz with water.
- Run your finger through in zigzag pattern horizontal and vertical.
- Smoosh Soft Sea Foam cardstock in ink.
- Use the heat tool to dry.
- Repeat the process until you like the layers. TIP: Do at least 3 layers of ink/dry to get depth of color.
- Die-cut large pine bough from smooshed Soft Sea Foam cardstock using Beautiful Boughs dies.
SENTIMENT
- Stamp sentiment on Basic Black cardstock using White Craft ink.
- Add white embossing powder and heat emboss.
- Die-cut sentiment using Beautiful Boughs frame die.
- Gently drag white craft ink across die-cut sentiment to get the chalkboard effect.
- Add Black Dimensionals to the back.
THE BOW
- Using Braided Linen Trim create a double loop with a tail.
- Pinch center and tie with a separate piece of Braided Linen Trim. This will leave a flatter knot.
ASSEMBLY
- Assemble the layers as shown.
- Use Black Dimensionals behind sentiment.
- Sponge on some liquid glue to adhere snowflakes and bough.
- Use several glue dots to attach the bow.
- Personalize the card insert and the envelope.
Thank you for stopping by today. I hope you’ll hop along to the next stop on the blog hop is to the Netherlands (Friesland), with Janneke Dijkstra-de Jong at Happy Stampin’. There’s lots of inspiration to be found in this group – and you don’t want to miss it!
Thank you for hopping along with us. If you get stuck during the Blog Hop, please use this line-up as a guide:
- Brian King at Stamp with Brian
- Ann Murray at Murray Stamps Ink
- Janneke Dijkstra-de Jong at Happy Stampin
- Candy Ford at Stamp Candy
- Linda Krueger at The Stamp Coach
- Shawn de Oliveira at Shawn Stamps
- Pam Morris at Tap Tap Stamp
- Julie DiMatteo at The Paper Pixie
- Joanne Brown at Stamping with JoJo
- Lynn Kolcun at Avery’s Owlery
- Jennifer Spiller at Westside Paper Creations
- Jackie Beers at Blue Line Stamping
- Sheryl Sharp at Sharp Notes by Sheryl
- Sue Jackson at Just Peachy Stamping
So many great elements on your card! I especially love the boughs. Beautiful!
Thank you Sheryl. I think I might be using those smooshy boughs a lot on winter projects.
Ann the branches you created are awesome! I adore all the elements you have brought together for this beautiful card! I’m swooning over the chalk board look you created!
Your kindness is a gift. Thank you, sweet Sista!
What a lovely card Ann. Love the technique you used.
dank u
So beautiful, Ann! Love the smooshing technique.
Smooshing is the best!
Beautiful card! Thank you for the directions for the smooching and bow. I’ve been extremely bow challenged lately, and this will help.
Glad to help. Thanks for the compliment! 🙂
How pretty and creative ! I like your boughs ! What a fun technique !
Smooshing is the best technique!
such a great card and awesome techniques. It comes together beautifully with that sentiment.
Thanks Lynn!
Beautiful card, Ann! The smooshing technique looks so great on your die cuts. I don’t have this stamp and die set, but this card makes me want to get it! Thanks for sharing your talent.
The set is a returning favorite from last year. I use those boughs on projects all year. It is the perfect size for scrapbooking too!
Lovely card Ann. All of your techniques came together perfectly for a beautiful project. Thanks for sharing the result, and for the tips, which will be helpful
Thank you for your kind words.