AWH Heart of Christmas #17

Christmas with Whimsy & Wonder

Hello. Welcome to Valley Inspirations with Andrea and the 17th Art with Heart Team 2021 Heart of Christmas Blog Hop. 

So glad you are joining us for this Heart of Christmas Blog Hop. I have really enjoyed creating a few cards for this Christmas blog hop. I hope you like them:

I started by setting up to create a smooshed background or two, however, I ended up creating 6 backgrounds - all with the initial application of ink. I dabbed my Mint Macaron Classic Stampin' ink pad onto my Silicone Mat. As hardly any ink transferred, I pushed the ink pad back on the mat with a heavy hand - this time transferring a heavy layer of ink. I sprayed the mat with water from my Stampin' Mister and started dabbing a cellophane bag from one of my Stampin' Up! products into the ink and then onto a piece of Shimmery White card-stock. Each background is different - some with partial areas of smooshing and others with a more all over coverage. I've used 3 of the smooshed backgrounds for today's cards.

The 3 cards are similar, though different. Apart from the Mint Macaron smooshed background they all have a Mint Macaron card base and use Silver foil from the Silver Foil Speciality Pack for the mounting the card front.

The colour scheme was inspired by the Whimsy & Wonder Speciality Designer Series Paper, ie Blushing Bride, Polished Pink, Mint Macaron, Mossy Meadows and Misty Moonlight, plus - because I was relying on my memory and thought Evening Evergreen was also part of the colour scheme, it too was also used - oops. I only used the delightful speciality DSP by adding the fussy cut presents in the first card, pictured above.

The card inners were created with a piece of Basic White card-stock and a tree from the Whimsical Trees stamp set was stamped in Mint Macaron Classic ink. The tree above also has Polished Pink dots added with a Stampin' Write Marker.  A C6 Basic White envelope was stamped to coordinate with the card inner.

The card above cut one tree from the Silver Foil, all the other trees in their various shapes and sizes were cut from Shimmery White card-stock using the coordinating Christmas Trees dies. I really love this bundle and the whole Suite. It is sooo gorgeous.

Most of the Shimmery White card-stock trees were water-coloured using the ink colours listed above with a medium Water Painter. This card also used a thin strip of Mint Macaron DSP from the Subtles DSP pack. It was layered with a thin strip of Silver Foil.

This card used the Metallic Mesh Ribbon, tied in a double bow, where as the first card (above) also used the Metallic Mesh Ribbon together with a piece of Silver Simply Elegant Trim. The third card (below) used the bakers twine that is described as Misty Moonlight Silver Batkers Twine, however, I removed the Misty Moonlight threads leaving silver and white strands. This twine is park of the Flowers for Every Season Ribbon Combo.

This card inner had a thin strip of Mint macaron card-stock added near the bottom.

Each of the cards used the gorgeous 2021-2023 In Colour Jewels (either Polished Pink or Soft Succulent) to add that extra touch of shimmer. These jewels are so beautiful in real life. The colouring of the cards also shows so much better in real life - the camera hasn't quite captured the true colours well.

Each card used the same sentiment from the Whimsical Trees stamp set for each, as I preferred a long single line sentiment format. The sentiments were all heat embossed, either with Silver Emboss powder on Shimmery White card-stock or White Emboss powder on Mint Macaron card-stock. Shimmery White card-stock was used instead of Basic White as the backgrounds used Shimmery White as it copes with light water-colouring. As the Shimmery White is more off-white than Basic White card-stock it was better to keep consistency with the background.

As you would have picked up, some of the trees were adhered flat on the card background while others were popped up on Mini Dimensionals, as were the sentiments.

I love the relaxed unstructured feel of the smooshed backgrounds and as you may have picked up previously, I really enjoy water-colouring die cut pieces. As mentioned, the Whimsy & Wonder Suite is delightful - the design of stamps and dies and the colour combination. I am loving this non-traditional colour way this year. I had planned to add a Wonderful Snowflake or two, but forgot when I was creating. Hmm, I still have another 3 backgrounds so it's not too late. I wonder how the next 3 cards will evolve? I'm sure there will be more fun.

Thank you so much for spending time with me on my blog. I'm so glad you did.

If you are in Australia, don't already have a Stampin' Up! demonstrator and would like your own copy of Stampin' Up's 2021-2022 Annual Catalogue and or the July - December Mini Catalogue then let me know and I will be delighted to send them to you. Pease don't hesitate to make contact with any other queries about these projects or Stampin' Up!. 

To continue with the blog hop, click on the "onto the next" graphic below to be taken to the blog of the lovely Caroline Manwaring. I always look forward to checking out Caroline's clean & elegant creations together with everyone else's. 

Hope to see you next week for another AWHT Heart of Christmas Blog Hop. There is so much Christmas inspiration to share using Stampin' Up!'s products and Christmas is getting closer. It's time to commence Christmas card writing for friends and family overseas. 

Also, don't forget the weekly Colour Creations Blog Hop by the Art with Heart Team that launches every Wednesday at 8.00pm AEST.

Stay well, stay safe and be kind to yourself and others.

Andrea XXX

  

As mentioned, it is always a delight to see everyone's creations and the way they each use the amazing Stampin' Up! products. I am sure there will be gorgeous Christmas projects on show so don't miss checking out each blog. 

If at any time you find a broken link and the next blog doesn’t come up or you started part way through, please head to the blog of this week’s host of the Heart of Christmas Blog Hop, very special Sharon Davern, and she will have the list of all Art With Heart Team members who are participating in this blog hop. Check out her beautiful creation while you are there.

#heartofchristmas #heartofchristmas2021 #awhtheartofchristmas #Stampin'Up! #Whimsy&Wonder