2018 #22 C&S Christmas: Cards with ESN {by Alison Hall}

 2018 Topic 22: Clean and Simple Christmas Ideas

Here we go folks, Just under 2 weeks until Christmas, so here are some perfect, zoomy- fast card ideas to get you in the swing of the season. Put on the Christmas music, a glass of mulled wine, and you'll be churning them out in a blink! ~ Ho Ho Ho! Leandra

Hi everyone, it's Alison/Craftytrog with you today, and I'd like to share with you some ultra simple Christmas cards I made, using one of Sara Naumann's lovely new stamp sets ESN31, and her co-ordinating stencil PS113.

I like to make a lot of Christmas cards very quickly, that are flat and easy to post at home and abroad, and these were so simple, and came together in a very short time.

The first thing to do is to cut your White Smoothy Card to the size you want. Mine are about 4 inches square. I didn't hesitate in reaching for my Seaglass Fresco Finish Acrylic Paint. It's such a beautiful light greeny blue shade. I simply brayered a light strip across each piece of card for my base.

This card showcases one of the beautiful, stand alone designs on ESN31.

It's simply stamped with Onyx Black Versafine Ink, embossed with clear embossing powder, then finished with a few splashes of watered down London Bus Fresco Finish Acrylic Paint. This colour combination really makes my heart sing!

On this card, the Laura Ingalls Wilder quote from ESN31 was stamped and embossed. I mixed a little South Pacific and Seaglass Fresco Finish Acrylic Paint to make a light turquoise colour, and used it to stencil the branch from PS113.

I then over-stamped the little branch from ESN31 with Onyx Black Versafine ink, and finished with splashes of London Bus Fresco Finish Acrylic Paint again.

If you don't like making an unholy mess splashing paint on your cards like I did above, there are some dots on stencil PS113 that you can use instead, as shown on my top right card in the photo below.

Well I did enjoy making these cards, not least because they went together so quickly! Sara Naumann's super stamp designs made the process so easy too. Using a brayer to apply paint is a good way to get a light layer that dries quickly. I hope I've inspired you create some quick last minute cards of your own.

Alison x

Blog: Craftytrog's Arty Adventures

Instagram: @craftytrog

There will be no challenge for this topic as we know you are super busy in the lead up to Christmas! So kick back and enjoy the inspiration from our designers instead!

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A good time to stock up, or make your Xmas requests from family.

2018 #22 C&S Christmas: Last Minute Christmas Cards with JoFY {by Anneke de Clerck}

 2018 Topic 22: Clean and Simple Christmas Ideas

Wow, I can see that our bloggers are loving their fast cards and Anneke was on a roll churning out a lot of wonderful ideas for you to use for those last tags and cards. If you've done yours and got time to kill (!!!) then get cracking on next year's cards with these ideas or maybe after Boxing Day you might find some relaxing days! ~ Leandra

Hi everyone, it's Anneke here tonight. I'd like to share with you a few last minute ideas that   could be useful if you still have to make Christmas cards.

Bellow I'm sharing 5 ideas for backgrounds. No need to pull out your paints. Forget about complicated background techniques. Quick and easy that's what it is about :)

Idea 1. On this first card I worked with (used) tissue paper. During the year I'm collecting the tissue paper I use to clean up my craft sheet, to wipe away leftover distress ink, spray ink....I let it dry and put it in a box. 

To create the background of this card I picked a sheet of that tissue paper and glued it on a card front using gel medium. After drying I had a nice background to stamp on. I did the stamping with Archival Ink Jet Black, and a huge JoFY word from JoFY68.

The large words from the JOFY 68 stamp set are definitely my favorites. The words look really nice on cards. The perfect stamps to create quick and easy Christmas cards with!

I also used this year's Christmas stamp, JOFY 65 . As you can see the stamp at the bottom of the plate has a lot of different words that can go in the boxes.Good for Christmas or other occasions.

Idea 2. For the background of this card and the following one I used 'underpaper'. That's the paper I put on my worktable to protect it. After finishing a few projects it's usually covered with lots of leftover paint.

To create these cards I looked for nice parts on the underpaper and cut panels out of it. It's surprising how many beautiful spots can be found on this paper. As you can see on this card I use the underpaper to clean my brayer as well. I stamped on top of the panels using stamps from the JOFY 65 stamp set.

Idea 3. I created this card using patterned paper by Tim Holtz and matching painted paper from my stash. I'm always smearing out leftover Fresco Acrylic Paints on scraps of paper, after finishing a project. That way I always have a matching sheet of painted paper at the ready.

I stamped the text with Versamark ink and heat embossed it with WOW embossing powder Opaque Bright White.

Idea 4. I've cut the background of this colorful card out of a leftover gel print.

I stamped a flower from the JOFY 45 set upside down to create a Christmas ornament. I finished the card off with stamps from the JOFY 68 stamp set.

Idea 5. In case there is nothing suitable in your stash (which I cannot believe :)) just go for a white background. I love clean and simple cards with lots of white space. The Smoothy White Stamping Card is the perfect paper to stamp on. I stamped the word Christmas several times using various colors of Distress Oxide inks. 

So many Christmas cards to make, so little time to spend in our craft room. We all have to deal with that issue from time to time I believe. I would recommend you to never throw away leftover paint, underpaper, used tissue paper...during the year. If you're running out of time a collection of leftovers comes in very handy!

I'm wishing you all a wonderful Christmas time!
Thanks for stopping by!

Anneke

My blog

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There will be no challenge for this topic as we know you are super busy in the lead up to Christmas! So kick back and enjoy the inspiration from our designers instead!

Annual Sale on now at PaperArtsy

HERE

on our new look website

Sale ends Dec 16th

Discount applied at checkout automatically

A good time to stock up, or make your Xmas requests from family.

2018 Topic 22: Clean & Simple Christmas Ideas {Final Topic of 2018}

 2018 Topic 22: Clean and Simple Xmas Ideas

Jo Firth-Young

Hello everyone, Leandra here

I'm still scratching my head as to where the year has gone. It's seems to be true that time flies faster the older you get, and Oh how I wish I could slow down that clock! I feel like we have spent the entire year on catch up. 

We have all of the new 2019 releases well underway,  ready for our January New Product announcements. We have 2 trade shows in January, in Arizona, USA, and Frankfurt, Germany, so Christmas is always a super-busy time preparing for those shows. We are beyond excited as this year we are involved with our designers (Seth, Sara, Tracy, Jo and Raquel) between them are teaching 6 classes at the show, which retailers are able to book now, and we ship all those class kits in the next week! We also have a lot of activity planned for the booth too. I can't think of anything else right now, so my Christmas to do list is at the bottom of lots of other lists!

I'm sure many of you,  far more organised that me, are scurrying around, trying to get through your Christmas lists. Food, presents, parties and it is such a delight around our town to see all the house exterior lights twinkling, its dark from mid afternoon her, and it is one part of a Northern Hemisphere Christmas that I really enjoy. 

We hope this final topic for the year may help with some last minute tags or cards for gifts, or even simple, achievable ideas for your table and house decorations. We do not have a challenge, so it is all eye candy for your enjoyment as the year comes to a close.

Before we start, let's see who won the Topic 21: Matchbox Art Challenge...

The winner is: Flo Langley from Florence and Freddie who made the cutest little matchbox with a mini JoFy person, Betty, too!

Email Leandra to claim your prize. sales@paperartsy.co.uk 

The first part of this post is PaperArtsy-laden with inspiration from this blog. You should use the search function on the side bar to help you find posts using specific stamps, or topics, and i can tell you, there is always plenty of Christmas ideas on here, and usually simple ones that make the projects achievable when time is short.

If you are intent on making some fast cards, then look not further than Jo Firth-Young's Christmas stamps. Every year, Jo's Christmas stamps are eagerly awaited by her fans, and you can always rely on a snowman of some description in their midst. And snowflakes.... you can't have too many snowflakes. And glitter! A swipe of paint, a few stamps, and a bit of book page, perfect!

JoFy Xmas 2017

And tree, of course, there is always a tree. 2 ways with one stamp here, and both effective. If you stamp onto multiple papers, either gel printed, or perhaps old papers you have lying around, then look at what you can do! Love the Kraft version too!

JoFy Xmas 2017

JoFY 2017 Xmas

I also loved Sara Naumann's Christmas release for this year. You can see how a swipe of paint strategically stamps can be a super-fast way to create a personalised card for your friends and family.

ESN 2018 Xmas

Last year, Autumn Clark created some stunning cards with our stamps designed by Lynne Perrella. There are 40 stamp in that collection now, and you will find in there many with a bit of a Christmas vibe, albeit more traditional. Some gilding certainly works well here!

Which leads me nicely into some Christmas Angels that Linda Cain has been making for Retro Art Cafe this year, and I spied a Lynne Perrella stamp LPC017 on her body. She has so many gorgeous projects like this she conjures up, they are beautiful!

Perhaps this doesn't look Clean and simple, but perhaps that is just because the background is bright and bold. But, I think Gel-printing is quite a simple way of making a background, and I love this cheerful idea for a Christmas card by Chris Cresswell! So i'm taking artistic licence to file it under C&S! Check out the blog post, because there are a lot of amazing ideas packed within it using Zinski Art stamps. 

ZA 2017 Christmas by Chris Cresswell

Another selection from our recent Christmas releases, Lauren crafted some fast cards using Zinski Art stamps. As below, a simple stamped border, and good use of colour and fa la la, nailed it!

ZA 2018 Lauren Hatwell

And I love the stencilling in this card, we've become so adept in our mixed media madness that we forget to use stencils for the most simple thing, smudged ink! Pink and Orange contrast and I'm loving it!

ZA 2018 Lauren Hatwell

Tracy Scott certainly went simple for her 2017 Christmas stamps: circles and stars. They don't have to be used for Christmas, anything celebratory, or fun patterns too!

2017 ETS Christmas

Squiggly Ink is one of our collections from over a decade ago now. Still available, but there are plenty of fabulous stamps that can work well for quick card and gifts. I have always loved this notebook and table setting by Jo Capper-Sandon. 

Squiggly Ink - Jo Capper-Sandon

Squiggly Ink - Jo Capper-Sandon

So lets look at simple in the extreme. Love these ideas - there's something homely about kraft card being used as a base.

And this torn book page makes a great tree!

Fantastic wood substrate has been painted to make these presents - what a fun thing to put outside your front door as a decoration. you can buy there here on Etsy. 

Ney Vintage de Signs

This is fun, particularly if you save postage stamps. Even better if you can find Christmas themed postage stamps!

Emma's Threads

Just a piece of string with sequins, and you might find a reindeer!

I keep selecting kraft cards to share! Here is another super simple idea from the Little Things Blog.

The Little Things

I could go on and on sharing ideas, but probably its better for you to check out my Pinterest board here as there are already almost 100 pins there for you! 

Wishing you all a truly fabulous Christmas and New Year. 

~ Leandra

There will be no challenge for this topic as we know you are super busy in the lead up to Christmas! So kick back and enjoy the inspiration from our designers instead!

2018 #21 Matchbox Art: Clips and charms with ETS {by Carol Fox}

 2018 Topic 21: Matchbox Art

We are rounding off this topic with a gorgeous sample from Carol using versatile stamps by Tracy Scott. I really hope you have enjoyed this topic as much as me! So many ideas! ~ Leandra

Hi everyone, it's Carol with you today, and I'd like to share with you a Matchbox full of Trinkets. I often add little dangley bits and sticking out elements to my journal pages, as I like the way it makes my overall journal look when it's closed, so my Matchbox contains a selection of these. I have actually made this as a little gift for a friend and I will also add a few collage elements to the finished box too, because as I used a larger sized box (the one that those longer matches come in) there is plenty of room for lot of bits and pieces. Even my Dragonfly is detachable on a long bit of curly wire so it can be used to wrap a small journal.

Closed box with the Dragonfly wire wrapped around the box.

Box Open showing all the little bits that can be added to journal pages and the Dragonfly at the back on his wire.

My background was done with a gelli plate using Deli paper. Here I have used  Fresco Paint in Bubble Gum, Haystack and added detail with  China and stencil  PS015

Stencil PS015 again and Cerise Fresco Paint added. 

 Last Painty layer and this time I used a stamp from ETS09 and thinned  Eggplant Paint with Satin Glaze to make it a bit translucent.

I stamped with the smaller daisy from the same Stamp Set and then coloured it in with pencils, the pencils go over the fresco paint really smoothly.

I added stamping using ETS21, I then covered my box with the paper, and added stickles and splatters of Snowflake Fresco Paint.

I mainly used stamps from ETS21 to make all my little journal charms,but I could not resist the little House element from SIBM2 as I love the quirkiness of this image and it is one of my favourite houses.

These charms were stamped onto Acrylic shapes, painted with Fresco paints in the same colours as above and then glazed with Glossy accents.

This selection were stamped onto card , coloured with watercolour pens and then a paper clip was sandwiched between them.

My box looked quite flat and boring before I added the Dragonfly, and I do like that he can be removed to .

I found the combination of Fresco Paints and the Deli paper was really good, at the start my paper was quite thin and flimsy, but once it got the Fresco paint on it, it started to take on a thicker slightly leather feel and I felt there was no danger of it ripping as I coloured in my images, and given it I had to remove it from my matchbox once as I got in on very crooked on the first attempt, I felt there was no danger of it tearing so I will be using the combination again when printing paper to wrap things in.

I hope you enjoyed my post and get time to enter into the challenge.

Carol.

Blog: http://gingernonutsbits.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GingersAlteredBits

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To join our challenge and win a £50 PaperArtsy voucher:

Simply make something arty relevant to the topic, and link your creation from any social URL (eg. Instagram, Pinterest, Blog Post etc) sharing your original make to this challenge page.

The current topic link Topic 21: Matchbox Art will close 17:00 (London Time) Sunday, December 9th 2018, and the winner will be announced 2 hours later at 19:00.

All links go in the draw to win a PaperArtsy voucher. Please make sure we can contact you as a prize winner - it helps if you share your contact info from the platform you opt to use.

Good Luck! If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!

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Annual Sale on now at PaperArtsy

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Sale ends Dec 16th

Discount applied at checkout automatically

A good time to stock up, or make your Xmas requests from family.