Tuesday 22 December 2015

2015 #23 OMG she used Glitter! {by Leandra Franich}

 2015 Topic 23: Christmas Gifts and Cards



Hi everyone Leandra here,

I find Christmas stressy - don't get me wrong, I DO really look forward to it, because I love the family get together, and the chance to hunker down in the winter weather, nurture and provide for the family with good food, wine and Christmassy treats. I kinda wish that Christmas would stop there, job done! That would be bliss! It's the getting the right presents and making cards end of thing that can add to the stressy side of this time of year!

Hopefully most of you are at the tail end of things now, there might be a bit of wrapping up to do, or maybe even a few last minute cards to send. Well I'm here to help on that score! 

I dug out some masterboards and in ONE afternoon I made over 30 cards! YES! I think that is the most productive card making session of my life! I made another 20 Monday morning, so I've had a blast, and I do admit this has brought me well and truly into the Christmassy spirit of things!

But I do have a confession, this process might have involved glitter, and 'more is more' with glitter right?? Well it seems in the cold light of day, maybe I went a tad overboard, but it has been probably over 10 years since I used any! LOL ....so I might have been making up for lost time !! Oh, and word of warning - do NOT buy that glitter wrapping paper! Looks nice, but I have glitter EVERYWHERE! I am seriously thinking that we will be opening our presents OUTSIDE this year!!! haha - at least it has been mild!


So these cards are really basic, but so easy to make, and because the backgrounds are interesting, they look like you've put in a decent effort. Just start with a brayered masterboard background, mine are left overs from numerous previous things. I used 3 A4 sheets to make 30 cards!


Tip: if the background is pale, then you can use fine detailed stamps like the JOFY stamp above, which was then painted with transluscent colours to make the image pop. You can find all the JOFY Christmas stamps here.



...But if the Background is bold, then just find a bold, dark stamp (the Xmas Hot Picks are ideal), stamp it in black and layer up - these are super, super fast! A teeny bling spot, and a dash of clear glitter glue on the snowy side of the tree, job done!



Step One: Make your brayered background. But you can stop at the 'brayered colour' step, you don't need to add lots of stamps as the sample below shows...this is just greens and blues brayered together. Takes 2 mins to do an A4 sheet like that. Baubles painted in gold and glitter.


This video is a reminder of the brayering technique, and I show you how to make this card in that video....




Step Two: Cut up your brayered BG into strips, and cut black matt layers to match. Find a stamp to fit, adhere to card, add glitter! On a larger card there was room for so more JOFY stamps to detail the edges.



Or perhaps a bit of a decoration across the top with paint to tie it in...



Sparkly crown anyone???



Step Three: Start adding some paint to your stamped masterboards - it might be transluscents, but I also added gold and glitter too!

But this sample was the glitter ramped up on overdrive...dot in the background on the plain card, on the lettering that is a 'Christmas' word stamp stamped directly onto the card and painted in Tango and Cherry Red...with glitter obvs!


Don't worry, I have already confessed on twitter to such rampant use of glitter, and promise not to over indulge again. Indeed the recipients of these cards will be shocked, not just to get a card from me in the first place, but one with glitter and hand made is a once in a decade occurrence!! I know, I am the worst Christmas-crafter in the world! But at least I am honest about it!!

{In my defense, we do only have 3 weeks until our biggest product release of the year and we have a LOT coming up to show you!!!}

Merry Christmas everyone, if I can find time to do cards...then YOU can too !! Nuff said!

Leandra 

17 comments:

Helen said...

Love your cards.. There'll bend stopping you now. Don't think I used any glitter thus year!

Helen said...

Love your cards.. There'll bend stopping you now. Don't think I used any glitter thus year!

Miriam said...

fabulous cards.....a little glitter doesn't hurt anyone!! Merry Christmas xx

Miriam said...

fabulous cards.....a little glitter doesn't hurt anyone!! Merry Christmas xx

Hazel Agnew said...

Well done you! Glittertastic! Where would any of us be without the good old masterboard! And glittery carpets certainly make hoovering much more interesting! So glad that you are feeling Christmassy and hope that you still have a little gin left! ....maybe not! Anyway.....Happy Christmas matey...have a good one! Xx 😜

Analia Cristina said...

Merry Christmas for you and your family!!!

Words and Pictures said...

Fabulous glittery speedy cards - a post full of inspiration for last-minute card panics... I'm afraid I've wimped out to e-cards again this year. Days just don't seem to be long enough at the moment!
Alison x

craftimamma said...

Fabulous cards Leandra and 30.....in one afternoon!!! I don't care if they are what you call simple, that's some crafting!

Hugs
Lesley Xx

Kirsten said...

Gorgeous cards!!

Etsuko said...

Fabulous cards and very interested post Leandra. Best wishes to you and your family for a happy Christmas and a joyful New Year. xx

Lauren Hatwell said...

LOL - I have to say I wholeheartedly approve of your rampant glitter frenzy. A fantastic array of Crimble cards. Wishing all at PA HQ a very happy Christmas. Lx

Cocofolies said...

Oh oh Leandra, this is so fun!!!... And your glittered cards SO beautiful hahaha!!!!
Despite your own words, you're the best Christmas-crafter in the world LOL! :)))
Thank you for all the lovely ideas and tips to do a bunch of great Christmas cards using leftovers of masterboards, in a quick way but very beautiful!
Can't wait to discovering the new release now lol
Wishing you and yours a merry Christmas and very happy and successful New Year 2016! Hugs Coco xx

Unknown said...

Fab cards, 30 in one sitting is amazing. I am with you on glitter wrapping paper, brought some this year and its everywear, never again!! Xx

Lucy Edmondson said...

These cards are really fabulous, Leandra, and I love the glitter! I didn't do too well this year on the card making front! Thank you to everyone at paperartsy for a wonderful year on the blog. Hope you have a great time with the kids,

Lucy x

Julie Lee said...

Sorry, I'm so late - Boxing Day already! I just had to say I'm impressed - 30 cards in one sitting!!! And they look amazing! Well done and Thank You for all you do all year round to inspire and encourage us and brighten our days with colour and creative possibilities! I hope you had a great Christmas! xxx

Anonymous said...

All those cards from 3 A4 sheets - okay, I need to bookmark this tutorial and refer to it for Christmas 2016 because this is what I need in my life for Christmas card/tag preparations!
Stunning display of cards, all the more amazing because you created them so quickly and actually, the glitter looks great. I always avoided glitter as I hated the "stuff", would find it on photo real stamps 6 months later, stamps that weren't even near the glitter at the time of use!
I hope you had a fabulous Christmas.
Wishes
Lynne

Sandie said...

some great ideas here Leandra, and I enjoyed watching the video. I'm already inspired to make my cards for 2016, perhaps if I start now I won't end up in the frenzy that happened this time round! LOL