Happy Mail for Anything But Cute!

I am thrilled to be a Guest Designer over at Anything But Cute for Niki's challenge to make a mixed media Christmas card for the "You've Got Happy Mail" challenge!  As Niki says, "We all like Happy Mail, right?  That feeling of being spoiled rotten when you receive a handmade card from someone is better than being wrapped up in a soft blanket near a fire, sipping on a hot latte.  So, for this challenge, I would love to see your mixed media Christmas card inspired by the spirit of the season."

I decided on a double gate-fold style, to give me a bit more real estate since I don't do "small" well, lol!  This is a photo-heavy tutorial, as is my wont.  I make stuff up as I go, so I like to keep a visual record of what I did.  Feel free to breeze through to the end, as you wish.  You can see the finished card, all sides, at the end, as well as the list of my mentors, for whom this card is meant as a hearty Thank You!!


I started with a 6 x 12 inch piece of fairly heavy card, and smooshed it around in three Distress Paints: Picket Fence, Hickory Smoke, and Antique Linen.  I used paints and not ink, because the paint will be permanent once dry, and act as a protective layer for the card - along the lines of putting gesso down.  I covered both front and back....since both would show.

 Then I scored the card at 2, 4 8 and 10 inches.




Next I ran each end through my Big Shot, using the Tim Holtz On-The-Edge snowflake die.  Each time, I taped the edge to the die to keep things straight while going through the rollers.

Kinda fun, and I like it so far....

I colored the card by sponging on some Hickory Smoke and Stormy Sky Distress Inks. And that is when I realized that by cutting first, I did not get my snowflakes colored, or treated in any way....and being already cut now, they would be too fragile to manipulate. Oops, and ok, back to the beginning!

This time, after smooshing my card through the same Distress Paints, I colored it with the same Distress Inks, and flicked some water to get a snow-falling feel.  Again, I did this to both sides.

And THEN I scored it.

 Here it is folded - all sides are now the same in terms of finish....

I once more cut the snowflake edges exactly as I  had before, but this time I used scrap card that I had colored like the card base.  Then I applied Indigo Blu's Morris Dance gilding flake to both sides of the snowflakes.  I still wasn't sure how I was going to attach these, but I liked them.  

After fooling around with some ideas, I ended up flaking them entirely....isn't that variegated flake stunning?!

Next, I wanted to create a scene, using trees and off stamping to create some distance.  (Thank you, Butterfly!)  I tore some scrap into "hills", and sponged the top edge with Weathered Wood Distress Ink to create some rolling hills....

Then I stamped with both little tree stamps from the Stamping' Up "Ornamental Pine" set, using Library Green Archival Ink to create a forest on the entire inside of the card, by stamping off several times with each stamp.

I spared the "wings" from stamping, as these will fold in to become the front of the card, and I knew I would be using those gilded snowflakes there, somehow!

I wanted some snowy effects, so I grabbed my Distress Clear Rock Candy glitter, which I applied with a tea infuser spoon, per Tim Holtz, on top of some texture paste (here from Finnabair's Art Basic line).

The sparkle is quite soft and lovely....like dry powder snow.

Alas, it does not photograph well so well when I  give you the full picture thus far...

Next, I stamped the sentiment (from the same set) using Cobalt archival ink, as I wanted to pick up on the blues in the sky.  I masked the sentiment and splattered some diluted Picket Fence Distress Paint for an enhanced snowy look.

Now, to those snowflake edges.  I glued them to the folded edges of the front "gate", only along the straight edge of the die-cut, as I wanted the flakes to have some dimension.

 Here is the card so far....

 

On to the back of the card.  I decided to keep going with the snowflake motif, and used some things hanging around the desk.  These were meant for a little holiday mobile.... I cut a bunch of snowflakes from various dies.  Then I sprayed them with Distress Sprays in Pumice Stone, Faded Blue Jeans and Broken China, using lots of water to douse them in lots of fluid color.  Once dry, I embossed them using the Tim Holtz flourish folder.

Since these were originally meant for the little mobile, I had made them two-sided, using Clear Rock Candy glitter on one side ... using spray adhesive and my spoon tea infuser as previously described.

On the other side, I used a new glitter from Tonic Studios called Nuvo.  

I layered a large snowflake with several other smaller ones, for a medallion on the back, and scattered other snowflakes around to emulate falling snow.  You can see the glimmer of the Nuvo ... it has that blue-green cast in certain lights...the mobile didn't get made, but I am glad I can use the pretty snowflakes here.

Here is the finished card closed from the front,

and the back...

and then open, front and back

This is meant as a thank you card to all of my mentors, and a holiday card to anyone visiting.  I appreciate each and every one of you.  Thanks so much for stopping by, and if you've time, please do comment - I love hearing from you!  xxx Lynn

I am also entering this at:

A Vintage Journey - Vintage Christmas

Emerald Creek Dares

Card Mania Christmas Challenge

Country View Crafts Make a Scene