Hello friends. The weather outside is frightful here today, which is perfect to get cozy inside and start sharing my Christmas makes. I made quite a few cards with the new Christmas stamps that Tim Holtz released a few months ago. You can see the launch replay and all the inspiration makes on Tim’s blog.
I was very taken with the Cozy Christmas CMS444 stamp set and couldn’t stop making with it. It really tapped into my love of coloring. I stamped onto distress watercolor cardstock with distress archival ink and used distress re-inkers and a water brush to watercolor. Each of the cards is mounted with the following layers: idea-ology kraft stock + idea-ology metallic kraft stock + distress kraft heavystock.
If you look closely you will see there is text underneath the stars and the paper looks wrinkled. I stamped onto the background and then regretted it as it was way too bold and overpowering. So I went about fixing it! I added a piece of torn plain collage paper over the stamped text with collage medium.
Once dry I covered with a white gesso wash and then dried and stenciled distress crackle texture paste through the falling stars stencil. Finally, I added vintage collage medium and once dry, rubbed walnut stain distress crayon into the cracks.
This card was also not as planned but the happy accident worked…
The brown mark was the happy accident. I had turned the card over to mount it onto the card and there was a a little wet distress ink on my media mat. I dried it with a heat tool and liked the look so went with it. The one time I tried to make a “clean” card though hey! The universe was trying to tell me something!
By just adding a little brown distress ink you can grunge the same card right up!
These stamps are so wonderful to watercolor. I used distress reinkers and dried with a heat tool and then picked up some frayed burlap distress spray drips from the non stick mat portion of my glass media mat.
For this card I used both the stamps and a little masking magic.
I stamped onto a piece of copy paper and fussy cut. It takes a minute but I enjoy fussy cutting, it relaxes me. The reason I use copy paper is that it’s thin and so you don’t get that ridge when you mask and stamp over the top.
I flicked with a little white gesso.
Something else I love about the cozy christmas stamps is how well they work in parts and pieces.
I turned the stamp upside down and stamped a portion at the top of a #8 heavystock tag.
I stamped one of the sentiments from the set in hickory smoke distress archival ink. I love the sentiments in this set and plan to use them for my December Daily this year.
I LOVE this snowman with a pot for a hat. I’ll be back tomorrow with another make featuring that cute snowman. Change of plans… that cute snowman will be back later this week.
Thanks for stopping by.
Zoe
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I love the vintage look of these. Beautiful,thanks for sharing with us how you made this.❤️
Love these Zoe, the look is amazing and the “happy” accident really worked out well! I love your art!!!
Simply gorgeous as always Zoe. I just adore your makes
Love these cards!
I love these – definitely cosy, but not cutesy!
Alison x
I love the grunginess of your pieces. Al of the coloring, layering, grunging looks amazing. I also am loving the Kugel ornaments. I’m a huge fan.
So amazing! Looking forward to your “week” of Christmas!
All the little details just ‘make’ the make! I am in awe of everything you create
Awesome cards Zoe, totally love them.
Thank you so much for sharing, stay safe and
have a wonderful day.
Your work is amazing. I love how you embrace happy accidents.
Love these, thx for sharing
These are so warm and rich! Beautiful coloring and “aging.”
Thank you for sharing your process, including your change of mind and happy accident. You give such great encouragement and inspiration!
Thank you for sharing….love your work
Now, that was one great happy accident, your cards are wonderful and I just adore the tag. It really is a very versatile stamp set. I really love those beautiful baubles you have too! xxx
beautiful vintage vibe! your fussy cutting skills are phenomenal! 🙂
You have inspired me to embrace my mistakes and just go with it!
Oh my gosh, those stars are EVERYTHING!