"Christmas is Coming!!"- By Debbie

Hi everyone here are some of my samples for my first Hochanda show since I joined the Design Team and boy, was I nervous and excited!

First we have the gorgeous The Christmas Garden, I just love all the detail in this stamp. For the first design I've printed with a brown inkpad and coloured using metallic pencils. I distressed the edges of the image before mounting onto Kraft card and then purple card. The ivory card blank is an 8" x 8". I've used the corner foliage stamp which comes with the set to add detail to the corners of the card blank using purple ink. To add the finishing touch I've added some pearls.

For the second design using The Christmas Garden I have stamped using a black inkpad and coloured with pencils. When finished I covered the entire surface with embossing ink and covered with a clear rainbow powder which gives a lovely sparkling effect. The card blank again is an 8" x 8" and I've finished off with a frothy tulle bow and some sparkly gems.

For my next 2 designs I've used Christmas Circles but 2 very different looks. For the first one I have stamped the image onto a die cut circle using a black inkpad and coloured with pencils. I stamped the lower part of the stamp again so that I could decoupage the poinsettia. I mounted the image onto an embossed die cut circle and used a doily and some dark green velvet paper for the background. Oops! Spot the deliberate mistake? No sentiment!!

For my second take on the same stamp I've white embossed onto a die cut circle of Kraft card which is one of my favourite techniques. I've just added some soft shading using a white water colour pencil as I find that water colour pencils give a stronger colour when using Kraft card. I've used the small poinsettia stamp from The Christmas Garden for the card blank itself which is a 6" x 6". The sentiment has been embossed onto a tag and held in place with ribbon.

Still with the Christmas Circles we have the robin this time and firstly I've chosen not to go for a circular shape this time. This image has been stamped with black ink and embossed with clear powder before water colouring with Koh-I-Nor water colours. I've also stamped the holly from the stamp onto the edges of the sentiment tag. The card blank is a ivory A5 which has been stamped with Large Crackle Background and brown ink. I've sponged around the edges of the image, the tag and the card blank with Distress ink Tea Die. To finish I've added some die cut holly and foliage and red ribbon.

For my second look at the robin I decided to give it a snowy theme with a shaker card. Coloured softly with pencils onto white card it forms the background to the shaker card. I then die cut a circle from some blue gingham card and attached a piece of acetate to the back. Next seal all around the edges of the circle on the reverse with 3D foam tape. Place a small pile of shaker materials in the centre of the robin image (I used a mix of small beads & snowflakes) and then carefully place the outer layer over the background. To finish I've added some faux stitching .

That's all for this time, see you later in the month for all my gnome samples.

Bye for now, Debbie