Hello stampers! Do you want to hear about my super simple emboss resist technique? It really doesn’t get any easier than this and the results are simply spectacular. That is exactly what we want in our card making experience:  great results with very little effort.

The Card

Here is a closeup of the tree and present collage. The presents were all fussy cut from the patterned paper that comes in the Most Wonderful Time product medley. You can see the gorgeous colour from the simple emboss resist technique. The blueberry bushel really makes the gold stars pop in the background. The star is made by pressing the framelit which is part of the product medley into the copper delicata ink pad and then running it through the die cutting machine on whisper white  cardstock.

The Technique

The reason this simple emboss resist technique is so very easy is that the embossing is already done for you! Twelve gold embossed card fronts are included in the Most Wonderful Time product medley. All you have to do to get this rich look is to sponge blueberry bushel ink all over the card front. The more you sponge the deeper the colour you will get. I prefer to leave mine with a little ombre effect so it is not the same depth of colour everywhere, but that is a personal choice. the sponging works best when you work in a circular motion starting off the edge and working your way inwards.

The Measurements

Card base: thick whisper white cardstock 8 1/2″ by 5 1/2″ scored at 4 1/4″.

Card front- no measuring necessary since it is included in the product medley, simply use as is.

cardstock vellum:  2 1/2″ by 4 3/4″ cut into a banner at the bottom

Blueberry Bushel cardstock- due to circumstances I had to fussy cut a circle! I used our tear’n’tape adhesive and traced the inside of the adhesive on the cardstock. It actually worked!!

The Christmas Tree

The tree was stamped in Shaded Spruce on shimmery white cardstock and then it was colour washed with an aquapainter. I then pressed a clear block into some Call Me Clover ink and used the aquapainter to colour wash the tree again to get a great depth and variance of colour. Let it dry for a few minutes and then use the die that comes in the Most Wonderful Time product medley to cut it out using a die cutting machine. Put a strip of tear’n’tape on the back of the Christmas tree and then wrap tinsel trim (also included in the product medley) and wrap it around the tree. Pop the tree up on the blueberry bushel circle and add some presents.

If you would like to see some of this card being made as well as a few other cards that I have blogged about in the past few days, you can watch my Facebook live video here.

A Story

If you have watched my Facebook live video, you might find it interesting to hear a little background story. I had originally given myself two hours to first make a card for my blog post today and then to get ready for my Facebook live. Then life happened. First three flower buyers came to negotiate prices with Gerard. He really wanted me to be a part of the process. So we had coffee and “gember koek” which is a delicious Dutch cake with chunks of candied ginger. The flower buyers had been told about me and they brought me gorgeous roses!! I learned that flower prices are negotiated to a tenth of a cent!! It’s a tough market.

Then I got a text from my Tante Nel asking if she could drop by. Well of course I was thrilled to see her and she brought a drawing that my Tante Irene had made for my mom the day before she died. I can only imagine how much that is going to mean to my mom. By the time my Tante Nel left it was 2:45 and I had fifteen minutes to prep for my video. That is why it was a bit crazier than normal today, at least that is what I like to tell myself. Perhaps this is par for the course, but at least it keeps things interesting.

Thank You!

I always like to thank you personally for stopping by to read my blog. There are many things that you can choose to do with your time and I am honoured that you have chosen to spend some time with me. I hope you were inspired to make some pretty Christmas cards with your friends. When you consider that if you chose to go out for an evening with a group of friends for some drinks and appetizers then you have a pretty good idea what that might cost. Consider the alternative of buying the Most Wonderful Time product medley and gathering with your own wine and snacks and instead making pretty cards that will be fun to do and also fun to send out. A fine investment I think and perhaps the beginning of a fun new tradition. Have a super day and happy stamping.

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