Forest friends Winter Fun

Winter has really arrived in parts of the UK, but the kids are still not playing with snowmen or snowballs here in Lytham St Annes.     I don't know if it's because of the salty sea air but we really don't get a lot of snow here, but if snow does appear then it doesn't really stay for long. One thing's for sure though we get icy cold winds!  brrrrr its cold!

Today's card is kind of a celebration of snow! I'ts my first Christmas card for 2018. I promised myself after being quite ill last November that I would make Christmas cards throughout 2018. It's something I am determined to do as I got quite distressed about not being able to create all the Christmas cards that I really wanted to send last year. I hate buying mass produced cards!

I am not gonna get caught out this year!

This card was made using a Penny Black rubber stamp which I have owned for a long time...over 20 years! another stamp which my mother bought me! as you can see its been well used! but stamps as well today as ever!

It's the "Forest Friends Winter Fun" stamp and is copyrighted in 1996! I love the sense of fun in this stamped image and the idea that critters come out and play in the snow with their scarves on!

I am entering my card into 5 challenges...

The Penny Black Saturday Challenge (LINK)  

"Anything Goes"

Daring Card Makers (LINK)  

"Elemental Challenge" I chose to use the pale blue and white colours in the photo

Crafty hazelnuts Christmas Challenge (LINK)

"Anything Christmas Goes"

Crafty Hazelnuts Patterned Paper Challenge (LINK)

"Use Patterned Paper"

Cute Card Thursday (LINK)

"Something Fun"

I used watercolour paper and my new Zig Clean Colour Real Brush Pens to colour the stamped image. I matted the finished image onto pale blue card and added some snowy glitter. The card blank is 5" x 7" a size which I find nice to work with. I embossed the card base with the Sizzix / Stampin' Up embossing folder "decorative dots"  and added a piece of patterned paper down one side which has a frosty snowflake pattern on it. I wanted more snowflakes but didn't want to overpower my image which I had really worked hard on!

So I used a small piece of pergamano vellum across the centre of the card. I embossed it with the cuttlebug "Snowflake" embossing folder.
I added large delicate snowflakes die cut from a Memory Box die and layered a little punched snowflake on top, finally the bling! you can't really have snow without some sparkley bling right?! I added sequins and clear gems to the centre of all the die cut and the embossed snowflakes using glue dots. I hate those pesky glue dots I just cant see them but they somehow got to the place where I needed them to be LOL

I didn't feel a sentiment was needed for this card,  But when I come to use it later on in the year I will add a nice insert with a suitable greeting for the chosen recipient along with my personal message.

Colouring such a detailed image was a struggle with my ongoing sight problems. I had to turn to my daylight magnifying craft lamp for help! but I wasn't gonna be defeated!

When the fun stops I will stop. Until then I am gonna carry on having all the fun with my love of cardmaking and papercrafting.

My heart is smiling a very satisfied smile... I have started my Christmas card goal and another goal which is to use up my patterned paper stash.

I really love this card and it feels like my old Penny Black animal friends have visited today and we had lots of fun together!

Thanks for stopping by xx