Christmas in July With Joy Clair Stamps and Leisure Arts ~ A Mixed Media Card

Hello everyone... Helen is here and today I have a mixed media Christmas card to share with you all that I created using clear stamp sets, watercolor pencils, pigment ink pads, and acrylic paint.

I started this card with stamping all the images that I want to use. I cut some watercolor papers in size 4.25" x 4.25"  and then using Mini MISTI and VersaFine Clair ink pads to stamp all the images and sentiment from the 3D Christmas Poinsettia stamp set and the Rustic Christmas Sentiments stamp set.

I used Pinecone VersaFine Clair Ink Pad for the wood branch frame and sentiment, and using Red Tulip VersaFine Clair Ink Pad and Green Oasis VersaFine Clair Ink Pad for the petals and leaves. I used the small size poinsettia flower as the bottom leaves.

I stamped each of them double to get crisp and bold results. And then I dried the inks with craft heater before I colored them with watercolor pencils and waterbrush.

Next step is to color them. This is my favorite step... I love taking time to color the images. I colored them with Leisure Arts Watercolor Pencils and waterbrush. When I work with waterbrush, I always have paper towel close by for cleaning the brush and also for drying some extra water off the brush.

On the rustic wood frame and sentiment, I colored the edges of the stamped image with the brown (similar) watercolor pencil. And then using the waterbrush, I pulled the pigment out and folored the images. 

I colored the petals and leaves with red and green watercolor pencils. I started to color just the middle of the poinsettia petals images and then using the waterbrush I pulled the pigment and colored the rest of the images.

Once they all colored with the waterbrush, I added some glitter on the petals with Spectrum Noir Clear Sparkle Brush Pen. Then I dried them all with craft heater.

After all images dried, I start fussy cutting each of the flowers, leaves, and foliages with micro-tip scissors. I like fussy cutting, but if you own a digital cutting machine, you can easily cut each shape using the svg files that you will receive with each stamp set you purchase from Joy Clair store.

I set aside all the pieces while working on the background card.

For the background, I use the technique called stamping with acrylic paint. First, I squeezed a little bit of blue acrylic paint from the Illustrated Faith Acrylic Paint Set on my craft mat, and using a small rubber brayer I added the paint on the Broken Brick Background Stamp that is already on my Mini MISTI stamping tool. And then I stamped it on a heavyweight white cardstock. After stamping, I cleaned the stamp right away with warm water and rubbing off the paint from the stamp. Do not wait to do this step because the dried paint will ruin your stamp.

Then I grab the black watercolor pencil and waterbrush, and start flicking the pigment on the page. I dried this panel with craft heater. I trimmed it with paper trimmer to fit on top of an A2 Card base (4.25" x 5").

To put this card together, I added the brick background panel on the card with permanent adhesive runner. Next, I added the rustic wood sentiment frame on the card with 3d foam tape.

I created the poinsettia flowers by stacking them together and curled the petals a little bit for extra bloom look to them. I used dries-clear adhesive glue on them. I stamped the dots from the 3D Christmas Poinsettia stamp set with Cheerful VersaFine Clair Ink Pad. I trimmed the yellow dots and added in the middle of the flowers. I added the flowers and extra green foliages on the frame with dries-clear adhesive glue.

This mixed media card is done... I hope this inspire you to start your Christmas projects early :) 

Comments

[Andre M.]

The background is gorgeous and these florals are so pretty. Thanks for sharing your creativity.

[Becca Yahrling]

Love the brick BG in blue. Beautiful card, Helen.

[Dana M]

What a terrific card! Love the combination of rustic and sparkle. Fantastic techniques.