Monday 8 December 2014

Holiday Inspiration Group - 12 Days of Christmas - DAY 8




Welcome to Day 8 of the 12 Days of Holiday Inspiration Blog Event brought to you by "The Inspiration Crew".  We’re a group of online crafty blog friends who love being creative. This time we're doing a 12-day event to provide you with tons of Holiday Inspiration.

This card was a real labour of love. I cased it from Kristina Werner's gorgeous card and made it while on our trip to the Lake House.

I made 24 of these and it was a great lesson in sponging. Normally I wouldn't do such labour-intensive cards as mass-production, but the week away seemed like the perfect time to invest the time to get better at this skill. The ladies will definitely recall that after I completed each one, I would call out "this is the best one yet!". It seriously takes practice to get the blending and placement of the colours correct, and I even went back and 'fixed' a few of my early ones later in the process.

I used Antique Linen, Victorian Velvet, Seedless Preserves, Cracked Sapphire and Black. I used a Taylored Expressions die and sentiment. I also used (for the first time ever) a shimmer spray that I bought on our trip, in Biscotti. The whole sky shimmers!

Don't forget to visit all the crafty ladies participating in this event for lots of fun Holiday craft ideas.

26 comments:

  1. Stunning card Ardyth, the background looks fantastic, perfect for the silhouette scene, Cathy x

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  2. Wow sensational card, love the colours in the sky. Beautiful

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  3. gorgeous. amazed that you made 24!!

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  4. Oh I am in love...your shading is incredible Ardyth. Worth all the extra practice.

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  5. What's not to love here!! Beautiful Ardyth!

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  6. Just so beautiful! Love your sponging and that star looks perfect.

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  7. I remember these beauties! They are still stunning Christmas cards. I see new elements every time I look at this card. Love this, and loved our time at the Lake House. : ) Bev

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  8. I hear ya on the practice makes it better on sponging! [I need more practice] - Beautiful card and your colors are quite fabulous~

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  9. Your horizon is amazing! I can't imagine having the perseverance to make 24 :)

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  10. This is a stunner, Ardyth! Really fantastic blending!

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  11. Oh I love the card... and the Christmas song!

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  12. Tee hee ... this is the best one yet!! I have delicious memories of these cards at the Lake House, Ardyth ... the beautiful sponged background, the striking silhouette and that oh so delicate biscotti shimmer ... gorgeous! Anita :)

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  13. Twenty-four of these? Oh my, Ardyth: works of art! Gorgeous!
    ~c

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  14. Stunning Ardyth! I love the colours that you chose to work with, truly a genuine holy sky, at least in my h.o. And that perfect shimmer. And that star. The stamp set you used...perfect too. Did I mention that I love this card😊

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  15. beautiful!! I love the colors you used!!

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  16. You did a wonderful job with the sponging and I love the silver embossed star.
    isoscia at aol dot com

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  17. Wow, wow, wow! Ok, now I think this card is my favorite! lol I love this card Ardyth, the sponged nighttime sky is amazing. I think you have this inking thing down wonderfully!!! I so love the sentiment, the font is just beautiful and the embossed star-well it is perfect as well. Just amazing and so beautiful! Hugs, Brenda

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  19. Wow! This card is gorgeous! You've got mad inking skills and I guess so if you made 24 of these!!!! lol

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  20. love colors you chose and silhoettes

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  21. Wow, so elegant! LOVE the colors!

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  22. stunning background coloring <3

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  23. Lovely!!! If you used any distress inks, this is perfect for Virginia's Vier all things distressed, it is simply AMAZING!! Love this...GORGEOUS Ardyth! So much fun to see you get so INKY!! Yay, love!!!!

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  24. Just cruising through with no intention to leave any more comments because you already know how I feel about your cards and I need to leave very quickly. HOWEVER, I am madly in love with this card ... your inking, the composition, the black skyline, everything. Gor-ge-ous!!!

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  25. Oh wait, I know why I came back for some more ... Kim mentioned you having a great storage system for your little ranger inks. You keep them in a tin? Which one? I need to figure out something now that I doubled my supply of inks over Christmas. Thanks! : )

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