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Stampin Up Winter Woods stamp set and In the Woods Framelits perfect for Christmas Cards

I've had fun experimenting with ink, sponges and masking to make this card and have enjoyed being able to take the photo outside whilst the weather continues to be pleasant. Although it does seem odd taking photos of Christmas cards in the warm sunshine.

This one is for our fortnightly Christmas Card Club Challenge and it was my turn to choose the theme. I opted for Foliage and as soon as I saw this new Winter Woods Stampin Up set I knew I'd finally picked a sensible theme rather than those I've selected in the past and struggled to create with. I love this single tree stamp which is perfect for using the masking technique. I stamped it on scratch paper and then cut it out, a little laboriously with scissors, but also very therapeutic. I stamped the first tree on the left onto Crumb Cake card and used Old Olive and Garden Green inks. The stamp itself is so clever as it's made to give depth to the tree, but if you ink with one colour and then add some darker shade with a dauber it looks even better. I moved to the right using the mask to cover the previous tree and if there was a gap after stamping I just moved the mask and stamped again. Now how did you do that Zoe to get it in the same place I hear you say! Well I used my stampartus positioning tool to get it where I wanted it. I'm so glad Stampin' Up! created their version of this tool and that they asked lots of demos for their comments and suggestions it's just perfect for perfect stamp placement.

Now you may not be a fussy cutter, but I like it and hence the trees were all cut out with scissors just like the mask. Then to disguise some of the tricky bits which are tiny I used a dauber to add a gentle covering of Old Olive ink to bits I just couldn't quite fussy cut well. I sponged it over the whole piece too to just lightly shade the bits of crumb cake showing through.

My background is with the Stampin Up Buffalo Check Background stamp available to order from Tuesday. Again this is great when used freehand or to build up deeper shades on the stampartus where you can ink the same design multiple times. I've added some new Suitre Specialty washi tape strips and some striped burlap, I love this as it adds more texture and has more colour to it.

The sentiment is from the same Stampin Up Winter Woods set and it is heat embossed in black onto some Wood Textures designer paper. I've stamped and sponged some extra pine pieces to add a little detail. These were die cut with coordinating In the Woods framelits. Stampin Up have acknowledged that sometimes with itty bitty dies it could take you a lifetime to cut all the pieces you need and so they have tripled and doubled up on some of these small dies in the set so you can cut several at one time. How sensible is that!

Learn to make Christmas cards with Zoe Tant

I like the vintage feel of this card with all it's smudging and it reminds me of log cabins and ski trips. Not for me this year as fingers crossed my snapped achilles will be repaired very soon, but skiing will be out this winter.

As you know there are several ladies in our Christmas Card Club so do visit them via the CC Club tab at the top of this page and see their fabulous designs too for more inspiration.

Here's to a great week ahead.

Hugs all Zx