Technique Tuesday - Snowflake Wishes

 Hello, today has been a crazy kind of day for me. My son and daughter in law have both returned to work now and I'm left at home with my grandson Theo. My son thought that I would have time to craft etc. Not a chance!! He has kept me occupied ALL day. Don't get me wrong, it's been fun spending all of this time alone with him. I can spoil him rotten if I wanted to, I won't..... but I'm just saying that I could! Today he waved for the first time! It was lovely to see and after he waved a few times and I said that he is clever, he clapped his hands together too! Bless him!! 😁😄

Anyway, today's card is more of a style than a technique really. It's not my design but one that I saw a while ago and fell in love with. I have used a few punched circles each in graduating, different sizes. I started with a 2, 1/4", 2", 1. 3/4", 1,1/2". I alternated between Highland Heather and Gorgeous Grape card stock. I know some of those sizes have retired but I always keep my punches, especially the particular shaped ones as they are still very useful. Then I took a smaller circle in 1,1/4" of the double sided paper in the Snowflake Splendour papers and added that to my pile. I took each circle and cut them directly in half and one by one starting with the largest, I glued them one on top of the other to one side only on the lower semi-circle. When the 2 half circles are complete, I fixed them so that the edges of the circles were below and to the side to give the swirly effect. Another 2 punched circles a die cut 2 snowflakes from the set of matching dies called So Many Snowflakes cut from scraps of Silver foiled card. 

 A message on top and inside, LOTS of the Snowflake sequins scattered all around has completed this card. I don't normally use that much bling but it just had to be done! 😂😂

Tips, Tricks and Techniques Tuesday Gnome for the Holidays

 Want to hear a secret? One that as a seasoned card maker I shouldn't have!....I find it really hard to use a coloured card base 🤪....I know,  I know it's dreadful 🤣🤣🤣 But it really can be an issue especially when looking to use a more traditional colour pallette at Christmas.  Which is what I wanted to do with today's Gnome for the Holidays inspiration. 

So to find my inspiration for my red and green colour pallette I found a pattern paper that called to me. The paper is from a pack called Heartwarming Hugs from Stampin' Up! It uses a colour pallette of a traditional christmas red and green. But with a contemporary twist with the patterns, all stripes, checks and repeating tiles.

So I now had a pattern paper to work  from so choosing  coloured cardstock with which to make my card base was a lot easier 🙃.  Fortunately for us Stampin' Up!  always include a list of the key colours that are used in the paper on the packet!!!

 So my first tip for this week...  look to pattern paper and use it to inspire your chosen card stock.

My second tip is if in doubt have a plan B 😉  In the case of today's samples I also created the same card but using one of my favourite neutral colours Crumb Cake, a soft caramel beige.

So the question is did I make the coloured card bases work? Well coloured card for card bases may not be my go to but who knows I might be more tempted so watch this space 🙂