Swan Stitch Number 4 - last one, probably

For this (another decoration) I used a wood blank picture frame I believe from Hobbycraft, painted it with Toad Hall Fresco Finish, Stamped the snowflake with Stazon Teal Blue and *sobs uncontrollalbly* die cut the image from a Graphic 45 pad Santas Workshop.

Anyone would think I liked Christmas, but if it wasn't for Swanstitch challenge they would be in the to do box forever.

I am also entering this in Anonymous Stampers - Anything goes
Stamping sensations - Christmas

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Sam threw down the gauntlet and I picked it up

This blogpost is in part Sam's fault. Over on SwanStitch there is a Christmas challenge and Sam did a quick make to bump up the numbers earlier in the month, she then went ahead and submitted another entry as there is no limit, other than it has to be Christmas and contain some stamping.

For project one I did the Santa Christmas plaque and featured here are entries 2 and 3.

Entry 2

I started this last year, I had gotten as far as backing the shape with paper and attaching the ribbon and then I was stuck.  I had the baubles from EDY04 already stamped onto double sided adhesive sheet from another project and decided to guild these and stick to acetate.  I then used the holly flourish template with Fresco Finish Paint Toad Hall sponged through and pink stickles for the berries.  I then used a papermania die cut sentiment for the focal point.

Entry 3

For this one I used a Christmas bauble blank from the MDF man, I used Cinnamon Fresco Finish (well cinnamon is a christmassy thing innit?) to base coat it, I then used flitter glue to stamp the Cog Christmas tree from Chocolate Baroque and guilded it, I then added some watch parts and the Penny Farthing charm.

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Swan Stitch Crimbo challenge

Over on Swan Stitch blog Anita has set a Christmas challenge and she said anything goes as long as it's Christmas so I decided to do a Christmas wall plaque.  The first hurdle was not having any Christmas stencils so, after a shopping spree this is what I came up with.

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Wisdom = keeping schtum

This canvas was done to enter the Swanstitch challenge over at Arty Inklings a few twitter buddies were discussing it on Saturday morning and I thought the idea was a good one.

I started by trying to get the streaky background - easy when you don't want to, darned tricky when you do. I used dark blue paint at the top and gradually lightened it as I went down the canvas until I got to "ground" level where I added in green.

I then mixed Grunge paste with granite paint and using an acetate stencil I made from the Tim Holtz die - man with brolly, and used for the Roman Letters (I think) to look like the letters were raining down.  Finally I stamped the sentiment from PaperArtsy set HPXT04.

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