Christmas Flower Throwdown

It's week 4 of the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown already and so far my resolution to play each week is holding fast - this week it's Theme week and the first theme is Christmas flowers.  To me that instantly meant I had to get out my lovely poinsettia set by Waltzingmouse as I just adore this set.

I went CAS again and started with a simple masked strip about a third of the way up the card into which I stamped some of the smaller solid and outline stamps in this set in two shades of red momento ink.  Next I inked up the medium poinsettia stamp using pearlescent thyme and pearlescent poppy inks, mixing them on the stamp to get some different coloured areas which gives a single layer image a 3d feel.  At this point fussy cut and mounted the bloom and added gold liquid pearls to the centre.  However, once mounted I decided it didn't stand out enough from the white card so I pulled out my cosmic shimmer paints and very carefully painted it in-situ.  It turns out this was a good move as it is only mounted on 3 foam pads in the centre, the edges curled a little which has enhanced the 3d feel (time for my fave Bob Ross quote - "there's no such thing in art as a mistake, just a happy accident").  I added a sentiment, also from a Waltzingmouse set in the pearlescent thyme ink and added some gold and red pearl centres to the flowers on the masked strip.

I know it feels like Christmas is a long way off, but trust me, when it comes to making cards, you can never start to early, so do join in the challenge it's great fun :-) http://52cct.blogspot.com/2012/01/theme-challenge-1.html

MAWTT also want to see flowers on your creations this week, so this is a perfect fit for their challenge too.  http://movingalongwiththetimes.blogspot.com/2012/01/challenge-133-blooming-marvellous.html

"Edit - the shimmer just isn't showing up on this photo - poor lighting and nighttime photography!  Will try to get a better shot tomorrow morning as it will be dark again when I get home"