Mixed Media Christmas Card Using Distress Spray Stains + WINNERS!!

Oh, hello.

I realize it's been awhile (well 4 days, but who's counting?) For all of you who have asked and left supportive comments on my blog or facebook page - THANK YOU! I know many of you asked how my first craft fair went and, for now, I'll just say I think it went very well.

I sold a canvas piece and several of my cards. I plan to do a whole blog post called "A Beginner's Guide to Surviving Your First Craft Fair" with some of the things I learned along the way, display tips, and packaging ideas but that may have to wait until next week!

But that's next week and this is today! And today I have a  very special card to share with you, in honor of my girl Kimberly Wiener of wienerhoneymooners. If you want to see some talent, head over to her blog and I PROMISE you'll be ooohing and aaaahing. Kimberly is a member of Muse: ChristmasVisions design team and this week, the challenge over there is to CASE her bright, fun Christmas card.

I am THE WORST at starting Christmas cards about a week before I need to send 79 of them off in the mail. So I truly appreciate all the good Christmas card challenges out there. Muse is the new kid on the block and they would REALLY love some new participants!

I stared at this card 7 ways sideways and tried to think of what to do. Nothing. My brain had died a slow painful death. I sprayed and stamped and sketched and stacked and everything I tried I chucked in the bin. Don't believe me?

THIS was my original idea: 

You will note that these made it nowhere near my final card. 

After awhile of trying this and that, I just decided to get out my Distress Spray Stains and have a go. 

I realized I didn't have any orange stains (which will be remedied in about 3 days when I get my emergency order from Frilly and Funkie), so I used an extra blue shade. I let them muddle all around together and drip. If you squint, you can see how I was inspired by Kimberly.

One of the things that I liked about Kimberly's card is that it had white embossing. To get a similar effect, I added texture paste through a Tim Holtz stencil (and then I followed it up with holographic embossing powder - because who doesn't like glitter?)

Kimberly's card is a great example of tailored mixed media - something I'm not so good at doing...that tailoring. :) I triiiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeeeeeed to keep it simpler but then this happened:

Spray stains through a STAMPlorations stencil. Woops. I added a little strip of a sentiment and voila!

I hope you like it, Kimberly! 

I'm also going to send this merry fella over to the following challenges:

Sparkle N Sprinkle - Loose glitter, embossing powder or flocking

Pile it On - Summer or Winter

Mixed Media Mojo - Anything Goes

Sparkles Christmas Challenge - No designer papers

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The FINAL WINNERS!!! wooo!!!

I'm sad to see my birthday blog bash winding down, but I don't wanna keep you in suspense any longer. 

The winner of the STAMPlorations Celebrate set is:

 Number 20 - Jerrie of Coloring Outside the Linez

And the winner of the $10 STAMPlorations gift certificate is:

Number 7 - Annie of The Journey is the Start!

 

Please email me to let me know your info! bexcruger at gmail dot com

 

I wish I could have given all 52 of you awesome people who linked up a prize, but, alas, my wallet is not that thick. :)

 

Just know that I TRULY appreciated you all celebrating my birthday month with me. I have the BEST bloggy followers in the world!