Tuesday, August 11, 2015

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:

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


50 comments:

  1. Wow I loved your final card !! Looks like a nice cosy quilt with embroidery on it..the texture is so nice :)

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  2. Congrats to the lucky winners. Glad the craft fair went well. Love your card. The black and white pattern is very striking. Hugz

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  3. Fantastic card and can't wait to hear more about the craft fair x

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  4. Your card came out amazing, Becca! So unique & yet very much in the holiday spirit!

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  5. i love the card and i LOVE seeing the process, "rejects" and all! i do that a lot and i'm convinced that you can't actually get from A to C without driving thru B... not that we always want to stop the car(d) at B, lol, but it's integral to the journey! well done, you! and congrats on your first craft fair, which i'm sure you're being way too modest about!!! <3

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  6. Fab card Becca, loving the texture. I'd be very interested to see your craft fare post.....I now have made so much stuff that I need to find it a home ;)
    Big hugs
    Donna xxx

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  7. You crack me up Becca. I love to see where your mind takes you. I also love your interpretation of Kimberly's card. I always have such a hard time with "muse" challenges because either I want to copy the card exactly OR it takes me in a totally different direction that I am not sure others will "get." Thank you for all your wonderful inspiration!!

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    1. Ahhh! I feel EXACTLY the same way! To me, a muse means and inspiration starting point but then I wonder if people will see the inspiration. Oh well, smo well... My brain can't help but to create what it likes.

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  8. Love seeing your original idea and the final outcome!! Both so different, yet equally fabulous! Glad your craft fair went well. My SIL & I did 3 or 4 a year for about 3 years. We found that unique items like note pads and post it note holders were our best seller. Christmas gift tags too. Cards weren't as profitable with the time that went into them, but we did sell a few. Have a great day ;)

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  9. Your card is absolutely stunning!! The colors look amazing!! It is totally different from your original idea!! It reminds me of a Christmas sweater!! Love, love it!! I'm glad the craft fair went well!! I look forward to reading your tips!! Have a great day :)

    Lisa
    A Mermaid's Crafts

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  10. Love the outcome Becca, a fabulous Muse. Carol x

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  11. Becccaaaaaa
    First I REALLY LOVE THE TEXTURE you did
    it looks like the sweatshirt in winter really
    and the color add lovely behind that texture
    and the black n white sentiment is popular now
    Love all on this and I promised to buy this Tim Holtz Stencil
    Big hugs and I did catch up yaayyy so happy me :)
    Hugs, Monika

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  12. Ooh, I just want to touch this! Fabulous!

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  13. This is amazing!! I love that amazing mix of colors and gorgeous texture!

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  14. Love that pattern of the embossing paste - very festive! So glad you joined us at MCV!

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  15. This is AWESOME! Congrats to the winners!

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  16. I think I had a sweater that looked very like your front panel, sans the glitter of course. I LOVED IT & THIS CARD. Wow, when you do something your really now how to do it up right. YOWZA! Glad to hear the craft fair went well and that you enjoyed your birthday month.

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  17. I think I had a sweater that looked very like your front panel, sans the glitter of course. I LOVED IT & THIS CARD. Wow, when you do something your really now how to do it up right. YOWZA! Glad to hear the craft fair went well and that you enjoyed your birthday month.

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  18. LOVE your card - and I think the black greek key (?) design really adds that special touch. Brings out the colors more. Beautiful!
    Glad you survived your first craft fair and most importantly, had sales. Thanks for sharing your birthday with us. And congrats to all the winners!

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  19. MUSE is new to me, an interesting and appealing card. Thanks for sharing with us at Sparkles Christmas. Caz

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  20. Now this is a card I enjoy because it reminds me of a favorite cozy sweater and it is unique! Loves it! So awesome to see your process and even "mistakes" that are part of the end product. Wowzers and Wowzers! ~Niki

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  21. beautiful card..thank you for sharing at pile it on Summer or Winter challenge

    Tina

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  22. Becca you rock girl....you are one awesome crafter, friend through blogging and one cool chick...thanks for sharing your awesome card and for Mr Linky choosing me as one of the winners....this is awesome as I am about to put an order into STAMPlorations....thank you.xx

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  23. It is always so much fun to read your posts Becca!
    Love your card and how it came to be ;)
    Great texture and very festive indeed!
    Thank You~

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  24. Love, love , love your card Becca - it looks like a Norwegian knitted jersey, nice and cuddly and warm :-) Love the way you have backed the coloured panel with the black and white.
    Blessings
    Maxine

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  25. I personally liked the last card. It is different and it is oozing with warmth needed for Christmas

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  26. WOW, a whole lotta awesome!!!! I did a craft fair once.... yikes, I had lots to learn. Love this Scandinavian fair isle motif... amazing, LOVE the ho ho ho... add a fun touch! so glad you joined in Becca, I love that you showed your other ideas!! COOL stuff! Happy you added this coolness to the MUSE CV gallery this week!

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  27. Oh...you don't give up on trying and this turned out gorgeous. Love the texture.

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  28. I just ADORED that you took us on such a creative journey....and it turned out a real stunner! You know my 'penchant' for making Chrissy cards, so when I get back from SCRAP CAMP which starts TOMORROW for FOUR DAYS [Whoop! Whoop!].....I will try to join in....or maybe next time round!!! I sent you an email, Bec, hope you got it....cos I'll be gorn off bloggy land for a whiles now:):)

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  29. Love all the texture and gorgeous colors and layout of your card. Beautiful!

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  30. Gorgeous Becca! Love the white on top of the awesome colors! Perfect holiday feel, so nice and cozy! Have a fabulous day!
    ~kim

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  31. Such a cool Nordic design here Becca!! Love the blended colors and the sparkle!! :) Awesome!

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  32. seriously stunning card!!! LOVE all your detailed work and layers!!!!!

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  33. This is a great card! The design reminds me of a cozy sweater. I love the black background also. Very unique and different.

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  34. Lovely colourful Christmas card, thanks for sharing at Sparkles Christmas Monthly.

    Pat xx

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  35. Congrats to the lucky winners. I have never been to a craft fair, I bet it's just awesome!! Beautiful card, I love the Celtic feel to it. hugs :)

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  36. What a great card and I love how you showed us your step by step progress.

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  37. Love seeing your creative process Becca - You always end up with something very stunning! Your black stenciled background really sets off your wonderfully colored front piece! Julia xx

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  38. I am planning to have a stall at our local craft market at the end of September, so I can't wait for your post on tips, Becca!!!! So glad to hear your fair went well!!!
    Your card is a stunning mixed media work of art!!!
    Have a great Friday!!!

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  39. Wow this is so very creative! Love the results :)

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  40. Way to give this a try! I love the colors. Thanks so much for joining us at Sparkle N Sprinkle's Creative Challenge.

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  41. i love how you show us how it goes together. i absolutely LOVE this card!! amazing!

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  42. Your Christmas card looks amazing. So glad you shared it with us for the Sparkle N Sprinkle Creative Challenge.

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  43. Thank you for sharing your beautiful card with us at Mixed Media Mojo.
    xxx Hazel.

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  44. This is awesome! Love the colors and all the texture. Thank you for sharing your beautiful card with us at Sparkle N Sprinkle.
    Eret x

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  45. Love the way your muse dances, Becca! You've taken Kimberly's card, drawn inspiration and created something that is fabulously unique and immensely amazing. Textures and colours...swooning!
    hugs~c

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  46. very nice - beautiful job with the stencil
    thanks for sharing it with us at Mixed Media Mojo

    Barb Housner (DT)

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  47. A really great card, Becca - love the embossing paste.

    Thanks for joining us at the Sparkles Christmas Challenge.

    Helen x

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