Christmas Cards using a Master Board Background by Shirley Deatcher

Here is a fabulous idea from Shirley Deatcher, who used to be one of our Design Team members. Shirley has kindly written this article especially for you and although Christmas orientated I just know you could adapt this technique for so many other projects.

Christmas Cards using a Master Board Background

by Shirley Deatcher

Materials:

• Chocolate Baroque stamps
  • Gothic Angels
  • Gothic Fragments
  • Harlequin Christmas
  • Beautiful Baubles
  • A Child is Born
  • Snowflake Flourish
  • Sentiments:  Warm Christmas Greetings, Bold Christmas Words
• Dylusions Spray Inks - Squeezed Orange, Crushed Grape, Cherry Pie
• Distress Spray Stain – Picked Raspberry
• Glimmermist – Precious Metal
• White pigment ink
• Versafine ink – Majestic Blue for all main images
• Cardstock – white, deep purple
• Smooth watercolour or mixed media paper – large sheet 28 x 36 cm
• Distress Inks – Ripe Persimmon, Wilted Violet
• Embossing Powders – white, clear, chunky white enamel
• White pen
• Liquid Pearls
• Spritz bottle with water
• Heat gun
• Non stick craft mat
• Spellbinder Heirloom Reflections Die or similar Bauble Die
• Small water colour brush

Background Master Board

• Use a craft mat under artwork
• Spray inks and stain directly onto the watercolour paper and then spritz with water to blend a little 
• Blot with paper towel roll
• Add more colour if desired
• Dry with heat gun
• Spritz with Glimmermist which will create watermarks and a lovely glowing finish, let dry naturally (do not use heat gun).
• Cut the master board into six background pieces

Snowflake Baubles (Stamps:  Gothic Fragments, Snowflake Flourish, Bold Merry Christmas)

• Stamp background with large gothic fragment and Picked Raspberry Distress Ink
• Stamp background with small gothic fragment and white pigment ink
• Cut narrow strip from background and purple cardstock to layer over background
• Die cut two ornaments from extra background piece
• Stamp sentiment on background
• Stamp snowflake on die cut ornaments
• Assemble card as shown
• Add highlights with white pen

Gothic Angel (Stamps:  Gothic Fragments, Gothic Angel, Bold Merry Christmas)

• Repeat the stamping on background as first card
• Cut narrow strip to layer onto background
• Stamp angel on watercolour paper
• Swipe Distress Inks directly onto craft mat to paint image with brush and water and dry
• Cut out angel image
• Stamp sentiment
• Highlight images with white pen
• Assemble card as shown
• Add liquid pearls to angel’s collar

CAS with Beautiful Baubles (Stamps:  Beautiful Baubles, sentiment)

• Stamp off flourish and baubles on a small piece of background
• Highlight with white pen
• Stamp sentiment on white mat
• Assemble as shown

It’s Christmas... with Beautiful Baubles (Stamps:  Beautiful Baubles)

• Stamp baubles on a small piece of background and cut out
• Stamp leaf flourish at the top of background
• Stamp hangers
• Adhere ornaments
• Stamp sentiment at bottom
• Assemble as shown

Harlequin Ornament (Stamps:  Harlequin Christmas, A Child is Born)

• Emboss ornament on watercolour paper with white powder, colour with Distress Ink and cut out
• Stamp matching background piece on small background and emboss with clear
• Cut narrow background pieces to layer across background and for ornament hanger
• Remove some colour from image using water and paper towel.
• Add ‘snow’ using chunky embossing enamel, heat underneath
• Stamp snowflakes from a Child is Born on larger background with Wilted Violet Distress Ink. 
• Assemble as shown

Note:  To finish backgrounds, add dark Distress Ink (such as Chipped Sapphire) to the edges with a blending tool