Thursday 11 July 2013

Christmas Card Club - A Christmas Scene

It was Lorraine's turn to chose our theme...and it was a great one. We were to make a card with a Christmas scene.
The stamp I chose, triggered some very happy memories. When I was a kid, I lived on a farm and mail was delivered to our rural route mailbox...which looked much like this one. Parcels arrived from Ireland at Christmas...usually slippers...knitted by my maiden aunt. Sometimes there would be something for my Mum...like the gorgeous aqua linen I have used on some cards this year.


I knew I had to use this image...I only have the one as I did it at a class at my local stamp store.  There was a bit of a problem with it though.  I finished up the colouring with the little bluebird on the ground at the front. The copic pen which had just been filled by the lady at the store, leaked a huge drop of ink all over the bird. I have flooded this area with copic blender fluid over and over and when I thought I had most of it out, I stickled the heck out of the edges to help hide the last little traces of much faded blue ink. Whew, problem sort of solved!

I have seen a lot of mirri card lately on others blogs, so pulled out a piece of red to mat my image. I don't know what I do wrong, but mirri card always seems to cut through the colour and sort of make it looked rubbed off the edges! The silvery mirri look sort of shows through...If anyone has mirri hints for me,,..please feel free to pass them along. I cut a couple more mirri pieces and finally got one that didn't rub off quite so badly.

Thank goodness I cut 3 or 4 because I soon needed all of them. I went to stick my image down to the mirri oval and carefully used tweezers to check placement etc. But just at the final moment it seemed my hands trembled as the oval image was not quite evenly placed in the larger mirri oval...Ugggh!
This card was turning into a bit of a problem.
I peeled off the mirri backing and stuck a new one on...same problem...finally on the last scrap of red mirri large enough to fit the die, I hit the jackpot and got it it to stick evenly! Thank goodness.

I seem to have this problem when layering oval dies...I am thinking the solution is to cut each oval sized die twice from card stock. Then cut one in half lengthwise and cut the other in half width wise.  I could then use this template to mark a light pencil line for just where the top edges should line up or just place a piece of repositionable tape at the two points.

This image triggered another fond memory...a memory of living in the Kootenay area of British Columbia (when my daughters were babies and toddlers), and walking to check the mailbox for the Christmas cards and presents my Mum and my in-laws would sent up to us. We were 13 hours away from our families so it was sure nice to get  pretty Christmas cards with precious letters inside! This was over 30 years ago and long distance telephone calls were very expensive. Those cards and letters were like gold!
 The skies in the Kootenay region are the most gorgeous shade of blue. The winters are cold...sometimes up to 45 below zero and even in those freezing temps, the sky would be so vividly blue.

I embossed a shimmery blue piece of textured card stock that reminded me of those vivid skies, with my Big Shot. The skies really were this amazing shade of blue all winter!
I then stuck red diamond bling across the intersections of the diamond grid lines that this EF pattern created.  I wanted to sort of tie the red mirri card in so chose the shock of red!

No sentiment as I felt it sort of interrupted the balance of the card. There will be a nice sentiment inside so that will do.  Yep, this stamp holds a treasure trove of memories!

No recipe today as I have covered it already in my rambling on!

I am entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Pixies Crafty Workshop - must use snippets. The mirri card and the scrap of copic paper were both  snippets...all four pieces of the mirri!
2. Christmas Card Club - must be a scene
3. MFP Speedy TV Christmas Card Challenge - must be Christmas
4. CHNC Extra - Always Anything Goes
5. Jingle Belles Rock - Cardstock Christmas

20 comments:

Craftin Suzie (Susan Wykes) said...

A beautiful card Maureen and the image is really pretty! Love the embossed panel! Did you ever see the Northern Lights, when we lived in Saskatchewan we would often see the Northern Lights in the very cold winters there! Susan xx

debby4000 said...

Fabulous, beautiful Christmas card.
luv
Debby

dutchess said...

lovely card Maureen,especially like the embossing....clever girl, I am dreading windows 8......hanging on for dear life to my old laptop, busy decorating our bedroom and getting ready for visitors........hugs Margaret

Carol said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Hettie said...

What a beautiful card Mo. Love that image and want the stamp. I think there are not enough blue birds at Christmas! They are cold enough!! LOL
I know that linen well as you sent me a small piece which I am hanging on til I find the right project - precious it is!
I have a post box like that too. Plain silver as I didn't want a painted one as I want to put my own mark on it! I used to love seeing them in old programs and movies (Waltons mainly) and wanted one when I was "grown up". We will have to choose wisely where we finally put it up to stop it wandering as they are rare over here. My Lovely Hubby got it sent from US when he worked for a US firm!
26 days and counting!!
Hugs
Hettie
xx

Mary Jo said...

This is such a beautiful card!! And I love your memories behind them!
I decided to send out Erin's birthday invites through the mail this year instead of doing an evite because I miss that people don't really mail things anymore. Especially cards and letters!

Sue said...

What a fabby card Maureen!! love the embossing on it huggles hun ..will soon be August!!! I can't wait Sue xxxxx

McCrafty's Cards said...

This is gorgeous Mo, I like the colours the sweet image and the embossing.
Kevin xx

Shaz in Oz.CalligraphyCards said...

wonderful card Maureen, some cards are like that just finished one myself.. and guess what? in my clean up late this arvo I found those toppers for you :D

re mirri card think it is the one you have as was using an el cheapo version bought from Kmart here, and used it on spellbinder and cuttlebug die yest. and was just fine.
I could see what you meant but think it is the card.
Maybe try rubbing candle on the edge of die before cutting rub with cloth then cut.. to give wax resist as it cuts .. that is my best suggestion I love using my candle end when cutting some problem things, love Shaz in Oz.x

Redanne said...

It was certainly worth persevering because the end result is beautiful. Can't think of any solutions for you on the mirri card other than to buy the best quality stuff if you are using it for die cutting and see if that helps? Hugs, Anne x

Gibmiss said...

Hi Mo
Fabulous card... Gorgeous image....and love the embossing....stunning....
Hugs Sylvie xxxx

Pia S said...

A lovely card and some great shared memories too! I like the red bling against the blue background, it really works well with this beautiful image! I agree with your decision not to put a sentiment on the front - this card is beautiful just the way it is now...

Di said...

Beautiful card and such a lovely scene Maureen. Like Hettie, I love those post boxes!

Re. mirri card - hmmmmmm. I guess one trick could be to run a matching pen (somethin like a Whispers pen) around the edge if it's the actual white core of the card that's bothering you. I do that at times - but best not to use an alcohol based pen as they do tend to bleed a bit. Of course you could experiment on a little scrap of card :)

Beginning the count down - yay!

Hugs, Di xx

Glenda Atkins said...

Love reading your post , thanks for sharing your memories of Christmas past. Isn't it fabulous when whatever you are crafting triggers old memories, it makes the piece just that more treasurable, and if it is a card just that more special. Your card is beautiful!
hugs
Glenda

Sassy Raggedy said...

Hey Mo, I have had that happen to me with the Copics and it is not fun..Especially with the Reds...ugh...I love your card and that embossing is awesome. Beautiful...Hugz, joann

MaryH said...

Maureen, you KNOW I'm gonna love this card, cause you have the redbirds on it. I hear you about the bleeding on your b.bird too. It happens sometimes, no matter how carefully you go. You sure covered it well. Your mirri c/s really popped your focal image off the page...so pretty. And especially loved your EF treatment. One very pretty EF, and your red trim was perfect. Loved reading your memories too. Just a beautiful card. Sorry, don't know any mirror card tips. Sometimes I've had to use a marker to color. Also recently found that copics will remove the color...something with the alcohol I guess. TFS

Peanut said...

Love the image and that embossed background is simply spectacular! And your ramblings brought home some fond memories for me too. Certainly put a smile on my face.
hugs, Asha
Sunny Summer Crafts

SmilynStef said...

What fabulous family memories ... I usually ink the edges when I have die cut issues (or use a coordinating marker) ... love that elegant embossed background ... so very glad you joined us at jingle belles.

lauren bergold said...

oh my gosh, what a gorgeous holiday card, it's perfect in every detail, but my very favorite bits are the tiny gems that embellish the beautiful quilted background! thanks for joining our cardstock christmas fun at JINGLE BELLES! ♥

Bonnie said...

What a beautiful shade of blue and so pretty with the red! That's such a sweet scene! I remember getting letters every week from my mom. I so looked forward to them. It's a shame that we don't write letters to post any more.