Build Your Stash Holiday Hop

Hello!  I'm excited to make my very first Christmas card of the year!  Even better, I get to join a linky party for the very first Build Your Stash Holiday Hop.  You can find the details (and prize list!!) and the link up right HERE.  #byshhchristmasinjuly2020

I'm using two different digital stamp sets from Polka Dot Orchard.  They are having an awesome 50% off sale on Christmas/Winter sets.  Plus all other sets are 35% off for a limited time!

I'm using the Poinsettia from Poinsettia Greetings.  You can find that set right HERE.

I sized it to be larger than an A2 size card panel.  I printed it out using my laser printer onto regular copy paper.  Yes.  Regular copy paper.  You see, this wasn't supposed to be a card.  This was a sample I printed out that was laying on my desk.  I had a technique on my mind and I thought I'd just try it out.  And then I just colored the whole thing.  I was so happy with how it turned out I knew I was going to go ahead and figure out how to use it for a project.

The technique is simply to use a standard pencil and a smudging tool to add a hint of a shadow.  This is not my idea at all.  I picked it up from YouTube of course.  My major influences are Amber Rain Davis and Jaycee Gasper.  It's so easy AND satisfying!  I would lightly scribble some pencil in the areas where I wanted the shadows to be.  Then I grabbed a blending stump to smudge it out.  Here's how it turned out!

Obviously copy paper isn't strong enough for a card layer so I glued it onto a piece of cardstock.  I wanted to keep it simple.  I added the yellow at the center of the flower and touches of Gold pen.  I also added random dots with the gold gel pen.  That's it.  I added it onto the black and white patterned paper and then onto a black card base.

The sentiment is from the Holiday Poinsettia set.  I reversed the font color to white.  Then I created a black rectangle in Adobe Illustrator.  I put the white sentiment on top and printed it out.  I added foam tape to the back and added it to the card.

Here is a close up.

I appreciate you stopping by.  I'm off to link my card up to the Build Your Stash Holiday Hop.  Hope to see your cards there!

~Kristina