Monday, November 30, 2009

Not Christmassy. but Christmassy...

...that was the general idea of the challenge I was set for this week over on Crafty Cardmakers where I've been very kindly asked to be guest artist this week.

The theme title is 'An Alternative Christmas' and they say...

1. Create a card/layout/project etc using christmas images in NON TRADITIONAL COLOURS so no red, green, gold combos on a christmas image. I know some of you will take to this like a duck to water as Ive already spied some of you doing it. Have a try at lilac themes, blues, pinks anything but red/green/gold

OR


2. Alternative route is to use a NON CHRISTMAS IMAGE using TRADITIONAL COLOURS so maybe look at your sumer tildas and do them in traditional red/green/gold. I know this works very well for the shopping Anyas.


The challenge site is for those of you just stepping out into blogland or that are fairly new to stamping and paperarts and have some excellent tutorials (ie setting up a blog, linking, working with Promarkers) and challenges to give inspirational ideas.

I love to look for as many ways as possible to use an image - it make your stamp images 'go further' and you can pretty much guarantee that it will be an individual piece of work, at least for a little while. By using non Christmas images for Christmas cards is one way of doing this.



The stamps I used on this occassion are from Stampotique Originals. I used the Polka Dot Swirl and The Crafter and placed her in a Christmas setting. Just by adding a few sprigs of holly and using Christmas colours helps convert the image into a seasonal one.



In the photo above it looks like a normal style card, but as you can see in the photo below its a twist on the easel card opening in quite an unusual way.



I'm hoping to make quite a few 'Christmas, but not as we know it' cards over the coming weeks. You never quite know whats going to appear on the table in front of you when making something like this until its finished lol. Its good fun, you should try it.

31 comments:

Artyjen said...

Gorgeous! Love the way the image part is smaller than the base card.
xoxo

Sandy said...

Oh wow this is stunning.
Fantastic stamping. Love them.

Unknown said...

Oh my word it fabulous - you are so flipping clever it really isn't fair. I could never in a million years make something like that - even if I had the stamp.

Absolutely gorgeous - feeling sick as a parrot cos you got all the talent.

xxxx

Anonymous said...

This is lovely Jo - I've only got Marci! Maybe I should try this approach with her!

Willy said...

Fantastic card, Jo. Great idea!

Crafty Cardmakers said...

I'm still trying to figure it out lol! Its fabuloussssss, I love the image you've used, the whole design, excellent!

Thanks for being our special guest Jo x

Vix

Anonymous said...

v clever.....liking the mix of imagery with the xmas theme.

cheryl said...

this is utterly brilliant love it so much great detail and colurs hugs cheryl xxxxxxxx

Carol Q said...

What a fab design with this stamp Jo. Absolutely brill! LOL at Lottie's comment too.

joanne wardle said...

brilliant, great take on the easel card too. Loving that swirl stamp!

Karin said...

Fabulous card Jo, I love that image and the card shape, brilliant.

Unknown said...

Love the card Jo ... but I really ought to start on Christmassy before I venture into not christmassy ... if you know what I mean *LOL*

Paula J Atkinson said...

Lovely design :-)

Julie Ranae said...

I SO love what you did with this...really LOVE IT!

Kim said...

Love it, Jo! You are such a genius with those Stampotique images!

Sugar Lump Studios said...

what a gorgeous card Jo...I love the image and combination of elements you used! lovely!

Hels Sheridan said...

FAB card...loving that image...and your non Christmassy is looking great! x

Debby said...

There's those stamps that I love! This is AMAZING!

Anonymous said...

Fabulous!!

Caroline Moore said...

Absolutely fabulous - your work is just amazing - love this

Carmen said...

Aw I was hoping it was going to be a Stampotique and you didn't dissapoint :D Now this is what you call a Christmas card! Love it!

Jean Franks Beck said...

OMG, Jo, this is beyond fabulous! LOVE IT!!!

Audrey said...

Fab card - very funky and very christmassy - even without the christmas stamp!!!

Shannon said...

Wow, I really like this Jo. It's great. You have truly turned a non Christmas image into the most beautiful Christmas card. I just love the Kraft brown background behind it with the stamped border. Really dresses it up. I love the cut out and added Holly w/ berries. But most of all I love that silver swirls on the card. I would love to know, is that a stamp or is it just a design you did and if so what product did you use to make the silver swirls?

NETTI said...

Utterly fabulous card. An easel card is new to me and I love the idea. Shall have to Google it to find out how to make one now.
Whoever gets this will be a lucky person indeed - great work as ever, Jo!

Sid said...

Fab card Jo, very touchy feely with the holly !!

Kathy said...

love it!

Anne said...

A fab card! Gorgeous details and my favorite colour is... you got it! Green! Beautiful! =)

Greetings from Anne (Norway)

Rika said...

Fabulous, love it!

Beth Norman said...

Darling, darling, darling. Love the easel card style.

Amy said...

I love your unqique stamps..the heart is adorable. Your background is really wonderful. The ivy is so pretty and so are the vintage colors