All is Calm

Creating cards with trees are always great to have on hand because they can be used for anyone but especially appropriate for masculine cards.   I had fun creating a Christmas tree with a patina look.  Patina is a thin layer that forms on the surface produced by oxidation or any change of a surface through age and exposure.  I thought it would be fun to try and create the look of patina by using glitter on the new Christmas Tree die cut.  Here is how the card was created.

 Create a 6 inch card using a sheet of the Soft Sky Soft Finish Cardstock.  Cut the 12-inch square piece down the center and score in center to create a 6 inch square card.

Cut a piece of White Soft Finish Cardstock 5 3/4 inches square.

To create the background for the Christmas Tree, sponge on several colors of blue ink on the upper 3/4 of the card.  Start by sponging on a light blue then sponge on a darker shade of blue around the edges.

Once you are happy with the blue background, add some splattered snow.  Use white acrylic paint watered down and a brush to splatter on white dots.

Load the brush with the white paint and pounce the handle of the brush over your hand to make the paint splatter over the area you want the snow.  It should look similar to the above picture.

Use the Christmas Tree die set to die the Christmas Tree (all ten layers, tree trunk, picket container and star, out of White Soft Finish Cardstock.  Save the snowflakes from the lacy layer.  Glue the lacy overlay to the solid background.

Working with one piece at a time, add glitter to each of the die cut pieces.   Place a dab of Beacon’s Kids Glue on your craft mat and add a little water.  Use your finger to brush a little glue over each of the tree pieces.  Sprinkle on Sea Glass Silk Microfine Glitter, brush off the excess and rub the glitter with your fingers.  The Sea Glass Glitter is a great patina color.  Repeat this process on each of the tree pieces.

Attach the two container pieces together.  Add a little glue over the top and sprinkle  Gold Microfine Glitter the same as you did on the tree pieces.

Once the container is assembled and glittered, add two pieces of double sided adhesive tape down the center, as shown above.  Bend the die cut so it has a rounded shape.

Use Chocolate Silk Microfine Glitter to add color to the tree trunk.  Attach the Tree Trunk at the bottom of the card and attach the glittered container over it.

Attach double sided tape to the top of each of the Christmas Tree die cuts.

Before attaching the tree die cuts, shape each pieces in a semi-circle.  Attach the largest tree die cut over the tree trunk.  Be sure you only push down on the double sided adhesive, when attaching, so you still have the domed shape.

 Attach the second largest branch die cut slightly over the largest branch.  Continue adding all the branch die cuts all the way to the smallest.

The tree should look very dimensional as shown in the picture above.

Using the Christmas Tree die set, die cut the Star.  When die cutting, use a piece of cardstock that has Clear Double Sided Adhesive on top.  Add Yellow Silk Microfine Glitter to the Star pieces and glue the two pieces together.  Attach with double sided dimensional tape to the top of the tree.

 Use the Holiday Cheer Stamp Set and stamp the sentiment using VersaMark Ink on white card stock.  Gold emboss.

Use the Labels 1 die set and die cut the Sentiment.  Before removing the die cut, sponge on the same blue ink used for the sponged sky, around the edges.  By leaving on the die, you will  have a white edge around the sentiment.  Attach the die cut sentiment on the upper left corner.

 Use the die cut snowflakes, which have been removed from the overlay of the Christmas Tree to add around the tree.  You might want to die cut the second largest lace branch again to have additional snowflakes.  Glitter the snowflakes with Cool Diamond Silk Microfine Glitter before adding to the card.

 For additional dimension, add packaged snowflakes around the base of the card.

You can shop for the Elizabeth Craft Designs products from the links below.