The Funkie Junkie's 12 tags of Christmas #9 with a Jane's Journal twist

I hope you have enjoyed seeing my weekly creations for Linda's fun 12 tags of Christmas challenge as much as I have had making them. Despite life being incredibly busy for me at the moment I do find making these very relaxing and inspiring. I have also developed my "grungy" side of card making, which I really enjoy. If you would like to join in with this challenge the details are all here. There are also some great prizes up for grabs as the challenge is sponsored by The Funkie Junkie Boutique. All 12 pieces need to be uploaded onto her blog by 22 Dec so you need to get your skates on!

For my post today I have got as far as #9 and the tag Linda made for us to be inspired by can be seen here The first thing I noticed was the amazing non traditional Christmas colours she had used. I loved the blue/silver shimmery background. I also loved the highly embellished snowflake and all that pewter coloured silver.....yum! I also liked the addition of the sheet music.

So I put on my thinking cap and realised that I had no materials which could add a silver shimmer to my card.  I loved the effect Linda had created and she had used Metallic Distress Paint so.......I decided that Christmas had to come early for me and I splashed out on a bottle of the new Tim Holtz metallic paint in Brushed Pewter. Oh my, am I delighted that I did! I have never used any of the distress paints before so this was something quite new to me. I loved playing with it and I added it the the backing paper and even managed to stain my wooden snowflakes using it.

I know you all seem to love watching my creative process so I will first show my finished card (which I will admit I think is my favourite so far in this series..........if you can keep it a secret I will whisper that this is for my Hb for his Christmas card). I will then give a step by step of how it was born!

Here it is

I started with my Distress inks and took a white sheet of card to colour with my blending tool

I then added a wash of the brushed pewter Distress Paint...I really just played with this until I was happy.

I left this to dry whilst I attacked some hessian and some wooden snowflakes I had bought with it too.

I also added several layers of silver embossing powder to some die cut snowflakes

When the backing card had dried I added some Frantage to give an extra snowy feel.

After heating with my heat gun I had a wonderful sheet to play with. So I added all my elements, including my favourite Cheery Lynn Merry Christmas sentiment and holly leaves to create my finished card. |Here are a few more photos of the details in close up

and one more view of my finished card.

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges;

The Funkie Junkie 12 tags of Christmas tag #9
Pan Pastel Mix it up My post explains all my mixing processes!
Cheery Lynn Non traditional colours
Little Claire's Christmas
A Creative Romance Vintage
Stampin for the weekend Feeling Festive
Sweet Stampin Cause for Celebration
A gem of a challenge Sparkles
Deep Ocean Favourite colour combination mine is my blue,silver, brown, white I have used.
Crafts too challenge you Vintage Christmas twist 2 polychromatic
Country View Crafts Letters there are letters on my backing paper, ribbon and the sheet music
Bunny Zoe Vintage or shabby chic
Make it Monday Linky Party
Artistic Inspirations anything goes
Lexi's Creations Christmas
Die cut Divas Celebrations/holidays
Pile it On Non traditional colours
Bearly Mine anything goes
Oldie but a Goodie  ribbon/lace my oldies in this project are the ribbon (bought in the after Christmas sale last year) and my Christmas words stamp which must be at least 7 years old.
Crafty Sentiments anything goes

Also can I give a shout out that Crafty Ribbons have an Christmas advent ribbon blog event...do join the fun here There are prizes every single day in December. There is also a button in my side bar to find out the details.


I hope all your Christmas creative projects are beginning to come together? Please remember that next week I will be taking part in Lori's annual Visions of Sugarplums blog event. I will be posting on Monday 2nd and Thursday 5th. This will be such fun and we will be showing special traditions which we hold dear at Christmas time plus sharing some creative fun! Do spread the word and if you mention this event in a blog post pop over and tell Lori as you get an extra entry into the grand prize draw. There is also a button in my side bar.

Be there or be square ;0)

I know that my dear friends will be shouting...what no Daisy photo...so here she is ;0)

She's my little vision of sweetness in pink and she is 15 days old today. Tomorrow night her Granddad and I are babysitting for the first time whilst Mummy and Daddy celebrate Daddy's birthday xxx

I would also like to wish a Happy Thanksgiving on Thursday to all my Amercian buddies.

Back soon,

Bye for now,

Jane x