Claritystamp Challenge - A Christmas Story

This month's challenge is 'A Christmas Story' .  I'm sure many of you have already made this year's cards but I am way behind so I thought I would go for a design that didn't take too long to make.

Stamps: Claritystamp Pear Tree and Small partridge.

Stencil:  Claritystamp NDSC13 Various Pots

Ink:       Archival Black, Adirondack Stream, Butterscotch and Cranberry

Other:    Versmark pen, Gold embossing powder, Black pen, Colouring pencils and pens

• My background paper for this is a shaving foam offcut from my box of 'might be useful someday'
• Make masks for the small partridge, pears (drawn freehand) and the pot (using the stencil) on sticky-notes.
• On background paper stamp the partridge using Black Archival ink and cover with it's mask.
• Draw the outline of the pot using the stencil and a black pen and then cover with it's mask.
• Position your pear masks wherever you want them.

Apologies for the blurry image.

• Stamp the Pear Tree using Black Archival ink and then remove the masks.
• Draw in the pears and the back of the pot with black pen.

• Place stencil back over pot and using a makeup sponge add colour using Adirondack Stream, Butterscotch and Cranberry.
• Colour in the leaves, pears and Partridge using whatever you prefer. I used some waterbased pens with a fine nib for the leaves and the brush end for the pears. A touch of white pen for the highlights.
• Add some more shading to the pot with colouring pencils.

• Trim and edge.  I first went round the edge with an alcohol pen but this didn't work very well on the shaving foam.  To retrieve this I went over it with a Versamark pen and added gold embossing powder and heat set this.
• With the embossing powder out, I couldn't resist adding gold to a few leaves, a tiny bit on the pears and the stripe on the pot.
• Add the impression of a table with pencils to ground the pot.
• Mount on blue and gold card before attaching to card blank.
• Final touch. Add a small tag made from a scrap of card. Write on 'Happy Christmas' message. Draw string with pen.

Hope you like my design and feel inspired to have a go at the Claritystamp Challenge yourself. 

Lesley x

PS
I tried this design again without the shaving foam background to give a cleaner image. It was even quicker now that I have all the masks cut out. Glitter glue instead of gold embossing.  I like this version better.