Christmas in June!

Today felt like the right day to start crafting for Christmas so, here's my first Christmas card of the year! I'm sure lots of you have already started  :-)  I'd like to be able to make all of my Christams cards this year. I sort of made them all last year but most of them were from a kit so I felt like I cheated really(!)

I followed a sketch from A Spoon Full of Sugar challenge. I haven't added a Christmas-sy sentiment yet as I didn't have one small enough (i'll add one along the ribbon later).

This is a Magnolia stamp that I got from the NEC earlier this year and it's the first time it's been inked up...ahh, poor stamp(!)

The papers were a free download from the Crafts Beautiful Christmas Party (last year I think), the ribbon is Anitas, I used a Dovecraft snowflake punch, stickles and I used clear embossing powder on the Magnolia stamped image to give it a crisper outline. To colour the image I used a mixture of Cosmic Shimmer watercolours, Marvy Le Plume, Whispers and Dovecraft Double Brush markers with a water brush.

I'd really like to invest in some professional markers but just don't know which ones to choose... I think I might buy a few copics to see how I get on with them but then which ones do I get...? Sketch or Ciao? I'm not really sure what the difference is between them. Advice anyone?  :-)

Sarah x

Cupcake Card

I made this card for the Sketch Saturday challenge. I also tried out a ribbon border as suggested on The Next Level but was too late to enter it into the competition, doh (!) I really like the idea and it is something that I will definately try again, it really attracts your attention to the main image. I think it might look better with thicker ribbon though. Looking at the card now, I also think I should have inked or distressed the edges of centre panel, I'll know for next time :-)

The card is made from DCVW paper (Blossoms and Butterflies stack), Hero Arts cupcake and sentiment stamp and lace from my stash. The cupcake is coloured with Cosmic Shimmer watercolours.

Sarah x