Robins Merriest Wishes Card - 52 {C}CT June Sketch Challenge

We always start a new month of challenges with a sketch at 52 {C}CT and here is the sketch we'd like you to use this week. It's a real goodie I think!  You can substitute shapes, rotate the sketch and make a square or rectangular card - as long as the basic layout comes through to us, it's all good!

 

I made a 5 3/4" square card from Garden Green CS and glued Real Red CS strips to a Very Vanilla mat layer.  Before gluing the layer to the card front I added strips of ribbon and I then got my Christmas Robins stamp set out and the fun started!  Classic and elegant is my most used card style but every now and then I love to put a cute and fun card together.  This was a joy to make, I smiled the whole time - who wouldn't working with those sweet images?!    All the images were stamped in VersaFine Black ink onto watercolour paper, heat embossed with clear powder, coloured with inks and a water brush and fussy cut.  The snowy stump, mistletoe berries and hat were sparkled with Star Dust Stickles.  I used some woodgrain Washi tape to ground my large chubby robin - wow, finally used my Washi tape, I've had it for well over a year!  Instead of adding a bow to my main image I added the stocking, tucking the top of the stocking's hanging loop between the square layers.  I used foam tape to pop the square and stocking up - the large chubby robin is also popped up.   I used a white gel pen to add highlights to the holly berries to complete the card front.

No fussy cutting for inside the card as I cut a panel of watercolour paper and stamped and coloured directly onto that.  I do love stamping the little robin so he sits atop the snowy stump so that's what  I used to decorate the envelope flap! 

June as the 6th month means we're halfway through the year, all those playing along with us at 52 {C}CT regularly will already have a good sized Christmas card stash.  To those people I'd say, very well done and keep up the good work!

I've shared this photo before on my blog but I think it's worth sharing again.  2012 was the first year I committed to making my Christmas cards all through the year.  This was my Christmas card box at the beginning of December 2012, absolutely jam packed, I had more than enough cards and it was a great feeling!  

To others who haven't started their Christmas card stash yet - I'd say what are you waiting for?  Later in the year you'll be so very glad you started early so join in with our 52 {C}CT challenge this week and make a start on that festive card stash!  

Supplies:
Stamps: Hobby Art 'Christmas Robins' clear set, Hero Arts 'Very Merry Christmas' clear set
CS: SU! Garden Green, Real Red & Very Vanilla, watercolour paper
Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black, SU! Garden Green, Real Red & Soft Suede, Signo white gel pen
Tools: Square Nestabilities dies, 1 1/2", 1 3/4" & 2" circle punches, heat tool, water brush
Embellishments & accessories:  clear embossing powder, SU! 'Sleigh Bells' ribbon, Doodlebug 'Woodsy' Washi tape, Star Dust Stickles,  3D foam tape & Dimensionals