11th Day of Christmas - Let It Snow

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Today is Christmas Eve Eve, are you dreaming of a white Christmas? Okay, maybe not this year.

I hope my little project adds a little snow spirit into your Christmas season. Here is a little tutorial on the use of Liquid Applique.

Liquid Applique is a unique paint that when heated puffs like pop-corn after it has popped. If you heat it immediately, you get a more popcorn texture; however, if you let it dry 24 hours, it will puff smoother.

I am using Wonderland My Reflections Paper Packet, the paper packet of the month, Twilight ink, Crystal Blue reinker, a trimmer and scoring blade, sanding block or paper, White Daisy, Gray Flannel, and Twilight cardstock, the Wonderland stamp set (have I mentioned, it is one of my favorites), glue dots, 3-D foam, silver glitz glitter gel, Wishes recipe, craft heater.

Start with a 7" x 8" piece of White Daisy cardstock for the base, folded in half on the 7" side, creating a card base 3 1/2" x 8".

Cut a 3 1/4" x 7 3/4" piece of Twilight and using your trimmer, place this piece at an angle under the timmer arm and with the scoring blade (or stylus or bone folder) score diagonally lines. To create a more snow like look, use different pressures as you score, even skipping small sections. Do not press too hard as you may tear the paper.

Turn the Twilight cardstock piece over with the ridges facing up and sand lightly until your paper looks like streaks of snow.

Next use the Liquid Applique to create snowflakes. I found I got the best little ball of snow by holding the tip of the Liquid Applique applicator close to the paper, in fact, almost touching.

And for a more textured loo k, I heated right away.

Next, squeeze a little Liquid Applique onto a paper plate or paint palette, add a few drops of reinker and mix using a toothpick or paint mixing tool. Mix until it is smooth. Take your stamp image and load it with this Liquid Applique mixture and stamp it onto your project cardstock. I used a scrap piece of White Daisy cardstock, as I was cutting the image out. Using your craft heater, heat the stamped image. You will see texture appearing. It will be more subtle and have a softer look than if you used the Liquid Applique full strength.

To add a little more texture, I added the Liquid Applique directly to the top of the mitten image to mimic fluffy faux fur mitten tops and then I added some silver glitz glitter cause I love bling.

I cut each mitten out (I am making 5 cards for a swap), and began to assemble my cards. I stamped the sentiment to the left of the top Gray Flannel piece and placed the mittens below and added a little Chocolate waxy flax as the ribbon that holds the mittens together. I also changed the card recipe by moving the collage paper pieces to the top of the card instead of at the bottom as shown on page 57 of the Wishes book. Remember, a recipe is only a guide, you are welcome to add your own flair.

Now my cards are complete and off in the mail to be swapped!