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10/13/2018

Christmas Card Club Challenge #21

Good Morning. Here's hoping that you've had a good weekend so far;  for my American friends, I pray you were safe if you were in the path of our most recent storm, Michael. So many folks in that Florida Panhandle area had such devastation. It will take a long time for those communities to recover. So many prayers go out to them, and many thanks go upward that the rest of us were kept safe. In our area, we had been told to expect heavy rains and winds. We did get some good rains on one afternoon, then it stopped. Next morning, we had some good rain again, but in the afternoon, sun was back out. We did need the rain so it was good to get what we did. We've had 2 very pleasant days that have been more like what we normally experience at this time of the year.

Today is our Christmas Card Club Challenge, and our Kate chose today's theme of monochromatic. As always, we have the option of Anything goes. I was a little surprised to find myself struggling as to just how to do a monochromatic card...I hope Kate will approve what I did! (It was a good challenge to take me out of my comfort zone as I don't think I've ever done a monochrome card. I didn't use any copics!!!)



Stampendous wooden block - a very old NBUS stamp

Distress Inks Shaded Lilac and Chipped Sapphire

Paper Studio Blue Rose Cottage small paper pack

Used Shaded Lilac DI to sponge a white Bristol Vellum smooth cardstock. Dried the sponging with heat tool, then used the Bag Buddy so that I could do some embossing. After treating the sponged piece, stamped this fairly large block with Chipped Sapphire ink, as that stays wet enough to emboss with Ranger Clear Detail powder.

This was slow to emboss, and that's why there is a little yellow bit up in the branches. I decided I would leave this instead of trying to redo it. It sort of looks like the sun breaking through.

IRL the embossing has a nice shine, and added a narrow black mat to frame it... then placed on the blue dp that covered the side fold white cardbase.

My first effort, I used versamark to emboss a sponged piece that I'd made quite dark, using several blue shades of DI, along with a couple of the purple tones. I was pleased with that deep night sky look. But then I tried embossing with some dark blue cobalt glittered EP, and because the branches have so much tiny detail, that EP just stuck too much to even show the intricate tree branches. Other than the 'burn sun spot' I liked the final result on this effort, though.

Please take time to visit my fellow card club members. Their blog links are listed on the right side bar.

Thanks for visiting and apologies for being so behind once again in returning visits. I hope I can catch up this week. Have the birthday cards caught up until December!!! Have a great day, and God Bless.

36 comments:

  1. Beatiful background stamp Mary, I can't believe this lasted as long as a NUBUS, it's way too pretty.

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  2. Hi Mary, Lovely card.

    We have had high winds and some parts of the country have suffered damage, power outages and flooding.

    Hope you have a nice day. Sue

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  3. All your efforts paid off Mary, you have created such a lovely wintry scene, it looks beautifully frosty and I love the hint of the sun in the background. A beautiful monochromatic card in my opinion! Hugs, Anne xx

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  4. You have absolutely aced your first mono card. The little bit of yellow does indeed look like the sun glowing through. Hugs Mrs A.

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  5. First of all, I'm glad to know you escaped the wrath of Michael and only had rain. Some folks lost everything and it will be a very long time before any of them can recover, sadly. Onto the card - you've done some beautiful sponging, and I agree with the yellow spots indicating the sun shining through. It's lovely and a great monochromatic card!! Enjoy your week ahead :)

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  6. It's a beautifully crafted monochromatic creation, Mary! I love the combination of blue textures on the papers, and that stamp is incredible! I can "hear" a pin fall on your "Silent Night" masterpiece. So glad the storm did not cause damage to your area. My heart goes out to all who have suffered. hugs, de

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  7. Hello Mary, what a gorgeous card, I love the blues and of course the tree branches are fabulous. Beautifully designed and with the hint of the sun coming through the branches add even more interest. Lovely sentiment too. Perfect for the challenge, thank you, Kate x

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  8. So VERY Beautiful Mary, I love that little piece of yellow, yes! it looks like a little sunshine, it was meant to be. A beautiful shade of blue and love the image and border.
    It seems that this rain and wind has affected everyone the world over, we have had a huge storm this last 2 days which left flooding and damage, luckily it didn't affect us. We were just closeted inside the house.
    Faith
    x

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  9. Beautiful card!
    Have a great day!
    Marilyn❤

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  10. Gorgeous card, your night sky turned out beautifully with all the variations in color!

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  11. Your Christmas card is so beautiful Mary! I love stamping trees so it looks as though you are looking towards the sky! The monochromatic look is perfect for this card!
    Hugs,
    Pam
    scrap-n-sewgranny.blogspot.com

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  12. Beautiful card Mary ...what a fabulous stamp...looks perfect in the blue....we are having a really miserable wet and windy day here today so staying in my craft room....xxxx

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  13. It's so stunning, Mary!! I love tree stamps with branches like this!! It looks so amazing!! You did a beautiful job with monochromatic!! I love it!! Have a great day!! Big hugs :)

    Lisa
    A Mermaid's Crafts

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  14. A wonderful Christmas card design.

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  15. Mary what beautifully serene image, you have created that perfect wintry look on your card. I love the simplicity and the softness :)

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  16. Hi Mary, love this. Fantastic Happy Accident with the scorch mark!Looks perfect, and deliberate.Great card on the theme. Hugs, Shaz X

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  17. This is gorgeous Mary! ItsI also one of my favorite stamps. You did a fabulous job with this!

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  18. Really beautiful Mary - what a gorgeous card! Hugs rachel x

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  19. What a beautiful colour Mary and I love the sun peeping through...of course it was meant to be there!! Xx

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  20. If you hadn't said that was a burn spot, I wouldn't have guessed. It DOES look like the sun peeking through and I thought you'd done that with the sponging. Those intricate tree branches are really pretty and the darker blue patterned paper makes a nice frame!

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  21. Stunning! Loving the bit of yellow as i view it as a setting or rising sun! This is a gorgeous stamp...must check and see if I have it as you have inspired me to to something like this one, Mary.

    All your hard work paid off to make this card stunning@!!!

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  22. Have seen the terrible devastation which it caused but good to see you weren't affected--we have had strong winds and rain but temperatures in the 20's!!! we should be having cold and frosts now very unseasonal-Mother nature is not happy!!!
    Beautiful monochrome card and love the tree stamp and yes it does look like the sun shining through would have never known any different if you hadn@t said
    Carol x

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  23. A very atmospheric card!!! Love the monochrome and the embossing!
    So glad you aren't in the devastation zone!! In Italy too there were some damages by the very bad weather, but not here where I live.
    Hugs

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  24. This is fabulous Mary, such an original design and I love the colour tones you have chosen.
    Pauline - Crafting with Cotnob
    x

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  25. If this is your first monochrome card Mary then you've hit the nail right on the head!! It's lovely.I often find my cards turn out monochrome without even trying ... lol!!! Hope you are well. Christine x

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  26. This is gorgeous with these beautiful wintry branches Mary, and is the perfect monochromatic creation, and the paper looks great too. x

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  27. Hi Mary,
    an excellent card for the Christmas club.
    Love your super work on this excellent deaign.
    It looks so amazing and very atmospheric your lovely stamped design.
    Sorry I haven't been about much lately hubby has not been well so my time is taken up looking after him.
    Lots of crafty love and hugs from my house to yours. Jenny L.

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  28. What a beauty Mary - love your wee peek of sun through the branches on a snowy morning! ;-)
    Blessings
    Maxine

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  29. I love this stamped design Mary, very wintry and festive.
    Lorraine

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  30. Lovely card Mary, very chilly though! That bit of yellow peeking through really looks like it was designed to be there, a bit of hazy winter sun. Lovely.

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  31. I have trouble leaving comments on some posts, from what I’ve heard it might be because I use my iPad... so crossing my fingers my words arrive to you. This winter scene looks magnificent.

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  32. Beautiful card Mary. It doesn't look like you struggled. But sometimes we need to to achieve perfection ... and that's what you've done here. Gorgeous card that will dazzle whomever receives it. Glad you were safe from the storm. xx

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  33. I love this! You did create the monochrome look and with my favourite colour. I love the branches leading up to the sky that does evoke the words. Beautiful

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  34. Oh Mary, this is such a serene card and Silent Night is the perfect sentiment for it. Just lovely.

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  35. Wow Momma Mary, this is a stunning monochromatic card! I love the colors you used and I am loving that stamp you used. I feel like I am laying on the ground looking up at the bare trees on a warm fall day! That hint of sun is so perfect and your sentiment fits right in the heart shaped opening perfectly. Love your pattern paper to. Love this! Hugs, Brenda

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