Jolly Friends Santa

Hello, Crafters.

After sorting out the problem that the hospital didn't know about my 5 pm appointment yesterday, everything went well. I had a total of six injections in my facet joints and have been given my follow up appointment for 3rd October 2016. My consultant did warn me that I'd probably feel worse before I felt better. I have to agree, I do feel as if I've been through a small mill, but it's totally different to how I feel normally. So far, so good!

I was still able to make today's card when I arrived home yesterday evening. Looking at it this morning, I've decided that I'll make a video for tomorrow. That means I won't be sharing this card today anywhere else apart from here and my team.

I have a couple of tips to share. A little while ago someone contacted me to ask how she could emboss a piece of Whisper White Cardstock using the Softly Falling Embossing Folder, if the cardstock was bigger than the embossing folder, without getting a line down the middle.

I knew how to do it, but decided to do it befdore I responded so I could explain it clearly in writing. I ended up with a beautifully embossed piece of Whisper White that measured 9" by 4", which I put in my box of Whisper White scraps.

I saw it yesterday when I was making this card and cut off a piece for Santa's backing. This means I still have a large piece leftover for future projects. The tip is, if you need a small piece of embossed cardstock, why not do a piece larger than you need, ready for future use?

The Santa is from the Jolly Friends Stamp Set and I don't particularly like his face! I adhered his hat so it covers most of it and I think it makes him look far more jolly! I'm still not happy about his ears sticking out, so I'll be experimenting with cutting them off, and see what he looks like! It'll either be not noticeable or his hat will be look too big!

I used Wild Wasabi Cardstock for the layering on this card. For the holly leaves colour, which is from the Holly Berry Happiness Stamp Set, and the sentiment, which is from the Christmas Pines Stamp Set, I used Wild Wasabi Ink. I used  Basic Black Archival Ink for all all of santa, Real Red Ink for his hat and my Real Red Marker Pen, the pen end, for the holly berries. I fussy cut the holly so I could adhere them with Dimensionals. 

NOTE: If you don't like fussy cutting, you could stamp the first sprig of holly directly onto your top layer, positioning it very close to the top; then make Santa and his layers and adhere below the holly; stamp the second sprig of holly, remembering to turn the stamp round, and then stamp the sentiment at the bottom.

I chose Tombow to assemble Father Christmas and adhered him using Dimensionals as well. I have a retired Marker Pen called Blush Blossom for Santa's face. Stampin' Up! brought this pen out of retirement about three years ago and sold it as a single item. If they ever do that again, do get one, they are really brilliant.
My final touch was to add liquid glue to Santa's beard, moustache, pompom and fur trim on his hat and sprnkled with Dazzling Details. 

That's about it for today. Until tomorrow, happy crafting.

JanB.