Thursday, December 18, 2014

Winterfresh Christmas Card & Pine Branch Tutorial

Hello Everyone!

I would also like to thank everyone who dropped in and left me a congratulation message on my last post! I was just thrilled to see so many wonderful and kind comments! Thank you so much everyone for always making me smile!

I have another Christmas card to share with you today. This one was inspired by an artist I have only recently had the joy of getting to know, ASTRID MACLEAN. She is just so incredibly creative and talented, and I have been learning a lot from her the last couple of months. This card is loosely based on a combination of two of Astrid's Christmas cards that you can find on her blog here...Astrid's Artistic Efforts.

Thank you Astrid for being such an amazing inspiration!



For the background I painted a piece of card stock with white paint and used a Memory Box stencil called Lanthenay with some home-made texture paste to make that beautiful pattern down in the right hand corner. I used Tim Holtz distress ink sprays Iced Spruce, Weathered Wood, Bundled Sage and Brushed Pewter to colour the paper. I stamped some branches using Ranger Archival ink Library Green and an Inkadinkado pine branch stamp.



I cut the frame out of acetate using a Sizzix Ornament 2 die and then covered it with chunky glitter and edged it with my Krylon Silver Leafing Pen. I dabbed a little white paint on the top to give it a frosty look. The beautiful bird stamp is from Artistic Outpost.


The 25 was cut using Tim Holtz Vintage Noel die, and then I used my distressed metal technique to give it a wintery, metallic feel. I used UTEE, platinum, white and aqua embossing powders on a dark teal card stock.



I have had some questions about how I do my 3D pine branches, so I have included a short tutorial for you today. These pine branches were cut from silver metallic paper and covered with clear chunky glitter and then dabbed with DecoArt White paint. I'm not even going to bother explaining how much more shimmery they are in real life, my camera is apparently a SCROOGE and refuses to cooperate when it comes to glittery Christmas cards!!



HOW DID I DO THAT:

1. You will a piece of card stock, some wire and the Cheery Lynn Cutie Fringe 2 die.
2. Cut out the Cutie Fringe using your die cutting machine and cut a piece of wire about 6 inches long.


3. Glue the end of the wire to one end on the fringe. I glue it to the inside of the die cut (the rough side).
4. Twirl your fringe around the wire on an angle, adding a little glue here and there as you go.


For this sample I used HALF of the Cutie Fringe and a 3 inch piece of wire to make a longer branch with not too much fullness (better for mailing). If you use the whole fringe cut out and a larger wire, you can twirl it at less of an angle and you will get a more full, longer branch.


I wanted to share a couple of photographs that PATRICIA COOK sent to me. She gave the 3D pine branch a try and really liked how it turned out. Here is what she made using the branches. Patricia doesn't have a blog, so I wanted to share them on her behalf. Aren't these sleighs fantastic! Thanks so much Patricia!



I am entering my Winterfresh Christmas card into the following wonderful challenges:



That's it for today. Thank you for stopping in and for all the amazing comments. I read and appreciate every single one! If you have any questions, please let me know.


135 comments:

  1. Absolutely stunning creation Pamellia! Thank you for the tutorial. Love the colors, the textures and that shabby bow is to die for!!! Sorry for such a short comment, need to get ready for work :( All I can tell you is THANK YOU for making my day with this crafting gem! Now that I have had my dose of heavenly beauty, I can start my day right:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aahhh, you always say the sweetest things Samra! Thank you so much and I do hope you have a wonderful stress-free day today! big holiday hugs :)

      Delete
  2. Simply stunning card, the background is lush and I adore the frosty feel. The frame is fantastic and I love the texture. I love the frosty feel to,this. Tracy x x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much Tracy! big holiday hugs to you :)

      Delete
  3. THANK YOU for the tutorial Pamellia, will definitely have a go with this technique. I am another huge fan of Astrid's, she makes everything look so easy and in the new year she is hoping to do some more tutorials which i am looking forward to immensely.

    Frosty but very warm hugs on their way through the ethers, thank you for another stunning card :-) xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much Mo! I agree, Astrid does make it look easy!! I find her style and her work phenomenal! holiday hugs :)

      Delete
  4. I am so pleased you came across Astrid's blog, doesn''t she do the most amazing creations.

    Your card today is another is a string of stunning pieces of artwork Pamellia, loving the cool frosty colours and those fern branches you have created are so effective, another thing to try one one of these days.

    B x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aahhh, thank you so much Brenda! And yes, she absolutely does make the best creations! holiday hugs :)

      Delete
  5. Hi Pamellia, A beautiful creation from you today, love all the techniques, looks so pretty.

    I wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

    Love & Hugs

    Jacquie J xxx
    http://jewelscardcraft.blogspot.co.uk/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you kindly Jacquie! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you too! hugs :)

      Delete
  6. Hi again Pamellia, just seen your comment (thank you) and here is the link to the stencil: http://www.crafterscompanion.co.uk/new-c2158/new-products-c848/sheena-douglass-decorative-stencil-paris-springtime-p26043

    That one is by Sheena Douglass and my fav I think, I have another made by Clarity but there is more detail on Sheena's and it's a better and stronger quality in my view.

    B x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh my gosh, thank you so much Brenda! I have added it to my wish list! Maybe Santa?? lol, hugs :)

      Delete
  7. Gorgeous frosty card! Exactly how it looks in Kansas City today( my home town). Luckily, I am visiting in Florida. :-)) I love the metallic effect on the 25, and the card is just fantastic. Thank you soo much for the tutorial on the pine branches, I had asked you about them. Now I need to get that die. Sending sunshine!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much Marci! Florida, what a nice getaway! I hope you are having a lovely time in the sun! holiday hugs :)

      Delete
  8. So much to love about this Pamellia,especially love the acetate frame,great idea,looks like ice. Thank you for the tutorial too re the pine branches....no need to buy any Christmas decorations ever again! You've rocked the crafting world again :))

    Big hugs
    Donna xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aahhh, thank you Donna! big holiday hugs to you my friend! :)

      Delete
  9. Your card is stunning Pamellia. I love your textured background, gorgeous delicate colours and amazing detailing.
    Your pine branches looks wonderful, thank you for sharing such a fabulous tutorial.
    hugs Sue xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much Sue! I should have done the tutorial earlier, I guess...given you a chance to use it this year. Oops. lol, hugs :)

      Delete
  10. The card is just gorgeous, I love the color and use of that Cheery Lynn die. Also thanks for playing along in the SweetStamps challenge for this weeks non traditional colors theme.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Another stunning creation from you how do you come up with them just so you know the link to your distresses metal technique isn't working
    holiday hugs
    Jacki

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Jacki, and thanks for letting me know about the broken link. It's fixed now. holiday hugs to you :)

      Delete
  12. Hi Pamellia
    Wow, wow and, just for good measure Wow again! Festive, frosty fantastic fabulousness! Its not fair that so much talent resides in one person lol!
    Never tried to die cut acetate. Do you use a thin one as the one I have is 220 micron which is quite thick.
    Must try the fringing for the pine branches. . . . . I think I can cope with that lol!
    Just watching Real Housewives of Vancouver but they are in Toronto!
    Have a great day.
    Ang x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much Ang! The only dies I have found that will cut through the 10 point acetate are the Sizzix Bigz dies. Possible a thinner plastic would be OK for other brands though. I like the thick plastic because it holds it's form well. even in the mail. Big holiday hugs to you and Mr D! :)

      Delete
  13. That's spooky. . . . You were on mine as I was on yours! Cue spooky music! x

    ReplyDelete
  14. Fabulous card, Pamellia, I admire the winter frosty feel, beautiful!! Hugs, Kerstin

    ReplyDelete
  15. Another stunningly gorgeous card. Your colour scheme is beautiful, and the glittery acetate frame is fabulous. Thanks for the great tutorial on how to make your pine branches. Sally D.x.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much Sally! I hope you get the chance to try it out, although not till next year I suppose! lol, holiday hugs :)

      Delete
  16. Just stunning, thanks for showing how you made it! Hugs, Valerie

    ReplyDelete
  17. Ooooohh! Have I caught up! This is gorgeous! Your pine leaves are fabulous, although it means more saving up for me! Lol! What is the name of that bird please? Hugs Chrisx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much Chris! The bird is from an Artistic Outpost stamp set called Midwinter. Hope that helps. holiday hugs :)

      Delete
  18. Wonderful and thank you showing how you made the branches

    Love Chrissie x

    ReplyDelete
  19. Your pine leaves look spectacular as does the rest of your card. Thankyou for the insight as to how you made them. hugs Mrs A.

    ReplyDelete
  20. A gorgeous festive card Pamellia, such an elegant design. Thank you for sharing the technique for making the pine leaves.
    Pauline
    x

    ReplyDelete
  21. This is another wonderful creation!! Thanks for such a fab tutorial!! xx

    ReplyDelete
  22. Oh wow! I really hope Astrid does not miss seeing this wonderful creation - and I can really see her inspiration in your stunning card Pamellia. Love, love, love this! Hugs, Anne xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aahhh, thanks so much Anne! I just love her style! holiday hugs to you and yours :)

      Delete
  23. A gorgeous card, you have a special style when making your wonderful cards.
    Yvonne x

    ReplyDelete
  24. Absolutely stunning I should copy and paste my comments because everyone of your creations are stunning with fabulous embellishments and texture,love the chunky glitter frame and great turorial on the pine branch- a die I NEED err want no need lol-off to check out Astrids blog
    carol x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hahaha, too funny Carol! Want and need are the same thing to me, when it comes to craft items!! Thanks so much for all of your wonderful comments! holiday hugs :)

      Delete
  25. Still think your card is stunning and love the gorgeous bow and texture--Thank you for joining us at Artistic Inspirations
    Carol DT x

    ReplyDelete
  26. Wow Pamellia,Stunning card, I love the ice frosty look and all the detail.
    Kevin xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much Kevin! holiday hugs to you and yours :)

      Delete
  27. Beautiful frosty & winter card! I wish you good luck in the challenges Pamelia!
    Hugs :)
    Max

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much Max! big holiday hugs coming at you :)

      Delete
  28. WOW! This is stunning! Beautiful work! Thanks so much for playing along with Just Us Girls this week!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Gorgeous card Pamellia, such a lovely wintery feel. You are right Astrid is a very talented crafter.
    Happy crafting, Angela x

    ReplyDelete
  30. Oh wow, another fabulous Christmas card, I just adore the frosty look you have created on the frame and the pine branch.

    Thank you so much for today's tutorial, it has explained some things I have been wondering about for some time - and you are so generous with you knowledge. Thank you.

    Great big Christmassy hugs.

    Dionne xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are so sweet! Thank you so much Dionne! big holiday hugs to you this season :)

      Delete
  31. Sheer beauty and thanks for the tutorial, Pamellia. I loved that frame with the chunky glitter...it looks so glassy! Hugs.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks ever so much Rupa! holiday hugs my friend :)

      Delete
  32. Absolutely stunning! Love all of the techniques you used and thanks for the directions for the pine branches, amazing. Thanks for playing with us at JUGS!

    ReplyDelete
  33. I have to agree with all of the comments. This is absolutely stunning! Appreciate the tutorial too. Thanks so much for joining us this week at Just Us Girls!

    ReplyDelete
  34. So very beautiful. Love the branches and a great tutorial. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Shirley! holiday hugs to you and yours :)

      Delete
  35. Goodness- another fabulous design- LOVE the acetate with the silver edging and love the bow you added. Oh- I love the rolled fringe die- that is so cool! Thanks for always inspiring me!
    And- putting on DT hat- Thanks for joining us at Sweet Stamps for the Non-traditional colors challenge!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. haha, switching hats, good one!! Thank you so much Shelly! holiday hugs :)

      Delete
  36. Gosh...... There are some clever fantastic designers out there , thank you for showing us how to make the branches and giving us a look at Patricia's beautiful work .
    Loving your shabby, shabby frosty Christmas card with all the details, Gorgeous just gorgeous !

    Take Care and big hugs .
    Elaine H X

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you very much Elaine, hope your festive planning is going well! holiday hugs :)

      Delete
  37. What a tribute to Astrid with your wonderful wintery card Pamellia! It is SO FROZEN - it makes me shiver looking at it! love the numbers, the icy frame and the beautiful pine branch - thanks so much for showing us how you made it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much Julia! I hope you are having fun with all your festive preparations! holiday hugs :)

      Delete
  38. Fabulous card, it's colour and design is gorgeous...enjoy your weekend.
    ♥aNNie {The Journey is the Start – my personal blog}

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Annie, happy weekend to you too! holiday hugs :)

      Delete
  39. Another creation to make me swoon, Pamellia! It looks as if you have constructed it from ice and snow!! So delicate and magical! Thanks for the great tutorial! Have a lovely weekend! xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What a lovely compliment, thank you so much Jane! happy weekend to you too :)

      Delete
  40. Beautiful and elegant once again. In the new year I intend to case you (!!!), following your tutorials. Now I have a masterpiece of yours I can really appreciate them! Nikki xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aahhh, that is such an amazing compliment Nikki! You just made my day, thank you so much! I hope your holiday planning is all going well for you! big hugs my friend! :)

      Delete
  41. Oh, my Gosh!, Beautiful...I need to dash off to work, but I'll be back later for the full view! I JUST has to take a peek to see what treat I would be in for, and had to say SOMETHING! Hugs for now!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are such a sweetheart Sara! Thanks a bunch for always popping in to say hello! big holiday hugs :)

      Delete
  42. LOVE how you made your branch and then how you made it wintery! They look so realistic - fabulous card. Congrats on your JUGS win and thanks for joining in with us~

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much Vicki! I was thrilled to see I was chosen as Chic of the Week, such a wonderful way to start my holiday season! big holiday hugs to you and yours :)

      Delete
  43. All your creations are winners in my eyes Pamellia!! This is beautiful, can almost feel the frost! Huge fan of Astrid too. Well done to Patricia with those gorgeous makes. Finally, what a brilliant way to make a pine branch - thanks for sharing! Nicola x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much Nicola, for all your lovely comments! I sure hope life is treating you well and I miss your wonderful creations! Hope to see more of your work in the New Year! holiday hugs :)

      Delete
  44. Your talents are endless, my friend. Adore this wintry beauty.
    Have a wonderful weekend, Pamellia, with a big hug xx

    ReplyDelete
  45. Droooooooooooool sigh! I LOVE the pine branch and the acetate frame AND everything else, thank you for such a pleasurable visit to you

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aahhh, thank you Faith! holiday hugs to you :)

      Delete
  46. This card took my breath away. It's so elegant and so beautiful. I love how your background turned out. It looks soooooo beautiful! <3 And you already know how much I like those pine branches. And these even have glitters!!! It couldn't get any better than this. A real piece of art!
    Big holiday hugs to you! xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aahhh, thanks you very much Maja! I hope all is going well with your Christmas preparations! Sending holiday hugs your way! :)

      Delete
  47. Ooops, forgot to say ... Thank you for the tutorial! :)
    Hugs! xx

    ReplyDelete
  48. Absolutely stunning Pamellia x wonderful colour palette and amazing details. I agree that Astrid is one talented lady and I have learned so much from her too. Thank you for joining in with us at Artist Trading Post .

    Have a wonderful Christmas and best wishes in 2015

    Annie x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you very much Annie! holiday Happy Holidays to you too! hugs :)

      Delete
  49. This is stunning Pamellia, absolutely gorgeous! Thank you for the super tutorial as well, hugs Carole Z xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much Carole! Let me know if you give the branches a go...although I guess it may be a little late in the year now. Maybe next year, ha! hugs :)

      Delete
  50. WOW this is stunning Pamellia! I love the colors and that gorgeous sparkly frame... so many beautiful details!! Fabulous tutorial too! I hope you have a wonderful Christmas!
    Big hugs, Tammy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Tammy and a Merry Christmas to you too! hugs :)

      Delete
  51. Brilliant Pamellia, love your card!! It looks so wintry and lovely and I can just imagine how much more sparkly and lovely it will be IRL. Thanks also for the pine branch tut, they look so real and wonderful, now I am almost sad that I am done with making my Christmas cards this year.! Thanks for the thumbs up too, - I feel quite humbled, I completely adore your work too!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aahhh, thank you!! You are very sweet Astrid! I hope you are having a wonderful time on your vacation, see you in the new year! hot summer holiday hugs to you :)

      Delete
  52. Absolutely beautiful!! I love the frame and the pine branches ... well I'll be copying that!! Have a wonderful weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  53. Pamellia, Yes, late again, to this wonderful party, but I've come back to have a real breath-taking look! It's just so hard to come up with something different to say about your amazing creativity and attention to detail, so I will just say what comes from my heart. Truly, my heart flutters when I see these most delightful cards and other creations you conjure up. I so want to be inside that genius head of yours or at least a fleck of glitter on your table so I can see how you work! You never cease to amaze me...you never go the easy way...as I've found myself doing lately. Always pour ALL of you into each and every project. I was thinking of you and your wonderful UTEE work last night when I was thinking of adding a UTEE embellishment to my card. Way too much work this late at night..".but Pamellia wouldn't let that be an obstacle" I thought! And over 100 Christmas cards made and sent! Wow! What I wouldn't give for a fraction of your energy!

    Thank you for sharing your pine branches tutorial...still have not been able to get that die...And thank you for sharing Patricia's work as well. Very pretty sleighs and she did a wonderful job with those pine branches, too!

    I love every detail on this frosty card, but that frame is absolutely GENUS crafting work! LOVE!
    Merry Christmas! Still trying to get that tree decorated! Maybe now that kids are done with school...:)!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow Sara, what a wonderful compliment! You always swoop in here and just make my grin from ear to ear...I love that! Thank you! You can just cut out a long rectangle of paper and then use your scissors to make many many cuts, it wouldn't be exactly the same as using the die, but I'm sure it would get the job done.

      Have fun decorating your tree! big holiday hugs :)

      Delete
    2. haha! I have made some real doozie spelling errors! Epic!

      Delete
  54. It's all been said before....:) your card is absolutely stunning! Will definitely be trying out the pine branch tutorial! Thanks for sharing with us at Creative Moments.
    Have a wonderful Christmas
    Chris
    x

    ReplyDelete
  55. Wow - it's like an ice sculpture on a card!! So crisp and frosty I can almost feel the chill from here... amazing work, Pamellia!
    Alison xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aahhh, thank you Alison, for this and all of your wonderful comments!! big holiday hugs to you :)

      Delete
  56. So incredibly beautiful, the frosted look is so gorgeous! I love those beautiful metallic numbers too.
    Hope you're ready and excited for Christmas! :)
    Rebecca.
    x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much Rebecca! I'm super excited, only a few hours until I hit the road! Merry Christmas to you!! :)

      Delete
  57. Congratulations on your win at Just us Girls!!! So well deserved! Your card is absolutely positively deserving to win all the challenges! Big hugs from Vegas :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aahhh, thank you so much Samra! Sending gigantic Merry Christmas hugs! :)

      Delete
  58. Gorgeous card Pamellia ! Love the frosty feel you've achieved ! Thanks for joining us at ATP Echvnage. Sue C x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much Sue! Merry Christmas hugs :)

      Delete
  59. My dear friend, first I want to thank you for your loving heart! I deeply appreciate how understanding you have been as I spend extra time with my mom during this tough time. (I do go back to read your replies to my comments... you are always so kind.) I am thankful to be here today to wish you a Merry Christmas and leave you some love. :o)

    Your card is, as always, spectacular! I love the abundance of iciness and wintry beauty... you designed this to perfection. The texture paste work is stunning and that stencil is a must-have! The colors you chose to create your background are exquisite and I love the pine branch. The acetate frame, as well as every other component throughout this masterpiece, are so beautiful. What a delight! I wish I could see the expression on your friends and family's faces upon receiving one of your works of art. :o)

    Hugs and blessings,
    Karen

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Karen! I do hope your Mom is doing well and enjoying this holiday with her family! She is lucky to have such a loving daughter! Thank you for always being so generous with your praise, I do so enjoy hearing from you! I look forward to getting to know you better in the coming year! Big Merry Christmas hugs my friend! :)

      Delete
  60. What a beautiful card, love all the great details.
    Thank you for participating in Sketchy Colors, good luck.
    hugs Monica

    ReplyDelete
  61. Absolutely gorgeous! Thank you for sharing the way you have done those lovely frosty branches. Love your icy frame too! Apologies for being so late in visiting but thankyou so much for sharing this lfabulous project with us at the Artist Trading Post x

    ReplyDelete
  62. Big Congratulations on the Top 3 at Artist Trading Post Exchange! I had no doubt it would be in winning crowd :) Have a great day!

    ReplyDelete
  63. Bought the fringe die recently Pamellia in order to 'copy' your technique. Diecut some paper but couldn't for the life of me remember how you managed to create such perfect branches! I tried heaps of ways!! Happy to say that re-reading this I now see that I need to incorporate WIRE!!

    ReplyDelete