Darkroom Door

Ho Ho Ho... Santa has arrived!

Firstly, I'd like to wish everyone who is celebrating Christmas today a very happy and merry Christmas! I hope you all have a wonderful time with family and friends.

And secondly I'd like to thank everyone who participated in our Christmas Competition! I wasn't sure how the comp would go, but had hoped we'd get a 'few' entries, and had hoped that some people were using our Christmas Reindeer stamps to create their Christmas cards this year :) To receive such gorgeous creations not only in our email inbox, but our real snail mail mailbox felt like it was Christmas every day for us!!! I just LOVE all of the cards that were made and shared using the Christmas Reindeer set. Thank you to each of you who shared your artwork with us and all the readers of this blog!

Are you getting fidgety wondering who the winners are? Ha... it's like being a kid waiting for Santa to arrive!

Well, we think everyone deserves a prize, but the three names that were drawn out of Santa's Hat are:

1. Ava G
2. Kristine Collins
3. Robyn Wood

Please email us your contact details and the stamp set that you'd like to receive and we'll organise your prize! (note: we'll be spending some time with family over the next couple of days, so your prize won't be sent out until after the new year)

Thanks everyone for a fabulous 2008! From all of us here at Darkroom Door we'd like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas and can't wait to show you what we have in store for 2009!

Remember,
unlock the artist within!

Cheers,

Stewart & Rachel

Christmas Reindeer - Project #29

Our final entry comes from Kristine Collins who shares another of her gorgeous creations with us for our Christmas Comp!

Details:

I stamped the reindeer stamp onto the rough side of the bazzill to give it a textured look using black Staz on ink. Then using my craft knife I cut out the bottom portion of the reindeer leaving the top still attaching to the bazzill. Again, I have used Basic Grey Wassail again and punched out a decorative border with the threading water punch, sliding the piece underneath the reindeer's legs so that they sat off the card a little. I have added some Prima flowers to this one also as well as Kaisercraft rhinestone squares. With my Marvy Uchida scalloped circle punch, I inked the edges then tucked it under the flowers and attached. Then wrote my Christmas sentiment on a journalling block and attached it over the scalloped circle. Lastly, I tied a piece of sheer red ribbon around the card - weaving through the flowers.

Yum Yum Kristine! I love this. Thanks for sharing!

So... who's ready for tomorrow!?!

Christmas Reindeer - Project #28

Helen Ross from Lorna Blue Studio has another card to share with us for the Christmas Competition:

Instructions:

1. I’ve used co-ordinating cardstock from the We R Memory Keepers White Out Collection –Christmas Candy.
2. One side of Christmas Candy has 4 x 6” squares. From this side I’ve cut out a piece approx 15cm wide and 9cm high in the middle of the blue dot and red/green circled design.
3. Keeping the small reindeer, date and stars as one stamp I’ve stamped in Versamark then heat embossed it in white.
4. Using Ranger Distress Ink in Broken China stamp believe towards the top of the paper.
5. Attach to a white card leaving some of the card showing at the bottom.
6. Using double sided tape attach german scrap paper - gold dot border to the edge of the paper.
7. Using Ranger ice stickles dot on the reindeer’s antlers.
8. Using red glitter glue dot the three holly berries.
9. Allow to dry.

Love the colours Helen! Thanks for sharing!

Christmas Reindeer - Project #27

Another fabulous card by Robyn Wood has flown into our inbox... check it out:

Instructions:

Another card on a flying reindeer theme.  The Opal Dust gives the impression that the magical beasts are flying through the stars!  This time I used the classic pairing of blue and silver.

• Stamp flying reindeer using azurite Colorbox chalk ink across white textured cardstock.  Ink edges.
• Stamp and clear emboss Merry Christmas in top left hand corner.
• Accent greeting with adhesive diamantes.
• Using Jo Sonja’s Opal Dust, paint a swash across the bottom of the card.  Allow to dry.
• Mat with silver mirror card and attach to A5 dark blue cardstock.

Thanks Robyn for all of your inspiration!

Christmas Reindeer - Project #26

Check out this adorable card created by Teresa Abajo for our Christmas Comp...

Instructions:

I used White Bazzill with an edge cardstock for the card base, and Basic Grey patterned paper from the Wassail range for the card front.  I cut the patterned paper to size and sponged some Brushed corduroy ink on the edges.

I stamped both reindeer (one with Timber Brown StazOn, the other with Stampin’ Up Whisper White), and cut around each leaving an even edge around the image.  I stamped the Merry Christmas and punched it out with my Marvy scalloped oval punch.  I punched a larger scalloped oval from some brown paper, and stuck the ovals together with some gauze in between.

I cut a strip of striped paper, pleated it unevenly, and stuck it to the card front with a piece of thin ribbon on top.   I tied a little bit of ribbon onto one reindeer’s neck.  I stamped the stars in the top left hand corner, and some of the wavy lines in Adirondack Cranberry ink.

 I arranged all the elements on the front of the card, and glued them down.  I left the edges of all the elements unglued to add dimension.

Just gorgeous Teresa!! Thanks for sharing.

Ok, it's only a couple of sleeps now until Christmas... the excitement is building around here! Of course Christmas is a time for family and friends... but it's also about gift giving! What is the best present you'll be giving someone this Christmas? Please leave a comment and share :)

Christmas Reindeer - Project #25

Ava Gavloski has created a real festive card with the Christmas Reindeer stamp set for our Christmas Competition! Check it out:

Ava's instructions:
Red foil cardstock, embossed with the cuddlebug swiss dot pattern. A cream colored card stock embossed again and a circle cut from the embossed cardstock sheet. Reindeer stamped onto white cardstock, then painted with any stickles or glitter paint. Cut reindeer out, ink edges of cream circle with any color of choice (bronze) Attached reindeer and circle using pop dots. Enjoy!!!

Such a great card Ava! Thanks so much for sharing with it with us!

Christmas Reindeer - Project #24

Kristine Collins has shared another gorgeous project with us for the Christmas Competition...

Kristine says:
I love the simplicity of the script stamp and have used it as my sentiment on this card. I've inked the edges in Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Fired Brick (I think), then added a Prima lollipop flower and some sheer red ribbon as well. A simple decorative border punch added a little more detail as well as the Kaisercraft Rhinestone Square in Copper.

Simply beautiful Kristine!! Thanks for sharing!

Christmas Reindeer - Project #23

Another fabulous entry by Robyn Wood to share today!

Here are Robyn's instructions:
I love making asymmetric gatefold cards.  Especially ones that open with surprises inside as this one does.  First the greeting and then the stamped message spot inside.

• Make the asymmetric gatefold using an A5 piece of ochre coloured cardstock.  Score at 6.5cm & 17cm along long edge.  Fold each into centre; ensure they meet without a gap!
• Stamp and clear emboss upright reindeer three times using different colours onto white cardstock.  I used topaz, paprika & smoke blue Versacolour.
• Using a 3.5cm square punch, punch out portions of the reindeer.  Mat with dark ochre coloured cardstock (4cm square).
• Arrange the three matted images using foam tape over blue cardstock (8 x 12.5 cm).  Ink edges of blue cardstock with paprika ink.
• Attach to right hand side (the shorter side) of the gatefold.
• Tear a rough rectangle of cream handmade paper for left hand side of gatefold.  Stamp the Believe.Faith.Hope all over using alternating paprika and topaz inks.  Attach to left hand side of gatefold.
• Stamp and clear emboss Merry Christmas with topaz ink onto white cardstock.  Mat with dark ochre cardstock.  Attach to left hand side of gatefold.  Make sure that this piece is attached so that the right hand side covers the greeting.
• Create a message spot for inside the card using white cardstock (9.5 x 14cm).  Firstly tear a piece of scrap paper and adhere to the left hand side with temporary adhesive.  Overstamp Believe.Faith.Hope using alternating paprika and topaz inks.  Stagger the stamping so that the words don’t line up.
• Ink edges with topaz ink and attach to inside of card.

 

Here's a close look at the stamping on the inside. This is how Robyn masked the page, then stamped:

The end result for the inside:

Great ideas Robyn!!! Thanks for sharing :)

Christmas Reindeer - Project #22

Here's another card from Kristine Collins for our Christmas Comp!

Kristine's Instructions:
I've used white bazzill as the basis. I kept it nice and simple stamping with black staz on and then punching out the words with the Marvy Uchida Scalloped rectangle punch onto Basic Grey Wassail paper. I've used two thin strips of paper on the edges of the card and then added some Prima flowers and Kaisercraft rhinestones circles in black to embellish the card.

Here's some detail from the card:

Thanks Kristine! Love how by simply using the word stamps this card could be used for other occasions too.

Christmas Reindeer - Project #21

Ellen Woodbridge has created this card for the Christmas Competition:

Here are Ellen's instructions:
I have used a vanilla card base. I have stamped with the Believe Faith Hope stamp on white card with red ink to create a back ground. I have then used the Silver ink to stamp the reindeer on the stamped background. I the attached the stamped background to red card. Attach this to the Vanilla Card. Using the Merry Christmas stamp stamp on red card with silver ink trim around image and attach to stamped background. To finish off the card I tied a red ribbon around the bottom of the card.

Thanks Ellen!! It looks great! The silver ink on the red looks stunning.