Merry Monday #266 {Ho Ho Ho}

Welcome to this week's Merry Monday Challenge! Sue is challenging us to create a card with a Santa image! Confession: I kinda have a little thing for Santa! LOL! It's true, though! Definitely not in a creepy way, but in a way that I loved him as a child. If there was wrapping paper with Santa images on it, I WANTED THAT present, because obviously the BEST presents would be wrapped in Santa paper! Ha Ha! I especially love the vintage variety like the inspiration photo shows. If I have time this week, I'll try and share another card for the challenge, with a vintage Santa! I picked him up at Hobby Lobby last weekend and he's just too cute! Make sure to head over to the Merry Monday Blog to read all about the challenge and to see what everyone else has come up with!

For my card, I decided to use an alphabet that I got for my birthday back in August and haven't used yet. You know, I just HAD to have it and look at me, just barely getting around to it! (Hangs head in shame) It did work out nicely for the image I had in my head for the card I wanted to make, so I was glad I had it. It is the Simon Says Stitched Alphabet and I can't wait to use it again soon!

To begin, I sponged a 4 1/8 inch by 5 3/8 inch Bristol paper with Peacock Feathers Distress ink starting at the edges and working my way lightly to the center. After that was done, I mixed a little bit of the same ink with water and flecked it over the top for some added detail and interest. I spritzed it with Shimmer Spray and set it aside to dry. 

I die cut all of the Tremendous Treats: Christmas Santa shapes, stamped them in Palette Noir ink with the Coordinating Images. I colored them with Copic and Prismacolor markers. After they were done, I came back to the base panel and got to work stamping the "H" and "O" letters in Black ink. I think I stamped them to soon because one of them smeared (boo hoo), but I wasn't going to start over because I was loving the background. So...word of advice, make sure your ink and shimmer spray is properly dry!

I added the Santa images in the spaces left by each word using foam squares. I also felt like the background needed a little bit more attention, so I used a tiny little snowflake image from Eskimo Kisses here and there with Peacock Feathers distress ink stamped off once. I really like the extra detail it gave the card.

The letters are colored using Copic and Prismacolor markers. I was worried that they might turn purple with the red mixed with blue, but Copic Markers are Rockstars and proved it on this card! After they were colored, I added some Nuvo Glaze over the top as well as a sprinkling of gradiated chunky red glitter over the top. I have used the same technique HERE, HERE and HERE. I just love how it looks with the red on red! It will definitely be used again this Holiday Season! I also stamped a sentiment from Christmas Critter Sentiments onto a strip of Pure Poppy cardstock and then embossed it in white. I really like how it added just a little something extra! I had so much fun on this card! I hope you all get a chance to play along! Thanks for fluttering by!