Peaceful Boughs - Hopping Around The World!

Hello and welcome to the very first blog hop with a new group of stamping friends called Hopping Around The World, organised by Claudia Christensen.  On this hop you will travel from the UK, to Europe, America and beyond!  If you are starting here with me or have joined me from Tanja in Austria, welcome - grab a cuppa and hop along with us for lots of inspiration!

The theme for our first hop is Christmas cards.  I have been using a bundle called Peaceful Boughs all week for my usual Coffee & Cards sessions and I have  really enjoyed using this bundle as it is so versatile.  I have so many ideas flying around in my head that I decided to use it for my project today.

Here are the colours I am using for my project with the addition of some Gold Delicata ink.

Crumb Cake

Garden Green

Pear Pizzazz

Real Red

Soft Suede

I used thick whisper white for my card base and a panel cut 5mm smaller than the base.

I stamped an assortment of boughs around the edges of the panel using Garden Green ink.  I then used a sponge and Pear Pizzazz ink around the edges, applying with a soft swirling motion and adding more intense ink along the edges for definition.

I used the Gold Delicata ink to add some dots in the gaps.  The panel was adhered to the card base with dimensionals.

I used some Soft Suede card to die cut some boughs, adhering them to my card with dabs of Tombow.   I die cut some pine cones using Soft Suede for the base and Crumb Cake card for the top layer.  I used Tombow to assemble them.

I used one of the lovely frame dies in this bundle and stamped a sentiment in Gold Delicata ink.  I love the shine on this speciality ink - it almost looks like it has been heat embossed!  The panel has been adhered to the card with dimensionals.

I then adhered the pine cones using a mix of Tombow and dimensionals.

Now all I needed to do was add the finishing touches!  

This card was made with my Aunty Doreen in mind, and she does not like glitter - this is ok because I like it enough for both of us!

I used some puff paint to add a snowy effect to the pine cones.  I chose not to heat the puff paint and left it to dry naturally.  (If this card was not for Aunty D I would have added glitter to the snow).

I also used several of the rather lovely (sparkly) Toile Tidings Enamel dots.  I also added a tiny bow using some retired ribbon from 2018.

As usual, I also stamped the inside of the card and the envelope.

Here is the completed card and envelope.

I'm hoping to surprise my Aunty Doreen with a visit just before Christmas to hand deliver her card where, I'm sure, it will have pride of place on her fireplace!

Next up is Maureen in the USA - I can't wait to see her project!  A list of hop participants can be found below just in case you get lost along the way.

Thanks for joining us on our very first hop.  We will be back again next month!

Happy hopping!

Susan xx

Hop Participants

1.    Claudiasecke

2.    Rebecca-Jo Unwin - Australia

3.    Rachel Macleod

4.    Jennifer Downey

5.    Mo Rootes (UK)

6.    Sandra Herzog (AT)

7.    Margriet Siekman

8.    Pamela Poli (FR)  

9.    Melanie Igelbrink

10. Maï Chapelain (France)

11. Tanja Klingler-Selinger (AUSTRIA)

12. Susan Simpson (UK) – you are here!

13. Maureen Rauchfuss (USA)

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