Another November SMAK Card

What a cute SMAK kit this month! Peace in Your Soul has a variety of interesting images that can be used for cards, canvases, journaling, etc.! As I’m still on my quest to build up my holiday card stash, I paired it with, a new to me brand, AB Studio paper. I believe Christmas Cheer was released last year. I was called to the loose cheerful free hand artistic style of this kit. Has a very stamped/gel print look to it. You’ll notice the paper I selected for this card has bits of red throughout.

So, I started this card by cutting out a corner of this green paper, which has the red stripes on the opposite side. I embossed the deer from the kit using the beautiful Pam Bray’s Buttered Pearls embossing powder. I then pulled out the trees from the SMAK kit and embossed those randomly around using Brutus Monroe’s Milky Way embossing powder... it looks black in the jar but turns out almost a thick chrome color with flecks of black in it. I made sure to wipe the powder off the deer before heat setting it. Finally, I pulled out the branch from the SMAK kit and embossed a few of those around the bottom and sides using a brown/gold Stampendous powder. 

Once I was done, I used a spatula and white gesso to create snow drifts around the deer by scraping the gesso over the card. I used a wet wipe to remove the gesso off and around the embossed bits. I also scraped the gesso with a plastic card to ensure a non smooth look. I then used my Kuretake Gansai Tambi watercolors to add green, brown and black colors to enhance the impression of a winter forest. I also added a little red in spots. Finally, I pulled out a Paper Rose stencil and added white gesso “snow” around the whole card. I used pens to add shadows around the trees and white some globs to the sides.

I embossed the sentiment from the kit using a green Zing! Embossing powder on a lighter green paper from the kit. Again, I added black, brown and red colors to the image. I fussy cut it and a striped background out. Once dried I covered the forest card with wax paper and die cut it. I had decided to make an A6 card so as to preserve most of the image. To fill the card, I cut 2 strips of the striped paper for the top and bottom. I distressed all the pieces and constructed the card. To complete it, I added 2 green and 1 red striped threads. 

Oh my, this was fun! I must admit, most people probably wouldn’t enjoy this type of card... but I love this style! I’ve always been obsessed with art and art galleries. My first stop in any new city... the art gallery! From impressionists to Raphaelites to abstract to realism, I enjoy the creativity in artists rendering views of this world in all styles! So, I hope this card gives the receiver, whoever that may be, a calm but festive holiday greeting!

Till next time, happy crafting!