Keep Calm and Freak Out!!

Today I realised that I have exactly one more weekend left to prepare for Christmas. No, I haven't lost my capability to interpret a calendar, but next weekend we are going to Sheffield to my Sister's as my Mum will come and see us before Christmas. I can't wait to see her, and we are planning to take her to Chatsworth Christmas Market. I love Christmas markets, although instead of buying presents I end up buying a lot of yummy delicacies for myself instead! Then the next two weekends we will be in Finland to celebrate the 100th independence day with friends. We will be staying in a log cabin in the mountains, and will spend the week skiing and enjoying the Northern Lights from our heated outdoor pool! Including travel, that will eat up two whole weekends, which means there is only one more left before the big C. 

So I reacted like any sensible human being would to the news of having only one weekend to plan for hosting six people for three days. I freaked out, and started making lists. Well, first I made a list of all the lists I needed. Please tell me I'm not the only one?

In addition to freaking out about lists, I also realised that I don't have nearly enough cards to send to everyone. I've been a very bad card maker this year and completely failed to prepare for the biggest holiday in the card-making calendar. But this year, instead of feeling guilty I will accept that some people will end up with store bought cards. Oh well, we live to see another day. There are people with bigger problems in the world and I should stop being a drama queen.

However, all is not yet lost. I may be able to conjure up a few more cards and therefore spent a small part of today (in between freaking out) to give you four ideas of how you can quickly create last minute cards. I picked my favourite ever big Christmas sentiment - STAMPlorations Typografia Christmas Merry Little Christmas - but you could pick any big sentiment stamp you love (if you are still looking for your one true Christmas sentiment love, you should have a look in the STAMPlorations Typografia range, and even better if you find one you like, use code STAMPGIRLKAROLA at checkout for 20% off!). I then created four different quick and easy backgrounds in warm colours and then heat embossed the gorgeous stamp in copper onto the backgrounds. 

My first background was made using Distress markers. I scribbled various yellow, orange and red marker pens onto a piece of acetate, spritzed generously with water and then smooched against watercolour paper. I dried with a heating tool, die cut using the Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies and patted with my Embossing Buddy to remove any background static and ensure that the embossing powder would only stick to the stamped image. Then I stamped the sentiment in Versamark and heat embossed with Papermania Copper embossing powder.

My second background was created using Distress ink pads, I used a foam applicator to randomly apply inks, using the rectangle die as a mask. When I was happy with the background, I splattered some water on it before die cutting and heat embossing.

My third background was again created using Distress Markers. I used the markers directly onto watercolour card, colouring an ombre effect with the reds at the bottom, then oranges and yellows at the top. Then I used a very wet brush to blend the colours and dried with a heat tool before die cutting and heat embossing.

I used Brushos for my fourth background. I sprinkled the colour pigments very lightly onto the background and then spritzed generously with water before drying, die cutting and heat embossing. 

It actually didn't take very long to create these four cards, I think the quickest background to create was the first one which only takes the flashest of flashes.

Unfortunately we are way beyond the time when I manage to photograph my cards in daylight so you will have to put up with the bad photos, but hopefully I have been able to inspire you to create some quick cards in case you have been struggling with inspiration to get going with your cards, or realised that your stash isn't large enough yet.

I'm linking up my Brusho card over at CAS Watercolour where the theme is Holiday. I'm also linking up over at Just Add Ink where the challenge is to Just Add R (R for red) and Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge where the theme is Stitch Up (add stitching). Last, but not least I'm linking up with Happy Little Stampers CAS challenge where the optional twist is Christmas.

Card: Stampin' Up Real Red card, Daler&Rowney 300 gsm watercolour paper
Ink: Tsukineko Versamark, Tim Holtz Distress Ink pads and markers Squeezed Lemonade, Mustard Seed, Fossilized Amber, Spiced Marmalade, Ripe Persimmon, Festive Berries, Barn Door
Stamps: STAMPlorations Typografia Christmas Merry Little Christmas
Dies: CUTplorations Crazy Double Running Stitch Rectangle Nesting Dies