Northern Lights

Funnily enough, I have never seen the Northern lights, although I'm from Finland. They are primarily visible in Northern Finland, and I have only spent short holidays up there, and been unlucky in never happening upon them.

I have seen the lovely Northern Lights technique here and there in the Blogosphere though. Most recently I found this amazing card from Heidi over at Running With Scissors Stamper, one of the DT for The Friday Mashup. In the same post there is a link to this tutorial on Splitcoaststampers. Just google "northern lights" and you will find the most amazing inspiration photos. Seriously, the colours are just unbelievable! I was particularly inspired by the below photo from the National Geographic web site, which acknowledges it as "Photograph by Alaska Stock Images". 

I haven't been trying out this technique as it looked quite difficult, and I thought I wouldn't get it right. But I was so inspired by Heidi's card that I thought I would just give it a little test, so I got my Distress inks out for a play. Mostly it resulted in disaster after disaster, my fingers were black and I was losing my patience. But then somehow I managed to produce two panels which weren't completely horrible. I thought after putting all that effort in, I might as well make them into cards although they are far from perfect.

These cards were inspired mainly by the card I referenced above, and two challenges: The Friday Mashup where the theme is "It's all about weather" and Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge where the theme is "To the moon and back" or use something from space or the universe. 

For my first card I used the sketch over at My Favourite Things. I die cut the letters for Merry from one of the failed attempts at the northern lights, so at least the failed attempts didn't go completely to waist. I used the deer from the Stampin' Up White Christmas stamp set. I'm also entering the card at Clear it Out where anything goes, and Winter Wonderland where the theme is to Add a Sentiment.

I also made a second card using the current Freshly Made Sketch and the Lawn Fawn Critters from the Arctic die along with a DSP from Stampin' Up called Sweet Sorbet. I'm also entering this card over at Crafts for Eternity where the theme is "Furry Friends".

Card: Leonardo Stationery 300 gsm white card, coloured 240 gsm kraft card black, Hobbycraft 160 gsm white card

Stamps: Lawn Fawn Joy to the Woods, Stampin' Up White Christmas

Ink: Tsukineko Versamark, Memento Tuxedo Black, Tim Holtz Distress Ink Black Soot, Chipped Sapphire, Mustard Seed, Peacock Feathers, Pine Needles, Seedless Preserves, Worn Lipstick

DSP: Stampin' Up Sweet Sorbet

Other: Lawn Fawn dies Critters in the Arctic, Stitched Hillside Borders, Cole's ABC, Papermania Seafoam White embossing powder, Ranger Ice Stickles Crystal Ice, Tim Holtz Idea-ology Paper String, White Gel Pen