Christmas Pines for CTS#194

I adore a clean card with lots of white space – white space can be a very important element on a card.  For this week’s CAS(E) This Sketch Challenge, I made a quick and sweet Christmas card with a tree bought and a simple sentiment.  I layered bold stripes behind the clean image to add a little extra intrigue to this clean card.  You know I can’t help myself, right?  Here’s my card:

Christmas Pines, Holly Jolly Greetings, Christmas Greetings Thinlits, Stampin' Up!, Brian King, CTS#194And here’s the banner for the challenge that inspired my card:

CTS194

Tips, Tricks and Reminders

  • Holly Jolly.  Last year’s Holiday Catalog introduced us to Holly Jolly Greetings and the coordinating Christmas Greetings Thinlits Dies.  What a treat!  Not only do I adore the three Thinlits, but I love how they coordinate with the Holly Jolly Greetings stamps.  Both products also work independently of the other, too.  Here’s a look at the variety of sentiments in the Holly Jolly Greetings:
    Holly Jolly Greetings, Stampin' Up!

    Holly Jolly Greetings, Stampin’ Up!

    And here’s a look at the three must-have Thinlits that coordinate with the set:

    Christmas Greetings Thinlits, Stampin' Up!

    Christmas Greetings Thinlits, Stampin’ Up!

  • Stamping Off.  I love the soft look of the bough from Stampin’ Up!’s Christmas Pines stamp set – I didn’t want the image to be heavy with a full concentration of Emerald Envy ink, but I also didn’t want to stamp the bough with a lighter green ink (like Pear Pizzazz or Wild Wasabi).  I also wasn’t sure, at the time, how I’d place the sentiment across the image, so I didn’t want it to be too dark.  To achieve the lightness I wanted, I stamped off once.  What does that mean?  I inked up the stamp, lightly stamped it on a piece of scrap paper and then stamped it on this card front.  It’s an easy way to achieve a softer look.
  • A Touch of Black.  Emerald Envy and Real Red are a great pair for a bright, cheery Christmas project.  Emerald Envy has a touch of bright with a lot of rich depth.  I went back and forth between a Real Red base and an Emerald Envy base for this card.  Since the Real Red words already pop off the page on the front of this card, I decided to back the card with Emerald Envy.  The thin, black border around the Whisper White panel is a grounding effect on this card – it breaks up all the green and red.  As Lydia once told me, “If you ever feel like something’s missing, it just might be that you need to add some black.”  That was certainly the case here.

Stamp Sets:  Christmas Pines, Holly Jolly Greetings  Papers:  2016-2018 In Color Designer Series Paper Stack, Whisper White, Basic Black, Emerald Envy, Real Red  Inks:  Emerald Envy, Real Red  Accessories:  Christmas Greetings Thinlits Dies, Stampin’ DimensionalsChristmas Pines, Holly Jolly Greetings, Christmas Greetings Thinlits, Stampin' Up!, Brian King, CTS#194

I hope you’ll pop over to the CAS(E) This Sketch site to see the cards by the design team members and to play along with this week’s challenge.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Brian

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19 Comments

  1. Oh WOW! I simply adore this card.

  2. WOW!! Brian, I’m loving this card, classic CAS and beautiful too.
    I just received the die set last week and I love it, the dies cut so beautifully, perfectly, just adore this set.
    When I open the envelope I was simply astonished at how much bigger this dies are!! The pictures on the catalog doesn’t do justice to this awesome set.
    Thank you for sharing.
    XO
    Maria.

  3. I really love the layers on your card, Brian…Lydia is right, the black works beautifully! I’ll have to remember that. And I love your stamping…CAS perfection, as always, my friend!

  4. Your card is a great interpretation of this week’s sketch. I really like the black border with the bold stripe that sets off the focal piece of your card so well.

  5. Wisteria wonder? Are you checking to see if we’re paying attention?

    • Doh! My brain thinks in first letters – this isn’t the first time I’ve swapped Wisteria Wonder and Wild Wasabi. 🙂 I’ve fixed it now. Thanks.

  6. I love the striped background and the thin black layer under the white. Clean, but bold! Awesome yet again!

  7. Off the charts simplicity. I love just the few stamped boughs and the pop “merry” makes in red.

  8. This is a really stunning card. It’s clean, and simple, but you didn’t skimp on the “wow” factor at all! I love it!

  9. Margaret Ann Hammond

    I really liked this card, Clean, Simple and Crisp,

  10. I agree with all the wonderful comments above. Great job Brian!

  11. Love the pop of the red! Beautiful card!

  12. Oh, this is just so perfect! Fabulous take on the sketch!

  13. CAS perfection….. just right for CTS#194!

  14. Love your take on the sketch and your use of traditional Christmas colors!

  15. Gorgeous card, Brian! Congrats on your well deserved win at CTS!

  16. And yet another WINNER!!!!!!! Great job in keeping it simple, Brian :0)

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