Santa is in town @ The Crafty Pad!

It's a Santa Sunday today!

Yeppers! This week the jolly old man himself is in town!

The Crafty Pad

want to help you make a start on those Christmas Cards
by challenging you to show us ....
Christmas In July!

The Crafty Pad Designs also has just released some gorgeous new Christmas digi stamps as well to help you all get into the festive spirit! Why not take a moment and pop over for a look!  There is plenty of cute new elves up to mischief and 10 new Christmas ticket sentiments!  You will not be disappointed! (Colored and non-colored images available)

Today I have used 2 of the new images released - Trio of Elves on Gift and Christmas Ticket - From our house to yours.  I colored my image with a new technique today; the colors are a mix of coffee and tea that I diluted into numerous pots and applied with my water color brush.  I was trying to achieve a real vintage feel and wanted the image to match my tea stained flower and coffee stained leaves and lace.  I inked up around the edges to flow with the DP as well.  Personally, I think it is a really cool technique for coloring that I will be using again!   

Anyway, enough with the nattering and on with the show!
Here's my card!

 The front.

 Image close up.

 Ticket, lace threaded with ribbon & pearls close up.

Tea stained flower. coffee stained leaves and wired pearls close up.

 

Inside card - All ready and set to post! 

Now, I do not know about you but I like to fully complete the inside of my cards as well even when I am making them this early.  It is amazing how much more time you save by doing this additional step now as well, and also as I tend to make my cards with a particular person in mind, this way I know I won't forget who I made this for. 

This vintage little beauty is now sitting in its already addressed envelope waiting to have its yearly Christmas letter added to it and a Christmas postage stamp slapped on!   

Way to easy! And WAY to organised! lol

But at least I won't be running around like a
chook with its head cut off come the silly season! 
And that means ....
More time to go shopping!

This week we are being sponsored by the lovely Joanna Sheen
with a £10 gift voucher to spend in her shop up for grabs!

Come on!  
Embrace the SiLlY SeAsOn with us!
And play along!

Challenges this creation is entering with the help of the Feline Playful Girls:

Digital Tuesday - Use one or more Dies - background layer (Tues /-)
Going Grey With Scrap Creations - At least 2 DP's and 2 Embellishments (Tue 1/2)

Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps - Christmas In July (Tue /-)

Freshly Brewed - 3 of anything - 3 elves in image (M 1/5)

Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes (Wed /-)

Craft Us Crazy - Christmas in July and or distresses/vintage (Thurs 1/3)

Stampin With Dragon - Christmas in July (Fri /-)

Stamp Something - Christmas in July (Fri /-)

Simply Create - Christmas (Fri /-)

Jellypark Challenges - Christmas in July (Fri 1/2)

Fairy Knoll - Christmas in July (Fri 1/2)

Crafty Emma - Christmas (Sat 1/3)

2 Sisters - Christmas in July (Sat /-)