Tim Holtz Into the Woods and Plaid Stamps Christmas Cards

Call it obsessive personality if you like, but when I love something I LOOOOOVE it hard!  And this year's new Tim Holtz Into the Woods stamp set is one set of images that I LOOOOOVE!  ;0  And because of that I have used it again and again.  And again and again and again!  LOLOL!  Today I'm sharing some of the cards I have been working on this Christmas season.  I've adapted a new motto for this December and it is #2019finishline.  Maybe it should be #2019finishwell?

I haven't done so many things that I intended to do this season, like post these cards, clean up my studio, make time for special projects and people that are important to me...  But I've made up my mind to finish this year well by getting to things that are tugging at me.  I read an amazing article recently on procrastination HERE.  It has truly helped me change my mindset and push me towards a better, more productive life.  I hope it will be an encouragement to you too. 

This one is my favorite of these cards.  The traditional vibe speaks to me with all the Christmassy touchy-feelyes.  <3  I wanted to play with the Tim Holtz Lumberjack stamp set.   I was curious to see if I could get a two toned plaid by stamping the image right side up and up side down.  I put my inky panel in my Stamp Platform and stamped in black.  Then I turned the paper upside down and embossed in Ranger's Vintage Pearl embossing powder.  I LOVE this color!  I decided to make a window of this panel and not wanting to waste any of this cool design I had created, I used Tim's stitched rectangle die and cut out the center to save for another card.  I added a second, smaller window by inking a panel with Gathered Twigs and embossing with the 3D Lumber texture fade.  I cut it with the next smaller sized rectangle die. 

I embellished with another new favorite, the Large Funky Festive die set.   The ribbon is by Tim and I inked it with more Gathered Twigs.

The tree and greenery are from the Home for the Holidays die set.  I embossed the bare trees with Distress EP in Walnut Stain.  The sentiment is from last year's Great Outdoors stamp set, which coordinates so beautifully with this year's Into the Woods.  

The mistletoe bundle is also from the Large Funky Florals set.  Mr. Moose is looking for his Mrs.  Ha!

This card evolved from some fun experimenting.  I inked Ice Spruce Distress Oxide onto my craft mat and pressed a watercolor panel into the ink, focusing on inking the center only.  When I lifted the panel, I spritzed the edges of the ink to allow the color to bleed outward.  I blasted with my heat gun, then added some silver embossing powder to the areas that were still a little wet, where the color had pooled.  It made the coolest icy, crystalized effect.  :)

I layered over Tim's Snowy Stars background die over Metallic Kraft Core.  I embossed Mr. Polar Bear and made him a snowy scene with dies from the Home for the Holidays die set.

And another play with the Lumber plaid stamp.   Stamping in two colors of Distress Ink.  I used the same colors (Peeled Paint and Chipped Sapphire) along with Pine Needles to ink up my background.  I wanted to cast the full set of characters, so Mr. Fox came to play in this woodland scene. 

I could make plaid backgrounds for DAYZ y'all!  <3  And I'm so excited about using the Snowy Stars background dies on my inky panels.  I have quite a pile!  I hope you've enjoyed seeing these cards and are inspired to play with your stamps today.  Happy holidays!   Hugs, Autumn

See my other cards with the Into the Woods stamps HERE.

I'm sharing with:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday: Traditional Christmas

The Artistic Stamper: Christmas is Coming
Stamping Sensations: Anything Goes

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