Merry November!

Hello everyone!  November?  Yup, it's November - how did that happen?!  And not just that, but it's a Christmas challenge this month over at The Artistic Stamper, so we've got a Christmassy start to November here at Words and Pictures.

Hop over and see what some of my brilliant team-mates have been up to... and here's my little bit of inspiration for you:

For all that I prefer not to do Christmas too early, I did have a wonderful time playing with the Victorian Christmas stamps from Artistic Stamper - such lovely vintage images... and I also got my first chance to get inky with the new Artistic Stamper masks - very cool!

And my Christmas neutrals have finally given in to a touch of traditional colour too.

I started with smooshing the tags into some ink - Antique Linen, Picket Fence and Pumice Stone Distress Stains...








 ... with a hint of sparkle from some Heirloom Gold Perfect Pearls spritzed onto the mat too.









Next, some inking - plenty of Vintage Photo... probably still my favourite brown - though I do like adding a touch of extra richness with Gathered Twigs these days.



Here come the layers (click on the photos for a closer look):

Some Antique Linen blended through the yummy Splats and Swirls mask.

Some Pumice Stone through the fabulous Chevrons.

And Pumice Stone again, used this time to stamp the Seasons Greetings (lovely delicate flourishy font) from Christmas Greetings #1 as background texture.

Then it was on to the stamping - mainly done in Potting Soil - and using images from Victorian Christmas sets #2 and #3.















Once stamped, I used a white pencil to highlight beards and snowfall (according to the relevant requirement!).















I love that both these Father Christmases look as though they enjoy a festive tipple!








I decided to add some vintage crackle, so it was out with the Rock Candy Crackle Paint to highlight a few areas.  It also gives a deeper richness to the colour of the inks underneath it, as well as that fabulous texture and glossiness.

I love the magic of crackle effects - here it's still not quite fully dry in places... you can see where the crackle has yet to creep across the smooth glossy surface.

The finishing touches are really all courtesy of the lovely Nicola at Paper Profusion.  (If you've never seen her beautiful work, it's well worth popping over to take a look.)  She won my candy back in the summer, and said she wanted to send me a little thank you for it.










I was absolutely blown away by the amazing package of goodies which arrived - including these lovely Christmas berries and branches, as well as the delicate fine twine and many, many other delights.

I added the Idea-ology trinket pins to the mix, and then realised that there really needed to be some colour elsewhere on the tags too.

So I got out a few Fresco paint colours and used a very fine paintbrush to add some colour detailing to the berries and leaves on the corner flourishes and on the Merry Christmas greetings.












And since they're all "natural" colours, I almost feel as though I haven't departed from my "neutrals at Christmas" kick at all!












Thanks so much for stopping by today.  Shakespeare and disrupted train journeys have kept me away from my computer and my craft desk more than I'd've liked this week, so I still haven't caught up with Craftyblogland - bah, humbug!  

The time will come...












In the meantime, I do hope you'll find time to hop over and see what my team-mates have been up to, and that you'll be inspired to join in with the Christmas challenge this month over at The Artistic Stamper.  

Look forward to seeing you there!









The mistletoe hung in the castle hall,
The holly branch shone on the old oak wall.
From The Mistletoe Bough by Thomas Haynes Bayly

When we recall Christmas past, we usually find that the simplest things - not the great occasions - give off the greatest glow of happiness.
Bob Hope

The main reason Santa is so jolly is because he knows where all the bad girls live.
George Carlin