Theme and Variation

Success! I have cleaned off my workspace and started my Christmas cards. You can see for yourself where the 'magic happens' [lol].





It snowed yesterday. It was both beautiful and inspiring and just what I needed to help put me in the Christmas card making mood.
This is the view from the window in my craft space.

This morning I woke up to our most curious kitty, our dear Pi, peering as usual out of her preferred window. Only today she had tons of white stuff to examine. Here she is surveying her neighborhood:

Each year I try to come up with a completely original card to send friends and relatives. I can be wonderfully inspired at times but translating that inspiration into a tangible card that looks good can be a challenge. This year I was inspired by, don't laugh, deer crossing signs. There are a few lining my commute to and from work and some joker decided to put a red nose on all of the deer images. I didn't follow thru with that particular detail [at least not yet] instead intent on creating a 'serious' card for Christmas. I wanted to use up some of my existing Holiday SU! DP paper stock and I was able to accomplish both in this card. Jeff likes a more traditional [red/green] Christmas card and I prefer icy colored cards with glitter. I came up with one design used three ways, hence the "theme and variation". So here are the details:

Card #1:

SU! Bravo Burgandy card stock

SU! Holiday Thyme DP

SU! Night of Navy [scallop trim]

Reindeer image: Inkadinkadoo #98398, Christmas Silhouettes

Sentiment: Night of Navy, Creative Imaginations #21749 Merry and Bright

Stamped Reindeer in Versamark then SU! Basic Black; heat emboss with SU! clear detail embossing powder. Sponged SU! Baja Breese, SU! Soft Sky, SU! Brocade Blue around deer image. Stamp sentiment and sponge SS and BB. Stamped snowflakes using Baja Breeze with stamp from SU! Trees Three set.

Card #2:

Same as #1 except:

SU! Old Olive card base

SU! Ski Slope DP

Card #3:

Same as #1 except:

Embossed with SU! Irridescent Ice

SU! Holiday Harmony DP

Night of Navy card base

SU! Brushed Silver scallop

SU! Almost Amethyst behind oval and also used AA when sponging color around the deer. Stamped snowflakes using AA.

So, do YOU have a favorite?