The Twelve Tags of Christmas - Funkie Junkie style - Week Seven

Happy Sunday, Everyone!

I had the luxury of a whole week to work on my week seven project in  Linda Coughlin's Funkie Junkie 12 Tags of Christmas Challenge  (Follow the link to find the challenge requirements)  Not that it took that long, but it was nice to be able to play around a bit more, and to be able to reject results that I wasn't absolutely happy with and start over. 

This is Linda's week Seven inspiration tag.  I just want to reach out and touch that beautiful background.  I looks so velvety!  Details here:

 

I wanted to somehow recreate that detailed background, and the embossed holly with shiny berries, and add some glitter.  I also needed to balance out the spaces in my tray, and bring some red and green to the upper left.  So while I absolutely adore the Victorian pinks and creams in Linda's project, I changed up the colors a bit. 

 

I love the Gothic stencil that Linda used for her background, (It's available at the Funkie Junkie Boutique, the sponsor of this challenge.)  I don't own it, and it would be much too big for my tiny space, so I improvised with a scroll stamp in white gesso, over a background of vintage book paper, which was inked and glittered to unrecognizability.  I really love this little background, but it is far too busy for the project I have in mind.  But as I mentioned earlier, I had time to create another that I liked better.

I kept the vintage book paper, swiped gesso on with my finger, stamped the scroll stamp with Distress ink for a softer look, and traded the holographic glitter for some Distress Stickles.  I inked some white embroidery thread with Frayed Burlap Distress ink to match the stickles.  This is so much more what I had in mind!

I cut holly leaves and berries with my Silver Bullet Pro electronic die cutter.  I inked and embossed the leaves, adding a touch of sparkle with some Viva Décor Inca Gold,  I inked the berries with Distress ink in Festive Berries edged with Aged Mahogany, and topped them with Glossy Accents to get that wonderful shine and dimension. 

I used metal stamps and a hammer to make my tiny foil Merry sign.  The 'Christmas' is a Tim Holtz Remnant Rub. 

Here is how my Printer's tray is progressing, at week seven.  I am pretty excited about it! I even had time to work on some items to fill the extra spaces.   I'll have to wait and see the rest of the challenges before I place them, though.    I won't have too long to wait, because Linda's week 8 inspiration is due to be posted tomorrow. 

Have a terrific end of the weekend.  I have been really busy in my craft room, so I should be back with more to share later in the week. 

Elizabth