Tuesday, December 27, 2022

Silver Bells

 Hello, Blogland. I hope it's been a happy holidays for everyone and you are warm and protected from the winter weather. I told a friend that I've been on Winter Hurricane Alert the past 5 days, working the graveyard watch shift, constantly checking our trickle/streaming faucets to keep them open and unfrozen, doing warm water laundry, flushing (not a problem with my bladder!) and checking all the local media alerts and statuses. We never lost power even through the initial high winds and although the temps got down to between 11F and 15F, so far so good knock wood! My heart goes out to all of you under several feet of snow and or ice. I think this winter storm Elliott aka bomb cyclone has given everyone more than their usual misery, no matter where it has hit. Here, where our homes are not built or equipped for this kind of cold, our infamous energy grid has held up but people left and right are dealing with burst pipes. Many of the unfortunate have new homes, I'm finding. So I am truly thankful for my 50-year-old home that is not energy efficient like theirs and thus allows heat to travel to the attic to warm the water pipes. I've been reading where some of them have been saved from calamity by opening their attic stairs. Also, constant hot AND cold water faucet streaming like we are doing is a smart tactic, mere trickling is not doing the trick for many. We are due to warm up throughout the week. I will be happy for it to happen!
So, there really has not been much time or ability to focus on art for me. But I finally just had to make a card for something to do. I grabbed one of my unfinished projects and got another Christmas card done for 2023, using some papers from mail I received that was just too pretty to waste!
Supplies Used:
SU and Springhill Digital card stocks
Designer floral paper recycled from junk mail
Focal image: Beccy's Place Silver Bell, colored with Promarkers and glitter markers
Stamplorations sentiments, stamped with Versamark and heat-embossed with silver ep
Silver plastic snowflakes (large) and snowflakes punched from silver paper (small)
Various paper scraps (inside)
Self-created sentiments in PSE (inside)
Spellbinders nested diamond and Hobby Lobby bells die cuts (back)
 
I used this Splitcoaststampers sketch for my layout design.
This is probably the best shot of the front that shows the silver embossing powder on the stamped and heat-embossed sentiments. Also, all the little snowflakes around the bell. They hardly show up at all here but in real life are much more noticeable and add nice accenting to frame the bell.
I used some yellow paper from my stash for the inside mats, as well as more scrap stash to make a pocket for a gift card or cash. We will most likely give this one to a special family member.
Close-up of the inside sentiment I created in PSE and printed out. I used a Leonard Cohen song lyric that I love.
Close up of my Promarker coloring and gel penning and glittering. I brushed quite a bit of glitter on the silver bell and tried to get it to show up in the pics but to no avail. The blossom centers and berries are glittered too.
I'll go ahead and include this shot even though it's at a very weird angle, because you can definitely see all the glitter and shine (and just a bit of it on the bell).
I've had these bell die cuts for at least 15 years, so I decided they were going on the back of the card. The die cut was originally all one piece and all silver card stock. I cut apart the bow, turned it over to the white side and colored it and the bell ringers with a Promarker, then glued it all back together. I used mauve paper from the same mailing to die cut a mat for the bells and added my usual stamped and circle-punched siggie, this time colored with Promarkers.
One last look. This was fun to do and not too challenging.
I thank you for visiting and hope you all have a great day. I'm hoping my arthritis pain gets better as our temps rise. The last few days I've felt like I'm 90 and recovering from being in a major car wreck. Ugh!
๐Ÿ™๐Ÿ˜ฉ๐Ÿ™

MY CHALLENGE PLAYLIST:
Inspired by 2 songs: Silver Bells (It's Christmastime in the City)
and Jingle Bells

16 comments:

Darlene said...

WOW! Awesome! Thanks so much for joining in the fun at our Peace On Earth challenge! Good Luck and we hope you’ll come back often. We appreciate your support!

Darlene
PEACE ON EARTH
DAR’S CRAFTY CREATIONS

Beccy said...

Your card is absolutely beautiful Aimeslee, I love the pretty paper. You did a fabulous job with the colouring, I like how you've picked out colours from the background to use on the image, it ties things together perfectly. All the glitter and sparkle is fantastic too, and always welcome at Christmas.
I'm so glad to hear you haven't had too many issues with your home during the storm. I live in a subtropical climate so can't even begin to imagine what it would be like to have temperatures go so low. Take care and stay warm!
Cheers,
Beccy

Susan said...

Great recycling of that junk mail floral paper - it makes a perfect background for your lovely bell. Thanks so much for joining us at Peace on Earth!

Martina said...

I appreciate a beautiful card that was created under such difficult conditions. May the bell ring and all is well again. He protects himself and his house. Thanks for playing at CHNC! Martina - DT

Ink Outside The Box With Diane said...

Spectacular card! Delighted to have you playing with the Krafty Chicks Challenge this week. So glad you are able to weather the storm. Stay safe!
Diane - DT

Marjeta said...

Beautiful card. Love this image and design. Thanks for playing with us at Creative Moments.

Alyson Mayo said...

Ooooh - this is pretty! I love that you finished the inside to allow for a gift card or something similar :)

Donna Walls said...

Gorgeous card, love the papers! Thank Goodness you will be experiencing a warm up soon. After last weekends' freeze here in Florida...we were 78 degrees today and expected in the 80's over the weekend. Mother Nature..give us a break! Thanks for linking up with us at The Paper Funday Challenge.
Donna xx
Paper Funday Challenge
Inspiration Station Challenge
**starting 15 January - The Beautiful Blossoms Challenge

SarahR said...

Hello Aimeslee, another fabulous card - I love all the details you've added and always love how you decorate the inside or back of your cards!

Also glad to hear you're not in the path of the terrible weather we've been seeing on our TVs in America - it looks dreadful! Our weather in our part of the UK has been mostly damp, windy and miserable!!

Thanks for joining in with us at Crafty Calendar Challenge this month. Sarah - DT

Heather said...

Such pretty bells with the purples - and I love the floral papers to go with! Perfect for non-traditional colors, and just the right amount of sparkle, too! Thanks so much for playing at Sparkles!

Jenny L said...

Hi Aimslee,
I am so glad you are alright after that dreadful winter storm.
I watched some of it on You Tube my it was scary.
Love your silver bells card it reminds of when I was in a singing group and we would go round nursing homes to sing to them and any money we made went to charity.
Sadly 2 of us are the only members left alive.
Love your super deswign and the bell looks amazing.
Thank you for entering the MAWTT Challenge.
Lots of crafty love. Jenny L. DT

Dawn Phillips said...

This is so lovely. Thanks for joining us at Sparkles Christmas Challenge. Love Dawn x

Chana Malkah said...

Lovely! Thanks for sharing with us at A Place to Start!
Hugz,
Chana Malkah, Owner

Tonya said...

Great card! Thanks for joining us at Crafty Gals Corner. ~DT.

Helen said...

Very pretty - love how your finished the inside of the card too.

Thanks for joining us at The Most Magical Time of the Year.

Helen x
DT

LOU said...

Gorgeous card Aimeslee. Love the silver embossing and stars.
Thanks so much for joining us for our Anything Goes plus the option of Inspired by a Song Challenge #190 at Let's Craft and Create for December 2022.
We hope to see you again soon,
Lou DT xo
JemLou Productions