SSS Handmade Holiday Blog Hop

*This post contains affiliate links to Simon Says Stamp

Hi folks!  Today I'm happy to be participating in a blog hop celebrating the Handmade Holiday release from Simon Says Stamp.  

This is the second day of a two day blog hop.  If you haven't participated in the first day, head over here to check out yesterday's posts.  It's definitely worth a look especially since there's a $25 credit to Simon Says Stamp being given away at every stop over the two days.  To be entered to win, just leave a comment.  Winners will be announced on the Simon Says Stamp blog on November 17th.

There's also a special offer available through this weekend.  Use HDMADE4U to get a free Salvaged Patina Distress Oxide pad free with any purchase!

My cards feature a couple of the new embossing folders from the release.  I started off both of these cards by adding inking with a Tim Holtz blending tool, and then enhancing the images with Copics.

First up the Delicate Pine Branches Embossing Folder.

After embossing a panel of white cardstock, I used Chipped Sapphire Distress Ink to enhance the panel, inking more heavily along the edges and more lightly towards the center of the card.  

What I love about this technique is that it takes a bit of the guesswork out of coloring the image.  Once I was done with the inking, I basically had a blueprint for how to color as some of the pine needles naturally inked up darker and others lighter.

I used three blue Copics to enhance the inking:  B95, B97, and B37.

Not every pine needle was colored, I tried to keep the darker blues to the outside edges, and mimicked the inking with the lighter colors leaving some of the pine needles uncolored to enhance the depth of the panel.

The sentiment is from the XL Christmas Greetings set.

Next, I pulled out the Holly Branch Embossing Folder.

This time I used Hickory Smoke to ink up the panel.  This helps to define the images, including adding the details in the leaves.

Then I went in with Copics to add some very simple coloring.  My goal was basically to define the images, but to add veyr light color so that you can still see all the details/veining in the leaves that the inking brought out.

For the leaves I used BG70, BG93, and BG96, I used RV11, R39, and F89 for the berries, and E70, E74, and E95 for the branches.

I added a simple mat and a sentiment from the From All of Us sentiment strips which was gold foiled.

Thanks so much for stopping by.  The next stop on the hop is Tina Smith, but I've included the full list below.  Happy Hopping!

Simon Says Stamp Blog 

Laura Bassen

Debby Hughes

Bibi Cameron

Keisha Charles

Anna-Karin Evaldsson

Vicky Papaioannou

Mindy Eggen

Barb Engler

Miriam Prantner

Tina Smith

Norine Borys

Sandi MacIver

Adelle Emery

Emma Williams

Yoonsun Hur