Three Kings and a Star {Lavinia World Challenges #4}

I'm so happy to be a part of this new bi-weekly challenge from Lavinia World Challenges!  Today I want to share a Christmas card I created using these stamps.

If you are new to these stamps, Lavinia World is a US online company that carries the complete collection of the Lavinia stamps and patterned papers (which are from the UK).

Today's card uses the following stamp sets:
Three Kings and a Star
Spirit of Christmas

I started out by adding Distress Oxides (Broken China, Dusty Concord) to dark blue cardstock.  Once I was happy with the way it looked, I die cut my hill (Paper Smooches-Stitched) from black cardstock and temporarily adhered it to the bottom of my panel.

Using a stamp positioner (I love the Tim Holtz platform), I positioned the three Wise Men along the hill.  After removing the hill, I then stamped with VersaFine Claire (Nocturne).  I stamped them a couple of times, making sure the Oxides didn't show through the black.  Then I heat embossed them with black embossing powder to get a glossy finish.

I wanted a lot of tiny stars in the background, so I randomly sprinkled white embossing everywhere, trying not to get any on the three Wise Men.  Although the stars look like they are in small clusters instead of totally random.  (Hint: you want to do this step after you stamp the Wise Men, otherwise the white embossing powder showed through - no matter how many times I stamped and heat embossed! Believe me, I tried everything I could think of to make the original panel work!)

After the background was complete, it was time to stamp my star.  I stamped the star with VersaMark and a bright yellow embossing powder.  As you know from Coloring 101, blue and yellow make....GREEN.  Who ever heard of a green star?  Since the star was still on my stamp positioner, I stamped it again with VersaMark and heat set it with White embossing powder.  THEN, I stamped and heat embossed with the bright yellow.  Yay - success!

Next I adhered the hill to the bottom of the panel.  (Hint: if you adhere the hill before stamping, you will have a small gap in between the hill and the camel's hooves.  Ask me how I know!  This way, you can cover up the gap and the hillside fits snuggly under their feet.)

inside

As I mentioned, I tried everything I could think of to save the original background I created.  So, instead of throwing the entire thing out, I cut off the stamped images and the hill and used a Spellbinders die to cut a label out of the remaining piece.  (as you can see, the original "tiny stars" were much more random!)  I then stamped my sentiment with VersaMark and white embossing powder.  I was going to stamp on top of the white with more yellow embossing powder (like I did on the star), but decided I liked it just the way it was.

Now it's your turn to play along with us for the Lavinia World Challenges #4.  You have until July 15 to enter.  The theme is Anything Goes using a stamp - Rubber or Clear (no digis allowed).  If you use a Lavinia stamp, your chances of winning are doubled!  The Designer's Choice Winner will receive a $15 gift certificate to do some shopping at Lavinia World.

Be sure to share our new bi-weekly blog with all your friends and on social media.  You can see all the links on the Lavinia World Challenges blog.  While there, don't forget to check out the AMAZING projects by the rest of the designers!  You will definitely be inspired!

Until next time.....