Another Hand Made CTMH Christmas Card Featuring Dakota

I am just putting the finishing touches on my September Workshop and wanted to share another card that we will be making.  I always try and come up with something different and this month is no exception.  We are making Christmas Cards using the Dakota paper packet!

I think the Barn Red of Dakota (x7157B) works so well with the Cardinal featured in "To You and Yours (B1403.)  What do you think? 

A few fun things about the design of this card.  You always want to make sure that you "anchor" your images.  You don't want them just floating in the air.  Remembering helps the viewers eye travel around the project.  Cleverly placing your "anchor" will add interest and motion to both your scrapbook and card projects.  For this card, I wanted to do something a little different.  My "anchor" is not a strip of paper, but rather, a row of randomly stamped holly leaves also included in the stamp set.  Do you see how your eye moves across the page and "finds" the sentiment?  Can you image how boring the card would be without the holly leaves?  :o) 

Both the Holly Leaves and the Cardinal have been colored with my CTMH water color pencils.  Unlike the last card I posted, this time, I used my blending pen instead of water.  I love the realism that you can achieve using water color pencils...the veins in the leaves and the birds feathers and beak.

Don't forget to look closely at your papers.  Just because they were designed with one theme in mind doesn't mean that you can't be creative and use them very successfully for a totally different theme.  Also, anchor your images for a more complete and professional look.  For Now, Happy Crafting!