A Christmas Nativity Bauble!

WHAT A WAY TO END THE YEAR!

THIS CARD IS NAMED A 

SPLITCOASTSTAMPERS' FAVORITE 

OF THE WEEK ENDING - DECEMBER 30, 2017

Sorry, I've been missing in action most of December!  Usually, my blog is loaded with all kinds of Christmas cards...not so this year!  I have been unable to do much crafting with some hand issues that may require surgery, especially my left hand.  The right one is working on it, but not quite there for surgery yet.  I have some "lovely" thumb guards (sarcasm dripping) that I am to wear pretty much 24-7, with a short timeouts if absolutely necessary.  So...that's the story...not able to do much crafting, as that really sets off the pain and swelling in the entire hand!

I did manage to get to my craft table and work up this little Christmas Nativity bauble.  I worked with several dies and modified my Cottage Cutz Nativity to fit inside the bauble.  I now have a baggie full of date trees, little sheep, and the Star of Behtlehem.  I used some more of the gold glimmer wrapping paper that I stabilized with a cardstock backing and lots of tape runner, row after row, especially with the paper used to die-cut the pine boughs.  

I tried a new stamp set to get gold embossed stars on the night sky.  I was really unhappy with how it turned out.  The stamp was not a background size, but an odd shape, like an amoeba, with totally uneven curves and bulges, so it was difficult to even get it stamped evenly over the paper.  I also sprinkled Gold  glitter embossing powder, and wasn't too happy with that either...it left smudges.  

I planned to make several of this design, so I will definitely be trying something different to my starry sky.  I seem to be liking the black and gold glimmer look this year, and I was pleased with my overall design, but not the sky, so take a peek below at what not to do on your starry background sky!

I will also be entering this into several Splitcoaststampers Challenges:  

• December 2017 Dirty Dozen Christmas Challenge:  Nativity scene.
• Alphabet Challenge (Letter O=Ornament/ Double Challenge = Letter L for lightfastness; Encore Metallic Gold a pigment, oil-base ink with slow drying time.
• Free for All - Merry December.  Christmas my favorite December holiday.
• 2017 Christmas Card Challenge - June = Religious card.
• Dirty Dozen November Word Theme:  JOYS.  J=Jesus; O=Ornament; Y=Yule card (archaic for Christmas); S=Shiny, sparkle.
• Inspiration Challenge IC628 - Dept. 56 as the inspiration website.

Ingredients:  Paper:  Stampin' Up--Basic Black cs; Recycled Gold Dot gift wrap.  Stamps: Christmas Pines (sky stars).  Dies:  Cottage Cutz--Nativity Silhouette; Stampin' Up Thinlits--Delicate Ornaments, Pretty Pines.  Ink:  Encore Gold Metallic (coloring edges of gold paper, ornament and pine needles).  Offray 1/4" ribbon, Black Fun Foam, Computer verse (inside).