04 December, 2020

R for rainbow

Who is already counting the days until Christmas? Who has prepared everything already - written all the cards, decorated the house, baked all the cookies? Who is still procrastinating, or decided to keep it simple this year?

I must admit that I haven't paid much attention to the festive season during the past years. We have always done our share of card-making and decorating when we were kids, but once in University, I was usually just glad to have a couple of days off that I could spend at home doing nothing. I still like to create Christmas projects, I will have have fun in the snow and walk through the illuminated city, but I'm absolutely fine with spending Christmas day on the couch back home, or even behind my desk in my apartment. I assume "the circumstances" will not make it different from any other year to me, but I can imagine that for those who are used to having people around it may be more difficult to adapt. 
However, as hard as it may be to keep the distance to your dear ones, I find it even harder to believe that "the Rona" cares about whether there's a holiday coming up or not (or what time of day it is, for that matter). I'm sure technology can be used to safely catch up with those who matter, and focus on the true message of Christmas away from all the bling and a hundred necessities that don't rerally matter. 
There will be enough time for hugs once the numbers go down, but with healthcare systems all over the world being dangerously close to a breakdown, it's definitely NOT the time now. Give the frontline workers a break, and give yourself a break, too: a break from all the errands you don't have to do this year and all the chores you can skip because nobody will come over anyway (because, aren't we all just looking for an excuse to skip chores?). 

To bring a bit more colour in this cold and grey season, we have a perfect Rainbow theme over at the Alphabet challengeblog
I thought about creating a non-card project for the longest time: a rainbow pendant came to mind, a 3D rainbow made of God knows what which I'd combine with cotton clouds and crystal beads. I also went through my stash of jewelry supplies and contemplated about creating a rainbow bracelet.
However, I soon returned to papers and prepared a card. 
I was looking for a rainbow themed digi at first, but in the end, I decided to create the rainbow myself. Different ideas came and went, but I couldn't even make up the occasion, let alone the technique I'd like to use. In the end, I opted for a festive card and the rest just happened somehow.
The idea didn't come overnight, though. Rather than that, it came in creative flashes that slowly melted together. The combination of kraft and colourful papers was a major theme from the beginning, but I didn't quite know how to realize it. 
In the end, I tried a Christmas tree that would be made of tiny punched pieces of different colours in order to create the rainbow-ish transition. I found just the perfect heart-shaped punch in my drawer, and in a funny coincidence, the brown that comes after green (and technically isn't part of the rainbow), fits perfectly to create the trunk of the unusual Christmas tree.
However, the card took me way longer than expected. I went through my paper stash to find all the tiny leftovers because I really didn't want to punch straight into a big new sheet of paper. It's a perfect way of using up paper pieces that you just can't throw away, but the effect on your remaining paper stash will be absolutely non-existent. Also, I had to balance between using all colours of the rainbow to create the perfect transition and not pick too many colours because I'd be limited by the width of the kraft card base.
Starting at the top, I glued each heart to the kraft base, continuing from top to bottom. I did try the shape before gluing, but I decided to work without marking the rows with a pencil, which is why the hearts aren't all even and at the same distance. Also, if you look very closely, you'll see that the tree tends to lean a bit more to the right side of the card base. To finish off the card, I placed a golden star sticker atop the tree, as well as a Christmas greeting underneath. 
Surprisingly, I'm quite pleased with how everything turned out. In an unexpected turn, I especially like how interesting the 3D "flakes" look because it somehow never occured to me that the glued paper pieces would actually stand out on the card base. 

challenges: 
613 avenue create: ATG
a bit more time to craft: ATG
allsorts challengeblog: Christmas flowers/wreaths/trees
crafty sentiments: ATG
craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge: ATG as long as it's Christmas
creative inspirations: Ho Ho Ho!
creative moments: ATG
cute card thursday: ATG
kreativtanten: ATG Christmas
pennys papertake: ATG
scrapping4fun: Christmas
12 months of Christmas: optional theme "ATG"
sketchy challenges: Christmas
through the craftroom door: ATG
use your stuff: mood board (Christmas, kraft/brown)
vesela hiska: holiday season

25 comments:

  1. What a pretty and unique way to create a Christmas tree card, just beautiful. Many thanks for joining us at Allsorts challenge this week.

    B x

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  2. Classy and stylish!
    So glad you have shared this with us at 613 Avenue Create.
    Please come back again!
    The best of luck with your entry.
    Stay safe and well.
    Jackie, DT member at 613 xx

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  3. Beautiful arrangement of hearts love the Christmas trr you created

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    1. Thanks meg for stopping by, I'm glad you like the tree I created.

      Hugs, Veronika

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  4. Gorgeous card.
    Thank you for sharing at Allsorts;-))m

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  5. What a beautiful idea and perfectly executed! This is the prettiest tree I've seen so far this season! Love it! Take care!
    Hugs - Rachelle : )

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    1. Thanks for your visit and the lovely comment, I'm glad you like my interpretation of the rainbow theme.

      Hugs, Veronika

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  6. Bright and full of color. This card will bring joy to whomever receives it. Thank you for sharing with us over at Morgan's ArtWorld. We hope to see you again.
    ~ Arlene CT

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  7. What a fabulous rainbow Christmas Tree - I hadn't noticed any 'leaning' I must say - great card. xx

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    1. Thanks Lynda, I'm glad you like my rather unusual tree (and don't notice the leaning :))

      Hugs, Veronika

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  8. Cute. Thanks for playing along with us at UYS.

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  9. Cute card. Thank you for entering our Anything Goes Challenge at Through The Craft Room Door this week. Looking forward to see you again next challenge.
    Regards
    Danka
    TTCRD
    Twórcze pasje Danki {My Blog}

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  10. What a lovely idea! Love your Christmas tree!
    Thank you for your entry at Scrapping4funChallenges.
    Rachelle DT
    https://scrapping4funchallenges.blogspot.com

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  11. Congratulations! You were selected as a TOP ROCKER at 613 Avenue Create for the week of November 29 - December 4, 2020! Thanks so much for your wonderful submission to our challenge! Please stop by our blog and grab your badge!

    The 613 Design Team

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  12. Lovely creation! Thank you for sharing with us over at Morgan's ArtWorld. We hope to see you again.
    ~ Sherry CT/Admin/Coordinator xx

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  13. What a beautiful idea for using utraditional colors and make a tree from little hearts. Love it. Thank you for playing with us at Vesela hiška. Janja DT

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  14. I love it ! Just perfect and so lovely ! Thanks for joining our Challenge at Vesela hiška and wishing you magical festive days of December. Hugs, Veana R. DT

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  15. Oh this is so clever and such attention to detail. Thanks for sharing at CRAFTY CATZ

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  16. You did such a lovely job with this project. Nice work.
    Thank you for sharing with us over here at World Wide Open Design Team Challenge and best of luck with your entry.

    Annette DT / Admin / Registered Owner for https://worldwideopendesignteamchallenge.blogspot.com/

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  17. Wonderful idea Veronika. The contrast between the kraft and coloured pieces really makes the tree stand out. Thank you for entering the Things With Wings Challenge at CHNC and apologies for the late comment.

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  18. You have turned it into a very lovely , colorful Christmas tree. Realy nice made.
    Thank you for joining our challenge.

    -xiss- Renate.
    (DT The Sketchy Challenges)

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  19. This looks fabulous. Nice work here.
    Thank you for sharing with us over at Morgan's ArtWorld. We hope to see you again.
    ~ Annette CT -

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  20. What a lovely card! Thanks so much for playing in our challenge at Love To Scrap Challenge Blog!
    Irena

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  21. A very cute card, love it. Thank you for joining us at Creative Inspirations. Good Luck!

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