Non Traditional Traditional

Today I am sharing with you a card using non traditional colors but Flourishes traditonal stamp set Flourished Christmas.

This was a very simple card to make and really could be mass produced. If you choose to you could just vary the cards and colors. The layout is simple and straightforward. I did do a faux bow on this card and several have asked how to do this. It is really easy and tonight I will put together a tutorial to show you how.

Card Elements

Papers: Old Olive, Basic Grey Blitzen (Velvet Stocking)

Inks: Encore Gold

Accessories: Ribbon from Michaels

Techniques: Faux Bow

Now for a little Christmas card making trivia.

Did you know ...

The tradition of sending Christmas cards started in 1843 - about the same time as the first Christmas seal was published. British businessman Sir Henry Cole asked artist John Calcott Horsley to print some Christmas cards. One thousand cards were printed in black and white and then colored by hand. The idea was well-received, because the following year, more than 25,000 Christmas cards were sold. However, the first Christmas card provoked controversy in certain circles in England, because the Christmas card pictured a company of people touching glasses and saying "Merry Christmas". Putting alcohol and holy Christmas in one picture did not please the English citizens then.

For more than thirty years, Americans had to import greeting cards from England. In 1875, German immigrant to the U.S. Louis Prang, opened a lithographic shop with $250, and published the first line of U.S. Christmas cards. His initial creations featured birds and flowers, unrelated to the Xmas scene. By 1881, Prang was producing more than 5 million Christmas cards per year.

A reminder:

10% OFF SALE ENDS WEDNESDAY!

Save 10% on all BASIC GREY PAPER AND BRADS! Check out the selection HERE.

Save 10% on all TWINKLING H2O'S, POLISHED PIGMENT POWDERS AND MICA POWDERS - see the selection HERE!

Save 10% on VERSAMARK INK PADS

Save 10% on the JUSTRITE BAKING ENSEMBLE and CHRISTMAS ENSEMBLE as well as the 2 5/16" and 3 1/4" WOODEN STAMPERS HERE.

New Release Bundle Sale! Save 10% when you purchase all three new releases for November - select the NEW RELEASE BUNDLE product

Thanks for stopping in at the Atelier at Flourishes today. I am really glad you came.

Ciao,