Snail Mail Vintage Style Card ~ Making Spirits Bright with Christmas Express ~ Unity Stamp Co.

 Hello there crafty friend!

I don't know about you but as a cardmaker there's just something about postage style stamps and envelopes and mailboxes! I just adore them and love to use them in my cards! I especially love when they are Christmas themed and Unity just released two stamps... Making Spirits Bright and Christmas Express!! Both are a Must Have!!! Oh my gosh! 

The Christmas Express stamps just scream to be part of a background... I used a bunch of the stamps to create my background. This could easily be a full sheet that you could cut into four card fronts and make multiple cards from!

I went with a vintage style card which was easy to achieve with just a bit of distressing with some Vintage Photo Distress ink and the Paper Distressing tool from Tim Holtz to rough up the edges. I also added a bit of splatter with the Vintage Photo Distress ink. I mat that background layer with a slightly larger piece of True Black card stock. Under that is a layer of pretty pattern paper from the Old World Winter paper pack from The Paper Studio... it adds a bit more color and interest to the card. I die cut a piece of True Black card stock from Papertrey Ink with the Postage Stamp {nesting die} from Unity and adhered my layers on top of that. For my last layer I kept going back and forth between red and kraft... but with the mailbox being red I think the Pure Poppy card stock {Papertrey Ink} really helped to make the mailbox pop on the card.  

I wrapped the layers five times with {Natural} May Arts Burlap string and tied a little knot to the left. I fussy cut the Copic colored image leaving a skinny white border. I tend to fussy cut a white border when the image has small details that are harder to cut around like the leaves and berries. And I've also found that it helps the image to pop a bit more on the card. To add to the dimension of the image I did use foam tape to pop the mailbox on the card. I stamped the cute sentiment and distressed it with a bit of Vintage Photo Distress ink and mat it with black card stock. I also popped it up on the card with foam tape.

Here's a quick list of the Copic markers I used to color up the mailbox:

Mailbox ~ R20, R14, R27; N2, N5 {slot}

Snow ~ C00, C3

Letters ~ W00, W1, W3

Leaves ~ YG11, G24, G46

Berries ~ R20, R14, R27

Gifts ~ YG11, G24, G46 {green}; BG70, BG72, BG75 {blue}; Y15, Y35, Y28 {yellow}

Under Mailbox {to coordinate with the distressed edges} ~ E30, E31, E33

I'm sharing a new sketch based on my card today in my Tawny Owl Paperie Inky Inspiration Facebook group. It's similar to a sketch I shared a couple months ago but this one has layers and I've added string/twine. If you're liking this sketch, I hope you'll give it a try and share your card or project in the group.

To finish off the card I added a few red rhinestones from the Rainbow Bling rhinestones from Gina Marie Designs. I really like how this turned out! Head over to Unity and check out all the fab new releases... if you love Christmas stamps this release is one that you don't want to miss!! 

Thanks so much for stopping by!

See ya next time.

Inky hugs,

Crystal

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