Handicrafts by Kate Perry and other ramblings

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Rockin' Santa

Well I faced an interesting pair of challenges this week that I was determined to combine with one card. The first challenge by Daring cardmakers was to use a Father Cristmas image and this week they have a prize to go for kindly donated by Crafty Emmas Store. The second challenge from Bah! Humbug! was to make a card for a teenager. Now many of you will say that teenagers and Santas don't mix, but in my household they did. I had five boys who all loved the traditions we had, including a very well decorated tree which among other things, carried the memorabilia of many happy nursery school 'makes'. We also had at least three Nativity scenes on various ledges, sitting happily alongside snowmen and Santas. You get the picture? Now by their teenage years, my boys had no illusions left about who played 'Santa', but they still expected a stocking on Christmas morning, one of which had to contain a new pair of drumsticks and another a full set of guitar strings! One of my sons is a drummer in a heavy metal band, one plays the piano, guitar, saxaphone and sings, two are into playing vinyl, and the fifth is now a vicar who still likes his music loud and heavy, so most cards I make for them feature music somewhere. Hence the Rockin' Santas on my card. My teenage boys would have loved this, partly because I had 'tuned in' to what interests them.

So how did I do it. Well, these are not your usual images. So I started with a SeeD stamp of Santa and stamped him and coloured him with copic markers. Then I cut him out. I had some pictures of guitars from a birthday kit I purchased a while ago from www.craftuprint. I used the computer to make it the right size, printed it and cut it out. Then I just had to bend Santas arm a little so it looks as though he is playing (in his mitts!). The drummer was a bit more difficult but eventually I came up with this copyrite free clipart picture of him in his workshop, making toys. He was in the right position but it took a bit of fiddling around in my photo editer to turn his hammer into a drum stick, and remove the toys from his bench and lap. I had the drum kit picture in the same card kit as the guitars so I made that into a transparent layer and pasted it on top of the Santa picture, resizing it until it looked about right. I added a deeper red to Santas waistcoat, decoupaged both images and added some sparkle with irridiscent glitter.












The tree in the centre is another SeeDs stamp, the writing is computer generated using a font called Grunge! purchased from scrapnfonts, and the music across the top is paper lace from a Christmas pack by Woodware.


I am entering this card for :
Bah! Humbug! Challenge 23; "Whateva" - A card for a teenager.
Daring Cardmakers Challenge: Use a Father Christmas image.
Crafts and Me Challenge 38: Stamp something.
Fabs Big Christmas Card Challenge for June:Christmas Sentiment.
Christmas Cards all the year round June Challenge: Anything goes.

22 comments:

Sylvia said...

Hi Kate, YOu came to my blog asking about Stampin'Up! You can find them online @ www.stampinup.com. they are a US based company with world wide based demonstrators. I believe the nearest demonstrators are in the UK and Germany. Not sure if they can cross borders as we can't ship overseas from the US. You could probably get family to ship to you from the US. The doilies will not be out until July 1, with the new catalog. Goog luck! Sylvia

Fab said...

Thanks for participating in my Christmas challenge, such a cute and different card, love the Santa with the guitar ! :) I can give you the details of my own Stampin' Up Demonstrator based in the UK if you want just give me a nudge ! X Fab

Lynda said...

Your card is definitely full of the 'personality' of your boys - it's just brilliant! Thanks for joining in with Daring Cardmakers.

Lynda xxx

veronica said...

a lot of work there Kate, but well worth it, it is a great card! Brilliant idea

Jean said...

Another great card. It never ceases to amaze me the lengths you go to make your ideas work. Well done again. Jean x

themessycraftroom said...

Wow another great card. Really stuck as what to do for mine. Hugs x ChrisB

Dolly Mixtures said...

Loved the story about your musical sons and the card you have made with them in mind. The way you adapted the santas to play the instruments was amazing.

Saskia said...

Very clever design once again. Love that guitarplaying Santa!

Christine said...

Wow, such a lot of thought has gone into making this beautiful fun card.
Thanks for sharing it with us at Bah Humbug this week.
Hugs
Christine x
Bah Humbug Guest DT

Hannah said...

this is cool. :)
love hannah xx

Zuzana Obert said...

This is so sweet and cute. Thank you for playing along with DCM this week.

Zuzana x x

Sharon (glitterangel) said...

What a great idea for a card, and how inventive you are to create something so personal, wonderful! Thanks for joining in with the Daring Cardmakers this week x

Annie said...

oh my this is just so clever - what a brilliant idea. Love it - may have a go at this myself - I know a rock mad guy who it would be perfect for.
Ann xxx
Bah! Humbug! DT

Aquarius said...

Well done - you were certainly inventive to come up with this card for the challenge this week.

craftimamma said...

How clever Kate. I am absolutely useless with anything that needs 'altering' on the computer. It's all I can do to edit my photos to make them bloggable, lol!.

The card you have completed is really funky and perfect for a teenager. Well done.

Thanks for your lovely comments on my blog. I really appreciate them.

Hugs
Lesley Xx

camcraft said...

Just Love Your Card ... a lot of thought and care has gone into it .. Love how you achieved your finished card, all so very clever.
Carole x

Jo said...

That is one cool card! I love the images that you used- really festive!

jo x

Kathy said...

Thanks for sharing this fab card with The Daring Cardmakers for our Father Christmas challenge this week

Purple Crazy said...

love those rockin santas, just fab, Thanks for sharing it with us at Bah Humbug this week. Hugs endy GDT x

Max said...

Absolutely fabulous ... love how you have managed to make your Santas into Rockers lol! So COOL! Thank you for sharing with us at Bah! Humbug!

Luv'n'Stuff
Max
xx
Max's Craft Creations
Bah! Humbug! Challenges DT

Ruth said...

I love the way you used the Santas with musical instruments. So cool!

fatmonica said...

I just love this card!It's perfect for teenage boys!