CHRISTMAS IN JULY

I have been hosting some card & tag challenges
as well as a round robin destash swap over on PCP
this month with a 'Christmas in JULY' theme. 
I hadn't completed a Christmas card myself yet,
so when I seen a challenge posted by another member
I decided this was the time. 

I haven't done many sketch challenges before,
I'm sure I can count the ones I've done on my one hand
if even that.  I did a sketch challenge just the day before,
so I guess when I do things and the first project turns out
pleasing to me - I go for broke. 

Now I'm on a roll with sketch challenges.  LOL  : )

The sketch challenge details were posted
and I had to keep refering back to the diagram
to be sure I had it right. 

Not as easy as it looks even with a diagram.  LOL  ; )

1. To me the sketch diagram looked like a ribbon wrapped gift.  It had a center image with a strip of paper/ribbon coming off each side of the image to the edge of the paper resembling a ribbon wrapped gift.  So I set off to find just the right image that would reflect the theme I now had in my head ( A ribbon wrapped gift) however that was going to play out on my card.  I had a few ideas in mind.  I settled on this image 'LUV IT' and went to town coloring it up.  Stamped image is a Gruffie available here @ the HOUSE MOUSE official website.  I don't have many copic markers so I used a combination of copics, stamp markers and a silver gel pen (used on the hub caps and window frames) for color.  Blending where I could.  I think it works. 
2. Next I took the image and put it against a few different sheets of patterned papers till I could make a decision on which one to cut.  Decision made I had to make a big card because the image itself was quite large.  I hate to use a piece of patterned paper only to see the very edges peeking out the sides, but it had to be done.  LOL
3. Now that I had the image and the patterned paper cut to size I backed the image with colored card to help it stand out against the background and also to follow along with the sketch design for the challenge. 
4. It needed a little extra colored card showing under the image.  Here the sketch diagram showed a sentiment.  I ran a strip of red card through my MS snowflake edge punch and created a double sided snowflake strip much like a piece of ribbon.  I glued it down under the main image and topped it off with layer card with a stamped sentiment: 'Happy Holidays!' Finishing with a red rhinestones for bling on either side of the sentiment.
5. Before I gued down the main image I glued down more strips of the paper snowflake ribbon I made.  Again I followed the sketch diagram to get the ribbon placed in the right spots.
6. Finaly I made a card base for my patterned paper and image to be paired with.  I settled on a solid color and cut a 12x12 sheet down to 6x12 and scored and folded it to make a 6x6 card.

I like the BIG size of my card and I know who ever gets it for Christmas will love it too!  I think it's one of my favorite color combinations for Christmas cards lately.  : )