Flying Unicorn - July "It's Not Christmas" challenge

In the midst of Christmas in July promotions, Maggi from the Creative Team at Flying Unicorn proposed the following challenge - to make a non-Christmas layout using only Christmas papers.  The layout had to feature a picture that was in no ways related to the holidays, at least 3 Christmas papers and could not look like a Christmas layout.

I used Kaisercraft December 25th, Bo Bunny Father Christmas and Graphic 45 Christmas Emporium.  I used Art C suede cord as an accent around the Kaiser Craft die cut to add a little more dimension.  The little purple flowers are handmade - I was trying to go for heather; it didn't quite come across but I like them anyway.

This is a photo of DH taken in the Lake District in Northern England the year before Elliot was born.  I was reading a series of historical fiction by Jack Whyte about King Arthur and he situated Arthur's adolescent home at Hardknot Pass at an old Roman fort. Because of the remoteness of the location more of the fort survived than many others. The road up there is pretty treacherous, and there are all sorts of warning signs before you begin the ascent. We climbed a great distance in the car and then we climbed awhile on foot, but we got to see both the Roman fort and two F16 jets flying below us through the canyons - DH was SO excited to see fighter jets up close, especially to be looking down into their cockpits.

Since I already had my Christmas stuff out, I went ahead and made a card for Alda's "Christmas In July" challenge.  The challenge is to make a Christmas layout, card, tag or OTP using the colors white and gold and snowflakes.  I used a sheet of Pion Waiting for Santa paper, and applied molding paste through a Crafter's Workshop snowflake stencil.  I love molding paste!  When the molding paste was dry I put the stencil back on and spritzed them with Gold Glimmer Mist.

I always have the best intentions about sending out Christmas cards, but year after year December 1st comes and goes and I haven't started them, much less gotten them into the mail.  Eventually I buckle down and make enough for the members of the extended family we will see over Christmas and tuck everything away until next year.  Well, it's mid-July and I have one card done - maybe I'll turn over a new leaf this year.  Who knows, it could happen :)

In addition to the beautiful RAKs up for grabs in each of these challenges, Alda is offering a third RAK for a lucky winner who completes both challenges.  There's still plenty of time left in July, so dust off your Christmas supplies and join in.

Jackie