Christmas Landscape - February Theme Challenge 52CCT

Hello friends!  Welcome to my two newest followers, I'm so happy that you're on board with me :o)

Time for another weekly challenge at 52CCT. This week our February hostess Jacqueline has chosen the theme challenge of landscape.  We'd like to see you create a Christmas card with a Landscape on it.

I really, really admire cards that have a nature theme and especially landscapes, but must admit this one wasn't easy for me as nature and landscapes are not my strong suit.  I fussed and fussed around with different ideas and then decided to stay true to my own style and still meet the landscape theme with a spin of my own.  Take a look please:

This card took me a L-o-n-g-g-g-g time to make - LOL.  I started with a piece of glossy white cardstock and stamped Santa and the reindeer, and then embossed in black.  Then I stamped the trees along the bottom of the panel using Always Artichoke. I cut a small circle and put it over Santa before I cut masks of the trees using a few post-its (this was tedious and took the most time).  I wanted to create an ombre effect in the sky so I started using the brayer with Marina Mist from the right edge, then I added Island Indigo for the darker color. The brayer didn't get really close to the trees so I had to go back over all of that area (and around the moon) with a finger dauber. Thankfully with the glossy paper it was fairly easy to smooth out and blend.   Somehow along the way I got a finger booger on the panel and didn't notice it until I had heat set the color :o(  Then I colored in the moon with a finger dauber and some Daffodil Delight.  As a last step I put the white layer on the trees and embossed (hoping it would look like snow covered trees that Santa was flying over).   When I was done I had this really gorgeous flow of darker to light in the sky - was pleased and let it dry overnight.  When I finished the card the next day I noticed that the colors had soaked into the paper a bit more and the ombre effect wasn't quite as noticeable any more - bummer.   I am not in love with this card... but it's okay and I had fun making it (while learning a couple lessons along the way). 

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Merry Monday #85 - Use an animal on your Christmas card

Twisted Tuesday Challenges - 2TC69 - Up in the Sky 
(they want to see the sky and something in it (flying reindeer)

and

Crafty Hazelnut's CHNC Challenge Extra for February (anything Christmas)

I hope that you will decide to join us this week at 52CCT for the theme challenge - landscape.  The rest of the DT have made some amazing creations to share with and inspire you.  You can see them by clicking here.  I can't wait to see what you create!  Til next time friends... hugs and happy crafting!D