Today is going to be a long post as I show you all the pictures and details of the project I made with the images I colored for the MiC Advent Calendar.  I did a little more coloring on the basic images too so watch you for those details.  Sit back and relax and do my best to ramble on.  😀

Hmmm, where to start? Where to start!  I suppose I’ll start in the beginning … with the colored images and the details there then I’ll work my way through the steps I took in creating this project. This is just the finished project of what was started there. 😀 Enjoy!

If you’re looking for the original Make it Crafty Advent Calendar post for Day Seven then CLICK HERE.  Comments are welcome on this post, of course, but to be eligible for a chance to win the Advent Calendar Prizes, you must leave your comments on the other post, HERE. 

I had the wool pulled over my eyes today as my nephew said “Did you know that is Christmas Adam? Yeah, today is Christmas Adam, tomorrow is Christmas Eve and the next day is Christmas!”  Just as I was about to pull out my laptop and check it out (of course by this time I was thinking that every day in December might have an “official” name) but I was saved the troubled when the joke was revealed.  You see, I should have remembered that Adam came before Eve!!  😀

Ok, so on to some details.  To start with, I colored a little more on each of the images.  On the prince I added more shadows in his clock and under the prince too.  Then took a darker color to the trees and added more more shadows here and there.  I did the same thing with the princess side too and even remembered to add a shadow on the ground this time. 

As many of you know I like to experiment and try new things… on this project I wanted to challenge myself and change this summer courtyard scene into a winter one.  However, sometimes I’m not always that brave so I had to scan in the iamge before continuing on.  He he he

So my plan of action was to add snow all around the courtyard and the bushes.  Then pile it up on the ground and around the edges of the project.  That’s a lot of messing around with and I wasn’t sure how it would turn out.  Sometimes a mistake turns out well and that’s what I was hoping for.  He he he.  Here are some closeup pictures of the prince and princess before I started.

How about some colors! That’s a bit unusual of me but I remembered to save them this time and wanted to share them.  Especially the blue colors since they aren’t a normal progression.

I also tried a new technique for the clouds.  Because it turned out well I can call it a “technique” but in reality it started out as an “Oops, I just used the wrong color!”  But I continued on – I built up the cloud shape as if it was a solid object by coloring the whole thing in and shading the bottom part with darker colors.  Then I used the Blender marker and pushed out all the color in the center.  The paper I used is regular printer paper so it was thin enough that the colors were pushed through the paper and this white fluffy part is the effect.  I like how the colors are all blended together and the white part looks textured so I’ll probably do it like this again.

The main project consists of two shadow boxes that are hinged together.  Before all the extras were added the two sides were able to close like a book and I thought about adding a clasp but luckily I save that idea for the end and realized it would fit.  So I’ll stash that away in my mind and maybe use it on another project.  The shadow boxes were both covered with decorative paper and the edges sanded before I assembled it.  Then around the edges I sponged on some more white and give it a distressed look.

This was one of those projects where I had an thought but no idea how I was going to get there.  I worked on it little by little and finally decided that I had to stop!  So after I assembled the shadow boxes I added the show flake flurry diecuts on the bottom.  Then the ribbon happened and the cluster of flowers on the other side. I thought I would have them all white but then I glanced at the holly leaves I had and thought that would be perfect!  Especially the little bit of red tied in well with the colors I used on the image.

On the other side I balanced it out with some metal hardware and found the bird chipboard long forgotten on the corner of my desk.  I like to use chipboard naked but the idea came to me to color the birds red to go along with the other side of the panel.  Especially since the princess side didn’t have any red this would be a great way to pull it over to this side.  I used Prismacolor pencils which work really nice on the chipboard and had a little fun giving it some detail.  Don’t they look perfect on the top there?!  Then I added snow to the branch.

To get the snow, I used White Opal Liquid Pearls and daubed it on the images where I thought snow would gather.  I also added a bunch of it around the inside of he shadow box and especially in the corners.  And when I say a bunch… I mean I practically used up the whole bottle of Liquid Pearls!  Then while it was still wet I sprinkled on the snow flakes which are little tiny flakes of white plastic.  They might be from Flower Soft but I don’t have the original packaging anymore.  The snowflakes have just enough shine and dimension on them that they really looks like freshly fallen (and fluffy) snow.

The images I used for this project are mainly from Make it Craftybut the wings added to the princess are from Little Miss Muffet Stamps.  The shadow boxes are also from Make it Crafty.

Well, I think that about wraps it up!  See I told you this was a L-O-N-G post!  Muah ha ha.  But hopefully the details were interesting enough and maybe you’ll even try something similar.  😀  Thanks for stopping by and I wish you all a very “Merry Christmas Adam!”  LOL