Every year I don't get quite as many Christmas cards out as I'd like to.  So I resort to the week after to make a few cards to ring in the New Year.

The New Year is like a bright beacon of *new-ness*.  Recommiting to do certain things.  Resolving to make changes.  Looking back on what has passed and all the layers of family, work, self and reflecting.  And above all else looking forward to a sparkling future.  It deserves its own card, don't you think?

The first thing I'm going to do for this card is get my countdown going.  I want to make a little grid of these numbers, for placement purposes later, but I'll color them at the same time.  I used my Copic airbrush to color these Grungeboard numerals with a C7 grey marker.  Chipboard letters would work too, even 'Thickers' style stickers – use whatever you have.

Now that the numbers are colored, I want to add the sparkle to my countdown.  I sprayed them liberally with Marshmallow Glimmer Mist.  It's fabulous stuff – has an opaque quality to it that makes me swoon.

 
And back to our cardbase – as you can see, we have a great placement grid, in addition to nicely colored numbers.

Remember that I mentioned layers?  Well I like nothing better than to layer transparencies.  So I placed this fabulous chandelier transparency over the top of my card base with the placement grid.  I put a dab of clear glue into the negative spaces so I can adhere my numbers.

And here they are in place.  But don't attach the transparency to the card base yet.  We need some contrast.

We need some brightness and some more sparkle.  But we are done with the placement grid, so I'll flip it over to the blank side.  Then I layered another transparency with the large pink circles as well as some decorative paper that I cut out with a glittered circle.

And now place the prepared transparency over the top.  I added my sentiment at the bottom of the number countdown, from the paper I sprayed originally with Glimmer Mist, under the numbers; stamped in black and edged with a rose pink. and a jeweled leaf.  The spiral stem reminded me of a party favor or decoration and I love how the pink and jewels dress up the card even further.  I attached the sentiment with the Tiny Attacher stapler.

The camera never catches the Glimmer Mist quite as well as I'd like – but hopefully you can get a sense of the depth and sparkle of the finished card.  

So thinking about what we've done today brings me to the prize box, yet again, for another addition to our prize.

 
Today I am adding THIS gorgeous set of Prima Romani Roses.  The cream colored fabric is perfect for recoloring with your Copic airbrush, or Glimmer Mist.  I love the pearl details too.  Each flower is approx. 3" wide.

The New Year is coming fast.  Have you made some creative resolutions? 

Type to you soon.