Tintype Style Christmas

I love looking at old photographs. Especially old tintypes and sepia tone pictures. They have a character and a feel that you can't compare to modern day photography. As I look at the stoic faces I wonder what their lives were like, how they lived, who they loved. For some of the people in the photographs, it was the only time they ever had their likeness made. You think about the Civil War soldiers who visited the photographer as they headed out to duty, some never to return home, but leaving their likeness for their family to cherish. Our early photographs document vividly the history of our young nation, not just the big events, but the small, everyday occurrences which made up individuals history. That is where our story is told and it's beautiful.

When I created this card, I had in mind to recreate the look of an old tintype photograph. My picture of this card doesn't truly show the focal point the way it looks in person, but hopefully, it gives you a good idea.

The card project is made up of several things from my Serendipity pile that I talked about the other day. The plaid Frostwood Lodge paper, the stamped Early Espresso cardstock, the Silver Glimmer Paper snowflake and the main lodge image from the Christmas Lodge stamp set.
The lodge itself is stamped on a piece of Whisper White cardstock with Early Espresso Classic ink. I'd been playing with it for another project that didn't work out, so I saved it since it was still good.
In order to make it look like an aged photo, I inked up my Brayer with Crumb Cake Classic ink and rolled it over the stamped image. It's deliberately uneven to mimic an old photo.
Next, I covered the entire cardstock piece with Versamark ink and then coated it with Clear Embossing Powder. After embossing it with my Heat Tool, it has a semi-shiny coating and a little thickness to it.

I matted it with a piece of Garden Green cardstock and popped it up on Stampin' Dimensionals on the card front.
The card front itself is pretty easy, I adhered the designer paper to the Early Espresso cardstock that I'd stamped with that gorgeous tree from Christmas Lodge.
The ribbon I used is the Crumb Cake Seam Binding and I tied a double bow for it which is attached to the focal point with Mini Glue Dots.

I used an Antique Brad through the center of the snowflake which was cut on my Big Shot with the Northern Flurries Decorative Strip Die. It's attached with a Stampin' Dimensional to the card front also.
I did lightly sponge each layer with some Early Espresso ink for a more vintage look, but otherwise, that's the card complete.

Here's a look at the inside:

Again, super simple, just a portion of the tree in Early Espresso and the greeting in Cherry Cobbler on Whisper White cardstock.

I really liked this card and even Mark gave me an "Oooh, that's really nice!" when I showed him. Would love to know what you think though!

Well, I gotta run, I've got one of those important Annual women's Dr.'s appointments this morning - you know I can't wait for THAT! But I'm sure they would appreciate me coming in having showered and brushed my teeth, wouldn't you?

Have a fantastic day stampers - I hope you get to stamp something fun today! That's what I'll be doing this afternoon, yay!

Stamped blessings,
~~Robin

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