Sponging

I designed these two cards for this Friday's Christmas stamp-a-stack with some help from Splitcoaststampers. I saw several cards like this but none used the topnote for masking. This is the negative of the topnote die from the Big Shot. I have a zillion of these from my last stamp-a-stack! I used an SU sponge with Old Olive to start and then used a sponge dauber with Old Olive pastel to emphasize the outer edge (on Very Vanilla). I stamped the trees on the right using the stamping off technique and did not ink the bottom of the stamp. The bold tree was just stamped normally using Old Olive. The sentiment is in Ruby Red. I used the stamp-a-ma-jig to get it straight. (Love that thing!) I have so many people coming again that I did not have enough of either the red or the green so I decided they can make 2 of each colour.
It feels so good to stamp again! I have done a few other cards that I will share throughout the week. I am trying to decide which one will be *my* Christmas card that I send to friends and family, especially those who stamp. That card will not be posted until after Christmas. It's just deciding which one it will be...