Santa and sparkle

Sorry to be throwing so many posts at you today but I'm likely to be without internet for a few days so I'm trying to get ahead of myself. Also it's a grey, wet, gloomy day so what better to do than spend it crafting?

Today's Less is More challenge is to CASE a card made by DT member Susan. Here is her card:

 

 

and here is my CASE of it:

 

 

The Santa image is stamped and punched using the SU "Cookie Cutter Christmas" set, and the sentiment is from the same set. Now, you may be wondering why I've added pink and purple speckles to the background? Well, they're not pink or purple at all! Because I loves Susan's touch of sparkle in the background, I brushed the area around Santa on my card  with a product called Jo Sonja's Opal Dust - it's an Australian product and I've had it for about 20 years. (I've just googled - it's still available). Tiny opalescent flecks are suspended in a clear gel, and you brush it onto card, or just about anything else, and when the gel dries it leaves a scattering of tiny, tiny particles here and there that reflect the light. In the main photo it doesn't show very well, so I tried a different angle to the light and you can just about see the effect below - it's so pretty yet very subtle, making it perfect for CAS cards.