Ornament Shaker with Penguin Pals - Pretty Pink Posh

Hi, I hope you've been enjoying the Pretty Pink Posh's Design Team's reveals of all the wonderful new products which you can already buy in the shop.   My card today features the new Ornament Shaker die together with the adorable Penguin Pals (you might have caught my card a few days ago that also used Penguin Pals - use the search function to find that card too)!



I had to make this card slightly oversized to fit all those chubby penguins into the scene.  I cut a slightly smaller panel of Bristol Smooth cardstock and ink blended it using Distress Ink in Pumice Stone.  I then used an embossing buddy to prep the surface for the stamping and heat embossing of a variety of snowflakes from the Pretty Pink Posh - Winter Wonderland stamp set.  I backed the panel with white craft foam and adhered it to the card base.



Next, I made four die cuts using the Ornament Shaker die.  Three from white cardstock and one from grey cardstock.  I snipped out the 'jolly' word from the centre since I didn't need it, but I kept it for a future card!   I stacked the remaining parts up adhering one to the next and die cut the trim piece for the top from glittery silver cardstock.  I threaded cream/silver baker's twine through the top and glued the ornament to the centre of the card.



On Bristol Smooth cardstock I stamped my penguins and their hats using Ranger Archival Ink in black.  I watercolour painted them using my Kuretake Zigs and highlighted some points with a Uni-Ball Signo white gel pen.  I glued their hats on and then added dimensional foam tape tot he back of each, decided on who would go where and stuck them down.



The final touches were the addition of the jewels from the new Starry Sky Mix, I only applied these within the bauble focal point and then I used Stickles in 'Crystal'  to glitter up some points on my penguins.  The sentiment was stamped on the inside of this card only.

Another Christmas card complete - on to the next!  Thank you for coming by to read.

Nicky x

Layered Tree Die with Caroling Critters - Pretty Pink Posh

Hello, thank you for coming by to read about my latest card for Pretty Pink Posh.  This card introduces you to the wonderful new Layered Tree die which I think will become a fast favourite for quick cards and scene building.  I've paired it with the Caroling Critters I have previously created a card with and blogged here (use search function to find that post).



For this card I created a background panel and gave it a faux stitched edge and stamped it repeatedly with a little snowflake die from another Pretty Pink Posh stamp set.  I've used Distress Oxide Ink in Peacock Feathers for this stamping and each snowflake was a second generation stamp so that it wasn't too bold.  I adhered this panel to the 110lb Neenah cardstock base.



On more white cardstock I die cut the 4 portions of each tree, three times each.  I ink blended the portions I wanted to add colour to (not the top portion) using Peacock Feathers again and adhered each layer to the next.  Once dry I arranged the three trees on the card base, the top tree has dimensional foam tape underneath it in order to lift it up and sort of thrust it forwards in the scene.



On Bristol Smooth cardstock I hand stamped the Caroling Critters image using Ranger Archival Ink in Potting Soil.  I watercolour painted the characters with my Kuretake Zigs and highlighted some points with a Uni-Ball Signo white gel pen.  In order to make it appear that they are standing on a snow bank I fussy cut only the top of the image and then I die cut the bottom to match the faux stitched edge to match the background panel.  I adhered the Caroling Critters to the card with more adhesive foam tape.

The final touch was the addition of a generous quantity of 'jewels' which I took from the new Starry Sky Mix.  I added them to the tips of the trees and through the background.  I chose to only stamp a sentiment  on the inside of the card - which I did using Peacock Feathers again so that it all linked up!

If you need me I'll be at my craft table making another card!  Thank you for coming by, see you next time!

Nicky x

Caroling Critters - Pretty Pink Posh

Hey everyone!  It is sneak peek time at Pretty Pink Posh for the exciting new release scheduled for November 5th .... mark your calendars!



Here, I am introducing Caroling Critters.   When I first saw the new release this mini stamp set immediately caught my attention and I had to play with it first.

I took a panel of A2 cardstock and using a stencil I very softly ink blended a drifted snow background using Distress Oxide Ink in Tumbled Glass.  I die cut the panel once to give it the stitched edge and once more using the Window Frames die from Pretty Pink Posh.  I hand stamped the notes using Ranger Archival Ink in Potting Soil then I applied thick dimensional foam tape behind the A2 panel and stuck it on a 110lb Neenah white cardstock base.  I then added adhesive to the back of the other piece and recessed it carefully through the opening making sure everything was aligned.



Using a scrap of white cardstock I die cut just the bottom of the arched opening from Window Frames again.  I then took one of the dies from Stitched Borders 3 set and die cut to give me a little strip of snow to 'stand' my Caroling Critters on.  I adhered this in alignment at the bottom of the opening.

On Bristol Smooth cardstock I stamped my Caroling Critters with Ranger Archival Ink in Potting Soil and watercolour painted them using a combination of Kuretake Zigs and Arteza waterbrush pens.  I highlighted some points with a Uniball Signo White Gel Pen and then I fussy cut the single image out.  There is no coordinating die for this set but it was not tricky to hand cut.  I applied regular thickness Scotch Foam Tape to the back of the cut out image and recessed it through the opening and adhered it.



Finally, I stamped MERRY CHRISTMAS to a small piece of cardstock in red and glued it down and then I added some essential Christmas twinkle by using some of the jewels from the beautiful new blend called 'Starry Sky Mix'.

I'll be back within a few days with another card featuring the new release and I hope this little look today leaves you excited!  You can see more sneaks over on the Pretty Pink Posh Blog starting from today so be sure to click my link to be taken there for more inspiration.

Until the next time then .......

Nicky x

Pumpkin Patch Critters - Pretty Pink Posh

Hi!  Thanks for stopping by the blog today to read about this card for Pretty Pink Posh using the very cute new stamp set Pumpkin Patch Critters and their coordinating dies.



First of all I took the Storybook 5 Die and centred it on a panel of A2 cardstock and ran it through my Cuttlebug.  I ink blended the negative cuts using Distress Ink in Tumbled Glass and then I squished the ink pad onto an acrylic block to get some more of the ink out, I diluted it with the smallest amount of water and then using a small paintbrush I splattered some of the colour on.  Once dry I stamped the sentiment using Ranger Archival Ink in Potting Soil.



I applied dimensional foam tape to the back of the white frame, applied it to be card base and then recessed the ink blended portions through the holes adhering them down.

Next, I took some Bristol Smooth cardstock, I stamped all of my images from Pumpkin Patch Critters again using the Ranger Archival Ink in Potting Soil.  I then watercolour painted everything using my Kuretake Zigs.  The colours I've used are, from left to right ...... bunny - Light Gray, large pumpkin - Bright Yellow, little pumpkin - Green Shadow, squirrel - Mid Gray, centre pumpkin - Haze Blue, Fox - brown.  All pumpkin stalks are done using Olive Green.   The tiny pumpkin and larger pumpkin on the right were actually coloured with A Tombow Dual Brush Pen in shade 020 which is a cream colour.  With all of these watercolours - you let it partially dry and then you can go in and delicately add more layers and definition.



I die cut the images and adhered them into the scene using varying amount of dimensional foam tape for depth.  The final touch was the addition of a little sparkle in the form of the Pretty Pink Posh Pearl White Jewels.

Back to the craft table for me!  See you next time!

Nicky x

Birthday Friends by Pretty Pink Posh

Hey everyone, just swinging by to share my latest card for Pretty Pink Posh.  I made this simply for the joy of it and Birthday Friends is one of my top favourites of all the stamp sets so far released by PPP.



In brief the card starts with a 110lb Neenah cardstock base.  Upon this is layered a panel of Insulation Pink from MFT Stamps and then a smaller panel of Strathmore Bristol Smooth which I ink blended softly in ombré style using Distress Ink and then added some paint splashes of the same colour.  I die cut and applied the 'ground', there is a glittered silver panel behind the Insulation Pink panel.



On more Bristol Smooth I stamped the children, their hats, balloons, cakes and gifts and hand painted them with Kuretake Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers. I highlighted some points with a Uni-ball Signo white pen and then adhered everything into position using varying depths of Scotch dimensional foam tape.  Each party hat was adorned with a tiny pompom and I used some of the gorgeous 'jewels' by Pretty Pink Posh to add that necessary sparkle and movement that I love to incorporate into most of my projects.

The sentiment was stamped with Archival Ink and that completed this little project which I hope you have enjoyed.  Here's one last look .....



Until the next time, thanks for stopping by to read!

Nicky x

I Love you - Bee Friends

I recently shared this card across social media but since I'm fleshing out my blog and because it was a popular post I thought I'd quickly share my method here with you all.  The card uses Bee Friends from Pretty Pink Posh.

I love Bee Friends because who can resist a chubby and cheerful bumble bee?  They also are one of those mini stamp sets and very reasonably price and you can work them in with your floral cards etc.

The card started with Neenah 110lb solar white cardstock.  I then stencil ink-blended a honeycomb design that I have for the background.  I did this very softly and I used my Clarity Stencil Brushes for the job.  I think a cloud stencil or something similar would work equally well for a dreamy backdrop!  I then die-cut the panel with a stitched edge and applied it to the base with a layer of craft foam sandwiched in between which lifts it up and makes the card feel more substantial and since I sell most of my cards, it is important to me that they ship in good condition and this craft foam really helps.

I then die cut one of the 'Storybook' dies from Pretty Pink Posh, any of them would do or something similar to re-create this scene, they really help tie everything together!  It was applied popped up on dimensional foam tape to build depth.  I used one of the negative cuts to stamp the sentiment and I centred it and adhered it.  All of the bees and hearts were stamped in archival ink, they were watercolour painted using my Kuretake Zigs and then die cut and adhered them with more foam tape.  I highlighted some points on the bees  using my Uni-ball Signo white pen (wouldn't be without it)!  The scene was finished out with toning jewel embellishments also by Pretty Pink Posh.

If there is one thing that is very important to me in card making it is that my projects are highly dimensional and as you can see here this card is no exception, it is a look I really love!

Thanks for stopping by the blog today and if you have any questions or comments please don't hesitate to contact me because I'd love to help you out!

Nicky x