Coffee Friends - Hello Bluebird Stamps

Hi everyone, this is my final card for the Hello Bluebird Stamps early November release.  My card today combines the ever so lovely Coffee Friends stamp set with the Birch Trees Die and I've used the Ocean Waves Scene Die (horizontal) used in a very 'non-oceany' sort of way obviously!   Continue reading for all the how-to details.

My background ink blending was created using Distress Ink in Chipped Sapphire and I used Dr. Ph Martin's Bleed Proof White paint and a stylus to add the dimensional snow.   I die cut the Ocean Waves Scene Die from white cardstock and discarded the upper cuts and just kept the frame and two lower layers that I interpreted as snow.  These were adhered to the background panel with glue.

The next step was to die cut white cardstock again using the Birch Trees die.  I snipped my die cuts to fit between the frame and the snow on the ground and adhered them into place.

On Copic friendly cardstock I stamped my images using Memento Ink in Rich Cocoa.  The sweet images were coloured with Copic markers and hand embellished with a white gel pen.  I die cut the images using the coordinating dies and moved them around and decided on an arrangement.  I wanted them in a fairly tight huddle for warmth and to create a focal point.  The tree stumps were tucked into the snow and the woodland animals backed with either a single or double layer of foam tape and applied for some nice dimension.

Just to quickly finish the card I applied Stickles glitter to points on the birch trees and I stamped the sentiment with a toning purply red ink and this sentiment strip was backed with foam tape and stuck down.  The whole decorative panel was adhered to a sturdy card base and with that the card was complete.

Happy crafting everyone!

Field Mice with Rainbow Sky Die - Hello Bluebird Designs

I have a new card for Hello Bluebird Stamps today that features the darling Field Mice stamp set in combination with the Birch Trees Die and the Rainbow Sky Die.



To kick things off I ink blended a panel with Tumbled Glass and a little Spun Sugar.   I die cut the rainbow shapes from the Rainbow Sky Die and ink blended the edges with pastel Distress Inks and adhered them to the background.  Layered over that I placed a white die cut like low clouds from the After The Rain Scene Die.  Almost done with the background, I also die cut the Birch Trees and edged this in Antique Linen Distress Ink and a little Ice Spruce too.  These too were applied to the scene.



I used the Grassy Knoll die to die cut two strips of grass from cardstock I had ink blended with Spun Sugar.  I applied this to the background panel.

I die cut the white frame using the Gallery Frame #1 die.  I backed it with foam tape and applied it.   The skinny pink frame can produced by using any of the Hello Bluebird Scene dies.  I made mine from toning pale pink cardstock and directly glued it.

On Strathmore Bristol Smooth cardstock I stamped the images of the mice from Field Mice using Ranger Archival Ink in Potting Soil.  I watercolour painted the images using Kuretake Zigs, highlighted the cheeks and other points with a white gel pen  and backed them with foam tape and applied them so that they were looking into each other's eyes.



A couple of quick finishing touches.  First of all I stamped the sentiment and applied it popped up on foam tape and I found a pretty little heart embellishment in my stash and floated that above the sweet twosome.  The whole decorative panel was then attached to a 110lb cover weight white cardstock base which is necessary for such a substantial card.

I appreciate you stopping by today, happy crafting!

Nicky x

Autumn Gatherings - Hello Bluebird Stamps

Hello!  My card today uses Autumn Gatherings and Birch Trees Die from Hello Bluebird Stamps.



For this card I softly ink blended the main panel with Distress Inks and applied it to the card base and then I hand textured in some ground using Distress Pens.   I then die cut my Birch Trees and ink blended their edges in two shades of Distress Ink and applied them with dimensional foam tape.



I wanted to continue the softer look so I stamped my characters from Autumn Gatherings onto Bristol Smooth watercolour cardstock using Distress Ink in Antique Linen.  I wasn't necessarily going for a no line watercolour affect but I certainly didn't want a hard black outline.   I then used my Kuretake Zigs in shades to suit the animals, applying colour and then fading it out.  Each animal got an adornment in the form of a hat, bow or scarf and were die cut and applied to the scene using more foam tape.



I stamped the sentiment in an an intentionally soft manner using Archival Ink in Potting Soil and applied it to the trees.  The card was finished out with the application of many 3mm sparkling clear sequins to complete the frosty scene.

I hope you are feeling inspired - happy crafting!

Nicky x