Next Door Gnomes - Hello Bluebird Stamps

Today I'm sharing a card made with the super sweet 'Next Door Gnomes' stamp set by Hello Bluebird Stamps.  I have had this stamp set coloured up for a couple of months now and so I decided to use them not as I had originally intended but in a more seasonal wintery Christmas card and I like how the deep colours pop against the snowy scene.

This card started with a background panel ink blended with Distress Oxide Ink in Speckled Egg.   To this I added snow using a stylus and Dr. Ph Martin's Bleed Proof White paint.  This was set aside for a few minutes to dry in front of a mini desk fan.

Meanwhile I die cut both the Spooky Scene die (I was after the trees only from this scene die) and also the Fairy Glad Scene Die (horizontal) where I just used the ground and frame.

I added Snow-Tex (by DecoArt) to the trees and ground by dabbing it on with a fingertip and once dry I attached them to the background which was in turn added to the card base.

On Copic friendly cardstock I stamped my images from Next Door Gnomes using Memento Ink in Rich Cocoa.   I coloured my images in rich hues of red, teal and emerald green and further darkened the shadows using my beloved W shades.  Points were highlighted with a white gel pen and then were die cut, backed with foam tape and applied to the scene.   I added a little more Snow-Tex to their hats and the toadstools etc

To finish up the card I used the outer scalloped die cut from the Gallery Frame #5 Die which I die cut twice and stuck them both down.  I also stamped the sentiment from 'Typed Christmas', backed it with foam tape and adhered.  With that the card was complete!

Happy crafting!

North Pole Littles - Hello Bluebird

Hey everyone, I have a new card for Hello Bluebird Stamps to share with you today featuring the super cute North Pole Littles stamps and dies.  They are set in a scene created by using the 'essential' (in my humble opinion) Spooky Scene die!



First things first .... I softly ink blended an A2 panel of Bristol Smooth cardstock using Distress Oxide Ink in Spun Sugar.  I dotted in some falling snow by hand, using a Uniball Signo White Gel Pen and adhered the panel to my card base and set it to one side.



Next, I took the Spooky Scene die and die cut a white cardstock A2 size panel.  I ink blended the trees using Distress Ink in Pumice Stone.   Now, when you die cut the Spooky Scene you get some negative cuts that you'd perhaps ordinarily throw away or use as scrap.   The centre negative cut is really quite large and I decided to grab a hill die from Hill and Dale and cut a second hill which of course will perfectly match the line of the ground from the Spooky Scene cut.  I then took a Versamark Ink Pad and inked up certain areas of the trees and ground and then sprinkled on some Wow! White Puff Twinkle Embossing Glitter and heat embossed .... this stuff is wonderful, can't say enough good about it! I then adhered all the parts of my Spooky Scene back together on the reverse to hold them in place then applied foam tape and added it to the card base.



Now to add some fun colour!  I stamped my North Pole Littles using Ranger Archival Ink in 'Coffee'.  I watercolour painted them using Kuretake Zigs in Light Beige 074, Flesh Colour 071 and Pale Pink 028 to shade their faces with Light Pink 026 for their cheeks and some of the parcels and ornaments.  The deeper red is Carmine Red 022.  Points of creamy yellow are done with a Tombow Dual Brush marker 020.  Hair is done with either Tombow in shade 912 and the other in 969.  The green colour used is an Arteza Real Brush Pen in Mint Green A177.



Cheeks and other points were highlighted with the Uniball Signo gel pen and then die cut and added to the scene with more foam tape.  The sentiment was stamped on a strip of cardstock and similarly applied.  Pretty adorable right?

Thanks for stopping by to read, I hope to see you next time and if you don't want to miss anything do sign up for emails from this blog.

Nicky x

Fall Buddies - Hello Bluebird

Hi!  Thanks for swinging by my blog today to read about my latest card for Hello Bluebird Stamps.  This card features the delightful Fall Buddies stamp set from the latest release.



My card started with a panel of Bristol Smooth that I ink blended with Distress Ink in Tumbled Glass, I blended to a white fade at the bottom so that it would slightly highlight the horizon for a small point of interest.  I then squished a little of the ink onto an acrylic stamping block and added a tiny amount of water and splattered with a paintbrush to distress.



I then used the Spooky Scene Die and I die cut an A2 panel of more Bristol Smooth cardstock.  The die cut comes apart like a jigsaw puzzle.  I kept the outer frame white and set it to one side.  I ink blended the tree and then the grass using Distress Inks.  I put the pieces back together again upside down and taped them together then added dimensional foam tape to all areas and adhered it to the panel and at this point I also adhered the empty scene to the card base.

On yet more Bristol Smooth I stamped all of my images with Ranger Archival Ink in Potting Soil.  I watercolour painted them using Kuretake Zigs, highlighted some areas with a Uni-Ball Signo white gel pen and then fussy cut the images and used more foam tape to adhere them.  I decided to add a little humour with the 'happy fall' sentiment by having my squirrels throwing themselves from the tree onto big piles of autumn leaves beneath them.  I love the feeling of pure joy and that they are relishing the change of season.



With everything in place I considered any final touches and decided on a few wood butterflies and flowers which just seemed to add that perfect finishing accent and the bunny and squirrel each hold up a little wooden heart.

Thank you for stopping by my blog today, I really appreciate it and see you next time!

Nicky x

Trick or Treat / Spooky Scene - Hello Bluebird Stamps

Hi everyone!  It's release day at Hello Bluebird stamps and I'm just swinging by to quickly share this card I made using the new Trick or Treat stamp set in combination with the new Spooky Scene die.



The Spooky Scene stand alone die is like an easy jigsaw puzzle.  You cut it and you get several sections which you use to build scenes in so many different ways.  I die cut mine in grey cardstock and choose to use all of the components for this project.  I set them against an ink blended and distressed background .



I stamped the sentiment which fit nicely over on the right hand side and then separately on some Bristol Smooth cardstock I hand stamped, watercolour painted and fussy cut my images and added them to the scene using dimensional foam tape.  They look like they've had a LOT of sugar don't they????



To finish out the card I stamped several of the bats using my Misti so that I got a really strong image and then I chose a variety of toning sequins for the final embellishments.

It is my intention in the coming weeks and months to show you different ways to use the Spooky Scene Die set .... for all seasons beyond Halloween.  Stay tuned and thanks for coming by to read today.

Nicky x