Rainy Day - Hello Bluebird

Hello!

I've probably said it before and I'll probably say it again but I'm just so deeply in love with the illustrations by Hello Bluebird Stamps.  I am sharing a card with you today made with Rainy Day one of my favourite stamp sets from their May release.




The card also uses many dies from Grassy Knoll.  This die set is so useful for all your scene building what with the choices of clouds and grassy edges.



First job was to die cut my cloud form and grassy edges using Bristol Smooth cardstock and I ink blended them using Distress Inks starting out with some intensity and then blending it out to a faded or ombré finish.  I took another A2 panel of Bristol Smooth and again ink blended it then stamped on the rain with white pigment ink and adhered it to my 110lb white cardstock base.



I stamped my sentiment from Rainbow Script and then layered the cloud and grassy edges into the scene using dimensional foam tape.  Next, I turned my attention to the adorable characters.  Taking more Bristol Smooth I stamped my images with Archival Ink in black then watercolour painted them using Kuretake Zigs.  I highlighted a few points with a Uniball Signo white gel pen then die cut and adhered them with more foam tape.



I didn't feel the card required any further embellishment other than to put a little jewel for the tag on the puppy's collar.  Project complete!

Thank you for stopping by and reading here for a couple of minutes, I appreciate it!

Until the next time then .....

Nicky x

Farmyard Little Bits - Hello Bluebird

Hi all!  I do love to make background cards especially when there are smaller images and they are as ADORABLE as these Farmyard Little Bits from Hello Bluebird Stamps and you just want to paint or colour them over and over again.



I created a panel from Strathmore Bristol Smooth watercolour cardstock.  I stamped the sentiment in the centre and then stamped a selection of images around the sentiment, trying to go for a happy balance of pigs, cows and barns etc so that there was an even dispersement of colours.  I used Ranger Archival Ink in black for all my images and then watercolour painted everything using Kuretake Zigs.



I highlighted some points with my Uniball Signo White gel pen and once dry I die cut the panel to provide the subtle wonky stitched decorative edge.  The panel was applied to the Kraft cardstock base with a layer of white craft foam sandwiched in between which makes the card feel very substantial and they do better in the mail this way too!



The final touch was to apply these little wooden stars which somehow just seemed so fitting with the country scene.

Since the card base is kraft cardstock, I like to make a writing insert for the inside and I use 80lb Neenah cardstock because strength and quality is so important to me in the construction of my cards.

Thanks for stopping by and I'll see you next time!

Nicky x

Party Animals Shaker Card

Hi everybody, thank you for stopping by today to read about my latest card featuring Party Animals by Mama Elephant, one of my all time favourite stamp sets.  This time I've created a fun filled shaker card.



The card started with an ink blended background where one colour seamlessly blends into the next.  It was then distressed with splatters of white acrylic paint that I loosened up with just a little water so that it splattered more easily.



I used my Misti stamping tool to stamp the sentiment several times over so that I got a really strong black image.  (The card is stamped Happy Birthday on the inside).  I applied the blended panel to the card base and turned my attention towards making the shaker portion of the card.  I die cut the frames from coloured cardstock and lined the back with acetate, foam tape was applied around the outside.  I used my powder tool to make the sides of the foam tape non-stick.  I filled the shaker window with a mix of chunky glitter and lilac coloured hearts and then sealed the back of the shaker window with a second piece of acetate to seal it all in tightly.  This shaker panel was then adhered to the base.



The last step was to stamp all the images of the Party Animals onto Strathmore Bristol Smooth using Ranger Archival Ink.   They were than watercolour painted and die cut and adhered to the card front with Scotch foam tape and I did a little highlighting using my Uniball Signo white.



In this last photo you can clearly see the shaker contents.  I recommend chunky glitter or micro beads being used as part of your mix when creating a shaker because the contents don't get wedged and they freely move around and I think it sounds better when shaken.  This card feels very substantial and heavy and I love to bring that sort of quality to my cards.

I do thank you for reading here today!  See you next time!

Nicky x

Pig Time - Spring Birthday

I've made no attempt to suppress how excited I am about this new stamp company Hello Bluebird Stamps they have only been around a few months but I love everything they've released so far.  My only purchase to date however has been 'Pig Time', but I'm giving it a good old work-out, this is my 4th card with this set.

There are 4 pigs in the set and a couple of little birds and a balloon and some flowers etc.  I can't get over the expressions on their faces, they are drawn so sweetly.

For this card I started with a base of Insulation Pink by MFT Stamps and inside is inserted a quality paper writing insert.  I die cut the white cardstock frame using MFT's 'Stitched CU Comp Vert' using Neenah solar white 110lb.  I set the frame aside and concentrated the negative cuts using a couple of different MFT stencils to create the grass and clouds, blending with Distress Inks.  I recessed them back within the frame securing in the back and then applying this to the base with a layer of white craft foam in between to lift it up and the card then feels really substantial.

Using some Strathmore Bristol Smooth watercolour cardstock I stamped all of the images from Pig Time that I was going to use, I then die cut and watercolour painted them using my Kuretake Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers.  Some points were highlighted with my Uni-ball Signo White pen and then everything was adhered to the card on different amounts of Scotch foam tape to add depth and dimension.  I stamped the sentiment in black.  At this point I was choosing my finishing touches and I decided the piggy on the right needed a garland of flowers on her head and so I snipped off some flower heads from their stems and added those.  A few little flower sequins from Pretty Pink Posh finished out the card.

That's my very springtime take on Pig Time, I hope you've enjoyed it.   Thanks for coming along to read, I appreciate it very much.  Until the next time ....

Nicky x

Friend Birthday - Happy Hedgehogs by MFT

Hello everybody, thank you so much for stopping by the blog today to read about this latest card of mine using Happy Hedgehogs by My Favorite Things which has become one of my all time favourite stamp sets!



Here's a little run down of how this card was made.  The card starts with a white 110lb Neenah cardstock base.  I then ink blended a panel of Strathmore Bristol Smooth using Distress Ink and faded it to an ombré type finish.  I then splattered on some water and blotted it dry about 30 seconds later and next splashed around some of the same Distress Ink mixed with a tiny bit of water for vivid splashes.  The panel was then die cut using Stitched Wonky Rectangles by MFT. 



On yet more Strathmore Bristol Smooth I stamped all of the images from the set that I needed, I then die cut and watercolour painted them using my Kuretake Zig Clean Color Markers and highlighted some points with my Uni-ball Signo White.  I have an Archival Ink black pen that I used to play up the spikes on the hedgehogs.  I turned the tree limb and the tree stump into a seesaw and made the card very playful.  All components were attached with varying amounts of dimensional foam tape for depth and the sentiment was stamped in the upper right using my Misti.  Again using the Archival Pen I put in the 'whoosh' marks to help show the movement of both the upper and lower hedgehog.  The final touch was the addition of 3 wooden stars by Studio Calico (love these).



There you have it and as I often like to do, I adhered the card panel to the card base with a layer of white craft foam sandwiched in between to both lift it up and it adds a substantial feel to the card and they just survive the rigours of the mail system when you do this too!

Thank you for stopping by and I'll have another card for you very soon.

Nicky x

What DO Bears Do In The Woods?

Hi, I'm back again with a fairly involved birthday card using entirely Mama Elephant stamps and dies (with the exception of the sequins by Pretty Pink Posh).  This card answers the age old question about what bears get up to in the woods ...... well, they party!!!!!  I don't know what you all are thinking!!!

I'm such a fan of the Hillside Cover Die from Mama Elephant since you can use it to form so many fun backgrounds.  When I purchased it I had this basic design in my head, whereby I'd cut out portions with my craft knife and form a forest scene.  First of all I made two A2 panels of Strathmore Bristol Smooth cardstock.  The first was softly ink blended using distress inks to form ground and sky.  The second was ink blended in an ombré of green distress ink around the frame portion.   Then I watercolour painted the trunks of the trees and distressed everything with some water splashes that I left a minute then blotted dry with a paper towel.

For the bushy tree tops I made 3 die cuts of the smaller cloud die from Cloud Nine by Mama Elephant.  I ombré ink blended each piece then distressed it and attached them to the Hillside Cover die cut with Ranger Multi Medium Matte, layering one over the other and then I trimmed the top and side edges to align with the A2 form.  This whole piece was then attached to the background panel lifted up on Scotch dimensional foam tape.  Everything was then adhered to the 110lb Neenah cardstock base.

Next I tackled the family of bears which were stamped with Ranger Archival Black Ink then watercolour painted using my Zigs.  They were die cut and highlighted with Uniball Signo White and 3 bears were each given a party hat which I snipped off one of the little chick stamps from Party Pals (Mama Elephant).  (No animals were harmed in the making of this card).

At this point I stamped the sentiment and attached it with foam tape and then I love to add those final little touches that just elevate a card and take it to the next level.  With this card I attached a few crystal clear sequins as I previously mentioned but I also used a silver gel pen and added some tiny dots of glint into the background.

This is my favourite type of card to make, I love them to look like they were taken from a favourite children's storybook .  I do hope you like it and are inspired to go and create for yourself.  Enjoy your weekend.

Nicky x

Birthday Cuteness Care Of Mama Elephant

My card today starts just as 99% of my cards start, with a strong card base of 110lb solar white cardstock from Neenah.  It is a remarkable day indeed if I use anything other than this, you might say I'm stuck in my ways, but you know what .... it just works, at least it does for me in more ways than one!  I then die cut a panel of Strathmore Bristol Smooth which is my go-to watercolour cardstock and also my favourite for ink blending.  The die cut uses Cloud Nine by Mama Elephant and it was then ink blended to a soft ombré finish then distressed with water splashes that I let sit a minute then blotted dry and then added paint splatters in a shade darker than the blended base colour.



The sweet cloud is from Cloud Nine also and I added the cheerful rosy cheeks using watercolour paint in the form of Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers.  I then stamped the Page Huggers from Mama Elephant onto yet more Strathmore Bristol Smooth, I then watercolour painted them and highlighted portions and then die cut and adhered each into position with Scotch dimensional foam tape and later added their party hats.  Each animal holds an ice cream cone and I adorned their hats with mini pompoms to add some fun dimension.  The sentiment was stamped and there's a further one inside wishing a happy birthday.  What would I do without my crystal clear sequins from Pretty Pink Posh to add that final and very necessary twinkle?  If I could only have one style/colour of sequin this would be IT!



This was a relatively quick card to create and I hope you enjoy it.  Until the next time, have a wonderful day and happy crafting!

Nicky x