Hi, crafty friends. I know the heading on this blog post is a little misleading, but I’ve made a cute gift tag for Christmas, featuring Joyce from Purple Onion Designs.
I stamped the cute mouse using Memento Rich Cocoa ink onto Classic Kraft cardstock from Papertrey Ink, before covering the image with a mask and running the cardstock through my printer to add the lyrics to a Norwegian Christmas song all about mice. I thought it was a fitting background. I colored the image with Prismacolor pencils (not Copics, I know, it’s rare), heat embossed a sentiment from the B04 stamp set from Norsk Stempelblad AS above the cutie and used a die from the Stitched Traditional Tag STAX die set from My Favorite Things to turn it into a tag. I then die cut a label from the Everyday Gift Box die set (also MFT) from Wild Cherry cardstock from My Favorite Things, and used the tag die again to turn it into the top piece of my tag. I also used a reinforcer die from the Fold-Up Tags die set (also from MFT) and die cut that from Dark Chocolate cardstock from Papertrey Ink. I added a ribbon, a couple of bells and some Cherry twine from Whisker Graphics to the top of the tag, before adhering a few snowdrift sprinkles from Little Things from Lucy’s Cards to finish.
I added a bunny to the top of the teacup stack and colored the image with Copics, before fussy cutting, leaving a thin white border around the edge. I used a black glaze pen from Sakura to add shine and a tiny bit of dimension to the bunny’s eyes, then a white dot of Gelly Roll 05 on top of the black, once the black was dry. The glaze pen dries fairly quickly once applied, so I didn’t have to wait long.
I adhered a panel of Blueberry cardstock from My Favorite Things to my white card base. Using a die in the A2 Double Stitched Rectangle STAX die set, also from My Favorite Things, I die cut a piece of patterned paper from Sunny Studio to adhere on top of the blue. This patterned paper is from the Subtle Grey Tones pack, and it really is subtle.
I realized I hadn’t made any of my signature clusters in a while, and decided to pull out my die cut scraps of patterned paper and have a play. These patterned papers are from Sunny Studio (more from the subtle grey pack), Kaisercraft (light blue with dots), Papirdesign (dark blue with smaller dots) and Maja Design (pink floral), all die cut using a combination of the Happy Days Ticket Stubs die from XCut and the Fishtail Flag Frames dies from My Favorite Things. I used a mini paper doily from Doodlebug to mat my little clusters, and embellished with sequins from Pretty Pink Posh and Simon Says Stamp.
The sentiment is from the Coffee and Chocolate stamp set from hÄnglar & Wings, white heat embossed on a strip of the same color cardstock I used for the card front. I then die cut it using one of the dies in the Itty Bitty Banners die set from My Favorite Things.
The interactive element that I mentioned at the beginning of the post is actually the image. As you can see in this photo, it sits pretty high off the base. The reason for that is that it’s on an action wobble, so it’ll shake and move once you help it along a tiny bit.
Fairly simple color palette for this one.
When I first saw the
I just knew this bunny had to be digging for treasure somewhere and decided to pair it with the carrot cupcake. I colored my image with Copics, stamped and white heat embossed a sentiment from the Scripty Bday stamp set from Mama Elephant, before adding a fluffy tail from part of a ribbon from Papirdesign. I felt the soft pink worked with the rest of the image. I fussy cut around my colored piece leaving a thin white border and put it aside while I worked on the rest of the card.
Onto the card base, I stamped and white heat embossed the Happy Birthday background stamp from My Favorite Things, before ink blending in the center with a blender brush and Summer Splash ink, also from My Favorite Things.
Using a die from the Stitched Rectangle Scallop Edge Frames die set from My Favorite Things, I die cut 5 frames from white cardstock and stacked them for dimension. I covered a sheet of white cardstock with a double sided adhesive sheet from Altenew, before using the same frame die to die cut one more from that. I added it on top of my stacked frames, removed the release paper from the top and covered it with rock candy distress glitter from Ranger for a bit of sparkle.
I centered the frame on my card base and added my colored image in the center using foam tape. This card is fairly simple, and that tail totally steals the show.
How adorable is this little bunny holding a bouquet of flowers? I definitely used spring colors for this, and even went complementary with my Copics. I’m not really a fan of complementary colors, so I tend to stay away from them, but it worked for this card. Adding the green watercolor in the background helps too, that way the purple and yellow aren’t competing as much for the attention.
I die cut my finished panel using the largest die in the Wonky Stitched Rectangle STAX set from My Favorite Things. I then stamped and white heat embossed a sentiment from Huldra Designstudio right onto the green watercolor.
I adhered the panel onto a piece of Bright Buttercup cardstock from Papertrey Ink, and adhered that to a top fold white card base, also created using Papertrey Ink cardstock. They have the best cardstock!
To finish the card I added a few enamel dots from the Enchanted Garden pack from Altenew, and created shine and a tiny bit of dimension to the bunny’s eyes by first using a black glaze pen, then a white Gelly Roll 05 once the black was dry.
The eyes really shine. I love adding these tiny details, especially on cards that are this simple.
I love how happy this mouse looks riding that bike. Stacey Yacula has a way of creating characters that really come to life, I’m such a big fan of her style.
I stamped Anna, added a mask, then stamped the stone wall. Both were stamped with Extreme Black ink from My Favorite Things, which is a Copic friendly ink. I then used second generation stamping with the country side background, this time with Memento Espresso Truffle ink for a somewhat softer look.
I colored in my scene using Copics, then stamped and white heat embossed a sentiment from the
I used a white Gelly Roll 05 to create the white dot “flowers” in the background and added my panel to a top folding white card base I created. The finished card measures 6 x 4″.
This is a very mail friendly card. No embellishments, it’s almost one layer and sooo simple.
Quite a few Copics, but that usually happens with these full scene cards I create with Purple Onion stamps.
This is
I love no line coloring, and no line is perfect for an image like this, which has just enough detail to make it interesting, but it’s still large enough to get soft gradient in colors and not too fiddly.
Once I finished my coloring, I added my panel to a 4 bar card base I created from Stamper’s Select White cardstock from Papertrey Ink. I created some texture to the dandelion fluff by using my Quickie glue pen and sprinkling on Rock Candy Distress glitter.
I adhered scraps of a Doodlebug mini paper doily to opposite corners of the card to add to the soft, delicate look I was aiming for. Using Sour Apple ink from My Favorite Things, I stamped a sentiment from the
Very soft color palette.
These guys are from the
Onto the card base, I ink blended Fresh Leaf and Eastern Sky inks from Altenew to create a soft background that went from green to blue. I then added splatters of my sheer shimmer spray from Imagine. It’s not really visible in the photos, but in real life it adds a bit of sparkle.
I die cut three circle openings in a quarter piece of white cardstock and mounted it with foam tape to the card base.
I added foam tape to the back of my critters, popping each of them into the circle openings. I stamped and white heat embossed a sentiment from InkyWings onto a piece of Mushroom cardstock from Concord & 9th, mounted it on foam tape and added it to the card.
To finish off the card I added sequins from the Rosy Glow mix from Little Things from Lucy’s Cards.
Such a simple color palette for this one. Aside from the colors of the fur, which differ for each bunny, I used the same colors throughout.
I’ve colored this image before, but never using blue for his overalls. That feels crazy, but it’s also true. I obviously used blue this time, and gave him blond hair too. I stamped a sentiment from the Double Scoop of Cute stamp set from My Favorite Things, using Blue Beyond ink, also from My Favorite Things.
On the sides of the panel, I used a die from the Stitched Borders die set from Lawn Fawn to create a tiny bit of interest.
On a quarter piece of Blueberry cardstock from My Favorite Things, I repeatedly stamped the ice cream cones in the Double Scoop of Cute stamp set and white heat embossed them all. I adhered the blue panel to a card base and mounted my colored panel on top using foam tape.
To finish off the card I added three sequins from the Denim mix of sequins from Little Things from Lucy’s Cards. I tend to put my embellishments near the sentiment, it’s a good way to draw the eye to the sentiment.
It doesn’t get much cuter than a boy with a puppy. And I wish the temps were good enough for ice cream outdoors. We still have snow on the ground, it’s cold and there’s more snow in the forecast. I want summer, when’s it coming?
Lots of Copics despite a very limited color palette. It happens.
I colored the ice cream with my Copics, fussy cut it leaving a thin white border and put it aside while I worked on the rest of the card. Using the Watercolor Stripes stencil from Altenew, I ink blended stripes using Melon Berry ink from Papertrey Ink, going heavy handed at the bottom with a soft gradient toward the top of my A2 card base.
I used the Hand-Lettered Happy Birthday die from My Favorite Things to die cut the word happy from white cardstock from Papertrey Ink. I then did a little stamp surgery, by combining two sentiments in the Anything-but-Basic Birthday Wishes stamp set from My Favorite Things to stamp a sub sentiment to the lower part of the die cut word. I then stamped the same sentiment directly on my card base, still using Melon Berry Ink. I die cut two more of the happy to glue behind the stamped one, stacked all three together and adhered it to the card front, lining up the stamping on the die cut with the stamping on the card base. I then mounted the ice cream on foam squares, added a bit of Glossy Accents to the heart and some enamel dots from the Cool Summer Night pack from Altenew for a little bit of added interest and color.
Very limited color palette.
I stamped the wreath on a piece of Rustic Cream cardstock from Papertrey Ink, before coloring with pencils. Yes, you read that right, I broke out my Prismacolors and did pencil coloring. I don’t use my pencils very often. Copics are my “go to” coloring medium, but every now and then, I shake things up.
I fussy cut around the finished piece, leaving a white border along the edge and cutting the open part at the top right as if my colored panel was a circle. I didn’t want to cut away the interior, and this seemed faster, easier and better. I created a 4 1/4″ square card base and used the Caleidoscope embossing folder from Simon Says Stamp to create a little bit of texture in the background, before mounting the wreath on foam tape.
I stamped and white heat embossed a sentiment from the Mini Messages stamp set from Mama Elephant onto a piece of Cornflower cardstock from My Favorite Things, before using a nested circle die to turn it into a circle. I put a few foam squares behind it and adhered it to a part of the wreath where it wouldn’t cover up too many of the flowers.
To finish the card, I added a generous amount of Papirdesign pearls for some shine.