Blending Brushes - The Maine Stamper

Gnome With Heart Card

January 25, 2023

Friendly Gnomes Card Class, Card 2

As my Friendly Gnomes Card Class continues, I am working with the gnome with a heart from the Friendly Gnomes Stamp Set. Did you miss the first card from my Gnomes Class? Click here to see it!

We are approaching Valentine’s Day, and hearts are on all of our minds right now.

But, I didn’t want this to be a red, pink or purple card…well, maybe a little purple. Instead of the traditional Valentine colors, I chose a different color palette altogether for my Friendly Gnomes card.

Brick Background

I love adding an embossed piece to the background of my card fronts. Embossing folders, like the Brick & Mortar 3D Embossing Folder I used on this Friendly Gnomes card, are an inexpensive way to add texture.

And, when you highlight the highs and lows left on the paper after embossing it with some ink, the most magical thing happens! Your card is now 100% unique. Even if you tried, you would not be able to add the same ink coverage on another card layer.

Watch my live demo for a comparison of the Large Blending Brushes and the brand new Small Blending Brushes! Get your 3 pack in my online store.

DESIGNER TIP: Use different color cardstock and ink to create a palette of bricks: White CS with Poppy Parade Ink; White CS with Sahara Sand Ink; Real Red CS with Cherry Cobbler Ink; or other combos in grays, reds, browns or more!

Butterfly Kisses Designer Series Paper

While I was looking for the perfect patterns to use on my Friendly Gnome cards, I knew I wanted bright and fun prints with flowers, hearts and butterflies. Perfect companions to friendly gnomes, wouldn’t you agree?

And the Butterfly Kisses Designer Series Paper was just what I needed! The splash of Calypso Coral flowers helped me draw on the color for my card base and brick embossed layer. And those adorable purple flowers in Fresh Freesia look a little like the purple hearts that I put on my card.

Speaking of hearts, there are even some built into the designer paper in the Butterfly Kisses pack. I chose one of those patterns for the Stylish Shapes stitched square die my gnome is placed on. Make sure you pay attention to this small print so you adhere it to your card front with the hearts going in the right direction.

A Gnome With Heart

This little gnome may be my favorite from the 3 different gnomes in the Friendly Gnome Stamp Set. Maybe it is his small stature (he is the shortest!), or the fact that his hat completely covers his face, other than his gnome nose! Perhaps it is that this gnome is holding a heart…

Regardless of his cuteness, this friendly gnome needed a little color after I die cut him using the coordinating Gnomes Dies. Just like the first card in my Friendly Gnomes Card Class, I pulled Stampin’ Blends in colors that complimented my cardstock and designer series paper.

Here is the color palette I used for my gnome:

HAT: Daffodil Delight (Light and Dark)

SKIN: SU 800

BEARD: SU 400

HEART: Fresh Freesia (Light and Dark)

SLEEVES/PANTS: Light Old Olive

SHOES: Dark Old Olive

Get Your Friendly Gnomes Card Class From ME

This is just one card in my featured class this week. If you would like to see the video from my online class, click this link . For more details on what is in this week’s class from Maine and how to get yours, click here.

I will be sharing more cards from the Friendly Gnomes Card Class, as well as my alternate cards and bonus cards, as this week goes on. Be sure to check back here or follow me, The Maine Stamper, on FaceBook for even more card making inspiration.

Peaceful Cabin In Pale Papaya

November 30, 2021

In Color: Pale Papaya, Part III

What a wonderful long color journey this has been! As I have explored the new 2021-2023 In Colors with you, we have covered 5 gorgeous colors over 5 months. And now we are down to the end…

This last In Color, Pale Papaya, is one I have struggled with. But I have to say, this card using the Peaceful Cabin Stamp Set in Pale Papaya, Old Olive and Balmy Blue is my favorite! I did not intend to save the best for last, but you can be the judge of that.

Peaceful Cabin Stamp Set

The Peaceful Cabin Stamp Set is just that. You have a cabin scene, some pine trees, a wooden fence and more. There are also 5 lovely sentiments, and all but one can be used year round. Because my chosen colors are not winter themed, I down-played the snowy scene aspect and made a card that spans different seasons.

I began by stamping the cabin stamp from the Peaceful Cabin Stamp Set in Early Espresso Ink onto Basic White Cardstock. You can see that the imagery here is lovely as is, or can be colored in to suit your needs.

Stamping the cabin stamp from Peaceful Cabin Stamp Set

Next, I stamped the same image onto a Post-It note. I made sure the top of the image was stamped along a sticky edge. Then, I cut this out with my Paper Snips, creating a “mask”.

Creating a cabin stamp mask with a Post-it note

And with my newly made mask, I covered over my original stamped cabin. This way, I could stamp my pine tree stamps from the Peaceful Cabin Stamp Set behind the cabin. I stamped the trees multiple times in Old Olive Ink to get good coverage, overlapping them slightly.

MAsking a stamped image to stamp another image behind it.

The Colors of a Peaceful Cabin Card

My pine trees needed a little more green after I was finished stamping them. I used a Blender Pen to shade more Old Olive Ink to fill them in. The majority of the color, Old Olive, comes from my pine trees on this card.

Using a Blender Pen to shade in the pine trees from the Peaceful Cabin Stamp Set

I decided to add background color for this card by way of Water Painters. One of my favorite methods is to use ink refill drops on clear acrylic blocks and adding water. I find that wetting the paper slightly with water before adding the ink color mix provides a great medium.

Creating a background with Water Painters and Ink Refill

When I was happy with background, I tore the top and bottom of the paper to create an interesting edge. Next, I used Blending Brushes to add Balmy Blue Ink to the top, and Old Olive Ink along the bottom.

Applying ink to the cardstock edges with Blending Brushes

Sentiments And Such

As I mentioned earlier, the Peaceful Cabin Stamp Set has some great sentiments in it. I chose the words “for you” for my card. After I inked up the stamp in Early Espresso Ink, I used it on a small scrap of Very Vanilla Cardstock. I then mounted my sentiment onto a scrap of Old Olive Cardstock and cut one side at an angle with my Paper Snips.

Using the sentiment "for you" from the Peaceful Cabin Stamp Set

Embellishments in a very specific color can be hard to come by…unless you make your own color! I did just that with the Elegant Faceted Gems. I added some color to the clear gems, using my Dark Pool Party Stamping Blend. Now, I know this card features Balmy Blue, but that shade was so light I needed something slightly darker. In the end, the color is still very opaque, and quite beautiful!

A little twine makes this card divine! I relied on the Baker’s Twine Essentials Pack (5 colors to choose from!). Because I am adding Very Vanilla to my card front, I chose the corresponding color twine. I wrapped it around my Peaceful Cabin scene and made a small knot in the front.

Creating a Peaceful Cabin Card

Pale Papaya is the main focus color for this card, so I created my card base using Pale Papaya Cardstock. To bring in more Balmy Blue, I chose a pattern from the Subtles Designer Series Assortments. Likewise, I added more Pale Papaya color using matching sized squares of 2021-2023 In Color Designer Series Paper. You can see that I layered my squares on Very Vanilla Cardstock.

My Peaceful Cabin Card front layers were so easy to assemble! Much of them went down flat, using Multipurpose Liquid Glue.

Assembled front layers of the Peaceful Cabin Card

I did add Stampin’ Dimensionals under my sentiment piece. I chose the mini version on purpose. In this way I could make sure my Baker’s Twine remained in between the dimensionals, so there was no issues with interference.

Adding the sentiment with Stampin' Dimensionals

The last thing I added to my card front was the pretty blue bling I created. I used my Take Your Pick Tool to lift the self-adhesive beauties onto my card. In symmetry, I used 3 smaller sized gems along the top, then 3 larger size gems along the bottom.

Adding Elegant Faceted Gems with the Take Your Pick Tool

My 2021-2023 In Color Tour

I hope you have enjoyed spending some time getting to know the new 2021-2023 In Colors with me! Each month we covered a different color and some coordinating combinations. And 1 out of 3 cards for every new In Color was a Christmas card. If you would like to see the Pale Papaya Christmas card, click here.

As always, products for the cards I create are available in my online stamping store. I showcased the Peaceful Cabin Stamp Set, but did you know there are also coordinating dies? The Cabin Dies and a Die Cutting Machine will help you cut the stamped images nicely, and the Peaceful Cabin Bundle will also save you 10%. I encourage you to check out any sales or specials when you shop…earn yourself some amazing deals. Your creativity is worth it!

Sweets & Treats In Polished Pink

August 25, 2021

Finished Cloche Shaker Dome Card using Sweets & Treats Stamp Set

In Color: Polished Pink, Part II

Sweets & Treats come in lots of fun colors. And there is no other color as fun as Polished Pink! As I continue to explore Stampin’ Up!’s new 2021-2023 In Colors, I am tickled pink.

Polished Pink is such a happy color shade. My last card showcased Polished Pink with Mango Melody and Mossy Meadow. To see that card, click here. Today, I have paired it with Coastal Cabana and Daffodil Delight…in an attempt to make a Sweet Treats card.

Sweets & Treats Stamp Set

The Sweets & Treats Stamp Set is found in the July-December 2021 Mini Catalog. But, don’t be fooled. The Sweets & Treats Stamp Set goes way beyond the holidays.

Sure, there is a Christmas pudding stamp, and a sentiment that proclaims “bring on Christmas”. However, Sweets & Treats are year-round delights. There is pie, a cupcake, and a candy apple. I say “yum!”.

Just Desserts

I started by stamping the cake stand and my dessert stamps using Memento Black Ink on Basic White Cardstock. Additionally, I made sure to leave enough room between images to fussy cut with my Paper Snips later.

Stamping dessert images in Memento Black Ink.

Next, I colored in my stamped images using a variety of Stampin’ Blends. Want to see how I organize my blends? Click here. I love the quick and easy way I am able to add instant color! I wasn’t sure if I wanted a cinnamon candy apple or a caramel apple, so I made one of each.

Colorful dessert images, courtesy of a variety of Stampin' Blends.

Delightful Dies

Although the Sweets & Treats Stamp Set is not bundled with the Cloche Dies, they do coordinate. And that is great value if you are also interested in the Classic Cloche Stamp Set. When you buy the Classic Cloche Bundle (the Classic Cloche Stamp Set and The Cloche Dies), you will save 10%. Then, you would have 2 stamp sets that work with the same dies.

Along with the Cloche Dies, I used the Stitched Rectangles Dies. On my Coastal Cabana Cardstock, I die cut my rectangle first. Next, I centered the cloche die for another run thru my Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine. Lastly, I used the next largest rectangle die on a piece of Polished Pink Cardstock.

Die cuts with the Cloche Dies and Stitched Rectangle Dies.

Cloche Shaker Domes

Sometimes it’s fun to shake things up! With the Cloche Shaker Domes, you can do just that. These adhesive backed plastic domes come in a set of 10. They line up perfectly in the cloche die cut area, and hold your sequins snugly.

I wanted my Sweets & Treats to be presented against a white background, but not too white. My Blending Brush helped me to sponge on a little Balmy Blue Ink for a glass like look.

Using Balmy Blue Ink and a Blending Brush to create a soft background.

After I prepped my background, I adhered my Sweets & Treats to it. First, I did a dry fit, to make sure each treat would fit in my cloche dome. Then I glued each piece down. Please be careful…I went a little too high, and had to make a correction by adding an extra top edge of the cake plate under my desserts.

My stamped desserts adhered to the background piece.

Sweets & Treats & Sequins

If you are looking for amazing sequins for your shaker card, look no further. The Sequins For Everything are the perfect rainbow of colors. You will find 3 different shades in green, metallic, orange and red.

Removing static with the Emboss Buddy, so the sequins don't clump together.

I prepped my background by removing some static using my retired Emboss Buddy. This will help to keep the sequins from clumping. It will also leave a dull powder that may diminish the shine of your coloring. In hindsight, I should have used a dry paintbrush to pull some of the powder off my stamped images. Another thing I wish I had done was run the Emboss Buddy around the Cloche Shaker Dome, as some of my sequins did stick along the edges.

After I attached the Cloche Shaker Dome to the backside of my Coastal Cabana Cardstock, I placed some sequins over my Sweets & Treats. Then, I removed the second protective backing from my dome and placed it over my desserts.

Getting ready to put the cloche dome over my sequins and desserts.

Sweet Sentiment

I had a sweet choice of sentiments to use on this Sweets & Treats card. Instead of using a complete sentiment, I chose to use a partial sentiment.

Masking a sentiment for a partial stamped image.

From ” A tasty treat for someone sweet”, I masked my stamp and inked only “for someone sweet”. I then removed the mask (a small post-it note) and stamped my image on a piece of Polished Pink Designer Series Paper.

Sweet Finishing Touches

I love lots of layers on my cards, and this one has plenty. I chose a Polished Pink card base. Then I added a white layer 4-1/8 x 5-3/8″, followed by Daffodil Delight Designer Series Paper 4 x 5-1/4″. My Polished Pink and Coastal Cabana stitched rectangles sit toward the bottom right. By design, this gave me room for my sentiment.

Keeping with the Polished Pink theme, I chose Open Weave Ribbon in that color. Over that, I added some retired Bermuda Bay ribbon. I attached each section of ribbon with Tear & Tape Adhesive.

A look at the ribbon assembly on the card. — The last thing I adhered to my card front was my sentiment. I trimmed the stamped paper down and added a pop of Daffodil Delight Cardstock behind it. Then, I placed Tear & Tape on it and attached it over the top of my ribbons.

Adding the sentiment over top of the ribbon using Tear & Tape Adhesive.

Sweets & Treats & Polished Pink

When I first contemplated using Polished Pink with Coastal Cabana and Daffodil Delight, I pictured something fun and sweet. I hope you will agree that this card pulls that off in spectacular fashion.

My finished card, with the Sweets & Treats Stamp Set and the Classic Cloche Stamp Set.

If you need any of the supplies I used on this card, please visit my online store for an easy shopping experience. And be sure to come back soon for my final Polished Pink card in this series. There are more wonderful color combinations to explore together!