Brick & Mortar 3D Embossing Folder

Gnome With Heart Card

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.

Quiet Meadow in Fresh Freesia

Card made with Quiet Meadow Bundle in Fresh Freesia color.

In Color: Fresh Freesia, Part I

The Quiet Meadow Bundle speaks of beautiful flowers, and I paired it effortlessly with Fresh Freesia.

Fresh Freesia is one of the new 2021-2023 In Colors. And a lovelier soft purple could not have come along! This month, my In Color Club is exploring Fresh Freesia. For this card, we are pairing it with Gorgeous Grape and Granny Apple Green.

Quiet Meadow Focal Flower and Sentiment

First, I stamped my focal flower from the Quiet Meadow Stamp Set in Memento Black Ink on White Cardstock. Then, I used Stampin’ Blends in both Light and Dark Fresh Freesia, as well as Light Daffodil Delight to color it in. I punched the stamped flower out with a 1 3/4″ circle punch. For a backing circle, I punched a 2″ circle out of Gorgeous Grape Cardstock. If you don’t have circle punches, you can substitute circle dies.

Stampin' Blends to color the focal flower from Quiet Meadow Stamp Set

I stamped the sentiment “You’re too kind” from the Quiet Meadow Stamp Set in Gorgeous Grape on White Cardstock. After that, I die cut it with the border die from the Meadow Dies. This die has the cutest outline of stitching on it, with open scallops on each end.

Circle punches make easy work on this Fresh Freesia card.

Backgrounds: Stamped and Embossed

I enjoy making cards with lots of layers. For this Quiet Meadow Card in Fresh Freesia, I embossed a piece of light purple cardstock using the Brick & Mortar 3D Embossing Folder. For the next step, I brushed on some Fresh Freesia Ink with a Blending Brush. Lastly, I stamped some “splotches” from the Quiet Meadow Stamp Set in Gorgeous Grape Ink as an accent.

Using a Blending Brush with Fresh Freesia Ink

My stamped background piece brought a balance of Granny Apple Green to my card. I used the text words from the Quiet Meadow Stamp Set. For this stamping, I alternated a fully inked stamp with second and third generation stamping. This method uses all the ink up in three continuous “stampings” before inking the stamp again.

Background stamping in Granny Apple Green with the Quiet Meadow Stamp Set

Quiet Meadow Greenery

When you think about meadows, you may picture flowers and greenery! For this card, Granny Apple Green is our complimentary color. I die cut 2 of the fern-like dies from the Meadow Dies. To fill out my greenery, I did a little trimming of the die cut branches and fanned them out behind my focal flower circle assembly. I sponged just the tips in Granny Apple Green Ink using a Sponge Dauber.

Granny Apple Greenery from the Meadow Dies

Quiet Meadow Accent

To finish my card, I searched for some bling in Gorgeous Grape. The Pastel Pearls were perfect for this, both in size and soft sheen. I added 3 of them around the assembled card in a sweeping pattern. These pearls added just the right touch to complete this Quiet Meadow card in Fresh Freesia!

Pastel Pearls in Gorgeous Grape are perfect accents.

Quiet Meadow Additional Cards

I C.A.S.E.’d (copy and share everything) the Quiet Meadow card in Rich Razzleberry found on page 110 in the Stampin’ Up! 2021-2022 Annual Catalog. This card features Water Color Paper for the die cuts, and some Ink Refill coloring with Water Painters.

*My TIP is to place a drop of Ink Refill onto a Clear Acrylic Stamp Block. Add a squeeze of water from your Water Painter to dilute the ink and water-paint away! The clear blocks are super easy to clean up when you are done. I use a paper towel or baby wipe for this.

Quiet Meadow card in Rich Razz;ebrerry

And for more fun with color, I decided to try my hand at one in Balmy Blue too!

As you can see, the Quiet Meadow Bundle is perfect for making beautiful floral cards. Make sure you add this to your collection today! And be sure to add some Fresh Freesia supplies to your cart as well. You can never have too much purple.