Online Card Class - 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.

Gnome One Better Card

January 24, 2023

Gnome Card 1, using the Friendly Gnomes Stamp Set, gnome with flowers in his beard.

Friendly Gnomes Card Class, Card 1

Welcome to another weekly Card Class From ME! This time, I am featuring the Friendly Gnomes Stamp Set and Coordinating Gnomes Dies. I find it amazing that Stampin’ Up! was able to bring the Gnomes Dies back for another set of adorable gnome stamps!

In fact, I compared both stamp sets, the retired Kindest Gnomes (red rubber cling style), to the current Friendly Gnomes (photopolymer style) during my class. Watch the video here.

While there are 4 dies designed to cut out gnome shapes, there are only 3 gnome shapes in the current Friendly Gnomes Stamp Set. Each gnome has unique qualities (like our gnome with flowers in his beard!) and gives us a lot of cute options to work with.

Friendly Gnomes Stamp Set and Gnomes Dies.

Floating Eclipse Technique

While I like to pack my card kits with lots of cool elements for you, the Floating Eclipse Technique is something new to me. I thought these funky die cut circles would be the perfect backdrop for one of my gnome cards.

To begin, cut a piece of Vellum a little larger than your intended die cut. I used the biggest circle die from the Stylish Shapes Dies. I adore anything with a stitched edge!

Next, adhere strips of designer series paper, a half inch thick, to the Vellum. Be sure to leave a little space in between your dsp rows. Lastly, die cut your shape. This results in the look of “floating” dsp as the Vellum base fades into the background.

Get To Gnome Your Card Kit

Let’s break down what your first gnome card kit holds in store, besides the awesome eclipse die cut circles.

Flowers & More Host DSP

This isn’t the first card class I have used this fabulous designer series paper, Flowers & More, on (see my previous card class here). I thought the bright and fun patterns in this paper pack would be perfect for my gnome card. Purple and posies just felt right for this gnome with flowers in his beard.

Painted Texture Embossing Folder

I love adding an embossed piece to my card fronts. It is quick and easy, and provides great texture too. For this card from my Friendly Gnomes Card Class, I chose the Painted Texture 3D Embossing Folder. I didn’t want something too detailed or specific in pattern to compete with my flower dsp.

And by embossing with White Cardstock, it helps to provide a neutral spot for the background of what could quickly become a very busy card front.

The Star Of The Card, Our Friendly Gnome

With 3 different gnomes to choose from, how did I arrive at the gnome on this card? That was pretty easy! With my flower theme paper, I simply picked the gnome with flowers in his beard.

My favorite way to color stamped images, like this friendly gnome, is with Stampin’ Blends. Make sure you stamp you image in Memento Black Ink first, and add the color with a protected background behind it (like scrap paper), as the oil-based ink will bleed thru the paper.

Here is the color palette I used for my gnome:

HAT: Calypso Coral (Light and Dark)

SKIN: SU 800

BEARD: SU 200

FLOWERS: Light Daffodil Delight, Light Calypso Coral

SLEEVES: Dark Daffodil Delight

PANTS/SHOES: Dark Old Olive

Get Your Friendly Gnomes Card Class From ME

Friendly Gnomes Card Class

January 23, 2023

Welcome to your weekly Card Class From ME! This week, I am using the adorable Friendly Gnomes Stamp Set. And lucky for us, the Gnomes Dies (from the July-December 2022 Mini Catalog) are still available to purchase and work great with the newest gnome stamp images.

Friendly Gnomes Stamp Set

I have to admit, although Gnomes are a huge fad right now, they are not my favorite thing. Now, don’t get me wrong…I don’t dislike them. I am just not “over the moon” for them like their biggest fans are.

But I do know many people who love the gnomes! And when we are creating our cards and projects, we are usually making them for someone else, not ourselves. So it stands to reason that I would work with the Friendly Gnomes Stamp Set so that I can make gnome lovers happy!

INSIDER TIP: Here is another secret about my “gnome” card class…you can easily substitute other focal images for the gnomes and still have the most amazing cards! Make sure you tune in for all my cardmaking tips and tricks.

Live Card Making Class On Monday

Every Monday at 8pm EST, I am live with your weekly card making class on my FaceBook page, The Maine Stamper. I create 3 beautiful cards and share tips and techniques along the way. This class serves as your tutorial when you receive your card kits in the mail and need to put them together.

Get Your Card Kits For Free

Card kits from the Friendly Gnomes Card Class.

Yes, FREE. You will receive 2 each of 3 card designs (for a total of 6 card kits!) when you place an order of $35+ (before tax and shipping) in my online stamping store using Host Code DYA7BFBR thru January 27, 2023. The card kits will be mailed on the Monday following the live class.

Want more details about what is in these kits? Check my blog post here for more info.

Get Your Embellishments For FREE Too

When you bump your order to $50 (before tax and shipping), I will send you the card kits AND a FREE pack of the embellishments ($8 value) I used on my cards. For the Friendly Gnomes Card Class, I used the Fun Flowers Resin Shapes. These fun adhesive-backed embellishments come in 5 colors: Calypso Coral, Crushed Curry, Fresh Freesia, Starry Sky and Parakeet Party.

Fun Flowers Resin Shapes Embellishments for the Friendly Gnomes Card Class.

Your Card Class From ME Awaits

The Friendly Gnomes Card Class will be featured during my FaceBook Live on Monday, January 23 at 8pm EST. I hope you join me to see how easy it is to put your card kits together. If you miss the live, catch the replay on FaceBook or my YouTube Channel, The Maine Stamper.

I look forward to getting your weekly card kits from Maine in the mail to you. And I know you will be looking forward to receiving them and creating gorgeous works of paper crafted art!

Something Fancy Thanks & Hello Cards

January 19, 2023

2 cards made with the Something Fancy Bundle.

Something Fancy To Say

It’s time for a couple more Something Fancy Cards! For the last card in my weekly Card Class From ME, I finished using the Something Fancy Bundle with 2 themes in mind. One is “hello”. The other is “thanks”. Both are great reasons to send a card!

If you missed the other awesome cards in this week’s Something Fancy class, click here to see one.

Double Duty Embossing Folders

The thanks and hello in the background of my cards are actually embossed. I did this courtesy of the Thanks & Hello Embossing Folder 2 pack. These folders are small in stature, measuring just over 6″ long and @3.5″ wide.

Due to the layout of the words “thanks” on one folder and “hello” on the other, all in multiple languages and fonts, you will want to use these embossing folders in the landscape orientation.

Very Fancy Background Layers

I embossed white cardstock with the Thanks & Hello Embossing Folders for my cards. This way, I was able to add some ink color with a Blending Brush to highlight some of the words. It also brought out the color scheme for each card as well.

I continued my use of the Flowers & More Host Designer Series Paper pack, similar to the first 2 cards from this class. For these cards using the Something Fancy Bundle, I chose 2 patterns in 2 completely different colors: Fresh Freesia and Pale Papaya.

Both my Stylish Shapes Dies cardstock circle and the Something Fancy Dies sentiment assembly reinforce my chosen colors in purple and peach.

Something Fancy To Finish With

Fancy Sentiments

There are so many great choices in the Something Fancy Dies, it really is easy to pick a couple to layer together for your sentiment. I decided to heat emboss each sentiment from the Something Fancy Stamp Set with White Embossing Powder on color cardstock.

Because my colors are soft and pastel in nature, white embossing isn’t the boldest choice. To adjust my sentiments so that they were easier to read, I added like-color ink to each die cut. The embossed sentiment resists the added ink, while the cardstock surrounding it deepens in color.

Fancy Embellishments

No card is complete without a little ribbon or bling. Since Fresh Freesia and Pale Papaya are both In Colors, there are matching styles of ribbon available in each color. I folded over my Open Weave Ribbon instead of creating a swoosh or a bow.

And lastly, I added something fancy in the way of Pearl Basic Jewels. The pearls made an appearance on each of my cards from this week’s Card Class From ME!

Get Your Something Fancy Card Class From ME

If you think my Something Fancy cards are amazing and would love to create these same cards at home, I have just the thing. My weekly card classes feature not only a live assembly demonstration (video replay available to watch anytime after!), I also offer card kits with PDF card recipes, mailed to you from ME.

You can learn more about how my weekly card classes are structured by clicking here. The order process to qualify for the FREE card kits (6 total, 2 each of 3 designs) closes at end of day on Fridays. Missed this class? Come back to see my next one, new every week!

Something Fancy Birthday Card

January 18, 2023

Something Fancy Card Class, Card 2

As my Something Fancy Card Class continues, I am turning to vibrant, bold and more masculine colors. Each of the cards in this series uses the Something Fancy Stamp Set and Something Fancy Dies.

This card really is the opposite of my first card in this class. To see something in floral purples and pinks using the Something Fancy Bundle, click here.

Some Pretty Fancy Colors

Just like my first card in this weekly card class, I am continuing to use the Flowers & More Host Designer Series Paper pack. This card is clearly the “more” in this huge collection of lovely 12 x12″ papers.

When I chose the designer paper to use for this masculine themed card, I also picked the color palette to match. That is one of the best things about Stampin’ Up!: color coordination is so easy!

I started with a Starry Sky card base, and layered in Parakeet Party, Basic Black and Tahitian Tide.

Layering Diorama Dies

I have to admit, it took me a long time to even want to purchase the Layering Diorama Dies. At first, I was not a fan of the unusual blob-like shape. But, after seeing some amazing samples being made with these dies, I decided I had to have them, too!

I die cut my Basic Black layer first. Next, I ran my die cut piece thru my Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine using the brand new Cane Weave 3D Embossing Folder.

PRO TIP: die cut first and emboss second.

Some Fancy Black Pearls

The Pearl Basic Jewels come in white. But sometimes, you want something other than white to use as an embellishment. This is where a little creativity comes into play!

Did you know the pearls can be colored? One way to do so is to use any color Sharpie marker you have. This ink will transfer permanently and dry true to new color. Another option is to use the Stampin’ Blends.

PRO TIPS: color the pearls on their original sheet; circle around the bottom for complete coverage; let the ink dry for a few moments before using the newly colored pearl on your project.

A Fancy Belated Birthday Greeting

Sentiment options for the Something Fancy Birthday Card.

It is easy to find a sentiment in the Something Fancy Stamp Set! Likewise, it is easy to find dies in the Something Fancy Dies to use with your sentiment. What is difficult is actually deciding what color inks, cardstock and layering dies you want for your card.

I actually made up 4 different combinations of my sentiment before I made up my mind for the finished card. The picture above shows all the directions I was creatively going in!

Get Your Something Fancy Card Class From ME

This is just one more 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 Something Fancy Bundle as this week goes on, so be sure to check back here or follow me, The Maine Stamper, on FaceBook.