Hello, Crafters.
When I bought the Welcome Easter Stamp Set, I did so for the three little animals but not for Easter. I think they are fabulous for new baby cards, or birthday cards for tots up to about three years old. The beauty of these animal images is that they are suitable for boys and girls just by changing the colours! The stamp set has a sentiment WELCOME TO THE WORLD LITTLE ONE which I tried to use but once I’d stamped and die-cut it, I thought it looked far too big!
This meant going through my stamp set reference folder to see which other stamp sets had a new baby sentiment. Out of the four sets I found, I chose the HELLO BABY sentiment which is in the So Sentimental Stamp Set. The matching die set is called Stitched So Sweetly, which includes some stitched scalloped-edged oblong dies plus four ornate stitched dies in varying sizes; I used the smallest die.
I started my card by stamping the bunny on a piece of Whisper White Cardstock (CS) using Tuxedo Black Memento Ink. I coloured her using my Stampin’ Blends as follows: Light & Dark Petal Pink, Light & Dark Smokey Slate, Light Pool Party, and the Colour Lifter. The first die I used to cut the image was the number 4 square die from the Stitched Shapes Dies, then I layered it on a Petal Pink CS, then a Whisper White CS scalloped squares from the Layering Squares Dies – nos 9 & 10.
I was planning to use a Designer Series Paper (DSP) from Magnolia Lane but when I laid my layered image on the two designs I’d chosen I decided I preferred it on a layer of Petal Pink CS. My next instinct told me to dry-emboss the Petal Pink CS layer but when I was looking at it to decide which embossing folder to use, I decided it didn’t need to be embossed! I think if I’d left off the embellishments the card would have been too plain but with them, it’s a very clean and simple card.
Next, I had to decide what to do with the sentiment! I love everything about it, especially the heart which I painted with the Dark Petal Pink, but it is small and I didn’t want it to look lost. I decided to go through my dies to find a lacy strip I could die-cut. My first choice was in the Lily Pad Dis but it didn’t look right so I decided to use the strap die from the All Dressed Up Dies which matches the Dressed to Impress Stamp Set.
The die cuts a strip that’s 6″ long x 3/8″ wide and has stitching that goes all around the four sides. I needed my piece to be 3¾” long but I didn’t want to lose the stitches at one end. The way I avoided this was to cut the first piece to measure 1 7/8″ and then I cut another piece that measured 1 7/8″ but from the other end. When I adhered the two pieces to my card with Dimensionals the cut edges met in the middle, and I covered the join by adding the sentiment!
My first final touch for the front of my card was to add a small Whisper White Baker’s Twine bow to the bunny. I wasn’t sure what to do about some gems but as I was going through my boxes I found some Frosted Flower Embellishments. After adding one either end of the sentiment, I put a small drop of Tombow in the flower centre and then popped a small Champagne Rhinestone Basic Jewels in each. I add Tombow because the gems don’t go right the way inside the flowers.
Inside the card, I added a layer of Whisper White CS and then a top layer of Petal Pink CS. I stamped another image of the bunny on a scrap of Whisper White CS using Memento Black Ink and then coloured it the same way as the bunny on the front of the card. As I had stamped on Whisper White CS and I was going to be adhering it onto Petal Pink CS, I fussy-cut the image. When I’d finished I touched up the white edges using my Basic Black Stampin’ Write Marker.
The only difficult bit of fussy cutting was the curl of hair on top of the bunny’s head. I decided to carefully cut around it leaving a small white edge. Then I painted over it with my black marker pen; with hindsight, it would have been better if I’d used Basic Grey because the black is too stark! But I can live with it! Each time I look at the sentiment on the front of the card, it reminds me of the hairband that some parents put on their very young babies!
I’m pleased with today’s card but let me know if you think the top Petal Pink CS layer should have been dry-embossed. I’m always interested to hear your feedback! I’m about to shoot off to Banstead this morning to meet up with Vicki for our monthly get together. We have talked for ages about making this a regular arrangement between us but one or other has always allowed something else to get in the way. So this year it’s a New Year’s Resolution!
That’s about it for today. I’ll look forward to being back with you tomorrow, and in the meantime, happy crafting.
JanB. xx
Cardstock Layer Sizes: Europe & South Pacific (A4) Card base 8¼” x 5¾” scored and folded at 4 1/8” First layer: 2 pieces 3 7/8” x 5½” Top layer: 2 pieces 3¾” x 5 3/8”
Cardstock Layer Sizes: North America (Letter-size) Card base 8½” x 5½” scored and folded at 4¼” First layer: 2 pieces 4” x 5¼” Top layer: 2 pieces 3 7/8” x 5 1/8”
Products used for this project: please click on any of the links to be taken to my 24/7 online Stampin’ Up! shop. The Hostess Code for February 2020 is TWEMK47B. Thank you. xx
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You asked for an opinion on embossing the top layer of this card. My opinion is: Not needed; you have the stitching on the top mat, scallops on the next two mats, I don’t see where any more is necessary.
Many thanks, Barbara. Yes, it was a genuine request and I appreciate your feedback, thank you. 💖 xx
This card is precious Jan. Love the colors and that bunny is adorable. TYFS