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Sunday 12 March 2023

Snowy Cabin Christmas cards

Well, my snippets cards are appropriate with all the snowfall most of the UK has had this past week! I made eight cards in one go, over a few days and here are a couple of examples:

I used:

- white A6 card blanks, both side opening and tent style

- then got out my LOTV much loved blue 'Frosty Christmas' and 'Krafty Christmas' paper pads and hauled a load of snippets from the 'halved envelopes' that I pop into the backs of all my paper pads to store snippets

- covered the fronts of all the cards with papers from one or other of the paper pads and, as I expected, most of them were snippets

- die cut the circular scene from a white snippet (I found a load of these whilst looking for the A6 cards) - using a Memory Box 'Snowy Cabin Circle' die

- backed the die cuts with 'snowy' patterned LOTV papers to tone with the background papers I'd added to the card fronts. I die cut them using a Tonic Studios circle die and then glued to the back of the circular scene before reinforcing with a further white card die cut circle

- some parts of the cabin had fully popped out when being die cut, so I added contrasting die cut snippets back into the outline - all still from the same two paper pads 

- coloured the cabin windows (which hadn't popped out - hooray!) with a yellow Polychromos pencil. I would NOT have fancied inlaying those - or even backing the window frames with half inch or less square yellow snippets

- the sentiments were both from a lovely set of NBUS stamps by Creative Expressions called 'Festive Wishes'. Some were stamped onto the 'snow' itself and some were stamped onto circles of white card which had been die cut using a The Works die from a set called 'Circle Stitches'. The inks I used are Brilliance Dewdrop 'Pearlescent Beige' and Hero Hues 'Granite'

- then added all the die cut and sentiment circles onto the card fronts using thin sticky pads

- final touch to the cards with the circular sentiments was to add a few self-adhesive clear Memory Box 'Fairy Drops' to the bottom left corner for a bit of balance

Would I make eight almost the same in one go using the Snowy Cabin die ever again? Probably yes - but I'd simplify the layers/design/process for sure!

One thing I did try for the first time was a tip I picked up from Jennifer McGuire which is to make a 'jig' when stamping repeatedly onto the same die cut shape - for both the cabin circle and the sentiment circle. It's hard to explain without a video but here goes:

- I wanted three sentiments all the same, using the same stamp on the small die cut circles and opted to die cut and then stamp afterwards - for a sentiment on a circle you can do it either way - but I was also facing stamping onto five of the circular scenes later on

- to make the 'jig' I hopped around from one foot to the other and did a merry dance took a piece of spare card (another snippet) and die cut then removed the stitched circle

- popped the spare piece of card with the die cut circular aperture into my small Misti, held it in place with a magnet, then slipped a snippet of copy paper underneath the hole before lining up the 'Cosy Christmas Wishes' sentiment stamp in the aperture, and picking it up with the Misti lid

- for reassurance I then did a test stamp onto the piece of paper - spot on as well!

- then, one by one, I just popped die cut circles into the aperture, re-inked the stamp on the lid, made sure the 'jig' was still seated into the corner (even with a magnet bar I now always double check) and stamped them - one after the other 

Here's the 'jig' set up with a die cut circle in place ready to stamp - using the stamp which is in position on the lid. Another time I would perhaps use a piece of contrasting card when creating the jig but the white obviously did the job:

Flushed with success - I then stamped the sentiments onto the die cut cabin scenes in the same way. Just used the plain die to cut the bigger aperture, popped the complete scene in place, lined the sentiment up where I wanted it and followed the same process as I did for the small circular sentiments. I added a little pencil mark to the outside of the aperture so I could line up the smoke every time to make sure the sentiment was stamped straight.  

I would like to enter the top one of the cards into Darnell's NBUS Challenge #48 as it was a first outing for both the 'Snowy Cabin' die and the 'Festive Wishes' sentiments stamp set. 

Dudley Pupdate: We had 'zoomies' from Dudley around the back garden mid-week, once he got used to 4" of snow. His little legs looked so short, no piccies or video sorry to say -  but he did race around in pure joy, as always.

We did have a laugh earlier this week, decided to try once again to hide the pretty gross (albeit not smelly, thank goodness) 'Honka Duck' ...... when Dudley was totally elsewhere in the house.

I was at my desk in the craft room when he bounded back upstairs - and both of us - Len in his study and me with one eye open for 'the wee beastie' - kept our heads down. Within less than a couple of minutes of him looking for that flipping duck, if that - I spotted Dudley out of the corner of my eye.

AND, I also saw the 'evil Havi look'! He was stood like a statue on a bottom corner of our bed rather like an angry 'moon gazing hare' - literally glaring upwards. At the exact place in a built in wardrobe, where horrible, chewed old Honka, his most loved treasure, was hidden on a high shelf! He truly was absolutely furious and he just KNEW where Honka was! Amazing sense of smell and I think this is one battle we've lost! 

Sometimes I wonder who is the 'boss' here - don't answer that, we already know that it has four legs and a fluffy tail!

Remember that we're halfway through Sarn's Challenge #449 and the latest picks and prize winner are over HERE on the Snippets Playground!

Love, as always, Dudley and yours truly xxx




18 comments:

  1. Lovely cards Di - and great use of the jig technique. Try putting Honka in a plastic bag with some perfume or essential oil on to mask the smell.
    Blessings
    Maxine

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    1. How strange Maxine, l woke up thinking about the plastic bag idea this morning! x

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  2. Nature certainly provided perfect inspiration for these two Di, really pretty in the soft colours.

    I would never have doubted who was boss of the house, been there and too many tee shirts.

    B x

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  3. What a difference a color can make! The same house in 2 settings: wonderful!
    Lia xx

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  4. Those are two pretty Christmas cards with the snowy scenes. Great tips for stamping multiples too! Good luck with stinky honka duck - we all know who's the boss :)

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  5. Chuckling at Dudley quietly fuming at you and Len and also thinking of him running around the garden at 100mph in snow! If it wasn't for his peach ears, you wouldn't be able to see him!

    Two super Christmas cards and thanks for the jig info which sounds very useful. Congrats on getting 8 more cards ready for December too. You have more patience than I do! xxx

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  6. Two wonderful cards, Di. I still have some of the LOTV Frosty Christmas paper, no full sheets, just snippets. Perhaps I'll get them out for my next snippets card....although it will seem like the end of an era when they are all gone. lol
    Thanks for the info about the jig, a really clever idea for stamping on a small die cut.
    PS I think we all know who is the boss in your house..... and it isn't you or Len! 🤣 xx

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  7. Two lovely cards Di and a great idea about the jig. Dudley is so funny and their sense of smell is amazing too x

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  8. Two gorgeous cards Di, they go with the snow fall we've had this week perfectly. I'm so glad it's gone now.

    Sue xx

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  9. Both of your cards Di are adorable lol Dudley definitely rules the waves in your house xx

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  10. Your posts are always a joy to read and this one is no exception with useful hints and tips, Dudley stories and of course pictures of your super Christmas cards - eight of them, no less. Well done.

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  11. Dudley would make a great search and rescue dog! And I can just imagine him zooming around the snowy garden in pure joy! I'm impressed that you made eight awesome Christmas cards, Di! I've done that jig bit, too, when batching and I ask myself whatever did we do before the MISTI?! You did a brilliant job of explaining it! Thank you for inspiring everyone at NBUS! Hugs, Darnell

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  12. Love your snowy cabins, you can tell they’re warm and snuggly inside. Your stories are so funny, you’ll have to train him to find your glasses/keys/purse or anything else you mislay around the house (or is that just me?) 😂😂. I recently did the same but didn’t know it’s known as a jig! Xxx

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  13. Fabulous cards, Di! Great tip about the jig to stamp on little pieces, so useful!
    You can’t hide anything from glorious Dudley’s sense of smell, you poor humans! :D LOL And yes, HE is the landlord, obviously! :D :D
    Hugs to you and a happy five to the boss! :)

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  14. You have been super busy with your Christmas makes Di and very pretty they are too, and the jig idea using a stamp positioner makes life much easier when batch making. Dudley is a very perceptive and determined little dog and knows exactly what he wants and I think, mostly gets it...lol. x

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  15. Lovely snowy scenes Di and well done on making a start on Christmas! I think the process you're describing is something I stumbled upon in January when stamping and die cutting a large number of the same image - Placecards and Placement! What did we ever do without stamping platforms?

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  16. These are fab Di, such a cosy looking little cottage! I never really enjoy making duplicates of cards, after the first couple I'm thinking Urgh why did I start this!

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  17. Two lovely cards Di. Missed the snow here - but had our own in the Arctic!

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