Gnome For The Holidays – Not Just for Christmas. If you caught my #Simplestamping Saturday post you will know that, in the days leading up to the release of the new August to December Mini Catalogue, I am taking a look at some of the new products to see if they are only for Christmas. Today I am looking at Gnome for the Holidays. I bought this set for a couple reasons. Firstly it is not a set the I would instantly buy (I am not a Gnome fan), and second I could see the potential for making ‘Not just for Christmas’ projects with it. So here we go…….
Gnome for Christmas
Let’s start with the Christmas version of my project. I chose bright traditional Christmas colours. Poppy Parade and Granny Apple Green are both really bright, but they play well together.
I had such fun pulling the sets of Stampin’ Blends I wanted. Adult colouring is so relaxing. I fussy cut all the images and then ran light Gray Granite around all the edges. This has 2 benefits. Firstly, if you didn’t ‘colour inside the lines’ it does a fantastic job of covering that up. Secondly, and for me this is more important, it somehow makes the images ‘pop’ and disguises that they are cut out. I don’t understand why, but I do know it works.
Having fussy cut and coloured all the pieces, when I started to put the card together it just didn’t seem to be falling into place as I had expected. Then I realised it was because nothing was ‘grounded’. The solution for the figures was simple. Add some Light Crumb Cake under the image, to act as a shadow. This was not going to work for the tree, so I simply extended the coloured area onto the mat. Just what I needed to do!
The finishing touches were some new gems and, what is becoming a real favourite, Shimmery Crystal Effects on the lights both on the tree and the lady Gnome’s hat.
You’re a Friend Like Gnome Other
Taking Christmas out of the stamps was actually quite simple. First I inked up the stamp with the brush tip end of a Basic Black Stampin’ Write marker. This has water based ink, so is perfect to use with Stampin’ Blends, and is available on its own. Using the marker means you can avoid inking any ‘Christmas’ elements, such as the snowflakes on one of the Gnome’s hats, the bauble and mistletoe in their hands and, a real feature, the lights on the tree house. Any gaps in the image can can be filled in with the narrow end of the marker.
It was using the narrow end of the marker that allowed me to extend the tree a little. Taking out the lights meant the leaves suddenly became a feature, but an unfinished one. I simply drew in the full leaves and extended the tree truck.
Taking away the snowflakes from the Gnome’s hat left it very plain. Rather than draw anything in, I decided to use the space for an ombre effect. I would never have guessed that Balmy Blue and Misty Moonlight are a match made in heaven for this. This is one reason why Adult Colouring is such fun.
Video Tutorial Time
In today’s video you will find quite a few hints and tips for colouring and fussy cutting, as well as my thoughts on ‘grounding’ individual elements. I hope you find these useful.
Have I Gone MAD?!
I am not going mad, I want you to have the very best deal available, and for orders that earn 2 Bonus Days Vouchers, that is NOT TO ORDER, but to try out the STARTER KIT!! For just £9 more, you will get up to £130 of products AND a discount on future orders until at least the end of January 2021!! Go on, you know it makes sense.
If joining is not for you, I would love you to try out my Customer Service. You have nothing to loose, but possibly everything to gain.
I pride myself on my Customer Service, so am always thrilled when someone chooses to shop with me so they can experience it for themselves. I also like to share as many products as possible with my customers, so, when you shop with me I split the Host Rewards between all of you if you use the HOST CODE.
But that that is not all. If you use the HOST CODE, you can also earn Sunflower Rewards. For every £30 you spend in any ONE order, you earn ONE reward. Earn 10 Rewards and you get to choose up to £30 of current (not discounted) product. Full details are on the Hostess Code Club Page. This month’s Host Code is:
QTSVZ2K3
If your order is over £150 (plus P&P), please don’t use the Hostess Code as you will get to pick your own rewards, but don’t worry, you will still become a VIP Member. But, even better, if your order is even close to £100, please, please DO NOT ORDER!! Please get the Starter Kit and save money on this order and every future order until at least the end of January 2021.
The Starter Kit is ALWAYS the best deal in the Catalogue! It is such amazing value at a total cost of just £99 (129€) for your choice of £130 (175€) of products (with no additional P&P)!
As a Member of this great Family, you get a minimum of 20% net discount on your future purchases. You also get income from sales you make to other people if you want to use this as a business. Win,Win Right?
Whether you are in the UK, France, Germany, The Netherlands or Austria, just click on the picture to join the Team. If you decide that being part of the Stampin’ Up! Family is not for you, then just stop buying and you will revert to being a customer. Easy, simple, no quibbles!
Dimensions
For International A4 Card
Standard A6 Cardbase
First Mat – 5-5/8 x 3-7/8” (14.4 x 10cm)
Second Mat – 5-1/2 x 3-3/4” (14.2 x 9.8cm)
For Letter Sized Card (8-1/2 x 11″)
Standard Card Base (half sheet folded in half to 4-1/4 x 5-1/2″)
First Mat – 4 x 5-1/4″
Second Mat – 5-1/8 x 3-7/8″
Nail Varnish Colours
Today’s Nail Colours are by Nails Inc. PLEASE NOTE, I get no commission from Nails Inc if you choose to shop from them using this link.
Leave a Reply