So after yesterday’s gorgeous new Designer Series Paper, today I have a sneak peek of a new stamp set for you. After seeing the large bird image, Happy Holly-Days had to be on my wish list and I couldn’t wait to ink it up. I actually have a lot of ideas for this set but today I wanted to keep things fairly simple.

SWEET ROBIN

I began my project with a 3-1/4″ x 5-1/4″ piece of Very Vanilla Card. I’d decided on neutral tones so chose Soft Suede ink for all my stamping.

Taking the bird image I stamped him over towards the left on my Very Vanilla piece, and then onto a Full-Adhesive Post-It® Note. Next I cut out the Post-It Note to create a bird-shaped mask and placed it over the bird on the card. Finally I used a Blending Brush to add some Balmy Blue ink around the bird.

Once the blue was done I removed the mask to reveal the stamped image and began to colour him using Stampin’ Blends alcohol markers. I wanted my bird to be an English robin and so began with light and dark Real Red on his breast. Then I used the light Soft Suede to blend the red in with the rest of the body and face. Over the wings I added some areas of dark Soft Suede and used the light Soft Suede again to blend it all in.

With the robin now complete I went back to the Happy Holly-Days Stamp set for a sentiment. In the end I chose “Wishing your family health & happiness throughout the coming year”. Then, after stamping the sentiment in the space beside the robin with Soft Suede ink, I set the piece aside.

NEUTRALS BACKGROUND

Now all I needed was a card base and a neutral background. I started by using my Paper Trimmer to cut and score some Soft Suede Card. Then I folded it along the scored line and sharpened the crease with a Bone Folder.

Next I chose the plaid design in Soft Suede from the Neutrals 6″ x 6″ Designer Series Paper (DSP) Assortment. I cut my first piece 2-1/4″ x 6″ and fixed it to the flap of a Very Vanilla Medium Envelope with Multipurpose Liquid Glue (Tombow). Then I trimmed off the excess with Paper Snips, using the edge of the flap as a guide.

I cut a second piece of the DSP 3/4″ x 5-1/4″ and glued that along the bottom of a 4″ x 5-1/4″ layer of Very Vanilla Card. Then I used it to line the inside of the card base.

Finally I cut 1″ x 5-1/4″ piece of the DSP and fixed the robin layer to one edge so just a 3/4″ strip of the DSP was showing. Then I wrapped some Very Vanilla twine from the Baker’s Twine Essentials Pack around the join and tied it in a simple bow. I added a Mini Glue Dot behind the knot just to keep the bow in place.

Now the layers were assembled I used more liquid glue to attach them to the front of the card base. In next to no time my project was complete.

I have to say I love how this card turned out. The robin was simple to do and the soft blue really makes him stand out. I have a feeling I’ll be doing a little bird research as I know I’ll want to use him on projects year-round. What do you think?

HAPPY HOLLY-DAYS

The Happy Holly-Days stamp set is really sweet and as well as the bird there’s also a lovely holly image too. In addition there’s six sentiments plus a dotted border stamp to round off the set. I love the size of the sentiments and the combination of fonts used, crisp and clean is always a bonus.

I wonder if the Happy Holly-Days Stamp set will make it onto your wish list? Let me know what you think in the comments below.

Tomorrow I’ll have another sneak peek, but this time featuring free products from the new Sale-A-Bration promotion. I hope you’ll come back and check it out.

PRODUCT LIST

BUNDLE BONUS – The Happy Holly-Days Stamp Set is available by itself or as part of a bundle with the Holly Border Punch (not used today). Buying both items together using a single ‘bundle’ item number will save you 10% off the cost of buying the two items separately. I’ve included a link to the bundle in case you want to explore that option.