Have you seen the movie Groundhog Day? It’s the tale of a weatherman who gets to relive February 2nd (Groundhog Day) over and over again. Well today is Groundhog Day and we have a big winter storm coming through just like in the movie. So when thinking about today’s project I decided to remake an old one. Not just any project mind you, one from almost 4 years ago when the stamp set Hey, Chick! was originally released.

My old Stampin’ Up! blog is no longer active so I’ve also decided to include a little back story that I shared then too. This is what the illustrator, Lori Sume, had to say about her inspiration for the Hey, Chick! Stamp Set:

“When I was a child growing up in Canada, I remember some family friends who had little chickens that I thought were so cute. A couple of summers ago here in Utah, I stopped at a friend’s ranch and saw all their cute animals including their chickens. They had typical chickens but also another kind called Polish Frizzle Bantam White Chickens. I think they are so funny with all those feathers flopping around on the top of their heads and how they like to stare straight at you and cock their heads.

So when I was assigned to create the Hey, Chick! Stamp Set, I was so excited. I wanted to exaggerate the rounder chickens and really make them round, and I also really wanted to draw one of those funny chickens I saw at my friend’s ranch. It was a really fun set to create.”

CHICK IN A PEN

For the background of my original card I used some Designer Series Paper (DSP) that has long since retired. Mind you I wasn’t interested in DSP for the background, I wanted the All Wired Up background stamp.

Using my Stamparatus to help me, I stamped the large image onto a 4″ x 5-1/4″ layer of Very Vanilla Card using VersaMark ink. Next I sprinkled the sticky ink with Silver Stampin’ Emboss Powder and tapped off the excess. Then after removing a few stray specks, I melted the rest with my Heat Tool set on 2 (high).

I loved the effect of the silver ‘chicken wire’ and decided to use that as my coordinating feature. So I stamped and embossed the image on the flap of a Very Vanilla Medium Envelope too.

Then I took another 4″ x 5-1/4″ piece of Very Vanilla Card and masked off all but a 3/4″ strip down one long edge. Once covered I heat embossed the image on the remaining visible strip of this layer and set it aside.

Next I cut and scored some Thick Very Vanilla Card to create my card base. After folding it along the scored line I sharpened the crease with a Bone Folder. Then using Multipurpose Liquid Glue (Tombow) I added the layer with the embossed strip to the inside.

Turning back to embossed background piece I used liquid glue to mount it to a 4-1/8″ x 5-3/8″ layer of Basic Gray Card. Then I fixed the assembled layers onto the front of the card base.

HEY, CHICK!

Now I was ready for the Hey, Chick! Stamp Set. For my sentiment I chose “hey, chick!” and stamped it onto a 3-1/2″ x 5-1/4″ strip of Very Vanilla Card using Basic Gray ink. Then using liquid glue I mounted the strip onto a 5/8″ x 5-1/4″ piece of Basic Gray Card.

Finally I was ready for the chick with the tuft of feathers on her head. Using Basic Gray ink again I stamped her onto a 3″ x 3-1/2″ layer of Very Vanilla Card. Then using a Blending Brush I added some subtle colour around the image; Seaside Spray for the sky and Sahara Sand for the ground.

On my original card I ‘painted’ the chick with Crushed Curry and Pumpkin Pie ink. Today however I was able to choose Stampin’ Blends and selected Mango Melody and Pumpkin Pie. Once I’d finished colouring the image I glued it to a 3-1/8″ x 3-5/8″ layer of Basic Gray Card.

I was almost there but I still had to deal with the ‘grass’. On my original card I used envelope paper which is no longer available. I could have used plain card, but I felt that was probably a bit boring. So instead I turned to the Forever Greenery DSP and found a pattern that was distinctly grass-like. All I had to do was cut a 1-1/4″ x 5-1/4″ strip and with some herb scissors cut a series of slits along one of the long edges. Then with liquid glue I fixed it along the bottom edge of my chicken wire background leaving the fringe loose.

Next came the chicken panel and I used Stampin’ Dimensionals to add that to the card front.

Finally with more Stampin’ Dimensionals I layered the sentiment over the top and my project was complete.

POLISH FRIZZLE BANTAM WHITE?

OK so it was only after I created my card that I read that this chicken was a Polish Frizzle Bantam White. Interestingly enough I missed that fact four years ago too. Still she looks good in shades of yellow and orange though don’t you think?

Oh and in case you were interested here’s my original card from February 2017.

PRODUCT LIST

BUNDLE BONUS – Back in 2017 the Hey, Chick! Stamp Set was a free set offered during Sale-A-Bration. But from today the set has been re-released for sale along with all new coordinating Chick Dies. Because I already had the stamp set I’ve had to order the dies by themselves. However you can order the stamp set and dies using a single ‘bundle’ item number. This will save you 10% off the cost of buying the two items separately. I’ve included a link to the bundle if you want to explore this option.

Also released today are dies to coordinate with the Hey Birthday Chick Stamp Set from the January to June Mini Catalogue. For all the chicken options now available please visit the Hey Chick section of my online store.