Did you know I try to only use currently available products when making projects for my blog? That’s because I know how frustrating it is to fall in love with a product only to find I can’t actually get it for myself. So the other day I was checking availability of an Online Exclusive item, but while doing so I was reminded of the Christmas Gifting Kit. I’ve always loved the stag silhouette in that kit and decided to add the Nature’s Prints Stamp Set to create this striking bookmark.

BACKGROUND CHEAT!

Before I could get to the stag I needed to create a suitable background for the silhouette. So I began to look through my packs of Designer Series Paper (DSP). After a little searching came across the Earthen Elegance 12″ x 12″ DSP pack. In it I found a sheet that started with a bluey-green and gradually changed to a pale greyish colour. So I cut a 2″ x 5-1/2″ piece with the two colours roughtly half and half on the strip.

Next from the Christmas Gifting Kit I took one of the tags with the pop-out stag piece. I put the stag back in the kit for another day and just kept the tag with the stag-shaped hole. Then I placed it onto my DSP to act as a stencil and began filling in the image using a Sponge Dauber and Early Espresso ink. I gradually added more and more colour until the image was really dark.

Having removed the stencil I decided that while the silhouette itself was great, something wasn’t quite right. Of course it had no legs and my stag was apparently floating in midair! So I took a Blending Brush and added some more Early Espresso ink from the bottom of the stencilled area towards the bottom of the DSP strip. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great either.

NATURE’S PRINTS

It was then that I realised I needed context for my stag. After a little searching I found an image in the Nature’s Prints Stamp Set. It was a single stem with feathery leaves and tiny flowers (which I initially thought were berries). I started by stamping the image several times on each side of the stag using Old Olive ink. The image was a big improvement but not dark enough, so I stamped some more with Mossy Meadow ink.

Unfortunately I could still see my stag had no legs so next I took a Blending Brush and added some Mossy Meadow ink across the bottom. I also added some ink up the sides to blend in the greenery. That made a huge difference, although it still seemed a bit flat. So I went back to the stamp and added more foliage over the top but this time using Early Espresso ink. Finally my stag looked like he was naturally looking out of some bushes.

From there the rest of the project came together really quickly. I cut a 2-1/8″ x 5-7/8″ piece of Old Olive Card and added a hole at the top using the slot option on the Very Best Trio Punch. Then I added the stag layer using Multipurpose Liquid Glue (Tombow). Finally I cut three 6″ pieces of Very Vanilla Twine from the Baker’s Twine Essentials Pack. After folding the twine in half I poked the loops through the hole. Then I threaded the cut ends through the loops, pulled gently to secure them in place and I was done.

Oh my goodness I love how this bookmark turned out! I’ve no idea if the designer of the paper meant for it to be ‘sky’. In fact, looking more closely I wonder if it might be water on a beach. Today though it most definitely created the perfect backdrop for this imposing stag. I hope you like it as much as I do.

PRODUCT LIST

ONLINE EXCLUSIVES – The Christmas Gifting Kit is part of the Stampin’ Up! Online Exclusives range. These items are subject to availability and may be discontinued without warning.