Have you ever had an idea that turned out even better than you imagined? It doesn’t happen to me very often but when it does I simply can’t wait to share it with you. What’s even more amazing is that it’s a masculine project which is notoriously challenging. So without any further delay, I bring you my sparkling trout gift tag.

CATCH OF THE DAY

I began the project with the tag base.

First I used my Big Shot and Magnetic Platform to cut a piece of Sahara Sand Card using the #4 (largest) of the circle dies in the Stitched Shapes Framelits. Then I punched a hole at the top using the oval hole option on the Detailed Trio Punch.

Next I used some Stampin’ Sponge to colour the surface of the tag with a layer of Bermuda Bay ink. Then around the outside I sponged some Blueberry Bushel ink over the top. Finally I stamped the small bubble/gravel image from the Best Catch Stamp Set at the bottom of the tag using Bermuda Bay ink.

I needed the bullrushes next, cut from Sahara Sand Card using the die from the Catch Of The Day Thinlits. To colour the leaves I used dark and light Olive Olive Stampin’ Blends. Then I coloured the bullrushes with the Bronze Stampin’ Blends.

With the colouring done I trimmed the bottom of the bullrushes to match the tag using the same circle die. Then I lined up the curve at the bottom of the bullrushes with the curve of the tag base, and fixed the two pieces together with Multipurpose Liquid Glue (Tombow).

Next I took the ‘For You, Dad’ sentiment from the Best Catch Stamp Set and inked it up with Blueberry Bushel Ink. I covered the comma and the word Dad with some sellotape and stamped the ‘For You’ onto Whisper White Card. Then using the Big Shot and Magnetic Platform I cut out the sentiment with the #1 (smallest) of the oval dies in the Stitched Shapes Framelits. Finally I attached the altered sentiment to the bottom of the tag with liquid glue.

SPARKLING TROUT

Now it was time for the star of the tag, my sparkling trout.

I began by mounting the trout stamp from the Best Catch Stamp Set onto my Stamparatus plate. Then using StazOn Jet Black ink I stamped the image onto a piece of Window Sheet.

TIP – Trying to stamp onto window sheet and similar surfaces is notoriously difficult as the stamp has a tendency to slide. Using a stamp positioning platform like the Stamparatus stops this from happening.

After stamping the image I turned the Window Sheet over so that I could colour the back of the trout using Stampin’ Blends. I began with dark Calypso Coral for his belly, Then I used light Bermuda Bay and finally dark Bermuda Bay for the back.

While the trout was drying I used the brush tip of the light Bermuda Bay Stampin’ Blends to colour a length of Whisper White Baker’s Twine. Then I set that aside to dry thoroughly.

Going back to the Big Shot I cut out the coloured trout using the coordinating die from the Catch Of The Day Thinlits. While I was there I also cut out a piece of Silver Glimmer Paper using the same die.

LANDING THAT FISH

To complete my tag I attached the coloured trout to the Glimmer Paper with Mini Glue Dots. Then I fixed the assembled piece to the front of the tag with Stampin’ Dimensionals.

Finally once I’d threaded the twine through the hole and tied it in a simple knot I was done

I can’t tell you how much I love this gift tag, and I don’t even fish. The colours, the sparkle, are even better in real life. I think I should make more of these to send with my customer thank you cards this month.

In case you missed them, here’s some of my previous blog posts featuring projects using the Best Catch Stamp Set and Catch Of The Day Thinlits Dies.

• What A Catch
• Fly Fisherman Timing

PRODUCT LIST

BUNDLE BONUS – I purchased the Best Catch Stamp Set and coordinating Catch Of The Day Thinlits Dies using the single bundle item number. That meant that I saved 10% off the cost of buying the two items separately. I’ve included both options in my product list so you can explore this in more detail if you wish.