If you’ve followed my blog for a while you’ll know I’m a sucker for cute animals. So you can imagine how sad I feel at all the animal stamp sets that are on the Last Chance Lists. I say lists (plural) because not only are we saying goodbye to the 2023/2024 Annual Catalogue, but also the January to April 2023 Mini Catalogue too. Mind you I’ve combined them into a single PDF just to make life easier. So today’s birthday card features one of those retiring sets, Nuts About Squirrels.
TWO-STEP SQUIRRELS
This card is all about the squirrels and from the set I chose the outline and solid stamps for the standing one. Using Cajun Craze ink I stamped the squirrel outline in the bottom left corner on the front of a Very Vanilla Medium Envelope. Then I stamped the outline in the bottom left corner of a 4″ x 5-1/4″ piece of Very Vanilla Card. My third squirrel outline went in the bottom right corner of a 3-3/4″ x 5″ piece of Very Vanilla Card.
Next I coloured the three squirrels using the same Cajun Craze ink pad. However after inking up the solid stamp each time, I ‘stamped-off’ onto some scrap paper to remove a little of the ink. Then looking through the clear photopolymer stamp I lined up the image with the outline and stamped.
The smaller piece of Very Vanilla Card was going to be my main layer for the front of my card so I wanted to add a little more decoration. Going back to the Nuts About Squirrels Stamp Set I found the small branch image and stamped that on the left towards the top of the layer using Soft Suede ink. Then I found the solid leaf shape and stamped that three times using Parakeet Party ink. Finally I stamped the leaf vein image on each leaf using Granny Apple Green ink.
Before putting away the stamp set I just needed a sentiment and for that I chose the simple “Happy birthday”. Using Soft Suede ink once more I stamped my sentiment in the centre of a 1/2″ x 3-3/4″ strip of Very Vanilla Card.
SIMPLE LAYERING
Although the stamping was complete I still needed to cut some more card and assemble it all together.
For my card base I cut a 5-1/2″ x 8-1/2″ piece of Soft Suede Card. Then with the long side at the top I scored it at 4-1/4″, folded it along the scored line, and sharpened the crease with a Bone Folder. With that done I used Multipurpose Liquid Glue (Tombow) to fix the larger of the two Very Vanilla Layers on the inside.
Next I cut a 3-7/8″ x 5-1/8″ piece of Parakeet Party Card to add a bright pop of colour to the finished project. Using liquid glue I mounted the remaining Very Vanilla layer on top, before attaching the assembled piece to the card front with Stampin’ Dimensionals.
All that left was the sentiment and for that I cut two mat layers. I started with a 5/8″ x 3-3/4″ strip of Soft Suede Card and glued the sentiment on top. Then I cut a 3/4″ x 3-3/4″ strip of Parakeet Party Card and glued the layered sentiment onto that. Finally I fixed the assembled sentiment across the card front with Stampin’ Dimensionals and my final squirrel project was complete.
I’m really going to miss these guys, but while stocks last you can still give them a forever home. What do you say?
For some more squirrel projects see these earlier blog posts:
PRODUCT LIST
RETIRING PRODUCTS (only available while stocks last)
CONTINUING PRODUCTS (however prices of some of these will increase when the 2023/2024 Annual Catalogue goes live on May 2nd)
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