Hello Gnomies! I have been busy playing with some of my new stamps and dies. The August-December 2020 Mini Catalog is stuffed with great ideas and products. And as always they coordinate so well with the products in the 2020-2021 Annual Catalog.

The top of my list is the Gnome for the Holidays stamp set. There are 3 cute little gnomes, a gnome tree stump, and several ‘gnomie’ phrases. 

FACTOID: Gnome is a mythological creature from Scandinavian folklore, also known as a tomte or nisse. Gnomes make the most thoughtful Christmas gift ever. They are solitary, mischievous domestic spirits and live in the house (or garden – LOL!), and secretly act as guardians to protect the farmstead and animals from evil and misfortune day and night!

One of my favorite cartoons to watch with the kids was The World of David the Gnome. I think there was only one season. There were lots of life lessons for all of us in that show. More on my obsession with gnomes as the week progresses… LOL!

You can order from the mini-catalog on August 4, 2020 or TODAY by JOINING Stampin’ Up! and becoming part of the Murray Stamps TEAM.

When playing with the gnomes, I had fun stamping and coloring them with different techniques. Today I am sharing my Woodland Gnome. Here he is wandering through the pines.

See how I incorporated the Rustic Retreat stamp set for the sentiment, the Birch background stamp and the die-cuts from Mountain Air bundle? I have the instructions all written out for you.

• Soft Suede cardstock: 4-1/4″ x 11″ scored at 5-1/2″
• Crumb Cake cardstock:
  • 3-1/2″ x 4-3/4″ for card panel
  • 3-1/2″ x 3/1/2″ for stamping gnome and sentiment
• Very Vanilla cardstock: 4″ x 5-1/4″ for message insert
• Mossy Meadow cardstock: 6″ x 4″ for die-cutting pines
• Cherry Cobbler cardstock: 3-5/8″ x 4-7/8″

Stamp the Good Morning Magnolia image onto the vellum panel using Basic Gray ink. The lines will be blurred by the Stampin’ Blends and the alcohol to create a faux watercolor effect.

Color the image starting with the lightest color. Use Dark Daffodil Delight for the center. Dip a fine-tip paintbrush into the rubbing alcohol and gently move the color. I added Champagne Shimmer Paint to my rubbing alcohol.

Next, color non-adjacent petals with Dark Flirty Flamingo. Gently blur the stamped line. Let dry and repeat on other petals. Do the same for the leaves. TIP: Blow into a straw to gently direct the ink flow in the desired direction.

Add a second layer of color after the image is dry. Repeat the process of alcohol painting and gently blowing the ink.

OPTIONAL: Pick up some clean rubbing alcohol with the paintbrush and flick it over the image. This will create small droplets that will lighten some areas by moving the color outward.

Adhere the vellum panel to the Basic White cardstock panel using Stampin’ Seal or a light amount of Multipurpose Liquid Glue. Add to Basic Black card base.

Stamp the sentiment in White Craft ink and heat emboss with with embossing powder. Trim to you liking. Add to card panel with small black Dimensionals.

Customize the message insert and the envelope with some flicks of color from the brush end of the Stampin’ Blends.

BACKGROUND

• Stamp Birch background on Crumb Cake cardstock using Early Espresso ink.
• Dip sponge wedge (or brush – link to the brushes I use are at the bottom of the supply lists) into Mossy Meadow ink and make a circle in the center of the Birch stamped panel. TIP: Use a light touch in a circular pattern radiating out from the center. It might work better for you if you lightly rubbed some of the ink off onto scrap cardstock (Mossy Meadow cardstock that will be used for die-cutting pines would be perfect) before adding to your project.

I rub ink off onto cardstock so that I can use the ‘inked’ piece for other projects, or the pines in the next step!

• Distress edges of the Birch stamped panel with Soft Suede ink. Apply the distressing a little heavier on the bottom of the panel. TIP: Always start distressing off your project to reduce the chance of ink splotches.
• Layer Birch stamped panel with the Cherry Cobbler panel.

TREES

• Die-cut 3 pine trees from the Mountain Air dies from Mossy Meadow cardstock.
• Pounce on a little Mossy Meadow or Soft Suede ink onto the pines for depth. HINT: Use the Mossy Meadow cardstock that was your scrap when distressing Birch Panel.

SENTIMENT

• Stamp the sentiment from the Rustic Retreat stamp set using Soft Suede ink onto Crumb Cake cardstock.
• Color ‘WARM CHRISTMAS’ with Real Red Watercolor pencil.
• Die-cut sentiment using Tasteful Labels die.
• Distress ink the edges of the die-cut sentiment with Soft Suede ink. TIP: There is usually enough ink on the sponge or brush for this step.

GNOME

• Stamp gnome onto Crumb Cake cardstock using Soft Suede ink.
• Color gnome with watercolor pencils. I used Crushed Curry, Real Red, Old Olive, Early Espresso, and Basic Gray. I VERY LIGHTLY added Real Red to the nose to ‘pink’ it up.
• Use the Stampin’ Chalk Marker to add some white lines to the beard, mustache, and mistletoe.
• Add Wink of Stella to hat, beard, and ornament. TIP: Wink of Stella acts like a watercolor brush. I left the center of each colored stripe on the hat un-Winked.
• Fussy cut the gnome. (And no, I do not have a machine, I do this all by hand with those AWESOME Paper Snips!)

ASSEMBLY

• Layer as shown.
• Use a little liquid glue on the center trunk of the trees to attach.
• Use Black Dimensionals behind gnome.
• Tie a bow with Linen Thread and attache with a rolled glue dot.
• Add a tree or stamped image to the message insert.
• Customize the envelope. I used the SUPER AWESOME new bundle Ornamental Envelopes (p40 of the mini-catalog)

THIS OFFER ENDS ON AUGUST 3RD. DON’T MISS OUT ON YOUR CHANCE FOR $5 BONUS BUCKS!

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SUPPLY LIST

Gnome For The Holidays Cling Stamp Set (English) – 153322

Price: $19.00

Rustic Retreat Cling Stamp Set – 150285

Price: $24.00

Majestic Mountain Dies – 151608

Price: $36.00

Tasteful Labels Dies – 152886

Price: $31.00

Birch Cling Stamp – 149256

Price: $17.00

Crumb Cake 8-1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock – 120953

Price: $8.75

Soft Suede 8-1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock – 115318

Price: $8.75

Cherry Cobbler 8-1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock – 119685

Price: $8.75

Mossy Meadow 8-1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock – 133676

Price: $8.75

Very Vanilla 8-1/2″ X 11″ Cardstock – 101650

Price: $9.75

Early Espresso Classic Stampin’ Pad – 147114

Price: $7.50

Soft Suede Classic Stampin’ Pad – 147115

Price: $7.50

Mossy Meadow Classic Stampin’ Pad – 147111

Price: $7.50

Watercolor Pencils – 141709

Price: $16.00

Watercolor Pencils Assortment 2 – 149014

Price: $12.50

Clear Wink Of Stella Glitter Brush – 141897

Price: $8.00

White Stampin’ Chalk Marker – 132133

Price: $3.50

Linen Thread – 104199

Price: $5.00

Ornamental Envelopes Bundle – 155168

Price: $47.50

Very Vanilla Medium Envelopes – 107300

Price: $7.50

Supply List

BASIC TOOLS

MY FAVORITE NON-STAMPIN’ UP! TOOL

I LOVE these blending brushes. To clean, just rub excess ink off onto cardstock or on a damp cloth until no more ink rubs off. You do not need to have a different one for each color. They clean easily. 

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