Nine ideas for Snowman Season

We are rapidly approaching Christmas – I know, right? This year has been so weird that some days I have to remind myself it’s November.

In preparation for the Big Day, I have been running craft sessions using the Snowman Season stamp set, after taking quick bookings in one day during the Flash Sale. I held three sessions – two short daytime events and a longer Saturday morning. 

Guests signed up for all three sessions, which included the stamp set and instructions so they could make the cards even if they couldn't attend. This is how I send out my kits – packed in plant-based biodegradable cello bags in boxes made from recycled card, held together with paper tape.  Just doing my bit to avoid plastic waste!

These sessions were popular both with the guests and with me; I cannot tell you how much easier it is to design projects when everyone has the same stamp set! Having said that, preparation coincided with my holiday in the Lake District so I inevitably turned to other talented crafters for inspiration.

So in one mega blog post, let’s take a look at the projects we made...

I love this one, which was heavily inspired by Mary Fish. I switched to the Evergreen Forest 3D Embossing Folder because it’s new and I love it. I cut my snowy hills with the Pine Woods Dies, although I expected the guests to cut them freehand. Sorry, ladies!

I coloured the images using ink pad lids and blender pens – my most-used method because I always have both on hand. But what about black? You can’t squeeze the Memento Tuxedo Black ink pad to get ink in the lid, so simply swipe the pad onto a clear block or other shiny surface and pick up your colour from there. Because it’s water-based, it will clean off easily.

Our second project for the first session was this little notecard which we stamped all over in Pool Party. A simple but fun design which I blatantly CASEd from Kim Quade.

The Saturday session saw us tackle five cards, starting with this cute little notecard. To get the shading behind the snowman, we just sponged directly onto the die-cut label (which I’d pre-cut using the Tasteful Labels dies), then the snowman is stamped separately, fussy-cut and popped up on Dimensionals. Yes, even his little twig arms! The sprigs are punched using the Sprig Punch – I wasn’t die-cutting that lot for 10 people, sorry!

More sponging for this card – I’m all about the sponging at the moment, have you noticed? For this one, we cut a snowy hill freehand from scrap paper (you can also tear it for a softer effect) and used it as a mask for sponging. You need a very light tough on the sponging here. The sky is also sponged, working from the corners inwards. 

I love this design, which is an almost direct copy of one by Laura Mackie. We named the snowmen Tom, Dick and Harry so I had a frame of reference when talking the ladies through this project. 

The trick here is to stamp the two right images (Dick and Harry) twice. Stamp them once on the background, along with Tom’s twig arms. Then trace the ground onto some scrap paper, cut this out and use as a mask for sponging the Pool Party. (My sponging is a little rough because I made this one on holiday and didn’t have my sponges with me so compromised using a tissue!)

Next stamp all three snowmen onto some Whisper White cardstock and cut them out. This means you can cut off those fiddly twig arms as they will be there on the background for you. Then you can add all the cut-out images to the card base, popping up for some dimension.

Another blatant copy here, this time of a project by Karina Chin. The only change I think I made was to use Feels Like Frost Designer Series Paper, which is SO versatile because of its white and silver side. This means you can sponge or brayer it in any colour to match your project. 

Just to mix things up a little, we made a snowman-free card simply by stamping and sponging onto some Whisper White cardstock and cutting it into three equal strips. Want to make this one quicker and easier? Use Designer Series Paper and a punched greeting label instead – you’ll have a batch of Christmas cards in no time!

 

This is one of my favourite cards of the sessions, with this cheery little snowman who looks like he’s practising his yoga and saluting the sun. Not a wise move for a snowman, if you ask me. To get an even flag, you can use one side of the Tailored Tag Punch, which I did here. 

Our final project was this snow globe-inspired card. I took inspiration from Bonnie O’Neill but changed things up a little as it seemed a shame not to use my Snow Globe Scenes dies. Working on the theory that if you’ve got it, use it, I mounted this onto a scalloped circle from the Layering Circles Dies, too. Cutting round the greeting freehand gives you an interesting shape – and it’s really easy to do, too.

I hope you’ve been inspired by these Snowman Season projects, many of which can be adapted to other images, too. 

If you’d like to order anything you see here, please visit my store and, if shopping in November 2020, please use the host code RMK743TS. The host code allows me to earn Stampin’ Rewards which I use to order thank you gifts for my online customers.

One pack of Designer Series Paper, one card design, two looks

Using the same basic card design and most of the same elements, I created two very different looks here to celebrate the male and female members of my Stampin' Up!® team. Yes, men can be demonstrators, too!

I decided to let the Designer Series Paper do the talking and pulled out the paper sampler that you can earn FREE as part of your Starter Kit if you join during Sale-a-Bration.

The feminine cards use the Best Dressed Designer Series Paper, while the masculine card uses the Country Club Designer Series Paper, with a little die-cut polar bear as its accent. This is from the Snow Globe Scenes Dies, which have carried over from the Autumn/Winter catalogue.




Neither of these paper packs were on my radar so it’s great to have just a little taste of them to play with and to show to customers.

Other than the polar bear, all the other dies are from the Painted Labels Dies from the Peaceful Poppies Suite. The "from me" sentiment and stars are from Label Me Bold, one of those stamp sets which looks a little uninspiring on first glance but turns out to be really useful.

By fussy-cutting elements from Designer Series Paper, you don’t always need the co-ordinating stamp set. This allows you to experiment with styles outside of your comfort zone.
 

Christmas Ornament Week: Polar Bears

Today’s ornament features beautiful polar bears die-cut and placed onto an MDF circle which I painted all over with almost neat Blueberry Bushel ink.

The whole thing is spritzed with some rubbing alcohol mixed with Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint to make it all sparkle - unfortunately you can only see this under lights, not on the photo!

Stamp and emboss the snowflakes first. If you try to stamp on top of the inked surface, the embossing powder sticks to the whole area. Ask me how I know!

Snow Globe Scenes dies green non-shaker card

A bonus Sunday project because time is running out for cards unless you're going to hand deliver them!

I made this project using the beautiful Snow Globe Scenes dies, although I didn't make a shaker card because I was sending this abroad so wanted to keep it as flat as possible.

I sponged the globe shape with Granny Apple Green and Pretty Peacock then splashed it with some water to give it a snowy sky.

I die-cut the snow globe base but it didn’t quite cut through on the first rolling. Instead of die-cutting again and poking all those little pieces out, I left them in and attached them to the card with double-sided tape to keep them all secured. 

Snow Globe Scenes dies money wallet

Gifts of money or vouchers don’t have to be boring; you can give them a bespoke, handcrafted twist by making a simple wallet like this one.

This is made to fit in a standard C6 envelope, but you will only get one wallet from a sheet of A4 cardstock. Cut it down to 14.8cm x 26cm, then score at 10cm and 20.5cm. The belly band – mine is made from Silver Foil cardstock – is 2.5cm wide and 22.5cm long and embossed using the Tin Tile embossing folder.

The sponged panel is flicked with water to soak up some of the ink and give it a snowy sky effect. I used the Snow Globe dies to create the little scene – love it! In fact, I used three different die sets for this one project but it IS Christmas!

When creating a belly band to go around a project, I find that I can never get the scoring in the right place, so prefer to mould it around the card. When using cardstock (rather than Designer Series Paper), this can result in ugly creases. 

However, embossing the strip first can break down the fibres and make it more malleable. We used the Tin Tile embossing folder; one of my favourites and also easy to line up because you will need to emboss the strip twice; once from each end.

Snow Globe Scenes and Cheers dies wine bottle tag

Whatever your tipple, this is a really simple way of giving bottles this Christmas. The label is just made from a 7cm x 21xm piece of cardstock, scored and folded at 6.5cm and with a punched hole. I used the Story Label punch but lots of punches, including circles and ovals, would do the same job.

I decorated the label using various dies, including the Snow Globe dies, Cheers dies and Nested Labels. I love how the polar bears look in the bright white Sparkle Glimmer Paper.

Score your cardstock before embossing using the Hammered Metal 3D Embossing Folder. Position the larger piece of cardstock within the folder, a little further in than you'd expect, to avoid getting a plain strip at the top of your tag. 

Snow globe Christmas ornament and shaker card

It was my autumn All-Day Craft Event at the weekend, with a distinctly festive theme, and we spent the morning creating these snow globe-themed projects.

I had completely overlooked the Snow Globe Scenes dies but was blown away by a project in Stampin’ Success, the magazine for Stampin' Up!® demonstrators. The ornament is created by sticking two shaker domes together with a miniature scene inside. The card is made to match, and I used the Noble Peacock Foil Sheets to provide the shimmer.

Please click here to download the instructions

 

 

Take great care when adhering your shaker domes, whether on the card or when joining two together, as the adhesive is very strong. Once it’s stuck, it’s stuck!