Hello Bluebird | Happy New Year

Hello friends and Happy New Year!    Are you ready to ring in a new decade?    Are you reflecting back on the past 10 years?  Or is it enough to wonder where the past year went?!? (she smiles).   This year is going to be a big page turner for me.    I'm as busy now as I was when I worked in the marketplace.   In the past ten years I became a grandmother for the first time, celebrated 50 years of marriage, and made two huge moves! 

Today, I am delighted to share one last card for 2019 with you from Hello Bluebird Stamps.   I wanted this to be subtle, artful, finely woven in black, white, and sliver.   Free from color, but vested in a clean design.   Designing this way isn't always easy - what is the take-away?   For me, it causes me to slow down and think.  It provides a clean canvas for creativity, and a dreaming place for new ideas.

For this card I used both new and old stamp sets.   Happy New Year from the 2018 North Star set, and the die cut tress from the 2018 Frosty Littles, and the 2019 Snowball Fight.   Instead of stamping, I chose a black/white print for the trees.   The greeting is embossed with fine sliver embossing powder on vellum and laid over a panel of soft stone card stock.   This panel is now adhered to a 3.75 x 5 piece of 110 lb weight Neenah Solar White card stock.   The little trees are applied with Tonic liquid adhesive as are the numbers die-cut from silver card stock using the Charlie Numbers die set.

The panel is complete and ready to be placed on top of the final 4.25x5.5 patterned card base with 3M adhesive tape.  While void of color, the patterns, and dimension provide interest.   A few black gems finish the card. 

I thought it might be nice to see what you liked this past year on my IG gallery so I've included my Top Nine cards for one last look.   All but one (the first card) are created with Hello Bluebird Stamps and dies and use different mediums.   From Copic markers, watercolor, and pencil to layered, scene building, and clean and simple you've encouraged me all the way!   Thank you!

My Top Nine Cards for 2019

White Washed Putz Houses with Glitter Roofs

But cards are not all I enjoy creating.  This Christmas I created some some white washed Putz Houses to decorate the inside of my china cabinet.   Back with twinkle lights they add warmth and elegance.

Snowmen and Santa's each with a story take their place in my 3-tired stand.   A vintage snow sled from years gone by and snowman stand at the ready for the fun to be had.

Christmas in Charleston 2019

And from my front porch to yours, thank you.   Thank you for your visits, comments, encouragement, and the inspiration you bring to me.   May 2020 bring you hope, peace, and blessings for your good and God's glory.

Until next time

Sincerely yours,

Susie ~ 

Hello Bluebird | Bring on the Merry!

Hello friends!

Welcome to my front porch - a place to share our love of crafting and creating cards.  With seasonal card crafting in full swing, it's time to talk turkey, err, I mean Christmas!   I am beginning my Christmas card crafting now, and will be in full swing with the new Hello Bluebird Winter Release, October 28th at 7pm MST    Previews begin on October 25th so please don't miss out on the wonderful treats in store by all the Hello Bluebird DT

I thought I'd get a little warm-up practice in today with some Hello Bluebird Christmas sets from 2018.  My card features, Frosty Littles and North Pole Littles -- oh my goodness how I love the "littles" they're so, so sweet!   It really was difficult to choose which of the little snowmen I wanted to use;   I guess I'll have to make more (she smiles).

I think I'll call this card design a CSD (Clean Scene Design) - I believe I've just invented a new design category (laughing).   It has a bit of everything distress ink blending, die-cut layering, Copic coloring, and maybe a new-to-you technique while still keeping a nice white balance.  Let's take a look.

First, let's talk about the frame and the technique I used.   I cut a panel of Neenah Solar White card stock 110 lb 3 3/4 x 5 1/4 and did the same to a piece of Sookwang, Be Creative Sheet, which is sticky on both sides.   I married both pieces together and placed a basic rectangular die in the middle and ran it through my die cutting machine.   The next step is a little tricky only because it's sticky.    Carefully place the die cut Be Creative Sheet over the die-cut framel (you may have to tuck little stray sticky pieces around the edges but that's okay.   Lay the frame on paper and pour fine glitter over it; tap off the extra, and burnish with your finger.   The fine glitter provides a lovely icy appearance.  This technique look particularly nice over a colored scene (just make sure it isn't a 3D scene).

Secondly, I cut two 3 3/4 x 5 panels of Neenah Solar White card stock 110 lb  I did some ink blending on the first panel using Distress Oxide Milled Lavender half way down.  The second panel was used to cut the snowy hills using the Hill and Dale die cuts.   Once I had them cut, I gave them a light ink blending in the little nooks and crannies with Distress Oxide Tumbled Glass.

Adhering the snowy hills together (only at the sides) I placed the entire piece on the first panel just below the sky line.   With only the sides glued together I had room to slip in my "littles".   This is a small scene so it's important to give it a big presence with perspective.   I've done that with color, tucking in some elements behind and bringing others forward and mounting them with 3M adhesive tape.   I chose a blue/green scheme for the trees, a darker blue combo for the house and the snowman's hat, and a pop of red for the door and north pole sign which I brought forward and popped up on the outside of the frame.   A little decorative holly at the bottom of the sign, and on the left side of the sentiment from the North Pole Littles stamp set, is a nice balance.

When you look at the scene now, it carries your eye from the sentiment and North Pole sign on the outside of the frame all the way back to the mountains.   A "Clean Scene Design" with nice white balance.   Bring on the Merry!

I hope you've enjoyed my card today and will give that "icy" technique a try.   And don't forget the upcoming Winter Release starting with Previews on October 25th and the Full Release on October 28th at 7pm MST

See you soon friends!
Sincerely,
Susie ~