So Grateful - a Thanksgiving Card

 Greetings! It's Tuesday so it's time to share a project created for Topflight Stamps. This week is "Anything Goes" for the TFS team. Since Thanksgiving is Thursday, I made a card which can be used for Thanksgiving or other special occasions.

But before I get to my card, I wanted to remind you that Topflight Stamps' Black Friday Sale Week is going on right now! There are so many wonderful products (both new and old) that make wonderful holiday gifts for family, friends, and yourself!

***Back to today's project***

So back when I saw the truck filled with critters in the Warm Hugs Clear Stamp Set by Jane's Doodles for Creative Expressions, I immediately thought of the holiday song "Over the River and Through the Woods" and knew that I wanted to use it on a holiday card. So here it is!

Topflight Stamps Products Used:

Warm Hugs Clear Stamp Set by Jane's Doodles for Creative Expressions

Acetate Hills Masks by Lavinia Stamps

Distress Plaid Paper Pad by Creative Expressions

Wood Textures 6x6 Paper Pad by Craft Consortium

More Classic Sentiments by Heffy Doodle

Artist Trading Coin Stamp Set 11 by That's Crafty

Tuxedo Black Memento Ink by Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko

Morning Mist and Blue Belle VersaFine Clair Inks by Imagine Crafts

Other Products Used:
Solar White Classic Crest Cardstock by Neenah Papers

Grey Cardstock by Bazzill Basics

Chipped Sapphire, Blueprint Sketch, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Hickory Smoke, and Black Soot Distress Ink by Tim Holtz for Ranger Ink

Bleed Proof White Opaque Watercolor by Dr. Ph Martin

Copic Markers:
Pie and Tin: E23, E21, T5, T2, T0

Pumpkins: YR02, YR04, YR18; YR 12, YR15, YR16; YR65, YR68

Truck: B91, B52

Trucks's Bumpers, Lights, and Hubcaps: T5, T, T2, T0

Truck's Tires: N6, N6, N5

Truck's Lights: Y23, Y21, YR31

Bears' Fur: E79, E77, E74, E71, E70

Owl: E74, E71, E70

Owl's Beak: Y28, Y26, Y04

Owl's Eyes: Y38, Y35, YR31

Moose: E59, E57, E55, E47, E44, E43

Fox: E99, E97, E17, E15, YR02, YR000

Rabbit's Fur: E44, E35, E33, E31

Rabbit's Eye: YG67, YG63

Raccoon: C7, C6, C5, C4, C3

Coffee Cups: C2, C1, C0

Clothing and Bunting on the Truck: R59, R56; B16, B04, B02; YG67, YG63

A7 Rectangle Frames Die Set by Waffle Flower 

Arrow Sign: Source Unknown

Sentiment Flag: Source Unknown

Repositionable Sticker Paper by Avery

Low-tack Tape

STAY-tion by Wendy Vecchi for Ranger Ink

Stamping Platform

Instructions:

1. Use Tuxedo Black Memento Ink to stamp the critter-filled truck stamp from the Warm Hugs Clear Stamp Sets twice — once onto a 5" x 7" panel of white cardstock and once onto repositionable sticker paper. 
2. Fussy-cut the sticker paper version and place it over its counterpart on the image panel as a mask. 
3. Place the acetate rolling hills mask from the Acetate Hills Mask Set towards the top of the image panel and the flattish masover the truck covering the bottom of the image panel. 
4. Brush Chipped Sapphire and Blueprint Sketch Distress Ink over the top of the mask to create a night sky. 
5. Keep the mask in place so the rest of the image panel remains covered and splatter Bleed-proof White paint onto the top of the panel to add some stars.
6. Place a previously traced and fussy-cut cardstock mask to cover the sky. *
7. Brush Rustic Wilderness Distress ink over the paper mask to create the top hills.
8. Brush the same ink over the acetate rolling hills mask to add the tops of additional hills. 
9. When done, brush Mowed Lawn Distress ink between the cardstock mask and the flattish acetate mask to complete the hilly background behind the masked truck.
10. Place another previously traced and fussy-cut piece of cardstock  to cover the hilly area of the image panel. *
11. Brush Hickory Smoke and Black Soot Distress ink over the paper mask and the masked truck to cover the bottom part of the image panel.
12. Lift all the masks and retain them for later use.
13. Use Copic markers to color the truck and critters. I intentionally left the truck somewhat streaky to make it look old and worn. I resisted the urge to add rust spots to the truck body and bumpers. I'm inordinately proud of my restraint.
14. Place a piece of wood-patterned paper from the Wood Textures 6x6 Paper Pad onto the stamping platform.
15. Position the the words "happy" and "together" from the Artist Trading Coin Stamp Set 11 as well as the sentiment "So Grateful" from the More Classic Sentiments facedown on the patterned paper.
16. Press the platform's lid onto the back of the stamps. 
17. Lift the platform's lid and ink the stamps with Blue Belle VersaFine Clair Ink. Stamp. 
18. Heat set the ink. 
19. Die-cut the sentiments and edge with 
20. Use the largest die from the A7 Rectangles Die Set to cut a piece of plaid paper from the Distress Plaid Paper Pad.
21. Use Morning Mist VersaFine Clair Ink to edge the inside and outside edges of the frame. 
22. Heat set the ink and adhere the frame die-cut over the image panel. 
23. Adhere the framed image panel to a grey 5" x 7" card.
24. Edge the card with Morning Mist VersaFine Clair Ink and heat set again.
25. Adhere the sentiment die-cuts to finish the card.

Note: I had previously traced all of the masks from the Acetate Hills Mask Set onto cardstock and fussy-cut them with the intention of using both sides of the cardstock masks for inking and such. I store them with the Acetate Hills Mask Set.

Give Thanks

VersaFine Clair Ink is wonderful for coloring die-cuts easily. The VersaFine Clair Inks blend beautifully so you can create new colors to extend their versatility. 

Here's a Thanksgiving card!

Imagine Crafts Supplies:

Sand Dune, Portabello, Acorn, Pinecone, Golden Meadow, Cheerful, Summertime, Verdant, Avocado, Grass Green, Strawberry, Tulip Red, Chianti, and Arctic Blue VersaFine Clair Inks *

Sponge Daubers

On Point Glue

Tear It! Tape

Craft Mat

Other Supplies:

White Cardstock by Bazzill Basics

Vault Foliage Wreath Thinlits Die Set by Tim Holtz for Sizzix

Small Talk: Occasions Idea-ology Stickers by Tim Holtz for Adventus

5” x 7” Gel Press

2” and 4” Brayers by Speedball *

Make-up Brushes

Please Note: VersaFine Clair Inks and brayers can be purchased at Topflight Stamps!

Instructions and Method:

The Method:

The method I used for all of the die-cuts was to place the die-cut(s) onto a Gel Press which will hold them in place while ink is being dabbed onto the die-cut(s) with Sponge Daubers.

I used a separate Sponge Dauber for each color to avoid contaminating the ink pads. I applied the lighter ink color onto the die-cut first and used a tissue to wipe excess ink off of the Gel Press. Darker ink was applied to the die-cut next and the same tissue was used to wipe up excess ink.  If more ink was required to color the die-cut or to improve blending, this process was repeated. Photos below will illustrate my method. 

Clean the Gel Press with hand sanitizer between colors and die-cuts.

Steps 1:

Use all the dies in the Vault Wreath set to cut all the dies from smooth white cardstock at least three times. 

Place the wreath die-cut onto the Gel Press, which will keep it in place. Use a Sponge Dauber to dab Acorn VersaFine Clair Ink onto the wreath (1A). Use another Sponge Dauber to dab PineCone VersaFine Clair Ink onto the wreath blending as you go (1B). Remove the first wreath, set it aside, and wipe the Gel Press clean. You can use hand sanitizer if you like.

Place the second wreath die-cut onto the Gel Press. Use Sponge Daubers to dab Sand Dune (1C) then Portobello (1D) VersaFine Clair Inks onto the die-cut. Remove the second wreath, set it aside, and wipe the Gel Press clean.

Place the third wreath die-cut onto the Gel Press. Use Sponge Daubers to dab Golden Meadow (1E) and Acorn (1F) VersaFine Clair Inks onto the die-cut. Remove the second wreath, set it aside, and wipe the Gel Press clean.

Steps 2:

Place the cone flower (bottom left of the Gel Press), cone part (top right of the Gel Press), the small round center of the sunflower (top left of the Gel Press), and the sunflower (bottom right of the Gel Press) die-cuts onto the Gel Press. 

Use Sponge Daubers to dab Golden Meadow (2A) and Cheerful (2B) to the Cone Flower die-cuts. Use Sponge Daubers to to apply Summertime (2C) and Chianti (2D) VersaFine Clair Inks to the bottom edges of the cone flowers.  Use a Sponge Dauber to apply Summertime (2F) VersaFine Clair Ink to the spiky flower.

Remove the flower die-cuts and leave the centers on the top of the Gel Press. Wipe the Gel Press clean.

Here are the color combinations for the rest of the die-cuts. Remember to firmly place the die-cuts onto the Gel Press, use Sponge Daubers to dab the ink onto the die-cuts, and to clean the Gel Press between sets of die-cuts.

• Top of the Cone Flowers:  Use Acorn VersaFine Clair Ink.
• Sunflower centers: Use Summer Meadow and Acorn VersaFine Clair Inks.
• Spiky Flowers:  Hawthorn Rose and Tulip Red VersaFine Clair Inks.
• Five petal leaves: Verdant VersaFine Clair Ink
• Ferns: Avocado and Arctic Blue VersaFine Clair Inks
• Pointed Oval Leaves:  Avocado VersaFine Clair Ink onto the die-cuts.
• Branches: Shady Lane VersaFine Clair Ink 
• Oak Leaves: Golden Meadow, Cheerful, Summertime, and Chianti VersaFine Clair Inks 
• Bottom of Acorn: Acorn and Pinecone VersaFine Clair Inks
• Top of Acorn: Portobello and Pinecone VersaFine Clair Ink 
• Bow: Summertime, Cheerful, Tulip Red, and Chianti VersaFine Clair Inks

Step 3:

Use On-Point Glue to adhere the wreaths atop one another.

Step 4:

Roll a 4” brayer over the Cheerful VersaFine Clair Ink. Roll the brayer onto scrap paper to reduce the amount of ink on it. Roll the brayer to the Gel Press. Place a piece of 5” x 7” white cardstock onto the Gel Press and pull the print that will become the background panel.

Steps 5: 

Use a make-up brush and tap lightly onto the Strawberry VersaFine Clair Inkpad. Brush off the excess onto the scrap paper. Brush the ink along the top of the Gel Press (5A). Place background panel on Gel Press and pull print. Take a second make-up brush and tap it lightly onto the Grass Green VersaFine Clair Inkpad. Brush off the excess onto the scrap paper. Brush the ink along the bottom of the background panel (5B).

Step 6:

Spray with 91% Isopropyl Alcohol to slightly blend and mottle inked background.

Step 7:

Use a Sponge Dauber to apply Acorn VersaFine Clair ink around the outer perimeter of a white 5” x 7” card. Heat set.

Step 8:

Use Tear It! Tape to adhere the layers of the card.

Steps 9:

Use Sponge Daubers to color an Idea-ology Sticker (9A). Use a second Sponge Dauber to edge the sticker (9B). Adhere the sticker to finish the card.

Thank you for visiting today!