Nuts For You

Hi there!

We just got in the new Neat & Tangled My Favorite Nut stamp and die set and I am in love! This is the cutest stamp set! The adorable little squirrels and their beloved acorns are irresistible.

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The focal element is, of course, the hugging squirrels all tucked in their very own acorn house. This image was stamped onto watercolor paper, using a waterproof ink, Versafine Onyx Black. I did the same for the small acorns and leaf sprig. All the acorns and squirrels were then watercolored.

After the watercoloring was done, the images were cut out and set aside for assembly.

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The panel for the squirrels was cut out of Neenah Solar White cardstock using the new Lawn Fawn Fancy Scalloped Rectangle Stackables. One of the things I love about Lawn Fawn’s frames is that the largest one is exactly an A2 size (4.25″x5.5″) and this pattern is a wonderful backdrop.

After the panel was cut out, I added a gray stenciled detail above where the acorn would sit and then added a little more of that same ink where the bottom of the large acorn would sit creating a ‘ground’ for the acorn. The stencil detail and the ground were added using a blending tool and the #14 Mini Tim Holtz Stencil Set.

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Pink dimensional hearts were added by spreading pink modeling paste over Heidi Swapp’s Confetti stencil. The Rose Viva Decor Modellier Creme was perfect for this. It has a soft, dusty rose color to it and it is super creamy. It spreads on a stencil like a dream and dries super quick so you can get on with your project. You can see the detail of the stencil and the dimension of the hearts in the photo above.

The card elements were nearly done. All that was left was the sentiment and assembly. For the sentiment, I stamped “I go nuts for you” with Versafine onyx black in onto a scrap of white cardstock and heat embossed it with clear embossing powder.

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I happen to love banners so I sketched the banner outline around the stamped sentiment with a pencil until I was satisfied with the shape. Once I was happy, I inked it in using a Pigma Micron .005 pen. If you are not so crazy for banners as I am, of course, you can cut out the sentiment in any shape you like.

The final steps were to assemble. The card base is made from Neenah white cardstock with a piece of dusty rose paper from my stash added on top and then the corners were rounded with the Corners Chomper. A gray panel (with corners rounded) was added next, then the final scalloped panel on top. The squirrels and their acorn house and small acorns were attached with foam tape and the sentiment with large clear glue dots.

laurel strand