Look On The Bright Side card w/video by Jeni

The inspiration for this card came from this video on YouTube. I love how cute this gnome is and want to use him in an Autumnal card. I use the Bright Side clear stamp and Mouse House stamp, both by Trinity Stamps to make this card. The video tutorial for this Autumnal card is on YouTube and the written tutorial is below, with a full supply list of all the ink colours I use.

Scene Building

I use the physical stamps to plan my scenes before doing any stamping. This gives me an idea on how many stamped images I need. Although I do stamp more leaves and toadstools in case I want to add more. These can be stored with the stamp to use on a future card. All the stamping is with Midnight ink by Catherine Pooler Designs. Midnight is an archival ink and is perfect for use with watercolours. The card I use is Bristol smooth.

Colouring

Starting with the cute gnome, I colour the sunflowers with Mandarin Spice and Shea Butter. Mixing Eucalyptus with Shea Butter for the grasses and leaves. (I also use this mix of colours for the grass and leaves on the tree stump).

The comment that inspired this card is “That gnome is so stinking cute” and I wanted to go with the ‘stinking’ part of the comment. This gnome has been through a lot to deliver these sunflowers. I imagined him rolling down a hill and landing a puddle of mud. Climbing up the hill, and then getting splashed by a puddle as a car drives past. But nothing will stop this gnome from delivering these sunflowers. The gnomes nose and hands are a mix of a little Peppermint Scrub with Sand Castle. With the two shades of grey for his beard – Twilight and Black Jack.

I use Peppermint Scrub and Mandarin Spice to colour the toadstools, and Sand Castle for the stalks. When the toadstools are dry, I go back and add some Spruce (not to the ones on the tree stump). Green and red are complementary colours and will make brown when mixed together. I wanted the toadstools to be darker and a light wash of Spruce darkened the red of the Peppermint Scrub and Mandarin Spice. The Leaves are Spruce and Icing on the Cake. I go back when this layer is dry and add some Spruce colour to make the leaves darker. The tree stump house is coloured with the three brown neutral shades. Sand Castle, Over Coffee and Icing on the Cake. I let this all dry then die cut with the coordinating dies.

Building The Scene

I add some quick colour to the background card, also a 4.25×5.5” piece of Bristol Smooth card. Stone Blue for the sky and Seafoam for the grass. I work with a flat brush and use long movements across the card with lots of water flat wash of light colour. In the Mouse House stamp and die set is a grass blade stamp, with a grass blade die which only cuts the top of the grass blades. I pop two of the toadstools behind to make it look as if the grass is in front of the toadstool.

Adhering the tree stump house and toadstools flat to the card. The gnome and leaves in the sky with foam tape. I stamp the sentiment on a banner and also foam mount this to the card. Then mount this scene to a card base.