Warm Wishes & Puppy Kisses

Hello, Pink & Main friends and fans!

I’m SO excited for my first post as a 2024 Design Team member! What an honor it is to be on such a talented team!!! And I’ll be using such fabulous stamps, dies, foils, and MORE!!! This is going to be FUN!!!!

I hope you are ready for a fun, new series I call: Savannah Learns to Color!! I’ve met Michelle (and most of the team at the Pink & Main brick and mortar store in Florida)– I’ve told her many times that my coloring is not the greatest. #SAVfact: As of last week, I have only colored two images in my twelve year crafting career!!! LOL! I am always inspired by the P&M examples in the store because they are colored so beautifully- lots of details, shading, and blending. When I was asked to be on the P&M DT, I knew I would need to start a series where I share how I learn to color🙃 Today I’m sharing my very first P&M colored image!!!

COMING UP with this card design happened quick after seeing the December Pup stamp set! I knew I could use the snowdrift stamped multiple times to hide the puppy, which made this card have an element of surprise (or “a reveal” as they say on Project Runway! LOL!). CREATING this card design was a bit more challenging but was definitely worth the time after I knew how to make a “reveal flap! TIP: Try cutting part of the front card panel to create a reveal flap- this allows what is on the front to hide or conceal the image underneath with just a hint of surprise.

The snowdrifts were created by stamping and die cutting the image multiple times. TIP: I cheated and only stamped and die cut the bottom half of the image to save ink, paper, and time! Then I stacked the snow on top of one another until it looked like a large snowdrift and one that was big enough to hide the puppy image on the bottom card panel. The first coloring technique I used on this card: outlining the snowdrifts! It was simple with a light blue marker and tracing the black outline of the image!!!

Next I created the inside image by using one of my favorite techniques- extending my stamps/dies. You might see from the photo above that the pup has a longer body than the original stamp image {see circled area}. All I did was stamp the front part of the pup (head/snowdrift), masked this original stamped image so it would prevent over-stamping/stray lines, and then moved the image over to stamp the back half. Although this technique is one of my favorites, I’m still not perfect at it… so you will see I had to draw in connecting lines to make the body longer and complete😊

Extending stamps and dies really is an easy technique!!! I’d say it’s easier than coloring😂 *I’ll see if I can remember to do an extended stamp/die tutorial for you on my next project or at least in the future! You can always check out my videos HERE on YouTube– I actually created one for extending your dies, which works for stamps as well. Click HERE to check it out:)

To finish the card, I colored the puppy using two brown, two cream, and two red markers. **Don’t look closely at my coloring!!! I went outside the lines and blending was a no go for me this time! But for my first time, I don’t think it was too bad! 😂** I also fussy cut the earmuffs and scarf for added interest. #SAVfact: Fussy cutting and paper piecing are my FAVORITE techniques of all time!

OVERALL: I think this card is super cute! It turned out GREAT!!!

I’m pumped to continue learning how to color and sharing my projects with YOU in my fun series, Savannah Learns to Color!!! I hope to inspire you to step out of your comfort zone and try a new technique or card design like this reveal flap design!!!

Check out the supply list below and give these techniques a try, and remember to share what you create so I can leave you some love ❤️

THANKS so much for stopping by! Happy NEW Year— here’s to lots of crafting and fun in 2024!!!

Hugs ❤️ Savannah

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