Gnome for the Holidays: Christmas in July
Good day, fellow crafters. It's Tamara once again, with a new post showcasing my latest card created using Blank Page Muse products! I was having so much fun with their great flower-themed products that I decided to create with them again for this post.
A Gnome's tale: Deep in the enchanted groves where gnomes dwell, the tradition of Christmas—whether in snowy December or their quirky "Christmas in July"—holds a special place in their tiny, bearded hearts. According to gnome lore, their festive customs began when an ancient gnome tinker, Mr. Gribble Twinklegreen, stumbled upon a human Christmas celebration and returned with tales of twinkling lights and gift-giving. Since then, gnomes have woven these traditions into their own, crafting intricate ornaments from pinecones and river pebbles, and exchanging gifts like enchanted seeds or polished quartz under miniature fir trees. Their Christmas feasts feature foraged delicacies—think roasted chestnuts and elderberry tarts—served in communal burrows aglow with firefly lanterns. Every year, gnomes honor the season by singing carols in their high-pitched harmonies, a tradition said to summon good fortune, ensuring their forest homes brim with joy, whether blanketed in snow or bathed in summer’s warmth.
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- Expert Keeper of Magic Mr. Twinklegreen Winter Gnome CLEAR stamp from Blank Page Muse
- White cardstock panel - 4.25" x 5.5"
- Black cardstock panel - 4.25" x 5.5"
- Red cardstock panel- 4.25" x 5.5"
- Red A2 Card base
- Alcohol Markers (I used Copic brand)
- Clear block for mounting stamp or stamping platform
- Black ink
- Low-tack adhesive
- Frame die (I chose scalloped one from my stash)
- Scissors
- Liquid glue
- Paper Trimmer
- Sentiment of choice
- Die-cut machine
Process:
I wanted this card to feature Mr. Twinklegreen front and center, as I am a big fan of gnomes, so I am keeping this one simple.
- Position and secure white cardstock in a stamping platform
- Position the stamp, face down, on the cardstock, and then apply low-tack adhesive to the back so it adheres securely to the stamping platform.
- Ink the stamp with black ink and then, with even pressure, stamp the image onto the white cardstock. Repeat a couple of times to ensure even coverage.
- Remove the stamped cardstock from the stamping platform but leave the stamp in place for a later step.
- Use alcohol markers, colors of personal preference, to fill in the gnome image. I chose the traditional colors red and green, along with gray for the beard, black for the boots, and skin tone for the nose.
- Re-position the panel into the stamping platform, re-ink, and then re-stamp once more to crisp up the lines of the image.
- Position and adhere the sentiment in the stamping platform, ink, and stamp. Repeat as required.
- Remove the panel from the stamping platform.
- Using a scalloped die, a die machine, and the Black cardstock, cut the mat.
- Using a paper trimmer, cut the focal image to the final dimension.
- Adhere the focal image panel on the mat, and then the composite onto the Red cardstock panel using liquid glue.
- Adhere the completed panel onto a White A2 card base.
