Hello everyone! Guess what today is?!?!? It’s the half-way mark to Christmas! Yeah, the years just seem to fly by. I don’t get it. But I couldn’t resist the temptation to dive into my Newton’s Nook Christmas stash and make a little nutcracker fun to share with you all.

I had a design in mind when I started this card but today I actually started with my background panel and found the copics to coordinate from there. The background is ink blended with distress oxide in rustic wilderness and bundled sage. I faded out to nothing at an angle as I came down. I spritzed the panel with water and blotted it dry before layering the Music stencil over the top and spreading gold glitz glitter gel through it.

While the panel was drying, I stamped one of the nutcracker images and colored him with my copic markers. Then I used the coordinating die to cut him out and went digging for a different shaped sentiment. I love the sentiments in the set but I really wanted that banner to the left of him so I looked at all my Roundabout and Heartfelt sets, landing on this one from Heartfelt Holidays. I think it’s simple and nice to go with the feel of the card.
Since the Banner Trio dies are solid, I always die cut that part first, then stamp and heat emboss on the shape. At the beginning I kept forgetting and tried to blindly line things up but it never goes well. Lol.

With the glitz gel panel dry, I die cut it with the largest Framework die and popped it up on a white card base with foam tape. Then I glued the banner to the nutcracker, added foam squares to them and popped them up as well.
For finishing touches I came in with stardust Stickles on all the gold parts of the nutcracker. I wanted his gold areas to be shiny like the background. Last, I added black glaze pen to his eyes to make them raised and shiny. I really love that part.
Products used:
Nutcrackers stamps and dies
Heartfelt Holidays stamps
Banner Trio dies
Framework dies
Music stencil
Glitz Glitter Gel – gold
Stencil pal
3D foam tape and squares
Distress oxide – rustic wilderness and bundled sage
Stickles – stardust
I appreciate you sharing your time with me. Have a fabulous day!