Tone-on-Tone Christmas Card with Mug Friends Etched Dies

Hello there, Michelle Short here to share a step-by-step tutorial with you using the new Mugs & Kisses collection. I am creating a simple tone-on-tone ombré background using the Snow Joy Stencil Set with just one ink.

By creating a tone-on-tone background, rather than a colourful one, it adds to the card, rather than distracting from the focal point. For the focal point, I am using the adorable Mug Friends Etched Dies.

DIE CUTTING THE MUGS

Die cut the dies from Mug Friends Etched Dies:

NOTE: The dies are shown in the photo facing upwards, so that you can see which die is cut from which cardstock. When die cutting, you need to have the cut side facing down onto the cardstock.

1. Place mug and handle onto Raven ColorWheel Cardstock and hold in place with Best Ever Craft Tape.
2. Place body of penguin, as well as the whip for the mug, onto Classic White ColorWheel Cardstock and hold in place with Best Ever Craft Tape.
3. Place beak of penguin onto Beeswax ColorWheel Cardstock and hold in place with Best Ever Craft Tape.
4. Place hot chocolate onto Fawn ColorWheel Cardstock and hold in place with Best Ever Craft Tape.
5. Place peppermint stick onto Wild Berry ColorWheel Cardstock and hold in place with Best Ever Craft tape. Note, you also need to cut this from Classic White ColorWheel Cardstock.
6. Place scarf onto Lavender ColorWheel Cardstock and hold in place with Best Ever Craft Tape.

7. Run through Platinum Six Die Cutting Machine using the following sandwich (bottom to top):

• A Platform Base
• B Platform Top
• C Cutting Plate
• Cardstock with die on top
• C Cutting Plate

8. Repeat the process as above to die cut the dies again; however, this time, substitute Fawn cardstock for Truffle, and Lavender for Lilac.

ASSEMBLE THE MUGS

1. Using a Precision Tool, pop out the negative pieces (chads) from the penguin’s body layer.

2. Apply Bearly Art Glue onto the back of the penguin’s body.

3. Adhere to base of mug.

TIP: Tweezers are really helpful for picking up small die cuts!

4. Apply glue to the area for the beak.
5. Adhere beak on top.

TIP: The Pick Up Tool is really helpful when picking up tiny die cuts. I switch between using the Pick Up Tool and Tweezers depending on the size of the die cut!

6. Apply glue to the handle of the mug.
7. Adhere mug on top.    

8. Apply glue onto the back of the main layer of scarf.
9. Adhere to mug but do not press left side down.
10. Add glue to the top of the smaller scarf part.
11. Adhere the top portion of this piece underneath the first scarf layer. Press scarf down.

12. Adhere hot chocolate layer to the top of the mug.

13. Adhere pink layer to the white base layer of peppermint stick.
14. Adhere bottom of the peppermint stick to the hot chocolate part. For one mug, have this leaning to the left, and on the other, have it leaning to the right.

15. Adhere whip on top.

SENTIMENT

1. Place 4.25” 5.5” panel of Classic White ColorWheel Cardstock inside Mini MISTI.
2. Use the mugs as a guide for where to place sentiment.
3. Place sentiment from Mugs & Kisses Sentiments Clear Stamp Set under the mugs, towards the left side of the panel, impression side down.

4. Remove die cuts from card.
5. Close door of Mini MISTI to pick up stamp.
6. Open door of Mini MISTI and ink up stamp using Versafine Clair Nocturne Ink.

7. Close door of Mini MISTI to transfer ink to card.

TIP: Depending on how well-inked your ink pad is, you may need to repeat this step again to get a good impression of the sentiment. Make sure to keep the card in place in the corner of the Mini MISTI and you will be able to stamp multiple times in the same place.

INK BLENDING & STENCILLING

1. Place panel onto sticky mat or add removable adhesive to the back and place on scrap paper.
2. Apply Wilted Violet Distress Ink onto a Large Blending Brush.
3. Apply ink using the brush in circular motions at the top of the panel. As there is less ink on the brush, move the brush downwards to get a lighter application of ink.
4. Repeat as many times as needed to get the application/saturation of ink required.

TIP: Start with the brush off the edge of the panel and then move the brush onto it. This helps to get a smooth blend and prevent harsh lines.

5. Place 1^st stencil from Snow Joy Stencil Set on top of panel, and if using scrap paper as a surface, hold in place with Best Ever Craft Tape.
6. Apply Wilted Violet Distress Ink onto (medium) Blending Brush.
7. Apply ink using the brush into the openings of the stencil. Start at the top to get more saturation of ink, and as there is less on the brush, move further down the stencil to get a lighter application of ink.
8. Repeat to cover all the areas of the stencil, just to above where the sentiment is.

9. Remove tape from stencil and carefully lift up from panel.

10. Place 2^nd stencil from Snow Joy Stencil Set on top of panel and hold in place.
11. Repeat the process as above to add ink to the stencil openings with a darker saturation of ink at the top and a lighter one towards the bottom of the original ink blending.
12. Remove tape from stencil and carefully lift up from panel.

CARD ASSEMBLY

1. Apply tape runner adhesive to the back of the panel.

2. Adhere to an A2-sized (4.25” x 5.5”) white card base.

3. Apply foam squares to the back of the mugs – for the mug on the left, add foam squares across the whole of the back of the mug. For the mug on the right, add foam squares only to the right-hand side and top.

4. Remove backings off foam squares.
5. Adhere first mug to the left side of the card.
6. Apply glue to the left side of the second mug.

7. Adhere to the card.

8. To finish, embellish with Silver Mix Color Essentials Gems.

This was such a fun card to make! I really like how the background just adds a little extra interest and detail to the card without being too distracting. Having the ink blending and stencilling fade to the white of the cardstock just above the sentiment really helps to focus your eye towards the top of the card. I kept the stencilling simple today with a tone-on-tone look, but lots of different colour combinations would work here. A layer of glitter paste on top of the ink blending would be pretty too!

Thank you so much for stopping by the blog today. I hope you have a wonderful day!

Other Supplies

Versafine Clair Nocturne Ink, Wilted Violet Distress Ink