Snow Globes!

Lots of snow globes!  I got the snow globe matching stamp & cutting die sets from HOTP way back in September and have been wanting to play with them - finally managed it!  These are the first of several snow globe cards that I'll be making for some of my Christmas cards this year.  Over the next several days I'll talk about how I decorated these, but today We'll talk about making the snow globe card base itself.

Materials:

• Card stock - I used a mix of glossy & regular white card stock
• Three of the cutting dies from the HOTP Snow Globe die set: the plain circle, the snow globe frame, and the snow globe base

Instructions Card Base:

• Score card stock at 3 1/8" and fold along score line.
• Line up plain circle die so it just overlaps the fold line (so about 3/4 of an inch won't be cut), and cut one on the fold.
• Cut two of the card base.
• Attach one of the card bases to the front of the INSIDE globe and one to the front of the OUTSIDE globe (making sure you line them up so the match each other and so the base is opposite the fold).

Instructions Globe Finishing:

• That's it for the card base, but I also went ahead and cut one each of the snow globe frame and the base from a brown patterned paper so it would look like wood.  
• I then inked up the matching stamps (see stamping technique below) and stamped the pieces in brown StazOn ink. 
• These I saved to add AFTER the decorating was complete.  
• After I had my decorations applied to the outside of the card, I applied a liquid glue (I used a two-way glue by ZIG Memory System) to the frame and put it in place.  
• Next I added my base using my ATG to attach it.
• Then I inked the edges of the card with brown ink.
• Finally I added a sticker greeting and my card was complete (except for what I'm planning to write on the inside of course)!

Stamping Technique:  There are lots of different ideas about how best to use dies and matching stamps.  This is what I find usually works best for me.  I cut the shape first.  I then put my stamp right side up on an acrylic block and place it on the table.  I ink it up and then carefully line up my die cut (right side down) and press with the flat of my fingers or my palm (depending on how large the shape is) to ensure the ink has transferred well. 

Happy Paper crafting!