Hi there!

It was quintessential springtime here last week! The birds were chirping, the sun was shining, there was a slight breeze, and it was just a touch too cool to go without at least a lightweight jacket. I love this time of year and I find myself constantly looking to see if my trees have any buds on them or if my flowers are starting to peep out of the ground. They don’t – and they aren’t – but it won’t be long now and that somehow lightens my heart.

Today I’m sharing two cards I made using the Sketched Leaf Branches foil and cut die from the new Simon Says Stamp “Happy and Joyful” release.
I love to hot-foil! Every time I pull back the foil paper and reveal the image it feels like a shiny present has just been given to me – kind of like when those buds start to show or my flowers peep up out of the ground every spring. 😊 Even though I know it’s coming, I’m still so pleasantly surprised when it does.

Both of these cards were made using the same technique – ink-blending and foiling. For both cards, I did the ink-blending first, then hot foiled over the top – but you don’t have to do it that way. The foil will resist the ink so you can easily foil first and then ink blend. It’s totally up to you.

I love the sketched leaf images on these foil plates, and while I didn’t die cut them for these cards, I love that they come with dies because it makes them even more versatile.

I hope these projects inspire you to try to hot-foiling if you haven’t already – or to try foiling and ink-blending together!

Have a wonderfully creative day, everyone!