Cozy Cuppa

As we've woken up to a thick frost every day this week, it's time to break out the hot chocolate, so WPlus9's newly released Cookies and Cocoa stamp set could not have been better timed!

This is a great set with lots of options for either stamp layering to provide the colour, or for colouring with your favourite medium as you get both solid and outline stamps.  I had lots of fun experimenting with different methods on a scrap of kraft - experimenting with pencils, stamping, embossing and colouring with liquid pearls to see which effect I liked best.

I decided I liked the pencil and liquid pearls option best as it looked most like iced biscuits and gives a really raised effect, and actually using them is similar to the flooded icing technique of the real thing!  (Embossing the solid shapes was the easiest option but the red spreads and doesn't stay raised on top of the white - personal choice though both work fine just give different effects)   However I went with white card so I didn't have to fiddle with the white pearls around the red.

For the first card I went with cool blues and stamped the mug on a scrap of patterned paper and used tonal grey markers to shade over the paper to give the roundness to it.  For the marshmallow topping I triple embossed the solid image using Lawn Fawn's Textured White Embossing powder and then stamped the outline on top with a pale grey once dry.   I opted to fussy cut rather than use the dies as I wanted them to look real and not have that extra white border so I used a craft knife to cut along the mug line and tucked the marshmallows in.

I stamped the heart cookies with brown ink and shaded with brown pencils before "icing" with red and white liquid pearls (we'll be restocking our tonic drops shortly).    All the elements are stuck on with pinflair gel so I could easily get different heights and layer them on top of each other.   The hearts pair well with the sentiments I chose which are perfect for an anniversary or valentines card or a card just to remind someone you love them.

For the second card I opted for a kraft base and warmer tones.  This time I used the die on its own to cut the mug from more patterned paper - the die cuts a slit for you to tuck the toppngs in.  This time I shaded with pens in similar colours to the paper and gave it a white highlight using the stamp included in the set for that very purpose (Dawn really does think of everything when she designs a stamp set!)  This time I used a scrap of white kids craft foam to stamp the marshmallows onto to add a hint of fun and texture.

The biscuits were "iced" with liquid pearls again - I tried both with and without the white pearl - it is a bit fiddly on this biscuit but it is possible to get the white around the red, however a layer of glossy accents over the top gives the shiny icing look without the hassle;-)    The sentiment this time could be used for Christmas, birthdays or even an invite for a night in with hot chocolate and a movie - my fave way to spend a chilly evening!

Now I really want a biscuit........

Catch you on Sunday with more projects and news of what will be in store next week.

Tara