Want to learn 4 easy tricks to step up your card making to WOW your friends? After all, if they’re EASY, why not add them into your own paper crafting toolkit?

Take a look at the finished card and then I’ll give you some up-close views of these simple tricks!

I just love the Storybook Gnomes collection! Such a whimsical stamp set, dies and paper to play with!

Now seeing as it’s in the July to December Mini Catalogue, you might have thought this stamp set was for the holiday season only.

Uhn uh! It’s a totally ALL occasion set, my favourite kind!

How cute are these little folk?

And did you notice? Only ONE Christmas greeting!

4 Easy Tricks to Step Up Your Card Making to WOW Your Friends

Your friends will instantly fall in LOVE with everything about cards you give them when you try any ONE of these tips.

Make Them Take a 2nd Look!

Modify a pre-coloured image

These little gnomes can be cut right out of the patterned paper with the dies in the Kindest Gnomes bundle. Which is fab in itself! But take those cutouts and add some of your own personality.

Here, I’ve painted Versamark ink from the refill with my WaterPainter right onto his eyebrows and beard. Then I sprinkled white embossing powder on top and heat it up. Instant texture and shine that make your friends want to reach out and touch!

Play up the colours with patterned papers

Rather than leave it plain Early Espresso behind the greeting, I punched it up with 3 different designer papers. The mix of colours and patterns make your greeting instantly stand out! (Bonus TIP: Frame your die with a coordinating colour. The label is from the Holly Berry Die set.)

Create a Peek Through Card

You can easily have the gnome sitting on the front of your card. But why not add a bit more interest and make a peek through card?

Use a Layering Circle Die to cut out the front circle. Do this BEFORE you position the gnome so you know he’s in the exact right spot!

Add more texture to the inside of your card

How many cards do you see with cool embossing on the INside? Hardly any! So add a fairly low-key dry embossed image (that you can still write on) to take your card to the next level.

Or if you’d rather, add another label on the inside on top of the embossing to add your greeting.

Want even more ideas for this adorable stamp set? See how to make versatile cards with Kindest Gnomes stamps.

Which Idea Will You Use First?

Whether you pull out the Storybook Gnomes collection like I did or any other great images in your own stash, you can add any ONE of these tips to a handmade card. You’ll be surprised how easy they are. And how they instantly add something a little more exciting to the finished design!

I used a number of supplies in this card. To see the exact list, click here so you can print, pin or order from.

Let’s see it all again standing so you can see the peek through opening.

Be sure you put your own little signature on the back of the card when it’s done.

Then send it out using one or more of these 4 easy tricks to step up your card making to WOW your friends and sit back for the applause!