Wednesday, March 2, 2022

Sending Hugs to Ukraine for Support


Makers from all over the world are using their creativity to show support for the Ukraine people by posting with the hashtag #cardsforukraine on social media. This is my small contribution.

I chose to make my card with blue and yellow to represent the colors of the Ukraine flag. Here are a few Ukraine facts (many from theFACTfile):
  • National flower is the Sunflower.
  • Population is just under 44 million.
  • Ukrainian civilizations date back to 4800 B.C. The country is located in an area where Trypillian and Scythian civilizations thrived.
  • Ukrainians wear their wedding rings on their right hands.
  • National costume is the Vyshyvanka, decorated with ornamental hand woven embroidery in floral detail. Both women and men wear the costume on various occasions.
  • The world’s longest musical instrument, the Trembita, originates from Ukraine.
  • With up to 1,500 cafes, Lviv is has the highest number of cafes per capita in the world.
  • Locals enjoy drinking stewed fruit, called Kompot, a non-alcoholic sweet beverage.
  • Ukraine has the fourth highest literacy rate in the world.
  • Lviv was the birthplace of the first gas lamp.
  • The lowest point in the country: Black Sea at 0 m.
  • Ukrainians drive on the right.
We all live on this planet together; let's treat each other with kindness and all strive for peace.

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Making the Card

1. Cut blue cardstock 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 inches; fold in half to form a 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inch card base.

2. Cut white cardstock 4 x 5 1/4 inches; I recommend a smooth one that is good for ink blending. Stamp world from Globe Greetings (Concord & 9th) using Mustard Seed Distress Oxide Ink. Heat emboss with clear embossing powder using a heat tool.

3. Using a blending brush, apply Blueprint Sketch Distress Oxide Ink over and just outside the stamped world image. Wipe excess with dry paper towel or cloth.

4. Using a blending brush, apply Black Soot Distress Ink (not Oxide) over the entire white background, blending gently into the blue around the world, but not into it.


5. Optional: cut a 2.5" circle die from masking paper or Post-it Tape (may have to overlap tape to get right width; if using a regular Post-it be sure to include some of the sticky area to help keep it in place). Place mask over world. Use a spray bottle, brush, or your fingers to drip some small water droplets across the background. Dab with a dry paper towel to lift a little of the color. Don't worry if a little gets under the mask, it just adds a little more texture. Let dry. Next mix up some white gouache or white acrylic paint to a sort of milky consistency. Use a splatter brush to flick very small white dots across the sky. Add extra stars with a white gel pen.

6. Using VersaMark ink, stamp "SENDING" from Waffle Flower Oversized Hugs stamp set on blue cardstock strip and emboss in white with heat tool. Trim if necessary. Also with VersaMark, stamp each letter of "TO" and "Ukraine" on a strip of blue cardstock, using the Concord & 9th Perfectly Penned stamp set. Emboss in white and trim as necessary.

7. Using Waffle Flower Oversized Hugs die, die cut 4 or 5 copies from blue (or black) cardstock and one copy from yellow cardstock. With the yellow copy on top, glue each of the die cuts together in a stack, making sure to line them up carefully. Place on card as shown (don't adhere yet) - adhere "TO Ukraine" just under the "g" in hugs as shown. Next glue the hugs. Finally, adhere "SENDING" where shown using dimensional tape where it doesn't overlap the hugs.

8. Optional: Adhere star embellishments (note: I couldn't find the ones I have; I bought them quite some time ago and don't know the brand). I found these as well (see the link image at the bottom for the best match) - some look very close to the ones I bought.


Supplies