What's NEW from Simon Hurley? Let's Create a Card

Hi, crafty friends! Debbie here from Debbie J’s Crafting Corner, and I’m absolutely thrilled to dive into Simon Hurley’s latest release with you. Simon’s new holiday collection is here, and though I didn’t snag every piece, I’ve got a bunch of fantastic products that I couldn’t wait to try. Simon invited me to test these out, so today, I’m going to share some card-making ideas, techniques, and my first impressions!

Unboxing and First Impressions

This new collection is packed with whimsical stamps and versatile inks perfect for holiday card making. Just opening these products inspired me to dive right in and create. I’m excited to show you some of my first designs using heat embossing and water coloring with Simon Hurley Inks. I love how easy it is to add a little color with a water brush and some Simon Hurley ink.

My First Three Cards

Right away, I got started with three thank-you cards. These were a mix of watercolor techniques with a little shimmer from Perfect Pearls for a hint of sparkle.

Watercolor Thank-You Cards – My first cards use a simple watercolor background using Simon new Watercolor Cling Stamp with an elegant stamped image of the roses in the Rose Borders Cling Stamp.
Pink and Blue Versions – I created a matching card using Tim Holtz watercolor pencils, one in blue tones and another in pink. The colors blend beautifully making them perfect for quick, lovely thank-you cards to send to friends.
Layered Wreath Design – For a twist, I layered two wreath stamps and used a watercolor technique with soft greenery for a festive, cozy look. This “messy watercolor” style is perfect for an easy, relaxed vibe.

Creating a Whimsical Woods Scene

Next up, I used Simon’s Whimsical Woods stamp set to create a scenic design with trees and woodland animals. I stamped these images using my Sizzix Stencil and Stamp platform and heat-embossed them with WoW! embossing powder, which has anti-static properties to keep those embossing details clean and sharp.

Color Blending Tips:

Watercoloring the Trees – I used some Weeping Willow, Shady, Later Gator and Slippery When Wet inks to create my own colors for coloring the trees. I wanted to add a lot of variation to the browns, and this worked perfectly. OK… it probably would have worked better on watercolor paper, but hey. I never know what I’m going to use until I do it. LOL. I really should do a bit more using watercolor paper. The results will be even better.
Ink Blending for Depth – After starting on a couple more trees on another panel (yes… just wait till you see the INSIDE of the card, I started blending Clear Skies ink in the background and added Midnight Snack around the trees for a deep, night-sky look. Then I added more color to the trees with the same watercolor technique I used for the rest of the card. Since all of the inks are water-reactive, adding water color over the ink blending made the browns even darker… so it looks like we are walking deeper into the woods.
Watercoloring Woodland Animals – For the critters, I mixed Simon Hurley’s Slippery When Wet and Weeping Willow inks to customize earthy tones, adding just the right amount of variation. Don’t be afraid to experiment! Each animal came to life with its own unique coloring. The little fox, in particular, turned out wonderfully with a custom orange-brown blend.

Die-Cutting the Critters

With my characters colored and ready, I turned to my trusty Sizzix magnetic platform to hold my dies securely in place. Using my Magnetic Magic Mat ensured precision when lining up the dies around the stamped images. After a few adjustments and some layering, I was able to get each piece lined up perfectly.

You may (or may not) have guessed by now that I created a Tri Fold card for our woodsy scene. After the trees were all done and added to the card bases, I added our forest friends and a couple of sentiments. I don’t do a lot of fun folds (but I should) and I absolutely love how this one turned out!

Join the Fun!

If you’re as inspired as I am by these products, I’d love to see what you create! Head over to our Facebook and Discord groups to share your card creations. Whether you’re trying out Simon’s inks or experimenting with new colors, come join us for tips, inspiration, and crafty fun!

Big Hugs!

Thanks for joining me in some crafty fun!

Let me inspire you to create something great!

Because, if I can make it, YOU CAN TOO!

~ Big Hugs!

Debbie Jenkins

Stalk me! You can find all my links on my LinkBio!

* By the way, this post may contain affiliate links. That means that, if you purchase something through the link, I’ll get a small commission at no extra charge to you. Thanks for supporting my YouTube channel and blog.