There’s something so special about the quiet moments in the morning—the way the world feels just a little more magical before the day truly begins. That’s the feeling I wanted to capture in today’s card, featuring the Big Mugs Stamp Set, Coffee Gnomes Stamp Set, and A2 Castle Scene Die Set from Miss Ink Stamps. I love creating scene cards because they tell a story, and this one is all about a group of cozy gnomes starting their day in a whimsical castle setting.
If you’ve ever looked at an intricate scene card and thought, I could never put all those layers together, let me tell you—it's easier than it looks. With the right die set and a little ink blending, you can create a detailed scene without spending hours fussing over every element. I’ve got a full video tutorial to walk you through the process, but let’s dive into the details of today’s project and why these products work so well together.
Magical Morning Scene Card:
Bringing the Gnomes to Life
The gnomes in the Big Mugs and Coffee Gnomes stamp sets have so much personality. I wanted them to stand out against the scene, so I stamped them onto scraps of white cardstock using Memento Tuxedo Black Ink—my go-to for alcohol marker coloring. I reached for my Ohuhu Honolulu Brush Markers, which are an affordable alternative to pricier alcohol markers but still blend beautifully.
Pro Tip: If you struggle with coloring small images, try using a limited color palette. Sticking to just a few shades keeps the design cohesive and makes blending easier.
Once the gnomes were colored, I fussy cut them out with paper snips. Yes, I could have used an electronic cutting machine, but sometimes I prefer the control of scissors—especially for small details like the curls of a beard or the rim of a coffee mug. With the gnomes ready to go, I set them aside and turned my attention to the background.
Creating the Castle Scene Background
Scene building is one of my favorite parts of card making. There’s something so satisfying about layering die cuts to create depth and dimension. For this card, I used the A2 Castle Scene Die Set to cut out all the background elements from various colors of cardstock—white for the base pieces, red for the rooftops, gray for the castle, and a light brown/gray color for the rocks.
Now, this is where the magic really happens—ink blending. If you’ve ever looked at a die-cut scene and felt like something was missing, chances are it needed just a bit of shading. I used Distress Inks to blend the sky and lake with shades of blue, adding a hint of black around the edges for depth. The ground got a mix of green inks, and I added shading to the castle, rooftops, and rocks with different tones of Distress Ink to give them more dimension.
Pro Tip: If you want your background to have that soft, dreamy look, use a light hand when blending. Start with the lightest ink and build up the intensity slowly—you can always add more, but you can’t take it away.
Building the Scene
Once all the elements were ready, it was time to put the scene together. I started by die-cutting an outside frame from both brown and white cardstock, layering the brown over the white for extra depth. This little trick makes the frame pop against the background without overpowering the scene.
I adhered the frame onto a top-folding A2 card base and then started placing my background elements. The sky went in first, followed by the castle, then the lake and the ground. At this stage, the card started to come to life, but it wasn’t complete until the gnomes took their places.
I adhered the Big Mugs gnome with liquid glue and popped up the boy and girl gnomes with foam adhesive from the Coffee Gnomes Stamp Set to make them stand out. Adding different layers of dimension like this helps guide the eye across the card and makes the scene feel more dynamic.
The Finishing Touches
No card is complete without a sentiment, so I heat embossed one in white onto brown cardstock, trimmed it into a strip, and adhered it with small foam squares. But the real finishing touches came in the form of details—white gel pen highlights on the gnomes for extra shine and a touch of Stardust Stickles for that little bit of sparkle.
Pro Tip: White gel pen highlights can make your images pop! Try adding small dots and lines along the edges of your colored areas for a more polished look
Final Thoughts
I love how this card turned out—it truly captures that cozy morning magic with a whimsical, storybook feel. If you’ve been hesitant to try scene building, I encourage you to give it a go. With a great die set like the A2 Castle Scene Die Set and a little ink blending, you can create something that looks complex but is surprisingly simple to put together.
Be sure to check out the full video tutorial to see the process in action. And if you create your own magical scene card, I’d love to see it! Tag me on social media so we can share inspiration. Happy crafting!
Magical Morning Coffee Scene Card Video Tutorial:
If you have problems watching the video here on my blog you can always watch it on my YouTube Channel by Clicking here!
(Wondering what I used in this video? Everything is linked to multiple sources in the thumbnails at the end of this post, or in the text below. Compensated affiliate links used when possible). As always I appreciate your support of my videos!
Materials Used:
Here you will find the list of supplies that I used to create today's card. All supplies are linked to supply sources below. Compensated affiliate links may be used at no cost to you.
Happy Stampin'
Rick Adkins
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