Huggables

I finally had a little time to play with my @concordand9th 2026 Winter Retreat goodies.
This was my first retreat ever and a little treat I made myself for my birthday at the end of last year. I wasn't able to follow along, but I was able to catch up after the event.
The Huggable die set is the reason I registered so I was really looking forward to playing with it.

The die set is super versatile, so I really had fun creating additional critters. The set is originally designed to create a bear, a fox and dogs. It's also meant to feature 2 critters seen from the back or front, in a gatefold design which you can open to reveal the other side. I'm a real sucker for sets that offer a front and back.

I've seen really great cards with this set and wanted to get a slightly different look, so I decided to Copic color the die cuts, and also used a couple @teamspellbinders stamp sets for the faces, which I think turned out really great. I didn't necessarily want to make interactive cards with the gatefold option, so I created cards with two fronts instead.

All cards are folded at the top. I used liquid adhesive to assemble all the critters and die cut the bodies a second time for heavy cardstock to stack underneath and create a little dimension.
To finish the cards, I added a couple dark pink hearts using additional die sets from Concord and 9th.

I love all versions, and I have a lot favorites: the kitty has my heart, for sure. I love the bear and fox for their furs. The seal totally cracks me up... Which one is your favorite?

Bear

Huggable dies and stamp set (Concord and 9th)
Bear hugs faces and sentiments (Stampendous/Spellbinders)
Retro hug and Inside sentiment hugs (Waffle Flowers Crafts)
Honeycomb stencil (La-La Land Crafts)

Inks: Buttercream (Rainbow Splash), Distress oxides Scattered straw, Mustard seed and Walnut stain (Tim Holtz & Ranger)

For the bear, I pretty much used the die set as it is meant to be used, but instead of using the coordinating stamp set for the face features, I used the Stampendous/Spellbinders Bear hugs faces. After stamping the face features, I used Copic markers E47, E57, E37, E35, E33, E31 and E41 to color the body, with brush strokes to create a furry effect. I colored the ears with RV32.

For the background, I blended Buttercream from Rainbow splash with a light hand from bottom to top. I then blended Distress oxides Mustard seed and Scattered straw through the Honeycomb stencil from La-La Land Crafts, working my way again from bottom to top.

For the sentiments, I used the coordinating Huggable stamp set for the Hi!, Hugs, buddy! and Just want to squeeze you! I also used a couple sets from Waffle Flower Crafts for the other sentiments which I stamped the sentiments in Walnut distress oxide and Memento Black Tuxedo ink.

Fox

Huggable dies, Plant life and Pretty sweet stamp sets (Concord and 9th)
Bear hugs faces and sentiments (Stampendous/Spellbinders)
Fox-tastic and Stay foxy (La-La Land Crafts)
Tiny's leaf grain stencil (Marianne Designs)

Inks: Buttercream (Rainbow Splash), Distress oxides Tattered rose, Twisted citron, Squeezed lemonade, Fossilized amber, Ripe persimmon, Crackling campfire and Walnut stain

For the fox, I used the small body die and features as it is meant to be used and replaced the face features by the Bear hugs stamp from Spellbinders. I had to do a little masking to stamp the nose and mouth first and then each eye separately to get the right spacing. I colored the light fur with E50, E42 and Y11 and orange fur with YR27, YR24, YR23, YR21 and Y21. For the ears and cheeks, I used RV11 and RV000.

For the background, I blended Distress oxide Tattered rose and then used the Tiny's leaf grain stencil to add more interest, blending first Rainbow Splash, then Twisted citron, Squeeze lemonade and Fossilized amber with a very light hand.

The big sentiments are from a couple Concord and 9th sets, one of which is from the 2026 Winter Retreat. I used Distress oxides Ripe persimmon, Crackling campfire and Walnut stain. The small sentiments come from La-La Land Crafts.

Racoon

Huggable dies, Plant life and Pretty sweet stamp sets (Concord and 9th)
Bear hugs faces / Kitty hugs faces and sentiments (Stampendous/Spellbinders
Coon talk and Racoon how you've bin (Whimsy Stamps)
Chip Chip Hooray and Snack attack stencils (Hero Arts)
Hello there animals (Simon Says Stamp)

Inks: Buttercream (Rainbow Splash), Distress oxides Tattered rose, Scattered straw, Saltwater taffy, Tea-dye and Weathered wood

To create the racoon, I used the small Huggable die and the smallest features of the fox ears, as well as its tail. For the eyes and muzzle, I used a bear hug face from Spellbinders, but added whiskers with one of the kitty hug faces. I copic colored the fur with W markers first, from W8 down to W1 and then colored a second time with C markers from C6 down to C2.

I inked the background with Distress oxide Tattered rose. I then used the Hero Arts Snack attach stencils with Distress oxides Scattered straw, Tea-dye and Saltwater taffy.

For the big sentiments, I used Weathered wood distress oxide, using The Hello there animals from Simon Says Stamp and Chip Chip Hooray from Hero Arts. For the smallest sentiments, I used a couple sets from Whimsy Stamps.

Dog

Huggable dies, Plant life and Pretty sweet stamp sets (Concord and 9th)
Bear hugs faces / Kitty hugs faces and sentiments (Stampendous/Spellbinders
Pawprints stencil and Cat-itude stamp set (Newton's Nook)
You make my tail wag (My Favorite Things)
Critter chatter: Pets (Lawn Fawn)
Paws-itivity (Simon Says Stamp)
You are (Paperie Ink)

Inks: Distress oxides Twisted citron, Tea-dye, Vintage photo and Walnut stain

I'm not a dog person, but I think this one turned out way too cute. I used the small huggable die, ears and tail which are meant to create a dog. For the face, I used the Bear hugs faces from Spellbinders, but also pulled the Kitty hugs faces to add a collar to this cute doggo. As I didn't have the back side of the collar, I simply hand drew it using another die cut of the dog back, around its neck. I fussy cut the collars for a little bit of dimension (and also because I realized I had forgotten about the back after doing the fur!).

I copic colored the dogs with markers E15, E13, E31 and E41 and then came back a second time with E27, E37, E35, E33 and E55.

In the background, I blended Distress oxide Twisted citron and then Tea-dye through the Pawprints stencil from Newton's Nook. For the sentiments, I used several stamp sets as listed above and stamped some with Distress oxides Vintage photo and Walnut stain and other in Black ink.

Cat

Huggable dies (Concord and 9th)
Kitty hugs faces and sentiments (Stampendous/Spellbinders)
Pawprints stencil (Newton's Nook)
Had me at meow (Colorado Craft Company)
Purrfect sentiments (Waffle Flower Crafts)
Paws-itivity (Simon Says Stamp)
Cutie cats (CC Designs)
Thank mew (The Greeting Farm)
Sarcastic kitties (Picket Fence Designs)

Inks: Distress oxides Tattered rose, Worn lipstick and Festive berries

For the kitty, I used the small body die and some of the fox features for the ears. I also used its tail, which I die cut a second time offsetting the die to make it thinner. I colored the kitty to be Kali with light W markers and E50. I did her eyes blue with B0000 and B00 and her nose with a mix of pinkish red and brown: R22 and E35.

In the background, I blended Tattered rose and then Worn lipstick through the Pawprints stencil from Newton's Nook. For the big sentiments, I used both Worn lipstick and Festive berries. I used a lot of different sets to make this card very personal.

Seal

Huggable dies (Concord and 9th)
Kitty hugs faces and sentiments (Stampendous/Spellbinders)
Paint splatters stencil (Lawn Fawn)
Seals (CC Designs)
Wild love (CZ Design / Simon Says Stamp)
Hello there animals (Simon Says Stamp)
Smooched (The Ton Stamps)

Inks: Distress oxides Speckled egg, Salvaged patina, Peacock feathers, Salty ocean, Uncharted mariner, Worn lipstick and Festive berries

The Kitty hugs faces had a few faces that totally reminded me of a seal, so I knew at some point I'd do a seal as well. The seal totally cracks me up. I didn't even know which sentiments I'd use before opting for this funny face, and I think it turned out so perfect. I used the larger body die and colored it with markers W7 down to W00. I made the eyes darker with a W10 marker and colored the tongue with RV34 and RV32

I added big random spots with the darker W markers and a few highlights in the eyes.

In the background, I blended Speckled egg and then Salvaged patina through the Paint splatters stencil. I stamped the big sentiments with Peacock feathers and intensified the color with Salty ocean and Uncharted mariner. The small sentiments are stamped in black ink.

I added a couple smooches to match the sentiment at back, using Worn lipstick and Festive berries with the Smooched stamp set from The Ton Stamps.

Bunny

Huggable dies (Concord and 9th)
Bear hugs faces and sentiments (Stampendous/Spellbinders)
Big Easter Cupcake die set and Layered carrot stencil (Pretty Pink Posh)
Rejoice Rabbit (Waffle Flower Crafts)
Easter memories (Echo Park)
Hunny bunny (The Greeting Farm)
Wild love (CZ Design and Simon Says Stamp)
Hop into Spring (Reverse Confetti)

Inks: Buttercream (Rainbow Splash), Distress oxides Tattered rose, Squeezed lemonade, Fossilized amber, Twisted citron, Ripe persimmon and Crackling campfire, Distress Ink Worn lipstick (Tim Holtz & Ranger)

To create the bunny, I used the smaller body die. For the ears, I used the arms of the larger die, and the dog ears to layer on top of them. I stamped another cute bear face from the Stampendous/Spellbinders stamp set, using Ranger Distress Ink Worn lipstick for the muzzle and black ink for the mouth and eyes.

I did the fur with Copic markers W4, W3, W2, W1 and W00, and also used RV32 and RV00 for the ears. I used a white gen pen to add highlights in the eyes.

For the background, I blended Tattered rose and then used the Layered carrot stencil set from Pretty Pink Posh, and Rainbow Splash Buttercream along Distress oxides Squeezed lemon, Fossilized amber and Twisted citron. 

For the sentiments, I used the Hunny bunny set from The Greeting Farm, CZ's Wild love stamp set and a few more on the back, as listed above. To ink the big sentiments, I used Distress oxides Ripe persimmon and Crackling campfire.

Penguin

Huggable dies and stamp set (Concord and 9th)
Kitty hugs faces and sentiments (Stampendous/Spellbinders)
Pretty sweet (Concord and 9th)
Penguin 2 and Arctic 2 & 3 (Carla Creates)
Layered winter hats (Pretty Pink Posh)

Inks: Buttercream (Rainbow Splash), Distress oxides Speckled egg, Kitsch flamingo, Carved pumpkin and Crackling campfire, Distress ink Carved pumpkin

For the penguin, I used the larger die and also die cut a tail. I used the Kitty hugs faces and stamped the beak in orange first and then the rest of the face in black, masking off the whiskers.

I copic colored with markers W9 down to W4 and for the white parts, I used E42, E41, E40 and W00. A little RV11 on the cheek and some white gen pen in the eyes. I did intensify the beak with markers YR27, YR07 and Y38.

In the background, I blended Speckled egg and then used the Pretty Pink Posh Layered winter hats stencil set with Buttercream ink and Kitsch flamingo. For the big sentiments, I used Distress oxides Carved pumpkin and Crackling campfire.

#concordand9th #spellbinders
#cardmaking #handmadecards #diecutting