Step-by-Step Guide to Gingerbread Card Design

Would you like to experiment with a design like this? You’ll find a supply list below, including a link to the stencil I used from A Colorful Life Designs.  Follow the link and use discount code ChrisFan10 to save 10% on your entire order! (Master Creator Bundles are excluded as they already have a 20% discount built in.)

Let’s get Started:

Card Base: 5.5 x 8.5, scored and folded at 4.25

Border Layer: 5.5 x 4.25

Card Face:  5 ⅜ x 4 ⅛

“Snow” layer:  5.5 x 4.25

Card Face:

  • I laid the card face down on the Grip Mat, then positioned the stencil to use the house’s outline.
  • I applied light brown ink with a very soft hand to this portion of the stencil, adding a little extra pressure around the edges to add depth and visual interest.
  • I repositioned the stencil to add the details to the house. Masking off portions of the stencil as necessary, I grabbed my small blending brushes and added the door, windows, and trim to the house, adding additional colour saturation where shown to create visual interest.
  • I added “snow”  to the house by colouring in each portion with an embossing pen, adding white embossing powder and setting it with my heat gun.
  • There is also a small detail inside the smoke coming out of the chimney –  I coloured this with my embossing pen, added holographic embossing powder and set it with my heat gun.
  • I added definition by using a black fine liner to outline the house and around each of the detail areas: I also added “bricks” to the chimney.
  • I used a soft hand and light blue ink around the house to remove the harsh contrast between the house and the stark white paper.
  • I positioned the die on the card face and ran it through the Big Shot to create the sentiment.

Other:

  • I pulled out my “someday” binder and grabbed a gingerbread girl who had been coloured and fussy cut, and was just waiting for a chance to shine on a card.
  • I tore one edge of the snow layer, creating hills and valleys on that edge; I tore this piece in two, creating additional hills and valleys in the second tear.

Assembly:

  • I glued the card face to the card base.
  • I glued the upper layer of the snow in place,  and then added the lower one, overlapping the two. 
  • Before the second layer was fully dry I added the gingerbread girl, tucking one lower edge in behind the snow just slightly.
  • I trimmed all layers evenly at the bottom.

Final Thoughts:

I love the look of that debossed sentiment on this card.

When I added the micro liner around the chimney,  I somehow managed to smudge the ink slightly –  that detail grabs my eye and frustrates me so much!

Over all I like the card, and was delighted to create a home for my gingerbread girl.

Supplies: (and links where possible)

   I have listed which products I have used, and where they may be purchased. It’s a huge marketplace and in most instances, there are multiple sources and many alternatives to choose from.

Stencil: Gingerbread House, A Colorful Life Designs

Waffle Flower Grip Mat, 8.5 x 6.5, Scrapbook.com

Embossing Pen: Ranger, Amazon

Hollographic Embossing Powder: Ranger,  R&R Scrapbooking

White Embossing Powder: Wow, R& R Scrapbooking

Stamps: Gingerbread girl:  Your Next Stamp  (no longer in business)

Dies: Impression Obsession (no longer in business)

Ink: Stampin’ Up!

Blending Brushes: Stampin’ Up! 

Detail Blending Brushes:  Waffle Flower,  Glitter & Ink

Adhesive: Tombow Aqua, Michaels

Card Base & Card Face: Accent 100 lb., Amazon

Do you have comments or thoughts to share on this design?  Drop me a line in the Comments Section below –  I’d love to hear from you!

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Gingerbread House by A Colorful Life Designs