Written In Ink

Category: Fun

  • YOU Can Create Unique Cards with Stencils

    YOU Can Create Unique Cards with Stencils

    Would you like to experiment with a design like this? You’ll find a supply list below, including a link to the stencils 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: 5.25 x 4

    Card Face:  5 x 3.75

    Card Face:

    • I put the card face into my stamp positioner,  and used Memento ink to stamp the gnome.
    • I coloured him with alcohol markers.
    • I placed the card face onto the Grip Mat and positioned the Outline Grid stencil: I used grey ink and a light hand to create the stencilled pattern.
    • I removed that stencil,  and dropped in the Falling Dots stencil – except instead of the dots going vertically,  I turned the stencil and created them horizontally.  I used blue ink and a soft hand for this step.
    • I returned the card face to the stamp positioner and added the sentiment, using Versafine Onyx.

    Assembly

    • I glued the black border to the card base,  and then centered the card face on top of these.
    • I scattered green and blue Card Bling randomly on the card face.

    Final Thoughts:

    He is such an earnest little guy,  ready to stand his ground and go the course for a friend.  And the stencils provide the perfect detail in the background.

    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.

    Stencils:

         Falling Dots, a Colorful Life Designs

         Outline  Grid, A Colorful Life Designs

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

    Stamps: Technique Junkies (no longer in business)

    Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Blending Brushes: Stampin’ Up! 

    Versafine Onyx, Simon Says Stamp

    Memento Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Alcohol Markers:

         Stampin’ Blends: Stampin’ Up!

         Copics:  Wallacks

    Card Bling:  A Colorful Life Designs

    Adhesive: Tombow Aqua, Michaels

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

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

    You can also use the Comments Section to be notified when I release new work.

    Falling Dots Stencil

    Outline Grid Stencil

  • Make an elegant card: combine embossing paste and vellum

    Make an elegant card: combine embossing paste and vellum

    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

    Card Face:  5.5 x 3.75

    Vellum:  7 x 2.5

    Card Face:

    • I laid the card face on scrap paper and positioned the stencil.  I secured both with Mint Tape.
    • I applied DIY embossing paste across all exposed areas.
    • I carefully removed the stencil and placed it in water immediately.

    When I work with embossing paste, I have a container of water beside me:  I usually do several card faces during a session with paste,  with each one going into the water as soon as it’s removed from the card face. When I’m done, the stencils are all cleaned at the same time.  This makes clean-up much faster and easier.

    • I put the card face aside to dry.

    Other:

    • I turned on my heat gun before starting work with the vellum.
    • I placed the vellum in my stamp positioner and added the butterflies with Versafine Onyx.
    • I sprinkled the ink with clear embossing powder and set it with my heat gun.

    Vellum will warp easily with heat,  so it’s important to have a very hot, preheated tool and to move it constantly until the powder has melted.

    • I stamped a scrap of cardstock with the sentiment,  and then cut it out with a die.
    • Assembly
    • I folded the vellum around the card face and secured it with scotch tape.
    • I glued the card face to the card base,  making sure that the vellum on the back of the card face was fully adhered.
    • I glued the sentiment in place as shown,  taking care to use no more glue than was needed, as vellum warps very easily with moisture.

    Final Thoughts:

    The gleam of the embossing paste is so pretty, but the panel was very busy as a whole:  the vellum is such a great tool in this instance,  as it dampens that down, while providing another layer of interest because it is translucent.

    Sadly, the stamps here are retired: but this design is easily replicated with others that you have on hand.

    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: Chaos Squares, A Colorful Life Designs

    Clear Embossing Powder,  Wow,  Simon Says Stamp

    Stamp & Die:  Stampin’ Up!  (retired)

    Versafine Onyx, Simon Says Stamp

    Vellum: Stampin’ Up!    

    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!

    You can also use the Comments Section  to be notified when I release new work.

    Chaos Squares by A Colorful Life Designs

  • Unlock Amazing Texture in Card Making

    Unlock Amazing Texture in Card Making

    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

    Card Face:  5 x 3.75

    Vellum:  7 x 2.5

    Card Face:

    • I laid the card face on the grip mat and applied blue, yellow and red ink randomly , covering the entire surface.
    • I spattered water generously over the surface, creating texture and depth.
    • Once this had dried, I positioned the stencil and applied black ink with a heavy hand:  the pattern was created by the areas which had been protected by the stencil, allowing the multicoloured base layer to show through.

    Other:

    • I dusted the vellum liberally with anti-static powder.
    • I stamped the image with Versamark embossing ink, sprinkled silver embossing powder, and set it with my heat gun.  

    I turned the heat gun on for approximately 1 minute before use to be certain that it was good and hot.  While embossing the vellum, I moved the heat gun constantly to prevent warping.

    Assembly

    • I wrapped the vellum around the card face and secured it with scotch tape, centering vertically.
    • I put dimensional foam on the back of the card face, and put it in place in the center of  the card base.
    • I added a silver pearl to each corner of the card face,  and a triangular metallic embellishment to each corner of the card base.

    Final Thoughts:

    I love the bits of texture created by the water spatter,  and the interest provided by the use of different colours in the background.

    The use of vellum softened the contrast and bold colours of the background.

    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: Scribble Mask,  A Colorful Life Designs

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

    Versamark Embossing Ink: Simon Says Stamp

    Silver Embossing Powder,  Wow,  R&R Scrapbooking

    Stamps: Candles, Stars & Birthday Wishes , Unity Stamps (retired)

    Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Blending Brushes: Stampin’ Up! 

    Versafine Onyx, Simon Says Stamp

    Adhesive: Tombow Aqua, Michaels

    Card Base & Card Face: Accent 100 lb., Amazon  or  Recollections 110 lb., Michaels

    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!

    You can also use the Comments Section  to be notified when I release new work.

    Scribble Mask by A Colorful Life Designs

  • How to Use Duo Gel for Stunning Card Effects

    How to Use Duo Gel for Stunning Card Effects

    Would you like to experiment with a design like this? You’ll find a supply list below, including a link to the stencils 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

    Card Face:  5.25 x 4

    Focal Piece:  2.5 x 1 (after being trimmed down)

    Sentiment: 1.5 x 1.5 (after die cutting)

    Strips:  .25 x 5.25 ( x 2)

    Card Face:

    • I laid the card face onto the grip mat and positioned the Mod Rectangles stencil.
    • I applied red ink over all exposed areas,  deepening the colour at the edges to create a border.
    • After removing the first stencil, I placed the Airy Swirls stencil.
    • I covered all exposed areas with Duo Gel, removed the stencil carefully (to avoid smudges), and put the card face down to dry.
    • Once the gel was dry (it goes on white but becomes clear when dry), I laid a piece of transfer foil on top and ran it through the Big Shot.  When I removed the piece of foil, the sticky gel had left those areas of the foil in place, creating the stencilled pattern.

    When I use Duo Gel, the stencils go immediately into water once removed as the gel will be almost impossible to get off when dry.

    Other:

    • I placed the cardstock for the focal image into my stamp positioner and added the image of the woman with brown ink.  I used my trimmer to cut this to size along the dotted border, finishing with a corner punch to round the edges.
    • I replaced this with the smaller piece of cardstock for the sentiment, stamped it with the same brown ink, then cut it down to size with a die.

    Assembly

    • I centered the card face on the card base,  and then added the focal piece towards the left as shown.I glued the two narrow strips to the right of this image.
    • I added dimensional foam to the back of the sentiment and placed it as shown, allowing it to slightly overlap the focal image.   I added three small gold pearls at the bottom of this piece.

    Final Thoughts:

    Purple and red are a fabulous colour combination, and they work well with this pair of stencils: one so structured and the other so loose and flowing.   

    This created a fun backdrop for the tongue-in-cheek, vintage focal image.

    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.

    Stencils

    Mod Rectangles,  A Colorful Life Designs

    Airy Swirls: A Colorful Life Designs:

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

    Stamps: Motherhood is a Verb,  Unity Stamps  (retired)

    Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Blending Brushes: Stampin’ Up! 

    Duo Gel: Decofoil,  R&R Scrapbooking

    Transfer Foil: Decofoil,  R&R Scrapbooking

    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!

    You can also use the Comments Section  to be notified when I release new work.

    Mod Rectangles by A Colorful Life Designs

    Airy Swirls by A Colorful Life Designs

  • Beautiful Multi-Color Stenciling for Card Making

    Beautiful Multi-Color Stenciling for Card Making

    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: 5.25 x 10.5, scored and folded at 5.25

    Card Face:  5 x 5

    Sentiment Strip:  5 x 1.5”

    Card Face:

    • I laid the card face on a piece of scrap paper and positioned the stencil (this is a 6 x 9 stencil,  so there are options how how to place it – even on a 5 x 5 card face), and secured it with Mint Tape.
    • Using small blending and shading brushes,   I applied colours to the stencil.  I used orange on the  center of the flowers , then, moved to a dark red, then to pink.  I finished the background with soft beige.
    • I spattered the card face using metallic gold watercolour.
    • I ran all edges over a Versafine Onyx ink pad, adding definition to the card face.

    Other:

    • I placed the strip of card stock into the stamp positioner and added the sentiment with Versafine Onyx.  I ran the two horizontal edges of the strip over the black ink pad.

    Assembly

    • I glued the card face onto the card base, centering on all sides.
    • I added dimensional foam to the back of the card strip and centered it horizontally on the card face.

    Final Thoughts:

    This is a really pretty stencil to play with,  and the options for colour are endless –  everything from monochromatic to full colour, as I have chosen here.

    I’m really happy with the result of this multi-colour stencilling,  but it was absolutely necessary to use smaller brushes to control colour placement.

    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: Lace Close Up, A Colorful Life Designs

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

    Stamps:  Technique Junkies  (no longer in business)

    Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Blending Brushes: Sampler Pack, Waffle Flower, R&R Scrapbooking

    Versafine Onyx, Simon Says Stamp

    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!

    You can also use the Comments Section  to be notified when I release new work.

    Lace Close Up by A Colorful Life Designs

  • How to Use Stencils for Beautiful Holiday Card Designs

    How to Use Stencils for Beautiful Holiday Card Designs

    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

    Black Border Layer: 5.5 x 4.25

    Card Face:  5.25 x 4

    Card Face:

    • I laid the card face onto my grip mat and positioned the stencil with the ivy swag where I wanted it.  I used a small blending brush and green ink over this part of the stencil, being careful to avoid ink in other open areas on the stencil.   
    • I moved the stencil and added ivy to other sections of the card face randomly.
    • I wiped the stencil down to remove the green ink.  I added the poinsettias with red ink, switching to the small brush designated for that colour.
    • The stencilling was complete,  but I wanted more detail in the background,  so I added two different backgrounds stamps with light brown ink.

    To use a background stamp:

    It can be difficult to get a good impression with a background stamp – there’s a lot of area to cover. I get good results with this method – I’m quite certain I saw it on Youtube, but cannot remember who to give credit to.

    I lay the stamp on my work surface and ink it up thoroughly, going over it more than once to be certain I’ve got good coverage.

    I lay my card face directly on this, carefully lining up the edges so that it’s straight. I hold it down with one hand to be certain that it doesn’t move.

    I place a piece of copy paper over the card face very carefully, not allowing any movement.

    I run my fingers or palm over the copy paper, switching hands as necessary – one holding everything still and the other transferring ink.

    When I’m satisfied I remove the copy paper and then the card face, careful not to smudge.

    I use the copy paper to keep ink off of my hands – it will inevitably transfer to the card face! (The stamps are larger than the card face, so there is exposed ink.)

    This method allows me to vary pressure or skip over parts of the image if I don’t want solid inking.

    I often use a slightly larger piece of cardstock than I need: if I don’t get it quite straight, I can trim it down and fix that.

    • With the background complete I put the card face into my stamp positioner and added the bakers twine and bow images using Versafine Onyx ink.
    • I used a corner rounder punch on each corner.

    Other:

    • I looked through my sentiment binder and found these wee gift tags which had been created and saved for future use …  it saves so much time to have things like this ready and waiting.

    Assembly

    • I glued the black border layer to the card base, and then centered the card face on top of these.
    • I added the tiny gift tags as shown.

    Final Thoughts:

    I think this card face would have been good with only one background stamp rather than two: if I recreate the design I will try that.

    I was trying for the look of a retro Christmas gift with this card –  not as successfully as hoped,  but it’s a fun card anyway.

    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: Retro Candy Canes,  A Colorful Life Designs

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

    Stamps:

    Rustic Linen,  Altenew

    Woven Stripes,  Altenew

    Handmade Twine Bows, Picket Fence

    Bakers Twine, Picket Fence, Scrapbook.com

    Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Small Blending Brushes:  Waffle Flower, Scrap n’ Stamp

    Versafine Onyx, Simon Says Stamp

    Adhesive: Tombow Aqua, Michaels

    Cream Card Base & Card Face: Recollections 100 lb.,  Michaels

    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!

    You can also use the Comments Section  to be notified when I release new work.

    Retro Candy Canes by A Colorful Life Designs

  • Create Stunning Snowflake Cards with This Simple Design

    Create Stunning Snowflake Cards with This Simple 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

    Green Border Layer: 5.5 x 4

    Card Face:  5.5 x 5.25 (before tearing)

    Scraps of holographic cardstock

    Card Face:

    • I laid the card face on my Grip Mat and positioned the stencil.  I added green ink around the snowflakes as well as the edges –  leaving the center white.
    • I tore the un-inked edge of the cardstock at approximately 3”  and used my scissors to roughen the edges.

    Other:

    • I die cut a snowflake from the holographic cardstock, as well as a 5.5 x .25” strip.
    • I stamped the sentiment on a scrap of cardstock and fussy cut around it.

    Assembly

    • I glued the green border layer to the card base, centering vertically.
    • I added the card face on top of this, lining it up with the green layer on the left-hand side (this did not allow any of the green to show,  but since I had added green ink to the edges of the card face, that wasn’t necessary.
    • I slipped the narrow holographic strip under the right-hand edge of the card face.
    • I added the sentiment as shown.
    • I added three small green gems to the white border on the right,  and a larger green gem to the center of the snowflake.

    Final Thoughts:

    I really like the combination of this lovely stencil with the soft green –  the result of this mixture is a very pretty card.

    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: Split Snowflake, A Colorful Life Designs

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

    Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Blending Brushes: Stampin’ Up! 

    Versafine Onyx, Simon Says Stamp

    Adhesive: Tombow Aqua, Michaels

    Holographic Cardstock:Recollections, 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!

    You can also use the Comments Section  to be notified when I release new work.

    Split Snowflake by A Colorful Life Designs

  • Step-by-Step Guide to Create a Beautiful Winter Card

    Step-by-Step Guide to Create a Beautiful Winter Card

    Would you like to experiment with a design like this? You’ll find a supply list below, including a link to the stencils 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

    Red Border Layer: 5.25 x 4

    White border Layer:  3 ⅝ x 2 3/8

    Card Face:  3.5 x 2.25

    Card Face:

    • Using black Memento ink, I stamped the card face with the image of the woman and then coloured her with alcohol markers.
    • I placed the card face on my Grip Mat and then positioned the Dot Mat stencil.  I added red ink across the open areas, allowing it to fade as it approached the image.

    Other:

    • I removed the card face from the Grip Mat, and replaced it with the red border layer.  I positioned the Eddies stencil and applied red ink with a heavy hand.
    • After removing the stencil, I placed this piece in an embossing folder and ran it through my Big Shot.
    • I looked through my sentiments binder and selected one that worked perfectly with the image.

    Assembly

    • I glued the red border layer to the card base, centering on all sides.
    • I glued the card face to the white border layer, centering on all sides.
    • I glued these two pieces together.
    • I added the sentiment as shown.

    Final Thoughts:

    This image from Unity is awesome,  and that sentiment from Spellbindersk created the perfect collaboration.

    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.

    Stencils:

    Dot Mat: A Colorful Life Designs

    Eddies, A Colorful Life Designs

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

    Versamark Embossing Ink: Simon Says Stamp

    Clear Embossing Powder,  Wow,  Simon Says Stamp

    Stamp/Die:  Christmas Glimmer Sentiments,  Spellbinders, Amazon

    Stamp: Freaking Cold, Unity Stamps

    Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Blending Brushes: Stampin’ Up! 

    Memento Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Alcohol Markers:

         Stampin’ Blends: Stampin’ Up!

         Copics:  Wallacks

    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!

    You can also use the Comments Section  to be notified when I release new work.

    Dot Mat by A Colorful Life Designs

  • Make a Retro Christmas Card with Vintage Design

    Make a Retro Christmas Card with Vintage Design

    Would you like to experiment with a design like this? You’ll find a supply list below, including a link to the stencils 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

    Red Border Layer: 5.5 x 4.25

    Kraft Card Face:  5.5 x 4.25 (before die cutting)

    Card Face:

    • I laid the card face onto my grip mat and positioned the postage stamp stencil. Using a soft hand, I added brown ink just inside the border areas.
    • Leaving this stencil in place, I added the Vintage Santa stencil to the mix, positioning the section with Santa in the bottom-left corner and allowing the image to extend slightly beyond the paper.  I  applied cranberry red ink after masking off all adjacent open areas.
    • I used the same cranberry ink and one of the presents to create a row of gifts up the right-hand side of the card, repositioning each time.  The gift overlapped the right-hand edge of the first stencil, allowing a partial image.
    • I used a rectangular deckled-edge die to cut the card face down to the finished size.  I applied metallic gold paint to the edges of this.
    • I inserted the card face into an embossing folder and ran it through the Big Shot.
    • I touched the raised surfaces of the paper with a brown ink pad, using a very soft hand.

    Other:

    • I looked through my sentiment binder and selected three small die-cut images, previously created on the same Kraft cardstock and embossed in gold.

    Assembly

    • I glued the border layer to the card base, and then centered the card face on top.
    • I added the three small die cuts as shown.

    Final Thoughts:

    My goal here was to create the feeling of an heirloom Christmas card, treasured for years.  The vintage images were paired with the other ways I’ve marked the paper – and I think I succeeded 🙂

    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.

    Stencils:

    Retro Santa, A Colorful Life Designs

    Marvellous Masks Postage Stamp: A Colorful Life Designs

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

    Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Blending Brushes: Stampin’ Up! 

    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!

    You can also use the Comments Section to be notified when I release new work.

    Retro Santa by A Colorful Life Designs

  • All I need for Christmas is endless coffee, and a great card design

    All I need for Christmas is endless coffee, and a great card design

    Alternate title: A guide to surviving errors and still ending up with a card!

    Would you like to experiment with a design like this? You’ll find a supply list below, including a link to the stencils 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

    Card Face:  5.25 x 4

    Card Face:

    • Using Memento black ink, I stamped the image in the upper right of the card face, and then coloured it with alcohol markers.
    • I placed the card face down on the Grip Mat and positioned the coffee cup portion of the stencil in the lower-left corner.  I masked off open areas on the stencil near the mug, then used red ink over the exposed area.
    • When I removed the stencil, I was dismayed to see that I had been too energetic with my brush between the mug and the handle—and I had ink between the two, instead of a lovely, clean page.  What to do?
    • I cut very carefully along the outline of the mug, removing it completely from the card face.  Then I laid it on a scrap piece of cardstock and traced it.  I carefully cut this piece out and then tested it in the opening on the card face.  Once I saw that I had a good fit, I glued the card face to a piece of scrap copy paper (cut down to 5.25 x 4”)  and glued the blank “mug” into the opening.
    • I used my snips to remove the paper between the mug and the handle, cutting carefully along the lines.   Once that was done, I was able to glue that piece back in place directly over the blank.
    •  I repositioned the stencil and placed the sentiment I wanted to use in the upper-left corner, then applied black ink to the open areas.
    • I put the other stencil in place:  I used yellow ink and a light hand to create the pattern around the mouse.

    Rather than grab my yellow ink pad,  I simply used the residual ink on the yellow brush.  Because I only wanted a subtle background, this worked well.  I learned this tip from my friend on YouTube – check out Amy’s Wares for some great tips.

    • I outlined the mug with silver gel pen:  while I was outlining the handle, the pen slipped and suddenly I had an unplanned streak of silver ink …. I dealt with that by adding additional lines to the handle, creating stripes.   I decided to add dots to the rest of the mug just for fun.
    • I ran the edges of the card face over my red ink pad., creating definition.

    Assembly

    • I glued the card face to the card base, centering all sides.

    Final Thoughts:

    I had coloured the mouse and lights (so adorable!) and didn’t know what I wanted to do next. A random hunt through my stencil binder resulted in my tripping over the Christmas Coffee stencil and a plan was born.  Serendipity is a wonderful thing!

    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:

    Christmas Coffee Stencil:  A Colorful Life Designs

    Connect the Dots,  A Colorful Life Designs

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

    Stamps: Merry and Bright, House Mouse,  Spellbinders (retired)

    Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Blending Brushes: Stampin’ Up! 

    Versafine Onyx, Simon Says Stamp

    Memento Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Alcohol Markers:

         Stampin’ Blends: Stampin’ Up!

         Copics:  Wallacks

    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!

    You can also use the Comments Section  to be notified when I release new work.

    Connect the Dots by A Colorful Life Designs

    Christmas Coffee by A Colorful Life Designs