Written In Ink

Category: Mixed Media

  • DIY Card Tutorial with Versamark and Die-Cuts

    DIY Card Tutorial with Versamark and Die-Cuts

    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 the 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

    Cardstock for die-cut:  5.25 x 4 before cutting

    Scraps of cardstock for the sentiment pieces.

    I used a gel print to get started on this card face: the texture in the pieces was a fun addition.

    Card Face:

    • I laid the card face on a piece of scrap paper and positioned the stencil.
    • I pressed Versamark embossing ink firmly through the stencil, repeating in areas until I was satisfied with the coverage.
    • After removing the stencil, I sprinkled embossing powder over the ink and set it with my heat gun.

    Other:

    • I secured the coverplate die to the large piece of cardstock and ran it through the Big Shot.
    • I die-cut “celebrate” from white cardstock three times and glued them together.
    • I stamped “let’s”  and “you”  with Versafine Onyx on small scraps,  and cut them down to their finished sizes.

    Assembly

    • I glued the large die-cut to the card face, then glued the new layer to the card base, centering it on all sides.
    • I glued “celebrate” in the center of the card face, on an angle.
    • I added  “let’s”  and “you”  as shown.

    Final Thoughts:

    I like the bold colours in this card (thanks to the gel print),  as well as all the various layers and geometric shapes.

    Supplies: (and links where possible)

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

    Stencil: Diamond Fade,  A Colorful Life Designs

    Versamark Embossing Ink: Simon Says Stamp

    Vintage Peacock Embossing Powder,  Wow,  Amazon

    Dies:

    Circles and Crosses Coverplate, the Frantic Stamper,  Ecstasy Crafts

    Sentiment Stamps/Die,  Stampin’ Up!  (retired)

    Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Versafine Onyx, Simon Says Stamp

    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.

    Diamond Fade by A Colorful Life Designs

  • Unique Card Making:Try Using Spackle for Embossing

    Unique Card Making:Try Using Spackle for Embossing

    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:  5.5 x 4.25

    I love experimenting with new (to me)  techniques and products:  this card was created using spackle as an embossing paste.  I remembered something from Youtube that I saw a few years ago,  demonstrating that “something from a hardware store”  made great embossing paste.  The demonstrator was perfectly clear in what that product was – but I cannot remember!  This was my attempt to substitute, and it was really successful!

    Card Face:

    • I put my card face onto a piece of scrap paper, positioned the stencil and secured both with Mint Tape. 
    • I spread spackle across all exposed areas, removed the stencil and put the card face aside to dry.
    • I put the stencil into water immediately, to prevent the spackle from drying on the stencil.

    When I work with embossing paste  (or spackle, LOL)  I prefer not to use my Grip Mat:  I’m forever going beyond the paper with the paste, and I don’t want to get it on the Mat.

    Other:

    I had previously di- cut the gift from patterned paper: it wasn’t used at that time so I saved it in my Ready to Go Binder until it was needed.

    • I pressed the die cut into my Versamark embossing ink pad, sprinkled it with gold powder and set it with my heat gun.  
    • There were a couple of spots that weren’t completely covered,  so I repeated the process, and the second time around I had great coverage.
    • Once the spackle had dried,  I sprayed the card face with Lindy’s Magicals sprays (gold and blue).  I was pretty enthusiastic with the spraying,  so I left this to dry overnight.

    Assembly

    • I glued the card face to the card base.
    • I glued the die-cut gift in the center of the card face.
    • I glued a small gold embellishment in the center of the bow.

    Final Thoughts:

    I am  impressed with how well the spackle worked.   It is heavier bodied than embossing paste,  so it takes a little extra work to cover the areas well,  but it’s not difficult.  Because it is so heavy bodied there is no danger of it seeping under the stencil – bonus!

    I love the way the spackle took the spray,  it’s really pretty.   

    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:  Joined Roses,  A Colorful Life Designs

    Versamark Embossing Ink: Simon Says Stamp

    Gold Embossing Powder,  Wow,  R&R Scrapbooking

    Dies: Gift, KSCraft, Amazon

    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.

    Joined Roses

  • Create Bold Captivating Design in a Card that will be Treasured

    Create Bold Captivating Design in a Card that will be Treasured

    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 ⅛ x 3 7/8

    Card Face:

    This card face began as a bold gel print that I simply cut down to size.

    • I placed the card face on scrap paper and positioned the stencil.  I secured these with Mint Tape.
    • I applied Lunar Paste to the exposed areas, then carefully removed the stencil to avoid smudges.
    • I placed the stencil immediately into a basin of water (keeping the paste wet makes clean up much easier).
    • I put the card face aside to dry.
    • Once the paste had dried,  I positioned a second stencil over top and pressed my Versamark embossing ink firmly over all exposed areas.
    • After removing the stencil, I sprinkled this with gold embossing powder and set it with my heat gun.

    Other:

    • I die-cut three small leaves from gold cardstock.
    • Using Versamark embossing ink, I stamped the sentiment on a piece of scrap cardstock.
    • I sprinkled gold embossing powder over this and set it with my heat gun.
    • I used a die to cut this down to size.

    Assembly

    • I added dimensional foam to the back of the card face and centered it on the card base.
    • I glued the leaves and sentiment in place, as shown.

    Final Thoughts:

    I love the warm, rich tones this piece has, and the way the Rungs stencil appears to float between layers of colour and texture.  This was the result of the addition of the gold-embossed layer of stencilling:  I have had that curly Q stencil for so long that I no longer know who the maker is,  but you could achieve a similar look with Simple Spirals from A Colorful Life Designs.

    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: Rungs, A Colorful Life Designs

    Versamark Embossing Ink: Simon Says Stamp

    Gold Embossing Powder by  Wow,  R&R Scrapbooking

    Stamp/ Dies: Stampin’ Up! (retired)

    Embossing Paste:  Tropical Tango by Simon Hurley, Amazon

    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.

    Rungs by A Colorful Life Designs

  • 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

  • You Can Create Stunning Cards with this Stencil

    You Can Create Stunning Cards with this Stencil

    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:  5.5 x 4

    Holographic Cardstock:  5.5 x .25

    Transfer Foil:  6 x 4.25

    We’ve just had a big snowfall and are still digging out.  It’s safe to say that there won’t be any snowdrops peeking through for a couple of months!

    Card Face:

    • I positioned the card face down on a piece of scrap paper, placed the stencil, and secured both with Mint Tape.
    • I spread Duo Gel over all exposed areas.
    • After carefully removing the stencil,  I put it immediately into water and put the card face aside to dry.

    Duo Gel dries to be a super sticky adhesive and can ruin a stencil – mine go into a basin of water beside me until I am done the session, and can scrub them.

    Duo Gel goes on white and dries clear: the drying time depends on the thickness of the application.

    • Once the card face was dry, I laid the transfer foil over top  (pretty side up) and ran it through the Big Shot.
    • I removed the foil:  the dried Duo Gel caused the foil to stay behind, creating the pattern.
    • I placed the card face in a texturizing embossing folder and ran it through the Big Shot.

    Other:

    • Although this card could be used for any occasion, I felt it particularly suited a sympathy card and pulled the appropriate sentiment from my binder.

    Assembly

    I glued the card face to the card base, leaving a ⅛” border on the left.

    I glued the strip of holographic card stock on the right, butting it snugly up against the card face.

    I added dimensional foam to the back of the sentiment and positioned it on the card face as shown.

    Final Thoughts:

    This design is simple, but nevertheless “enough”.   The foiled image has a lovely sheen with card in hand, and the texture provided just enough additional visual interest.

    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: Snow Drops, A Colorful Life Design

    Duo Gel: Deco, Amazon

    Transfer Foil,  Prism by Spellbinders, Amazon

    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.

    Snow Drops stencil by a Colorful Life Designs

  • Creative Techniques for Unique Designs using Gel Prints

    Creative Techniques for Unique Designs using Gel Prints

    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

    Kraft Border Layer: 4 1/8 x 4 1/8

    White Border Layer: 4  x 4  

    Card Face: 4 x 4 (before cutting)

    I have quite a supply of gel prints in my stash, each just waiting for a chance to shine.  I pulled one out for this card.

    Card Face:

    • I laid the card face (gel print) on a piece of scrap paper and positioned the stencil.  I applied embossing paste to all open areas on the stencil. 
    • I carefully removed the stencil and placed it in water immediately, as cleanup is much easier when the paste is moist.
    •  I put the card face aside to dry.
    • Once dry,  I trimmed the card face down to 3 x 3,  and then cut it into three pieces, each 3 x 1” wide. 
    • I tore the top and bottom of each piece, deliberately making the tears uneven.
    •  I applied dimensional foam to the back of each piece.

    Assembly

    • I glued the kraft border layer to the card base, and the white border layer on top of that, centering both carefully.
    • I removed the backing from the foam tape and put each piece in place taking care to leave space between each piece and on the edges as well.  
    • I also made sure that the image lined up correctly to “work” visually as I was putting the pieces in place.

    Final Thoughts:

    I had such a time with this gel print:   I loved the combination of the Sand Paste with that print, but then (as is often the case)  I couldn’t decide how to use it.  After putting it aside, looking at it again, putting it aside …. for a couple of weeks  (!)  I finally decided on the design you see here,  and I’m so happy with it.  This is one of my absolute favourite creations in a long time.

    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: Chrysanthemum Set,  A Colorful Life Designs

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

    Cosmic Shimmer Antique Sand Paste,  Ecstasy Crafts

    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.

    Chrysanthemum Set by A Colorful Life Designs

  • Create a Unique, Masculine Valentine’s Card Using Stencils

    Create a Unique, Masculine Valentine’s Card Using Stencils

    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

    Kraft Border Layer: 5.25 x 4

    Card Face:  5 ⅛ x 3 ⅞

    Scraps of Kraft cardstock for die cuts

    Card Face:

    • I laid the card face down onto a piece of scrap paper and positioned the stencil.  
    • After securing these with Mint Tape, I applied DIY embossing paste across the open areas of the stencil.
    • I carefully removed the stencil and placed it in water immediately.
    • I put the card face aside to dry.

    When working with embossing paste, I prefer use a piece of scrap paper under my work,  and not risk getting the paste on my Gel Plate.

    Also, when working with embossing paste, I keep a container of water by my side to put my stencils in immediately –  these pastes are difficult to impossible to remove once dry.

    • Once the paste was dry, I put the card face into my stamp positioner and added the sentiment with Versamark embossing ink.  I sprinkled this with embossing powder and set it with my heat gun.

    Other:

    • I stamped and die-cut a small row of hearts using kraft cardstock.
    • I die-cut the larger heart from kraft cardstock.

    Assembly

    • I glued the border layer to the card base, and the card face on top of these, centering both layers.
    • I glued the row of hearts and the larger die-cut heart in place, as shown.

    Final Thoughts:

    I love black and kraft cardstock together:  this awesome stencil allowed me to combine them in a masculine card that will become my husband’s valentine card this year.   No last-minute scrambling for me –  at least not this year, LOL.

    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: Love Waterfall,  A Colorful Life Designs

    Versamark Embossing Ink: Simon Says Stamp

    Vintage Pearl Embossing Powder,  Ranger, Amazon

    Stamps/Dies: Stampin’ Up! (retired)

    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.

    Love Waterfall by A Colorful Life Designs

  • A new YOU in a new year!

    A new YOU in a new year!

    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:  4.5 x 3.25

    Transfer Foil:  5.5 x 4.25

    Card Face:

    • I laid the  green border layer onto a piece of scrap paper, positioned the stencil and secured it all with Mint Tape.
    • I applied Duo Gel across the exposed areas,  removed the stencil carefully (to avoid smudges) and put it immediately into water.
    • Duo Gel dries into a very strong adhesive; if left to dry, it can ruin your stencil.  When I’m working with this product, I have a container of water beside me to put the stencils in until I take a break and wash them.
    • I put the border layer aside to dry.  (Duo Gel is white when applied, and dries clear –  the length of time depends on the thickness of the application.)
    • Once dry I placed the transfer foil onto the surface and ran it through my Big Shot.  The pressure of the machine created a bond between the foil and the adhesive:  when I removed the larger piece of foil, the adhesive caused the foiled pattern remain.

    Other:

    • I stamped the sentiment with Versafine Onyx and cut it out with a stitched rectangle die.
    • I placed a heart shaped die on an angle on the card face and ran it through my big shot.
    • I spattered green and gold metallic watercolour onto the card face.
    • I trimmed the green border layer down to 4.75 x 3.5. 
    •  I cut a ¼”  x 4.25 strip from the discarded piece.

    Assembly

    •  I glued the narrow strip of foiled border across the card base, approximately ½” from the bottom.
    • I centered the card face to the slightly larger border layer, and then glued these to the card base on an angle, allowing the bottom left edge to overlap the narrow srip.
    • I glued the sentiment in place as shown.
    • I added three small green embellishments to finish the card off.

    Final Thoughts:

    After the card was complete,  I found myself thinking that I should have added a subtle texture to the card face with an embossing folder.  However,  it was too late at that point!   The card is fine as is,  but that would be a possible modification.

    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: Circles Galore   A Colorful Life Designs

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

    Metallic Watercolour, Amazon

    Stamps: Be Gentle With Yourself,  Unity Stamps

    Dies:  

    Stitched Rectangles , Stampin’ Up!  (retired)

    Heart Shaped Die, Stampin’ Up!  (retired)

    Duo Gel: Deco Foil, R&R Scrapbooking

    Transfer Foil: Deco Foil,  Emerald Watercolor, R&R Scrapbooking

    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.

    Circles Galore by A Colorful Life Designs

  • Creat Stunning Masculine Cards with a Cool Stencil

    Creat Stunning Masculine Cards with a Cool Stencil

    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

    Scraps of kraft and black cardstock for the “happy”

    Scrap of kraft approximately   1.25 x .25 for the “birthday”.

    Scrap of black approximately  1.5 x .33” for the shadow layer

    Before starting I sprayed the back of the stencil with Pixie Spray, allowed a lapse of about 30 seconds and then placed it on the card face.  The strands of this stencil are very fine,  and this temporary adhesive made sure that they stayed put!

    Card Face:

    • I laid the card face on a piece of scrap paper, positioned the stencil and secured it with Mint Tape.
    • I applied two different colours of DIY embossing paste randomly across the stencil. (Blue and a soft peach.)
    • I removed the stencil carefully and put it into water immediately. (this makes cleanup a lot faster!) and put the card face aside to dry.

    I prefer not to use paste on my Grip Mat,  so in these cases I secure the card face and stencil directly to scrap paper

    Other:

    • I cut the large “happy”  from both kraft and black cardstock.
    • I stamped “birthday”  on kraft using Versafine Onyx.

    Assembly

    • I glued the black border layer to the card base.
    • I glued the two  “happy” layers together, kraft on top and offset slightly to allow the black to peek out.
    • I glued the kraft “birthday” layer on top of the black shadow layer, centering on all sides.
    • I added matt black card bling randomly to the card face.

    Final Thoughts:

    This is such a cool stencil,  and I love the effect of the embossing paste on it:  I didn’t expect the peach embossing paste to dry to be so close to the colour of the kraft cardstock,  but it’s a cool effect.

    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: Wavy Ladders, A Colorful Life Designs

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

    Die: Hero Arts, Happy, Amazon

    Card Bling:  A Colorful Life Designs

    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.

    Wavy Ladder 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