Written In Ink

Category: tips

  • Create a one of a kind, elegant Thanksgiving card

    Create a one of a kind, elegant Thanksgiving card

    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:  5.5 x 4.25  (before cutting)

    Card Face:

    • I used a background stamp and black ink to provide additional texture on this layer.

    My standard practice with background stamps is to lay the stamp on my work surface, ink it, and then carefully lay the cardstock on top.  I cover this with a piece of scrap paper and rub the surface gently with my fingers to transfer the ink, always holding the paper absolutely still with my other hand. (The scrap paper serves to keep any excess ink off of my hands, and it is sure to transfer to the card face!)

    • I placed the card face down on the Grip Mat and positioned the stencil.  I applied a variety of embossing pastes through this, mixing the colours randomly.  
    • I removed the stencil and immediately put it in water,  and put the card face aside to dry.
    • Once the paste had dried completely, I trimmed it into three equal pieces measuring 1” x 4.75” each.
    • I put dimensional foam on the back of each of these strips.

    Other:

    • I put the border layer into an embossing folder and ran it through the Big Shot.
    • I stamped the sentiment with Versamark embossing ink, added gold embossing powder and set it with the heat gun.  I used a die to create the final size and shape.
    • Then I ran each side of this die cut lightly over the Versamark pad,  added gold embossing powder and set it with my heat gun.  This added a very fine gold edging to the die cut.

    Assembly

    • I glued the border layer to the card base,
    • I removed the backing from each strip and put them in place as shown.
    • I glued the die-cut sentiment into the middle of the card.

    Final Thoughts:

    The border layer for this actually started with a stamped image that I wasn’t happy with:  it was a new stamp, and the image hadn’t transferred as well as hoped.  Rather than waste this,  I made use of that paper and ink to create a background for this card.

    The card is so beautiful in real life – that embossing paste dries with a lovely sheen which is gorgeous with all that mixed colour.

    The use of the embossing folder on this card makes a subtle but massive difference to the end result – the additional depth and texture really elevated the 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: Blowing Leaves,  A Colorful Life Designs

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

    Versamark Embossing Ink: Simon Says Stamp

    Gold Embossing Powder,  Wow,  R&R Scrapbooking

    Stamps:   Impression Obsession (no longer in business)

    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.

    Blowing Leaves by A Colorful Life Designs

  • Autumn Card Design Tips with A Colorful Life Stencils

    Autumn Card Design Tips with A Colorful Life Stencils

    Snuggling up and getting cozy when autumn bring chilly winds … bliss!

    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:  5.5 x 4.25

    Card Face:

    • I laid this piece on the Grip Mat and then positioned the stencil. 
    •  Using a soft hand, I applied a mixture of brown, yellow and green inks across the open areas.  
    •    Tip: Adding just a touch of extra colour to the edges created the look of a shadow and provided additional dimension.
    • I decided to add the Windy Day stencil to represent the chilly winds of autumn: I positioned this stencil so that it would extend from the left-hand side of the focal image, and applied light blue ink to create the pattern.
    • I selected a different portion of the stencil and added the pattern after positioning it to be added to the bottom right-hand corner of the card.
    • I added spatter to the card face using both plain water and metallic copper watercolour paint.

    Other:

    • I stamped the image using Memento ink, and coloured it with alcohol markers.
    • Once the colouring was complete, I fussy cut the image with my snips.
    • I stamped the sentiment using brown ink, and cut it out with a small oblong die.

    Assembly

    • I glued the card face to the card base.
    • I glued the focal image into the center of the card face.
    • I added the sentiment as shown.

    Final Thoughts:

    I love House Mouse stamps –  they are so deliciously whimsical.   I loved spending time colouring this one and then using it on a card. I decided to colour the leaf in the bright colours of autumn, despite the fact that this  kind of leaf would not actually have those colours in real life.  Artistic licence!

    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:

        Windy Day,  A Colorful Life Designs

        Fall Leaves, A Colorful Life Designs

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

    Stamps:   Snuggle Up- House Mouse, Spellbinders, Frantic Stamper

    Dies: Ornate Labels, Sizzix, Amazon

    Metallic Watercolour:  Amazon

    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

    Fall Leaves by A Colorful Life Designs

    Windy Day by A Colorful Life Designs

  • Craft Unique Kiddie Cards with *A Colorful Life* Stencils

    Craft Unique Kiddie Cards with *A Colorful Life* 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

    Card Face:  5.5 x 4.25 before cutting down

    Card Face:

    • I laid my cardface on the Grip Mat and then centered the largest of the Squeezed Rectangle stencils on top.  
    • Over this, I laid the Grunge Dots Stencil.
    • I used blue ink on the top of this stencil and green on the bottom, creating the basics for a scene.  (having the Squeezed Rectangle stencil on the bottom meant that the ink was kept within it’s borders.
    • I removed the stencils and trimmed the card face along the border created by the ink.
    • I ran my ink pads along the newly cut edges,  matching the colours already used.

    Other:

    • I laid the Mid Century Banner stencil on the front half of the card base and applied blue ink with a light hand.
    • I brushed green ink in from the edges of this piece, again using a light hand.
    • I looked through my Ready to Go binder and found the wee elephants, the sun and the sentiment – all just waiting for a chance to shine.

    Assembly

    • I put dimensional tape on the back of the card face and centered it on the card base.
    • I glued the elephants and the sun in place as shown.
    • After experimenting a bit I decided that the sentiment would be best about halfway down on the right, and put it in place.

    Final Thoughts:

    I’ve had all of the components for this card for quite a while – except for the inked up card base.  I was delighted to put them into use, and to discover that they were willing to play nicely together.

    I initially intended this to be a flat cardface,  with the stencilled pattern inked directly onto the card base, however an inky glitch required the card face to be cut out – and after that dimensional tape seemed like a good idea to make it really stand out.

    I feel that the green ink applied to the card base is a bit too dominant:  if I were to recreate this card I would not apply it,  or I would use an even lighter 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:

         Marvellous Masks,  Squeezed Rectangle: A Colorful Life Designs

         Grunge Dots:  a Colorful Life Designs

         Mid Century Banners:  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

    Stamps:

         Elephants:  Studio Light (retired)

         Sun:  Here Comes the Sun, Tayored Expressions

    Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Blending Brushes: Stampin’ Up! 

    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

    Mid Century Banners by A Colorful Life Designs

  • Unlock Your Creativity: Stenciled Card Ideas and Supplies

    Unlock Your Creativity: Stenciled Card Ideas and Supplies

    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:  5.5 x 4.25 before cutting down

    Card Face:

    • I laid my cardface on the Grip Mat and then centered the largest of the Squeezed Rectangle stencils on top.  
    • Over this, I laid the Grunge Dots Stencil.
    • I used blue ink on the top of this stencil and green on the bottom, creating the basics for a scene.  (having the Squeezed Rectangle stencil on the bottom meant that the ink was kept within it’s borders.
    • I removed the stencils and trimmed the card face along the border created by the ink.
    • I ran my ink pads along the newly cut edges,  matching the colours already used.

    Other:

    • I laid the Mid Century Banner stencil on the front half of the card base and applied blue ink with a light hand.
    • I brushed green ink in from the edges of this piece, again using a light hand.
    • I looked through my Ready to Go binder and found the wee elephants, the sun and the sentiment – all just waiting for a chance to shine.

    Assembly

    • I put dimensional tape on the back of the card face and centered it on the card base.
    • I glued the elephants and the sun in place as shown.
    • After experimenting a bit I decided that the sentiment would be best about halfway down on the right, and put it in place.

    Final Thoughts:

    I’ve had all of the components for this card for quite a while – except for the inked up card base.  I was delighted to put them into use, and to discover that they were willing to play nicely together.

    I initially intended this to be a flat cardface,  with the stencilled pattern inked directly onto the card base, however an inky glitch required the card face to be cut out – and after that dimensional tape seemed like a good idea to make it really stand out.

    I feel that the green ink applied to the card base is a bit too dominant:  if I were to recreate this card I would not apply it,  or I would use an even lighter 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:

         Marvellous Masks,  Squeezed Rectangle: A Colorful Life Designs

         Grunge Dots:  a Colorful Life Designs

         Mid Century Banners:  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

    Stamps:

         Elephants:  Studio Light (retired)

         Sun:  Here Comes the Sun, Tayored Expressions

    Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Blending Brushes: Stampin’ Up! 

    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.

    Mid Century Banner by a Colorful Life Designs

  • Sunny Days and Dragonflies are Excellent Reasons to Smile

    Sunny Days and Dragonflies are Excellent Reasons to Smile

    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:  5.5 x 4.25 before cutting down

    Scrap of black cardstock for the sentiment

    Card Face:

    • I laid the card face onto the grip mat,  and positioned the oval stencil in the center of the paper.  On top of that I positioned the banners stencil and used pink ink across the exposed areas.  By putting the oval stencil down first I controlled the area that the pattern could cover on the card face.
    • I removed both stencils and (after ensuring that the ink was completely dry)  placed the card face into my stamp positioner and used Versafine Onyx to stamp the silhouette images.  The ink needed to be dry so that the embossing powder wouldn’t stick to the background pattern.  An easy way to check is to sprinkle the embossing powder over the piece and then tip it off: if any sticks it needs more dry time.
    • I sprinkled clear embossing powder over the wet black ink and set it with my heat gun.

    Other:

    • I centered the matching oval mask on the card base and brushed pink ink on, radiating out from the borders of the mask.
    • Using a die, I cut “smile” out 3X from black cardstock, and glued them together.  I pressed this into Versamark embossing ink, sprinkled it with clear powder, and set it with my heat gun.
    • I cut four photo corners from black cardstock using a die.
    • I carefully cut around the oval image on  the card face.

    Assembly

    • I glued the oval cutout to the card base,  placing it into the oval “blank” created with the ink.
    • I used a black marker to create a border around the oval.
    • I glued the photo corners into the corners of the card base.
    • I glued the “Smile” onto the card face as shown.

    Final Thoughts:

    My original plan for this design was to have a flat card face, with the oval inked into the center: I ended up with a blob of ink in the outer edges,  and had to reimagine the card mid-design, fussy cutting the oval and creating a brand new card base. (haste makes waste – and  “grrr” moments!)

    I wish I had used a lighter hand on the background pattern in the oval: of course by the time I realized what I wanted, it was too late.

    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:

          Mid Century Banners, A Colorful Life Designs

          Marvellous Masks Ovals, 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

    Stamps:  Stampin’ Up (retired)

    Dies: Diagonal Stripe, Frantic Stamper

    Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Blending Brushes: Stampin’ Up! 

    Versafine Onyx, Simon Says Stamp

    Adhesive: Tombow Aqua, Michaels

    Card Base & Card Face: 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.

    Mid Century Banners by A Colorful Life Designs

  • Surprise someone with a card with a Crisp, Fun Mid Century Vibe

    Surprise someone with a card with a Crisp, Fun Mid Century Vibe

    xxx

    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

    Scraps of white cardstock for the floral image, the sentiment and the square

    To Begin:

    Four-for-One Technique:

    • I centered this 6 x 9 stencil on a piece of 8.5 x 11 cardstock. After securing it with Mint Tape, I used a mixture of yellow and green ink randomly across the exposed areas,  extending slightly past the edge of the stencil,  but not going to the edge of the paper.
    • I cut the cardstock into four equal pieces and selected one to use for this project.

    Finishing Details:

    • I placed a piece of scrap cardstock into my stamp positioner and stamped the vase in black. I changed stamps and stamped the green leaves.   Finally I positioned the flower and stamped it in bright red.  I trimmed this strip down to approximately 1 x 4.5
    • I put another piece of scrap into the stamp positioner and stamped the sentiment in red.   I trimmed this down to approximately .5 x 3, and put dimensional foam on the back.
    • I used a final piece of scrap to create the small square:  I positioned two square dies on the paper; one inside the other, ensuring equal spacing on all sides.  I ran this through the Big Shot to create the hollow square shown in the image. 

    Assembly

    • I glued the card face to the card base.
    • I glued the square to the card face as shown,  and then positioned the strip with the vase over top.
    • I removed the backing from the foam on the sentiment and put it in place.
    • I scattered red card bling randomly in the upper left of the card face.

    Final Thoughts:

    I’m really happy with the graphic feel of this 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: Mid Century Mask,  A Colorful Life Designs

    Stamps:  Stampin’ Up!  (retired)

    Dies:  Everlasting Square,  Spellbinders,  R&R Scrapbooking

    Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Card Bling:  A Colorful Life Designs

    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

    Mid Century Mask by A Colorful Life Designs

  • Show your love, create an elegant sympathy card

    Show your love, create an elegant sympathy card

    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

    Three small scraps of white cardstock

    Silver Cardstock:   ⅛ x 5

    Card Face:

    • I began by spraying the back of this delicate stencil with Pixie Spray and waiting for (about) 30 seconds before using it.
    • Then I   laid the card face on my Grip Mat and positioned the stencil on the bottom of the card face –  approximately ⅔ of the stencil was on the paper.
    • I applied Versafine Onyx over the exposed areas, using firm pressure and building up ink until I had a bold, dramatic graphic.

    Other:

    • I put the first scrap of cardstock into my stamp positioner and stamped the flowers several times to get an intense black image.  I used the matching die to cut this out.
    • Using the second piece of scrap and the stamp positioner once again I stamped the sentiment a couple of times.  I fussy cut this, using my snips.
    • I die cut the white bow,  and coloured it with an embossing pen.  I sprinkled on silver embossing powder and set it with my heat gun.

    Assembly

    • I glued the card face to the card base.
    • I glued the die-cut bouquet in place and then added the silver bow as shown.
    • I added the sentiment to the card face.
    • I glued the narrow silver strip along the top of the card face.

    Final Thoughts:

    This was an interesting design to create –  the asymmetry in the design makes it interesting, as well as the still minimalistic feel.  I think it works well as a sympathy card.

    Initially the bow was going to remain white –  I changed my mind partway through the design (as I often do).

    I like to keep two or three sympathy cards on hand – experience has taught me that creating them upon need is very difficult.

    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: Swirl Band , A Colorful Life Designs

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

    Versamark Embossing Pen:

    Silver Embossing Powder: Wow, 

    Stamp/Die: Floral Impressions, Hero Arts

    Blending Brushes: Stampin’ Up! 

    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 added to the list, and notified when I release new work.

    Swirl Band by A Colorful Life Designs

  • Design Techniques for Unique Greeting Cards are something to CHIRP about!

    Design Techniques for Unique Greeting Cards are something to CHIRP about!

    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.)

    I never feel that my day is something to chirp about until I’m caffeinated!

    Let’s get Started:

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

    Card Face:  5.25 x 4.25

    Card Face:

    • I placed the card face in my stamp positioner and stamped the focal image a couple of times with black Memento ink.
    • I coloured the image with alcohol markers. This caffeinated fella is ready to take center stage on the card!
    • After laying the card face on the Grip Mat,  I positioned the stencil, using a brayer to ensure good contact with the sticky surface of the mat.
    • I applied navy blue and teal ink across the exposed areas on the stencil, taking care to avoid the coloured image.

    Other:

    • I looked through my sentiment binder and found this pair – they are perfectly suited to the image!

    Assembly

    • I glued the card face to the card base,centering the vertical edges.
    • I created faux borders on the card by using a blue marker and a ruler. (The marker matched one of the blues used on the bird.)
    • I glued the sentiments in place as shown.
    • I drew brackets around the sentiment on the bottom, using a black fineliner.

    Final Thoughts:

    It’s odd what I don’t see when creating a card: for instance,  I see now that I forgot to create the outer border on the left of the card!   I will fix that up before sending it on.

    I love this sentiment,  and I like the concept of the brackets around the second half of it,  but if I recreate this card I will handwrite that one as I don’t like the combination of hand drawn brackets with the glued on sentiment.

    (but now that this fella is fully caffeinated, he’ll have more of a chance of remembering that question, 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: Square Swirl,  A Colorful Life Designs

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

    Stamps:

        Coffee Doodle Doo,  Unity Stamps

         Simple Strips, Coffee: Taylored Expressions

    Dies:   Simple Strips Die, Taylored Expressions

    Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Blending Brushes: Stampin’ Up! 

    Memento Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Alcohol Markers:

         Stampin’ Blends: Stampin’ Up!

         Copics:  Wallacks

    Fineliner: 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 added to the list, and notified when I release new work.

  • A DIY card that says “I care” Easy techniques for stunning results

    A DIY card that says “I care” Easy techniques for stunning results

    Unexpected adhesive residue proves to be a bit of serendipity in the 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

    Card Face:  5.5 x 4.25

    Card Face:

    • I began by spraying the back of the stencil with Pixie Spray.   This is a temporary adhesive which I use to prevent movement in stencils that are delicate, or that have longer, unattached “strands” in the design.
    • With that complete,  I laid the card face on my Grip Mat,  and then positioned the stencil.  I rolled a brayer across the entire surface to ensure good contact between the adhesive and the paper.
    • Next I selected light aqua and yellow inks and applied them diagonally over the stencil, using a soft hand throughout the process.
    • I removed the stencil and placed the card face into my stamp positioner before adding the floral image with Versamark embossing ink.
    • I added gold embossing powder over this stamped image, and this is where the serendipity comes in –
    • During this step I realized that the stencil had left residue behind from the Pixie Spray,  and bits of embossing powder had stuck to this.  I could have brushed this off of the background, but decided to roll with it and allow it to add an unexpected touch to the background.
    • I used an embossing pen to add a few random lines and dots to the background,  and then added gold embossing powder.
    • After heat setting this,  I decided that one more thing was needed to finish the look: a gold border.  I used an embossing pen again, going around the border of the card and creating an irregular line (I could have used a ruler,  if I’d wanted precision).  After heat setting the gold powder added to this I was satisfied with presence of gold on the card face.
    • I used a rectangular stitched die to cut the floral image from the card face.

    An adhesive eraser can be used to remove residue from Pixie Spray. Just rub it over the paper as if you’re trying to remove a pencil mark.

    Other:

    • I looked through my sentiments binder and found a foiled  XOXOXOXOXO sentiment.
    • I cut three separate XO sections out of this.

    Assembly

    • I glued the card face to the card base.
    • I added dimensional foam to the back of the die-cut focal image and then set it in place on the card face.
    • I positioned the three XO sections as shown.

    Final Thoughts:

    I love the serendipity that is evidenced in the bits of gold embossing .  They are very tiny and and add a lovely, delicate detail to the card face.

    Initially I didn’t have the three sentiment sections on the card face:  I was going to keep the imaging very clean and simple:  after living with it that way for a couple of days I decided that the additional detail was needed.

    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: Glittering Hearts, A Colorful Life Designs

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

    Versamark Embossing Ink: Simon Says Stamp

    Embossing Pen:  Tim Holtz, A Colorful Life Designs

    Gold Embossing Powder: Ranger,  PCW

    Stamps:  Words in Bloom,  Unity Stamps

    Dies: Stitched Rectangles, Stampin’ Up! (retired)

    Pixie Spray:  Michaels

    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 added to the list, and notified when I release new work.

    Glittering Hearts from A Colorful Life Designs

  • New to Cardmaking?

    New to Cardmaking?

    One of the first things every new card maker discovers is that the marketplace is huge – so much bigger than you ever imagined.  And the second thing (if you’ve watched YouTube videos)  is that you want it all!   The content creators make everything seem irresistible,  and the results easy to achieve.

    For the sake of your bank account, hit pause,  and consider a few things.

    Style:  What do you like creating?  Do you love intricate die cuts? Colouring with alcohol markers? Clean and simple design?   Each of these would lead in a different direction for purchases.

    It’s easy to become enthused while watching the super-talented creators on the web,   but we don’t need every supply they use. For instance, I love to look at super intricate dies and the stunning results many achieve with them –  but I don’t actually enjoy creating cards with them.

    Price Point:  What will your budget allow you to spend?  For getting started,  as well as for ongoing purchases?

    Time:  How much practice will this product take to achieve the results that you want?  How much time are you able to devote to it?

     Supplies: There are countless wonderful options for card making,  with more being produced every year.  It’s so easy to become enthusiastic, and before you know it you’re overwhelmed with supplies and don’t know which way to turn in your space, or what to do next. For long-term enjoyment, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with a few basic tools before you dive any deeper into this art form.

    The basics would be:

    Ink: good quality inks are a game changer.  You may prefer dye, pigment, or distress –  but buy what you can afford in good quality.  It makes a huge difference.

    Stamps:  good quality rubber or photopolymer makes ALL the difference to your stamping.  The way to be certain that you are going to be happy with your results is to buy from an established, reputable company.  It is tempting to purchase from an online, overseas company that offers amazing prices,  but all too often the quality is poor and the designs are pirated.

    Paper:  I consider white and cream to be my two go-to colours.  All papers come in different weights:  you will find one that you like to use by experimenting with a few. You may discover that different brands and different weights take ink differently.

    Keep in mind that rarely do different brands of white cardstock match in colour, so if you decide to switch you will have white scraps in a different tonality than your new choice.  Experimenting with a few before investing in a large quantity is a good idea.

    Paper trimmer: These come in several styles and many, many brands.  I prefer a rotary trimmer for most of my work as there are no blades to replace.  I use a large guillotine paper trimmer to cut multiple pieces of paper at once into card bases.

    Score Board/Bone Folder: this will give you clean, crisp fold lines without cracks appearing in your paper. A real necessity for a polished finished product.

    Scissors: a good pair of snips (small, maneuverable and sharp right to the point) is necessary for cutting images out by hand (called “fussy cutting”).  

    Stamp Positioner/Acrylic Blocks:  unless you are using wood-mounted stamps, one of these will be necessary to hold your stamps to ink them up and get a solid image on the paper. I use both,  but of the two, a Stamp Positioner (although initially more expensive)  will provide far more value for your dollar in the long run.

    Die Cutting Machine:  my other favourite piece of equipment in my craft room.  I use this all.the.time.

    Dies & Embossing Folders:  both used with the die-cutting machine,  and both offer endless variety to your work.   

    Stencils:   one of my absolute favourite design tools because of the excellent price point and unlimited variety they offer.  Not a must-have for start up,  but these can be used to create fabulous backgrounds instead of buying patterned paper.

    Foils, pastes, powders, sprays and more … all wonderful, and fun to work with.  It may be a good idea to leave these purchases until you’ve explored some of the options provided by the supplies mentioned above.