Written In Ink

Category: Stencils

  • Make Some Mid-Century Magic this Christmas

    Make Some Mid-Century Magic this Christmas

    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

    Red Card Face:  5.25 x 4

    Card Face:

    • I laid the card face down on my grip mat and used a coordinating red ink to slightly darken the edges, leaving the center lighter.
    • After the ink had dried,  I positioned the stencil and masked off the openings for the stars.
    • I  pressed my Versamark embossing ink pad firmly through the openings for the tree.
    • I sprinkled light green (sparkly) embossing powder over the wet embossing ink and set it with my heat gun.
    • I repositioned the stencil and repeated the process to add the stars where I wanted them, masking off openings that were too close for comfort each time.
    • Using white acrylic,  I added spatter generously.
    • I used a punch to round the top-right and bottom-left corners.

    Other:

    • I looked through my Sentiment binder and pulled out this cutie,  cut previously and saved for just this purpose.

    Assembly

    • I glued the card face to the card base,  centering on all sides.
    • I added the sentiment as shown.

    Final Thoughts:

    I love the way this card turned out:  the colour combination,  the mid-century style,  the style of sentiment, and even the spatter –   everything played together so well!

    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: (see images below)

    Mid Century Christmas Tree, A Colorful Life Designs

    Versamark Embossing Ink: R&R Scrapbooking

    Green Embossing Powder,  Reflections, Michaels (retired)

    White Acrylic Spatter: Dr Ph Martin’s Bleed Proof White,  Taylored Expressions

    Dies:  Festive Collection,   Creative Expressions,  Ecstasy Crafts

    Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Blending Brushes: Stampin’ Up! 

    Adhesive: Tombow Aqua, Michaels

    Card Base & Card Face:  Recollections 110 lb., Michaels

    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.

    Mid Century Christmas Tree

  • Celebrate a Nostalgic Christmas with Creative Designs

    Celebrate a Nostalgic Christmas with Creative Designs

    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 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 ⅜ x 4 1/8

    Card Face:

    • I laid the card face on my grip mat and positioned the Whimsical Trees stencil.  I used blue ink and applied it lightly across the exposed areas.
    • I set that stencil aside and put the card face in my stamp positioner.  I stamped the barn, fence and footprints with black ink.
    • I put the card face back onto the grip mat and positioned one of the arch masks directly over the stamped images, shielding them completely. 
    • I inked around the mask with dark grey ink,  covering that section of the previous stencilling.
    • Leaving the mask in place to protect the stamped area, I added spatter in both silver metallic watercolour and white acrylic paint.

    Assembly

    • I glued the card face to the card base.

    Final Thoughts:

    I like this calm, country scene!   Adding the spatter at the end made that arched section pop beautifully.

    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: (see images below)

    Whimsical Trees,  A Colorful Life Designs

    Marvellous Masks Arch,  A Colorful Life Designs

    Stamps:  Christmas Barn, Stampin’ Up!  (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 

    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.

    Whimsical Trees

    Marvellous Masks Arch

  • You Can Create Stunning Christmas Cards with Metallic Gold Ink

    You Can Create Stunning Christmas Cards with Metallic Gold Ink

    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

    Black Card Face:  5.25 x 3.75

    Card Face:

    • I laid the (black) card face on the grip mat,  and positioned the stencil.
    • I used metallic gold ink and a heavy hand across the exposed areas,  ensuring good coverage with the ink.
    • I put the card face aside overnight to dry (the gold ink is pigment,  and takes a while to dry when applied this heavily).
    • The next day I began by dusting the card face liberally with anti-static powder.
    • I put the card face into my stamp positioner and stamped the sentiment with VersaFine embossing ink,  then I sprinkled silver embossing powder over the wet ink and set it with my heat gun.
    • I cut 1” off of the top and bottom inch of the card,  setting the strips aside carefully to keep them in the right order.

    Assembly

    • I glued the strips onto the card base,  leaving ⅛” between the strips,  which created visual interest.
    • I added iridescent black pearls to the stencilled pattern,  as shown.

    Final Thoughts:

    • This is a very structured, dramatic, elegant card.   I loved finding a way to incorporate this stencil into a Christmas design.
    • The concept wouldn’t have worked without the highly pigmented gold ink that covered the black perfectly:  this Lisa Horton ink is amazing.

    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: (see images below)

    Mid Century Atomic Strands,  A Colorful Life Designs

    Versamark Embossing Ink: R&R Scrapbooking

    Silver Embossing Powder,  Wow, R&R Scrapbooking

    Stamps: Tim Holtz,  Amazon

    Ink: Lisa Horton,  Cloud 9 Pot of Gold  (this gold is retired,  but she has several others available)

    Blending Brushes: Stampin’ Up! 

    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.

    Mid Century Atomic Strands

  • Winning at Holiday Cards: Get more mileage from your stencils.

    Winning at Holiday Cards: Get more mileage from your 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 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

    Holographic Border Layer: 5.5 x 4.25

    Card Face:  5.⅜ x 4 1/8

    Card Face:

    • I laid the card face on the grip match and positioned the stencil.
    • I used red ink across all exposed areas, applying more pressure on the outer edges of the card face, and allowing saturation to fade towards the center

    This stencil actually includes pumpkins and not christmas babbles,  so next I had to come up with a method to change the shape.

    • I started the transformation by coloring the pumpkin stems silver and then continuing on to trace each of the shapes with a silver gel pen but making  sure to go straight across on top, rather than dipping down  the way the stencil is created.
    • I liked the stems, but the silver outline did not show up well enough. So I retraced all the pumpkins with a black fine liner. – this defined the shape and I was satisfied.
    • I used the silver gel pen to add a bit of snow to the top of each ornament, which further disguised the original shape.
    • I used a white gel pan to add highlights to each of the ornaments.

    Other:

    • I die -cut “jolly” three times – once from holographic card stock and twice from black card stock.
    • I glued the two black die-cuts together and then added the silver one on top,  offsetting slightly.

    Assembly

    I glued the border layer to the cardbase and centered the card face on top of these.

    I added the die-cuts on an angle as shown.

    I added a small gold bead to the center of each bowl on the card face.

    I added three silver beads under the word as a finishing touch.

    Final Thoughts:

    This design transformed the pumpkins into Christmas baubles very well, and now I can use this stencil for fall , or for the Christmas season.

    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:  Pumpkins and bows, A colorful life designs.

    Dies:  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 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.

  • Make Up for a Belated Birthday with a Fun Card

    Make Up for a Belated Birthday with a Fun 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 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 .5 x 4 ⅛

    Card Face:

    This card face began as a gel print  (one of many in my stash!)

    • I placed the card face on a piece of scrap paper and positioned the stencil.  I secured both with low-tack tape, and then added embossing paste through the openings in the stencil. 

     I only allowed partial coverage with the paste to maintain some of the interest created by the original background.

    • I put the card face into my stamp positioner and added the sentiment with Versafine Onyx.  I stamped several times to get good coverage,  and then sprinkled on black embossing powder and set it with my heat gun.

    Versafine is a pigment ink and stays wet long enough to use embossing powder successfully.

    Other:

    • I had previously stamped the bird and the present, and coloured them with alcohol markers; I just had to fussy cut them to get them ready for the card.

    Assembly

    • I glued the card face to the card base,  aligning to the right-hand edge, which left a narrow white border on the left.
    • I glued the bird and the gift in place as shown.
    • I added legs to the bird using a fineliner.  (The legs on the stamped image are too fine to cut out –  this is a super easy solution.)

    Final Thoughts:

    I loved this colourful card face and was hesitant to use it for fear of not liking the result. The details added have enough presence to stand out against all that colour –  so I’m happy with the result.

    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: (see images below)

    Intricate Diamonds, A Colorful Life Designs

    Black Embossing Powder,  Wow,  R& R Scrapbooking

    Stamps: Mini Bird Crazy and Things, Stampers Anonymous, Amazon

    Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Blending Brushes: Stampin’ Up! 

    Versafine Onyx, Simon Says Stamp

    Fineliner:  Amazon

    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 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.

    Intricate Diamonds

  • Upcycling Scrap Paper for Beautiful Card Art

    Upcycling Scrap Paper for Beautiful Card Art

    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 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

    Border Layer: 5.5 x 4.25

    Card Face: 5.25 x 4

    This card face began with what I call the “end cut” technique: a number of yellow, black, and white strips (leftover pieces from cardstock that had been cut down to a smaller size) were lined up and glued to a piece of scrap copy paper. This lets me use up these scraps rather than throwing them away and to create unique backgrounds.

    Card Face:

    • I placed the card face on my grip mat and positioned the Layered Honeycomb stencil.  I applied yellow-brown ink across all exposed areas.
    • Setting that stencil aside, I laid the bumblebee stencil down on the card face and used black ink across the exposed areas with a heavy hand.

    ** This is a layered stencil,  but I only used the bottom layer in this design.

    • I used a deckled-edged die to cut the card face down to the desired size.

    Other:

    • I stamped the sentiment and used a die to create the final shape.
    • I used a die to cut the bee from gold cardstock.

    Assembly

    • I glued the black border layer to the card base and then added the card face at an angle.
    • I added the die-cut bee, and then used a fineliner to add the dotted trail.
    • I added the sentiment as shown.

    Final Thoughts:

    This piece of created card face has been in my pile for a while, waiting to be used. Then one day I looked at it and knew exactly how to use it.  Not unusual in my world!

    I think it made a great backdrop for this fun scene. The stripes interrupting the stencilled images makes a unique visual. This card would work for soooo many different occasions.

    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.

    Stencils:  (see images below)

    Double Honeycomb Stencil,   A Colorful Life Designs

    Layered Bees Stencil, A Colorful Life Designs

    Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Blending Brushes: Stampin’ Up! 

    Fineliner: Amazon

    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.

  • Create an Adorable, Pawsome Birthday Card

    Create an Adorable, Pawsome Birthday 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 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:  5.5 x 4.25

    I had already stamped and coloured this cute pup: the card face was set aside in the “someday” pile, waiting to be used.

    Card Face:

    • I put the card face on the grip mat and positioned the stencil.
    •  I used yellow ink across the exposed areas, allowing variation in tone. (I was careful to avoid the pup while I was inking.)
    • I placed the card face down in my stamp positioner and added the “Happy Birthday” with navy blue ink.
    • Using a scrap of copy paper, I covered the lower right portion of the card face to protect the pup, then added navy spatter.
    • I used a rounded rectangle die to cut out the sentiment.
    • I used a grey alcohol marker to add shadow under the pup,  grounding him in the space.
    • I added additional yellow ink around the edges of the card face.

    Assembly

    • I glued the card face to the card base.
    • I added dimensional foam to the back of the sentiment and set it in place.

    Final Thoughts:

    This is such a cute combination:  I’ve wanted this stencil for a while, and it’s going to see lots of use on my desk- it’s so versatile.

    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: Circus Harlequin,   A Colorful Life Designs

    Stamps:   Christmas Presents,  Anita Jeram,  Teaspoon of Fun

    Dies: Rounded Rectangle Nesting Dies,  Hero Arts,  Scrapbook.com

    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 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.

    Circus Harlequin

  • Create Stunning Boho Flower Cards Easily

    Create Stunning Boho Flower Cards Easily

    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

    Card Face:

    • I laid my card face on a piece of scrap paper and positioned the stencil. 
    • After securing the stencil with low-tack tape, I applied white embossing paste over the exposed areas.  I set this aside to dry.
    • I added Lindy’s magical sprays in pink and blue to provide sparkle and visual interest

    Other:

    • I looked through my Ready To Go binder and grabbed the old lady – already stamped, coloured, and fussy cut, ready to go.
    • I stamped and die-cut the sentiment.

    Assembly

    • I centered and glued the card face to the card base.
    • I added the old lady and the sentiment as shown in the picture.

    Final Thoughts:

    I was happy with this patterned card face,but unsure how to finish it.   Then inspiration struck with the old lady-coffee combination and I was off to the races.

    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: (see images below)

    Boho Flowers,  A  Colorful Life Designs

    Stamps:

    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 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.

    Boho Flowers

  • Create an Awesome Merry & Bright Holiday Card

    Create an Awesome Merry & Bright Holiday 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 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

    Border Layer: 5.5 x 4.25

    Card Face:  5.5 x 4

    White Cardstock: 2.5 x 2.5

    Red Cardstock: 2 5/8 x 2 5/8

    This card came to be simply because every time I looked at this stencil,  I saw the potential for a string of lights.   The idea just wouldn’t leave me alone –  until I finally sat down and created it.

    Card Face:

    I laid the card face on the grip mat and positioned the stencil.

    I used metallic gel pens to fill in the exposed areas –  red for the “bulbs” and gold for the strands in between.

    I drew small rectangles above each red bulb and filled them in with silver.

    I outlined the red bulb ith a black fineliner to provide more definition.

    Other:

    I placed the white cardstock in my stamp positioner.  After masking off the “Merry & Bright” with low-tack tape,  I stamped the bulbs with red ink.  I stamped twice for good saturation, carefully removing the masking before stamping and replacing it before reinking.

    I repeated this step, stamping the “Merry & Bright” with embossing ink and masking off the rows of lights.  Then I sprinkled on gold embossing powder and set it with my heat gun.

    Assembly

    I glued the red border layer to the card base and then centred the card face on top of these.

    I glued the smaller piece of white cardstock to the red piece,  and then glued it into the centre of the card face.

    Final Thoughts:

    I was really happy with this variation on the stencil –  I love finding new ways to use product I own. Then I remembered this stamp from an old set in my stash,  and I knew it would be a great finishing touch.

    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: (see images below)

    Festoon,   A Colorful Life Designs

    Versamark Embossing Ink: R&R Scrapbooking

    Clear Embossing Powder,  Wow,  R&R Scrapbooking

    Stamps:  Stampin’ Up! (retired)

    Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Fineliner:  Amazon

    Metallic Gel Pens:   Amazon

    Blending Brushes: Stampin’ Up! 

    Versafine Onyx, Simon Says Stamp

    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.

    Festoon

  • Make Stunning Cards with Basic Supplies

    Make Stunning Cards with Basic 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 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

    Border Layer: 5.25 x 4

    Card Face: 5 x 3.75

    Card Face:

    I laid the card face on the grip mat and positioned the Split Square stencil. I applied light blue ink across all exposed areas with a light hand.

    Leaving the first stencil in place,  I positioned the Dot Mat stencil on top and used the same blue ink again over the exposed areas.

    **This created a fun tone-on-tone effect, while maintaining the crisp lines created by the Split Square stencil.

    I spattered water lightly over the card face.

    I removed the first two stencils and positioned one of the dogs from the Dogs Playing stencil on the card face: I used black ink and a heavy hand to add the dog. 

    I used a gray alcohol marker to trace a line under the dog.

    **This created a shadow for the dog and added definition to the image.

    I used a deckled edge die to create an irregular edge around the card face.

    Other:

    I had a piece of gel print in a darker shade of blue – using a slightly larger deckled edge die this time,  I cut this down to the correct size for the border layer.

    I found the sentiment prepared and waiting in my sentiment binder –  all I needed to add was a bit of black ink to the edges to create definition.

    Assembly

    I glued the border layer to the card base, centering on all sides.

    I glued the card face to the card base on an angle,  bringing each corner right to the edge of the border layer.

    I added black card bling to the card face as shown.

    I added dimensional foam to the back of the sentiment and placed it toward the top right of the card.

    Final Thoughts:

    These three stencils worked beautifully together to create this card:  I’m happy with the result.

    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.

    Stencils: (see images below)

    Split Square, A Colorful Life Designs

    Dot Mat, A Colorful Life Designs

    Dogs Playing, A Colorful Life Designs

    Dies: Deckled Edge Dies, Stampin’ Up!  (retired)

    Card Bling:   A Colorful Life Designs

    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 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.

    Split Square

    Dot Mat

    Dogs Playing