Written In Ink

Category: Stencils

  • How to create a Stunning Art Deco card

    How to create a Stunning Art Deco card

    dance like nobody’s watching

    The elegance of Art Deco meets the extravagant feel of foil! (And a touch of sass, as an unexpected final touch.)

    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.)

    Are you intrigued by the luxurious feel of foil, but at the same time just a bit intimidated? Me too! or, I was until I discovered Duo gel and transfer foil. No Minc or laminator required, but the same amazing results – and unlimited options.

    Let’s get Started:

    Card Base: 4.25 x 11, scored and folded at 5.5

    Border Layer: 4.25 x 5.5  **

    Card Face:  4 x 5.5 

    ** Budget tip: Rather than a full piece of foiled cardstock,  I used two strips of cardstock that were ⅛ x 5.5 each.  Gluing them snugly alongside the card face gave the look of a full piece,  and is more economical.

    Card Face:

    • I sprayed the back of my stencil with Pixie Spray. This is a temporary adhesive that will ensure that the stencil stays in place on the card face during use.
    • I placed my card face on a piece of cardstock and positioned the stencil.   I used a brayer over the entire surface to ensure good contact with the card face.
    • I applied Duo gel to all exposed areas, carefully removed the stencil and put it into water. I set the card face aside to dry.
    • After the gel had dried (this depends on the thickness of the application,  but I typically leave this 2 – 4 hours) it was time for the magic!   I put a piece of transfer foil over the card face and ran it through my Big Shot.
    • Once this was done I removed the excess foil,  leaving the beautiful pattern behind.
    • This card needed a sentiment, but I wasn’t certain which direction to go in at first – and then I stumbled across this bit of sass, which fit the bill perfectly. So I put the card face into my stamp positioner and added the sentiment with Versafine Onyx, stamping 3x to get a bold result.

    I didn’t use my Grip Mat for this as I don’t like to risk compromising the surface with gels and pastes.  I’ve seen content creators do this successfully:  I’m just not brave enough yet!

    Other:

    • I placed a piece of adhesive dimensional foam on the back of a scrap piece of cardstock and added the die. Then I ran it through the Big Shot.

    Assembly

    • I glued the card face to the card base, centering vertically.
    • I glued a narrow strip of irridescent cardstock to both sides.
    • I added the dancing lady as shown.

    Final Thoughts:

    This stencil was part of a water themed release from A Colorful Life Designs,  but as soon as I saw it I thought of the elegance of Art Deco. This design has been perking away in my head for a while now –  I’m glad to finally have it out and on paper.

    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: Waterspout,  A Colorful Life Designs

    Versamark Embossing Ink: Simon Says Stamp

    Clear Embossing Powder: Wow,  R&R Scrapbooking

    Stamps: Be Yourself, The Frantic Stamper

    Dies:  Carmen, The Frantic Stamper

    Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Blending Brushes: Stampin’ Up! 

    Versafine Onyx, Simon Says Stamp

    Memento Ink: 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.

  • Elevate Your Card Making with Easy Stenciling Techniques

    Elevate Your Card Making with Easy Stenciling Techniques

    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.)

    A couple of simple stencilling techniques is a great way to make your card stand out.

    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

    Card Face:

    • I placed the card face onto my Grip Mat, and then positioned the stencil. I applied bright green ink to the exposed areas. As I had used a heavy hand, I had to put this aside until the ink was dry.
    • With the ink completely dry,  I put the stencil back in place but moved it slightly down and to the right.  This stencilling technique created the illusion of a shadow for each of the hearts.
    • I added translucent gel over the exposed areas, carefully removing the stencil once this was complete and putting it into water immediately.  I set the card face aside to dry once again.
    • Once the gel had dried, I put the card face into my stamp positioner and added the image in the center of the hearts with Versafine Onyx and sprinkled it with clear embossing powder.  I set this with my heat gun.
    • I coloured the image with alcohol markers.
    • I used the cloud edger stencil and blue ink to create the sky, being careful to stay inside the hearts. This stencilling technique created a scene in a very specific part of the card, and is very effective.
    • I added the birds using a black fineliner.

    Other:

    • I put a piece of scrap cardstock into the stamp positioner and stamped the sentiment two or three times with the same blue ink.  (I had used a soft blue,  and I needed to stamp several times to allow the sentiment to have enough presence.)
    • I trimmed the sentiment down to a narrow strip and added dimensional tape on the back.

    Assembly

    • I glued the border layer to the card base and then centered the card face on top of these.
    • I positioned the sentiment as shown.

    Final Thoughts:

    I quite like this offbeat combination of elements. 

    If I were to recreate this card,  I would select a different colour for the umbrella: I don’t feel that it works well with the other colours in the scene. Do you ever regret a colour choice when it’s too late to do anything about it?

    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:

       Cloud Edger:  A Colorful Life Designs

       Happy Thoughts Wreath:  A Colorful Life Designs

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

    Stamps:   I’ll be Your Umbrella,  Andy Skinner,  Amazon

    Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Blending Brushes: Stampin’ Up! 

    Versafine Onyx, Simon Says Stamp

    Clear Embossing Powder:  Wow,  R&R Scrapbooking

    Black Fine Liners: Amazon

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

  • Get Messy! a Simple DIY Card Tutorial with Stencils

    Get Messy! a Simple DIY Card Tutorial with Stencils

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

    Don’t be afraid to get messy during your design process! The results are usually unexpected, but awesome.

    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:

    • First things first:  I laid the card face on my Grip Mat,  positioned the stencil and applied a random mixture of blue and yellow ink.
    • I left the stencil in place and traced the outline with a teal gel pen.
    • I added some spatter with water to create additional depth and visual interest.
    • Time to get a little messy. I placed the Broken Lines stencil on top of the first one and added slate grey embossing paste selectively over exposed areas.  I immediately removed both stencils (carefully!) and put them into water.
    • I set the card face aside to dry.

    Other:

    • I looked through my binders for inspiration and found the heart and the sentiment.  

    Assembly

    • I glued the card face to the card base, centering on all sides.
    • I glued both the heart and sentiment in place as shown.
    • I added a small coloured rhinestone in the center of the heart.

    Final Thoughts:

    This is a fun card, with a bit of grunge provided by the embossing paste.  

    This stencil is 6 x 9,   so the card face was cut in half to yield this result.

    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:

        So Many Bubbles:  A Colorful Life Designs

        Broken Lines:  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,  R&R Scrapbooking

    Metallic Gel Pens:  Sakura,  Amazon

    Embossing Paste:  Stormy,  TCW,  Glitter and Ink

    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?  Do you like to add a bit of grunge to a design, or are you more of a clean and simple designer? 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.

  • Unique Floral Card Tutorial for Crafters

    Unique Floral Card Tutorial for Crafters

    The copper embossing powder is so pretty – have a look at the close up.

    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 3.25

    Copper Strips:   5.5 x ⅛”   (x 2)

    Card Face:

    • I laid the card face down on my Grip Mat and positioned the stencil.
    • I masked off the right side of the stencil and applied mauve ink to the left-hand side (the side with the longer rectangles). 
    • I moved the mask to protect the section just inked and applied a darker, more reddish purple to the exposed areas.
    • I spattered the card face with pink and purple metallic watercolour paint.
    • After allowing this to dry,  I placed the card face into my stamp positioner and stamped the floral image with Versamark embossing ink.
    • I removed the card face, sprinkled copper embossing powder over the ink,  and set it with my heat gun.

    Other:

    • I put the border layer into an embossing folder and ran it through my Big Shot to create texture.
    • I looked through my sentiment binder and discovered the “friend”  ready and waiting: it had been created from metallic copper cardstock.
    • I cut the two narrow strips of copper cardstock.

    Assembly

    • I glued the embossed border layer to the card base.
    • I glued one of the narrow copper strips snugly along the left-hand border.
    • I glued the card face beside this, butting up against the narrow strip.
    • I glued the second strip of copper along the right edge of the card face.
    • I added the “friend”  to the card face, as shown.

    Final Thoughts:

    I love this colour combination,  and I’m also really happy with the mixture of textures and tonalities in 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:  Ordered Lines,  A Colorful Life Designs

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

    Versamark Embossing Ink: Simon Says Stamp

    Copper  Embossing Powder: Wow,  Scrap n’ Stamp

    Stamps:   Technique Junkies  (no longer in business)

    Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Blending Brushes: Stampin’ Up! 

    Metallic Watercolour: 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 little paint is good for the soul

    A little paint is good for the soul

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

    Let’s get started:

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

    Border Layer: 5.5 x 4.25

    Card Face:  5.25 x 4

    Scrap paper for the paint brush

    Card Face:

    • I began by laying the card face down on my Grip Mat and positioning the Broken Lines stencil.  I followed that by applying beige ink across the exposed areas.
    • Laying that stencil aside,  I positioned the Bottled Posies stencil towards the left of the card face and traced two of the bottles using a black fine liner.
    • I used alcohol markers to completely colour the bottle on the left, and then I partially coloured the bottle on the right.
    • With those steps complete,  I decided that I wanted a bit of shadow underneath to ground them,  so I added that.
    • I spritzed the surface of the card face with water,  blotting it quickly.  This softened the background and added visual interest.
    •      The alcohol markers don’t react to water,  making this process safe.
    • Once the card face was completely dry again,  I put it into my stamp positioner and added the sentiment with Versafine Onyx.

    Other:

    • I stamped the paint brush on scrap paper using Memento ink,  and coloured it with alcohol markers.  
    • Once the colouring was complete I cut it out.
    • I looked through my critters binder and found the wee mouse; I quickly decided that he would provide the perfect finishing touch.

    Assembly

    • I glued the black border layer to the card base, and then added the card face on top of these.
    • I experimented with the placement of the brush,  and then glued it in place.
    • Finally,  I added the mouse as shown, sitting on the brush.

    Final Thoughts:

    I was actually creating a completely different card with the Bottled Posies stencil when I this idea struck: I had used the same process of tracing/colouring the images and had too much time invested to try the concep at that moment,  so I tried it on the next card.  

    I’m happy with the general feel of the card  (I really like the watercolour “feel”  that the background has),  but would change the positioning of the brush if I were to do it again.

    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:

       Broken Lines: A Colorful Life Designs

       Bottled Posies: A Colorful Life Designs

    Stamps:  Color My World,  Colorado Craft Co.

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

    Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Fineliners:  Amazon

    Blending Brushes: Stampin’ Up! 

    Versafine Onyx, Simon Says Stamp

    Memento Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Alcohol Markers:

         Stampin’ Blends: Stampin’ Up!

         Copics:  Wallacks

    Adhesive: Tombow Aqua, Michaels

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

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

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

  • FUN, FABULOUS & PERFECT FOR THAT SOMEONE SPECIAL

    FUN, FABULOUS & PERFECT FOR THAT SOMEONE SPECIAL

    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: 4.25 x 11, scored and folded at 5.5

    Border Layer: 4.25 x 5.5

    Card Face:  4 ⅛ x 5 ⅜

    The visible cardstock in this design is Naturals by Stampin’ Up!. It is no longer available,  but I have a supply and use it occasionally.

    Card Face:

    • I laid the cardstock on my Grip Mat and then positioned the Intersection stencil.  Next, I applied red ink over the exposed areas, using more pressure towards the outside of the design and allowing the ink to fade slightly towards the center. I removed this stencil and set it aside.
    • After positioning the heart stencil, I applied red ink again,  going over the exposed areas repeatedly until I had intense colour.   
    • I allowed the ink to dry completely and then put the third stencil in place, centering the word carefully inside the hearts.
    • I pressed my Versamark embossing pad through the openings in the stencil, repeating this several times to ensure ink transfer.
    • Removing the stencil, I sprinkled gold embossing powder over the ink and set it with my heat gun.

    Assembly

    • I glued the border layer to the card base.
    • I added the card face to these,  ensuring an equal distance on the top and both sides:  this left a much larger space on the bottom.
    • I added small gold pearls onto some of the larger hearts,  deliberately placing them off-center on all but one heart.
    • Finally, I added three small gold pearls under the word in the center, as well as 3 along the bottom border, evenly spaced.

    Final Thoughts:

    This card began as another one of those backgrounds which I had created and then set aside.  I decided to use it with the Heart Circle stencil and I like the very graphic look that was created.  The circular shape created by the lines echoes that created by the hearts,  and yet the hearts and lines provide nice contrast.

    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:

        Intersection:  A Colorful Life Designs

        Happy Thoughts Wreath:  A Colorful Life Designs

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

    Versamark Embossing Ink: Simon Says Stamp:

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

  • Make a card for that strong, amazing woman in your life

    Make a card for that strong, amazing woman in your life

    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

    Card Face:

    • I got started by putting the card face onto my Grip Mat and then positioning the stencil on top.
    • Next,  I applied soft pink ink to one edge,  and yellow ink to the other; where they met they turned orange and I went over this junction with both pink and yellow until I had a smooth blend.
      • Although there is a lot to be said for a smooth, homogenous finish I usually allow variations in tone when I blend as I have on this card. I feel that this provides a subtle visual interest and keeps the eye moving on the card face.
    • After setting the stencil aside, I put the card face into my stamp positioner and stamped the fabulous image with Versafine Onyx.

    Other:

    • I created a frame by taping two dies together (taped to ensure even spacing) and then running them through the Big Shot with holographic cardstock.

    Assembly

    • I started putting the card together,  beginning by gluing the black border layer to the card base.
    • Next came the card face:  glued on top of the other two and centered vertically.
    • I found that I needed to experiment a bit before gluing down the frame: did I want it straight? Or angled?  In the end, I put it at an angle which was a fun, unexpected detail.
    • I finished by adding bling in both black and silver, scattered randomly around the card face.

    Final Thoughts:

    I love this stamp,  and it works SO well with the stencil.   

    One of the reasons that I like the angled frame is that it works so well with the lines created by the stencil.

    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: Op Art Bench,  A Colorful Life Designs

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

    Versamark Embossing Ink: Simon Says Stamp

    Stamps: Be A Legend,  Technique Junkies (no longer available)

    Dies: Everlasting Squares,  Spellbinders

    Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Blending Brushes: Stampin’ Up! 

    Versafine Onyx Ink, Simon Says Stamp

    Holographic Cardstock, Recollections,  Michaels

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

  • Celebrate someone special who is a work of art

    Celebrate someone special who is a work of art

    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 die cut)

    White Card Stock:  3 x 2

    Black Cardstock:  3.25 x 2.25

    Card Face:

    • I began by laying the card face on my Grip Mat and positioning the stencil.  I added pink and school bus yellow to the exposed areas,  blending wherever the two colours met.
    • Next I added metallic copper spatter towards the bottom left. 
    • After this dried, I finished the card face by putting it into my stamp positioner and adding the sentiment with Versafine Onyx.
    • I used a deckled die to cut this down to the finished size.

    Other:

    • I stamped the image on the small piece of cardstock.  I used Memento ink for this, which allowed me to colour the image with alcohol markers.

    Assembly

    • I glued the black border layer to the card base.
    • Next,  I experimented with placement for the focal image and its border layer.  In the end I decided to offset them dramatically and glued them in place as shown.

    Final Thoughts:

    This is one of those times when I had created the background and then set it aside:  I just didn’t know what I wanted to do with it.   Then one day I pulled out this stamp set and inspiration struck:  I think that this fun and funky girl is a great match for the stencilled 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: Mid Century Tower:  A Colorful Life Designs

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

    Versamark Embossing Ink: Simon Says Stamp

    Stamps:  Impression Obsession  (no longer in business)

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

    Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Blending Brushes: Stampin’ Up! 

    Versafine Onyx, Simon Says Stamp

    Memento Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Alcohol Markers:

         Stampin’ Blends: Stampin’ Up!

         Copics:  Wallacks

    Adhesive: Tombow Aqua, Michaels

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

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

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

  • Say Happy Easter with a Fabulous, Sparkly Bunny 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.)

    Easter is typically visualized in happy springtime pastels. But sometimes a sparkly Easter bunny fits the bill!

    Let’s get Started:

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

    Green Border Layer: 4.25 x 4.25

    Card Face:  4 x 4

    Card Face:

    • I positioned the stencil on the card face, securing it with Mint Tape.
    • Next, using a palette knife,  I added sparkly white embossing paste over all exposed areas.   I  removed the stencil, being careful not to smudge the design.  
    • Afterwards, I placed the stencil in water and put the card face aside to dry.

    Other:

    • I stamped the sentiment and used a tiny die to cut it out.
    • I also stamped the tiny heart with green ink,  added embossing ink with a pen, sprinkled it with holographic powder and set it with a heat gun.   I used a punch to cut it out.
    • Once the card face was dry I used a pokey tool to create holes on either side of the bunny’s neck.  I threaded fine iridescent white yarn through the holes and secured this on the back with tape.

    Assembly

    • I glued the card face to the green border layer, centering on all sides.
    • Following that, I added this to the card base, aligning to the left-hand edge, and leaving a white border on the right.
    • I used metallic thread to attach the heart tag to the bunny’s collar.
    • I added the sentiment to the upper left of the card.
    • The finishing touch was the addition of three small green gems down the right-hand border.

    Final Thoughts:

    The sparkly Easter Bunny is really pretty:  I didn’t want to add anything to compete with that,  so I chose very soft green accents.   I’m really happy with the end result.

    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:  Heart Bunny,  A Colorful Life Designs

    Embossing Pen:  Ranger,  Amazon

    Holographic Embossing Powder: Ranger,  Amazon

    Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Embossing Paste: 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.

  • Create a card that Celebrates Singing After the Storm

    Create a card that Celebrates Singing After the Storm

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

    Let’s get Started:

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

    Border Layer: 5 x 3.75

    Card Face:  5 x 3.75

    White Cardstock to create window panels and window frame.

    Acetate:  5 x 3.75

    Card Face:

    • I laid the card face onto the Grip Mat and positioned the  MultiShadow stencil.  I applied teal ink with a light hand.
    • After removing this stencil,  I positioned the Message Bird stencil, using a dark blue ink for the bird.   I repositioned the stencil and added the branch with brown ink.
    • Setting both stencils aside,  I lightly spritzed water onto the card face to soften the lines and add depth.

    Other:

    • I used a “plaid” die to create the window panes.
    • I didn’t have a rectangular die in the correct size to create the window frame:  to get around this I cut 4 pieces of card stock,  each ¼” wide and 5” long.
    • I used a couple of dies to cut the foliage for the window and then brushed on a couple of different green inks.
    • I brushed teal ink around all borders of the card base, allowing it to fade as it moved away from the edges.
    • I found a great sentiment in my binder, ready and just waiting to be put to use.

    Assembly

    • I glued the card face to the card base, centering on all sides.
    • I secured the acetate to the back of the window pane die cut and then secured this to the card face.
    • I added the strips of cardstock to the outer edges of this, trimming to the correct size.
    • I glued the foliage to the window as shown.
    • I added the sentiment.

    Final Thoughts:

    I wanted to include acetate behind the window for the realistic shine it would provide:  securing this to the card face and then the window proved very difficult and I would not include it another time.

    I wanted the scene to have the look of being viewed through a window during a rainstorm,  and I think I succeeded!

    Supplies: (and links where possible)

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

    Stencils:

        MultiShadow , a Colorful Life Designs

        Message Bird,  A Colorful Life Designs

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

    Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Blending Brushes: Stampin’ Up! 

    Versafine Onyx, Simon Says Stamp

    Adhesive: Tombow Aqua, Michaels

    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.