Getting a Head Start!
Christmas cards can be an all-year project
TUTORIALSTENCIL
5/13/20232 min read
Innovative Design Styles for Your Cardmaking
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: 4.25 x 11, scored and folded at 5.5
Card Face:4.25 x 5 3/8
Small Scrap of Gold Cardstock for Star
Narrow strip of gold card stock for bottom of card front
Card Face:
I secured the stencil to the card face with Mint Tape, grabbed my blending brushes and ink and got started. I was using a very juicy poppy red, and got a really nice saturated tone as a result.I left the stencil in place to protect the uninked card face, and spattered metallic gold watercolour randomly across the red.
I put the card face into my stamping platform and stamped the tree in black ink: I stamped repeatedly until I got the level of intensity necessary to balance the saturated red tone.
I used a ruler and a black microliner to create a black frame around the tree.
At this point I put the project aside for the night as the ink needed time to completely dry.
The next morning I began by generously dusting the card face with anti-static powder.
Then I returned the card face to the stamp positioner and used Veramark to ink up the sentiment.
I added gold embossing powder and melted it with my (pre-heated) heat gun.
Other:
I die cut the star out of gold card stock, and glued it to the card face.
Assembly:
I glued the card face to the card base, aligning to the top edge.
I glued the thin gold strip (1/8 x 4.25) into the gap at the bottom of the card.
Final thoughts: When I began this card I had no intention of creating a Christmas card - but I quickly realized that my initial plans weren't going to work with that intense red ink, so for the first time ever I began my Christmas cards in May! (I'll be glad of this as the season draws closer - in fact I may continue the trend.) I'm really happy with the bold, contemporary look of this card.
Supplies: (and links where possible)
Stencil: Split Square, A Colorful Life Designs
Stamps:
tree: Winter Woods , Stampin' Up (retired)
sentiment: Heartfelt Wishes, Stampin' Up (retired)
Die: So Many Stars, Stampin' Up (retired)
Inks:
Dye Based Ink: Stampin' Up
Versamark: Scrapshotz, Scrapbook.com., Simon Says Stamp
Blending Brushes: Stampin' Up
Gold Embossing Powder Stampin' Up
Gold Cardstock: Stampin' Up
Anti-static powder: Stampin' Up
Metallic Watercolor: Aoutle, Amazon
Mint Tape: Scrapbook.com
Adhesive: Tombo Aqua: Amazon, Simon Says Stamp
Black Microliner: Amazon, Altenew- Scrapbook.com, Ranger- Simon Says Stamp
Card Base: Accent 100 lb, Amazon
Card Face: Accent 80 lb., Amazon