Some cards are so special

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

Black Border Layer: 5.5 x 4

Card Face: 5.5 x 3 7/8

Card Face:

• This card face began as a piece of blue paper with a subtle pattern: I laid it on the grip mat and positioned the stencil.

• I applied white pigment ink over the exposed areas and set it aside to allow this to dry (pigment ink can take a while to dry, depending on the thickness of the application).

• When it was completely dry I put the card face into my stamp positioner and stamped the snowman and trees using dark blue dye ink.

• I quickly discovered that the stamping had an unusual two-tone look because the dye ink sat on top of the pigment ink, but was absorbed wherever the surface was patterned paper. I was surprised but liked the effect - some of it felt quite faded to me, so I decided to go with the flow and create a vintage-looking card.

• I distressed the edges heavily by running scissors along each edge, and also actually tearing, rolling and crumpling the paper in some places.

• I spattered the card face with metallic blue watercolour paint, and diluted white acrylic.

Other:

• I die-cut the letters from black cardstock 2x.

• I pressed the edges of the blue ink pad randomly around the sides of the card face, moistening those areas and allowing the ink to bleed slightly.

Assembly

• I glued the black layer to the card base.

• I glued the card face to the black layer, adding additional spaatter and paint streaks on the exposed ares of the black.

• I glued the layers of letters together and then added them to the card face as shown. I experimented with this placement for a while before settling on what is shown … I decided that this card had been so well loved that the J was almost ready to fall off.

Final Thoughts:

The card veered far off the course of anything I had in mind when I started, but I’m happy with the 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: Arctic Snow, A Colorful Life Designs

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

Adhesive: Tombow Aqua, Michaels

Stamps: Snow Wonder, Stampin’ Up! (retired)

Dies: Playful Alphabet, Stampin’ Up! (retired)

Metallic Watercolour: Amazon

White Acrylic: Dr Ph Martin, Taylored Expressions

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 Contact section in the header - I’d love to hear from you!

Before you go - use the Notifications box (below) to be notified when I release new work.