Written In Ink

Tag: duogel

  • You Can Use Your Stencils for Unique Card Designs

    You Can Use Your Stencils for Unique Card 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:  5.25 x 4

    This card started with a gel print created with the Retro Star Grid stencil.   I have piles of gel prints,  and from time to time, I get a few out and use them up.

    Card Face:

    • I laid the Mid Century Shadow stencil on the card face and applied Duo Gel in a thin layer over the exposed areas.  I allowed a few gaps in the gel as I applied it to create a patchy look once the foiling was complete.  (I do this from time to time,  to get a more interesting result.)
    • I removed the stencil and put the card face aside to dry.  (Duo Gel goes on white,  and dries clear –  the time taken for this depends on the thickness of the gel.)

    The stencil went immediately into water until I could clean it: the Gel dries to be a super-sticky adhesive, and it’s almost impossible to get off at that point.

    • Once the gel was dry, I laid a piece of transfer foil over it and ran it through the Big Shot.  The pressure from the rollers brought the foil into contact with the adhesive.
    • When I pulled the foil off the card face,  the stencilled pattern remained.
    • I used a corner chomper on the corners of the card face.

    Other:

    • I stamped and coloured the fish, then fussy-cut them out.
    • I stamped the sentiment on a scrap of white cardstock and die-cut the circle as well as the circular border

    Assembly

    • I glued the card face to the card base, centering on all sides.
    • I glued the two fish on.
    • I added the sentiment and the circular border piece.
    • I added iridescent glass beads to represent bubbles from the fish.

    Final Thoughts:

    Once I had completed the foiling on this piece, I had no idea how I wanted to finish it –  this happens to me more often than I like to admit, LOL.

    I finally made the decision on which direction the design would go, and after that it was easy –  and I love 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:

    Retro Star Grid,  A Colorful Life Designs

    4 Mid Century Shadow,  A Colorful Life Designs

    Fish Stamps:  A Colorful Life Designs  (retired)

    Dies:

    Circle:  Stampin’ Up!  (retired)

    Circular Border:  Sizzix,  Amazon 

    Duo Gel, Therm o web,  Scrapbook.com

    Foil: iCraft, R&R Scrapbooking

    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.

    4 Mid Century Shadow

    Retro Star Grid

  • You Can Create Stunning Cards with this Stencil

    You Can Create Stunning Cards with this Stencil

    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

    Holographic Cardstock:  5.5 x .25

    Transfer Foil:  6 x 4.25

    We’ve just had a big snowfall and are still digging out.  It’s safe to say that there won’t be any snowdrops peeking through for a couple of months!

    Card Face:

    • I positioned the card face down on a piece of scrap paper, placed the stencil, and secured both with Mint Tape.
    • I spread Duo Gel over all exposed areas.
    • After carefully removing the stencil,  I put it immediately into water and put the card face aside to dry.

    Duo Gel dries to be a super sticky adhesive and can ruin a stencil – mine go into a basin of water beside me until I am done the session, and can scrub them.

    Duo Gel goes on white and dries clear: the drying time depends on the thickness of the application.

    • Once the card face was dry, I laid the transfer foil over top  (pretty side up) and ran it through the Big Shot.
    • I removed the foil:  the dried Duo Gel caused the foil to stay behind, creating the pattern.
    • I placed the card face in a texturizing embossing folder and ran it through the Big Shot.

    Other:

    • Although this card could be used for any occasion, I felt it particularly suited a sympathy card and pulled the appropriate sentiment from my binder.

    Assembly

    I glued the card face to the card base, leaving a ⅛” border on the left.

    I glued the strip of holographic card stock on the right, butting it snugly up against the card face.

    I added dimensional foam to the back of the sentiment and positioned it on the card face as shown.

    Final Thoughts:

    This design is simple, but nevertheless “enough”.   The foiled image has a lovely sheen with card in hand, and the texture provided just enough additional visual interest.

    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: Snow Drops, A Colorful Life Design

    Duo Gel: Deco, Amazon

    Transfer Foil,  Prism by Spellbinders, Amazon

    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.

    Snow Drops stencil by a Colorful Life Designs

  • Create Stunning Holiday Cards with Foil Techniques

    Create Stunning Holiday Cards with Foil Techniques

    xx

    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

    Focal die cut:  3×3 gold foil  (after die cutting)

    Scraps of cardstock for die-cut trees

    Transfer foil cut to 5.5 x 4

    Card Face:

    • I placed the card face onto a piece of scrap paper, positioned the stencil and secured it with Mint Tape.

    I have seen content producers use duo gel/embossing pastes with their Grip Mat, and everything turns out just fine. I don’t like to risk anything drying on my mat,  so I prefer to play it safe and use scrap computer paper.

    • I spread Duo Gel across all exposed areas, carefully removed the stencil, and set the card face down to dry.

    Duo gel dries into a very,very sticky adhesive – so the stencil went into water immediately,  to be scrubbed when my session was over.  This prevents the gel from drying on the stencil – it’s almost impossible to remove at that point.

    • Once the gel had dried, I carefully laid the transfer foil onto the card face and ran it through the Big Shot.   When I removed the foil the sticky Duo  Gel caused the stencilled pattern to stay behind.

    Other:

    • I placed the die onto the gold foil and ran it through the Big Shot.
    • I used two tree dies and the cardstock scraps, combining these with the Big Shot to create the small trees.
    • I looked through my sentiment binder to find a great sentiment for this card.

    Assembly

    I glued the card face onto the card base,  centering vertically.

    I turned the die-cut gold square to create a diamond, and glued that into the center of the card face, and then glued the trees on top of this.

    I positioned the sentiment strip across the center of the card face.

    Final Thoughts:

    This is a very structured card, softened by the foil on the card face.  Between that and the die cut from gold foil, the end result has a lovely shine and shimmer.

    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: Simple Christmas  Trees,  A Colorful Life Design

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

    Versamark Embossing Ink: Simon Says Stamp

    Clear Embossing Powder,  Wow,  Simon Says Stamp

    Dies: Fancy Dies, Square Set,   Hero Arts

    Duo Gel: Deco Foil,  R&R Scrapbooking

    Lapis Watercolor Foil: Deco Foil, Amazon

    Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Blending Brushes: Stampin’ Up! 

    Adhesive: Tombow Aqua, Michaels

    Cream 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.

    Simple Christmas Trees from A Colorful Life Designs