Written In Ink

Tag: handmadecard

  • Contemporary DIY Card Design: Stencil Techniques You Need

    Contemporary DIY Card Design: Stencil Techniques You Need

    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

    Scrap cardstock for die cut:  4 x 3  (before die cutting)

    Card Face:

    • I sprayed the stencil with Pixie spray and, after about 30 seconds, laid it on the card face.  I rolled over the stencil with a brayer to ensure good contact.
    • I placed the card face-up and stencil in my spray box and sprayed it with Lindy’s Stardust Spray in several colours.

    Other:

    • I used Mint Tape to secure the die to the piece of scrap cardstock and ran it through the Big Shot.
    • I reviewed my sentiment binder and selected one from those I had prepared in advance.

    (This is such a great time saver!)

    Assembly

    • I glued the card face onto the card base,  centering vertically.
    • I affixed the die-cut heart to the card face on the left.
    • I put dimensional foam tape on the back of the sentiment and positioned it as shown.

    Final Thoughts:

    I love the pretty colours and the organic feel of 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: Wavy Ladders, 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,  Simon Says Stamp

    Lindy’s Stardust  Sprays,  Glitter & Ink

    Dies:

    Adhesive: Tombow Aqua, Michaels

    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.

    Wavy Ladders from 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

  • How to Use Duo Gel for Stunning Card Effects

    How to Use Duo Gel for Stunning Card Effects

    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

    Card Face:  5.25 x 4

    Focal Piece:  2.5 x 1 (after being trimmed down)

    Sentiment: 1.5 x 1.5 (after die cutting)

    Strips:  .25 x 5.25 ( x 2)

    Card Face:

    • I laid the card face onto the grip mat and positioned the Mod Rectangles stencil.
    • I applied red ink over all exposed areas,  deepening the colour at the edges to create a border.
    • After removing the first stencil, I placed the Airy Swirls stencil.
    • I covered all exposed areas with Duo Gel, removed the stencil carefully (to avoid smudges), and put the card face down to dry.
    • Once the gel was dry (it goes on white but becomes clear when dry), I laid a piece of transfer foil on top and ran it through the Big Shot.  When I removed the piece of foil, the sticky gel had left those areas of the foil in place, creating the stencilled pattern.

    When I use Duo Gel, the stencils go immediately into water once removed as the gel will be almost impossible to get off when dry.

    Other:

    • I placed the cardstock for the focal image into my stamp positioner and added the image of the woman with brown ink.  I used my trimmer to cut this to size along the dotted border, finishing with a corner punch to round the edges.
    • I replaced this with the smaller piece of cardstock for the sentiment, stamped it with the same brown ink, then cut it down to size with a die.

    Assembly

    • I centered the card face on the card base,  and then added the focal piece towards the left as shown.I glued the two narrow strips to the right of this image.
    • I added dimensional foam to the back of the sentiment and placed it as shown, allowing it to slightly overlap the focal image.   I added three small gold pearls at the bottom of this piece.

    Final Thoughts:

    Purple and red are a fabulous colour combination, and they work well with this pair of stencils: one so structured and the other so loose and flowing.   

    This created a fun backdrop for the tongue-in-cheek, vintage focal image.

    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

    Mod Rectangles,  A Colorful Life Designs

    Airy Swirls: A Colorful Life Designs:

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

    Stamps: Motherhood is a Verb,  Unity Stamps  (retired)

    Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Blending Brushes: Stampin’ Up! 

    Duo Gel: Decofoil,  R&R Scrapbooking

    Transfer Foil: Decofoil,  R&R Scrapbooking

    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.

    Mod Rectangles by A Colorful Life Designs

    Airy Swirls by A Colorful Life Designs

  • Create Stunning Cards with Stencils & Embossing Paste

    Create Stunning Cards with Stencils & Embossing Paste

    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 Image Strip:  5.5 x 1.75”

    Sentiment strip: .25” x 4

    Card Face:

    • I laid the card face onto the Grip Mat and positioned the Diamond Lattice stencil.  
    • I applied brown ink across all exposed areas, allowing variation in tone to provide depth and visual interest.
    • I applied DIY embossing paste randomly over the card face.  I carefully removed the stencil and put the card face aside to dry.  

    When I use embossing paste the stencil goes into water immediately to prevent the paste from drying on the stencil. This makes clean-up much faster and easier.

    • Once the paste had dried, I used the Grunge Dots stencil to add dots here and there in the remaining inked portions of the pattern.

    Other:

    • I placed the Focal Image strip into my stamp positioner and added the leaves with dark brown ink,  stamping several times to get an intense image.
    • I sprinkled clear embossing powder over the image,  setting it with my heat gun.
    • Next I placed the narrow sentiment strip in the stamp positioner and stamped the sentiment with the same dark brown ink,  again stamping multiple times to get intense colour.
    • I sprinkled this with clear embossing powder too, and set it with my heat gun.

    Although I used a dye based ink for both of these,  stamping several times created enough saturation that the ink was wet enough for me to use the embossing powder successfully. Stamping only once wouldn’t have worked, as the ink would have dried too quickly.

    Assembly

    • I glued the card face onto the card base, and then added the strip with the leaves, centering both vertically.
    • I put dimensional foam on the back of the sentiment and then added it to the card face, centering horizontally.

    Final Thoughts:

    The combination of ink and embossing paste work well with this design,  and the addition of the dots provided additional depth and 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: 

    Diamond Lattice,  A Colorful Life Designs

    Grunge Dots,  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,  Simon Says Stamp

    Stamps: Falling Hearts,  Unity Stamps  (retired)

    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 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.

    Diamond Lattice by A Colorful Life Designs

    Grunge Dots by A Colorful Life Designs

  • Beautiful Multi-Color Stenciling for Card Making

    Beautiful Multi-Color Stenciling for Card Making

    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: 5.25 x 10.5, scored and folded at 5.25

    Card Face:  5 x 5

    Sentiment Strip:  5 x 1.5”

    Card Face:

    • I laid the card face on a piece of scrap paper and positioned the stencil (this is a 6 x 9 stencil,  so there are options how how to place it – even on a 5 x 5 card face), and secured it with Mint Tape.
    • Using small blending and shading brushes,   I applied colours to the stencil.  I used orange on the  center of the flowers , then, moved to a dark red, then to pink.  I finished the background with soft beige.
    • I spattered the card face using metallic gold watercolour.
    • I ran all edges over a Versafine Onyx ink pad, adding definition to the card face.

    Other:

    • I placed the strip of card stock into the stamp positioner and added the sentiment with Versafine Onyx.  I ran the two horizontal edges of the strip over the black ink pad.

    Assembly

    • I glued the card face onto the card base, centering on all sides.
    • I added dimensional foam to the back of the card strip and centered it horizontally on the card face.

    Final Thoughts:

    This is a really pretty stencil to play with,  and the options for colour are endless –  everything from monochromatic to full colour, as I have chosen here.

    I’m really happy with the result of this multi-colour stencilling,  but it was absolutely necessary to use smaller brushes to control colour placement.

    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: Lace Close Up, A Colorful Life Designs

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

    Stamps:  Technique Junkies  (no longer in business)

    Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Blending Brushes: Sampler Pack, Waffle Flower, R&R Scrapbooking

    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.

    Lace Close Up by A Colorful Life Designs

  • Create Beautiful Christmas Cards with Cardinals

    Create Beautiful Christmas Cards with Cardinals

    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: 5.25 x 10.5,  scored and folded at 5.25

    Cream Border Layer: 5. X 5

    Red Border Layer  4 x 4

    Card Face: 3.75 x 3.75

    Scraps of cream and red cardstock for the banner and birds

    Card Face:

    • I laid the card face down onto scrap paper and positioned the stencil.  I applied green embossing paste to all exposed areas.
    • I removed the stencil carefully and put it into water immediately (to prevent the paste from drying on the surface).  
    • I put the card face aside to dry.  Once dry,  I used a corner punch on each corner, which created both the rounded edge and the peek-a-boo slot in the card face.

    Other:

    • I die-cut the banner 2x from cream cardstock and once from red.
    • I glued the two cream banners together, then added the red one behind, offsetting it just slightly.
    • I die-cut the tiny cardinals from the same red cardstock.
    • I put the banner in my stamp positioner and stamped Merry Christmas in red ink.
    • I put the cream border into an embossing folder and ran it through my Big Shot.

    Assembly

    • I glued the embossed, cream border to the card base, centering it on all sides.
    • I glued the card face to the red border layer, again centering it on all sides.
    • I glued these two layers together, again (of course!) centering on all sides.
    • I glued the banner into the center of the wreath.
    • I added the tiny cardinals as shown.

    Final Thoughts:

    I had such a time with that banner!   The first time I tried to glue it down I hadn’t allowed enough time for the ink to dry and smudged the red in the process.  The second attempt, I had glue on my finger, touched the red ink … and of course smudged it again.   At that point I put it aside for a couple of days –  I was tired of looking at it!

    When I returned to it I once again die cut a banner and stamped it, and very carefully glued it on top of what was there …  and I finally managed to get the task done without smudging it!

    Luckily,  I like the result, LOL.  The embossing paste has a lovely gleam and creates a wonderful backdrop for the banner and birds.

    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: Leaf Frame,  A Colorful Life Designs

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

    Embossing Paste:  Later Gator Lunar Paste, Glitter & Ink

    Stamp & Die: Banner Sentiments, Penny Black, Teaspoon of Fun

    Ink: 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.

    Leafy Frame by A Colorful Life Designs

  • How to Use Stencils for Beautiful Holiday Card Designs

    How to Use Stencils for Beautiful Holiday Card Designs

    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 4.25

    Card Face:  5.25 x 4

    Card Face:

    • I laid the card face onto my grip mat and positioned the stencil with the ivy swag where I wanted it.  I used a small blending brush and green ink over this part of the stencil, being careful to avoid ink in other open areas on the stencil.   
    • I moved the stencil and added ivy to other sections of the card face randomly.
    • I wiped the stencil down to remove the green ink.  I added the poinsettias with red ink, switching to the small brush designated for that colour.
    • The stencilling was complete,  but I wanted more detail in the background,  so I added two different backgrounds stamps with light brown ink.

    To use a background stamp:

    It can be difficult to get a good impression with a background stamp – there’s a lot of area to cover. I get good results with this method – I’m quite certain I saw it on Youtube, but cannot remember who to give credit to.

    I lay the stamp on my work surface and ink it up thoroughly, going over it more than once to be certain I’ve got good coverage.

    I lay my card face directly on this, carefully lining up the edges so that it’s straight. I hold it down with one hand to be certain that it doesn’t move.

    I place a piece of copy paper over the card face very carefully, not allowing any movement.

    I run my fingers or palm over the copy paper, switching hands as necessary – one holding everything still and the other transferring ink.

    When I’m satisfied I remove the copy paper and then the card face, careful not to smudge.

    I use the copy paper to keep ink off of my hands – it will inevitably transfer to the card face! (The stamps are larger than the card face, so there is exposed ink.)

    This method allows me to vary pressure or skip over parts of the image if I don’t want solid inking.

    I often use a slightly larger piece of cardstock than I need: if I don’t get it quite straight, I can trim it down and fix that.

    • With the background complete I put the card face into my stamp positioner and added the bakers twine and bow images using Versafine Onyx ink.
    • I used a corner rounder punch on each corner.

    Other:

    • I looked through my sentiment binder and found these wee gift tags which had been created and saved for future use …  it saves so much time to have things like this ready and waiting.

    Assembly

    • I glued the black border layer to the card base, and then centered the card face on top of these.
    • I added the tiny gift tags as shown.

    Final Thoughts:

    I think this card face would have been good with only one background stamp rather than two: if I recreate the design I will try that.

    I was trying for the look of a retro Christmas gift with this card –  not as successfully as hoped,  but it’s a fun card anyway.

    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: Retro Candy Canes,  A Colorful Life Designs

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

    Stamps:

    Rustic Linen,  Altenew

    Woven Stripes,  Altenew

    Handmade Twine Bows, Picket Fence

    Bakers Twine, Picket Fence, Scrapbook.com

    Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Small Blending Brushes:  Waffle Flower, Scrap n’ Stamp

    Versafine Onyx, Simon Says Stamp

    Adhesive: Tombow Aqua, Michaels

    Cream Card Base & Card Face: Recollections 100 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.

    Retro Candy Canes by A Colorful Life Designs

  • DIY a Sweet Candy Cane Card for Someone Special

    DIY a Sweet Candy Cane Card for Someone 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

    Red Candy Cane Border:  5.5 x 3 (before die-cutting)

    Card Face:  5.25 x 4

    Card Face:

    • I laid the card face onto my Grip Mat, positioned the stencil, and applied red ink across the exposed areas.
    • I put the card face aside to dry.
    • I put the  stencil back in place I went back to each of the small stars and filled them in with an embossing pen.
    • I sprinkled holographic embossing powder over them and set this with my heat gun.  (not really visible in the picture,  but pretty with card in hand.)

    Other:

    • Before beginning, I had sprayed the piece of red cardstock with gold shimmer spray and put it aside to dry. 
    • I positioned a candy cane border die on this and ran it through my Big Shot.
    • I stamped the sentiment on a scrap of cardstock with Versafine Onyx.  I cut this out with a die to give it a finished look.

    Assembly

    • I positioned the candy cane border layer to the left of the card face so that it extended approximately 1.75” into the design, trimming the excess off flush with the left-hand edge of the card face.  I glued this down.
    • I glued the card face to the card base, centering on all sides.
    • I put dimensional foam on the back of the sentiment and positioned it on the card as shown.

    Final Thoughts:

    Lots of possibility with this stencil!  I decided to put it to use along with my border die, giving me an opportunity to give that fun die some time on my desk.

    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: Starry Heart Candy Canes, 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,  Simon Says Stamp

    Dies:  Stampin’ Up!  (retired)

    Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Blending Brushes: Stampin’ Up! 

    Versafine Onyx, Simon Says Stamp

    Embossing Pen: Wow, Amazon

    Holographic Embossing Powder: Ranger, 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 notified when I release new work.

    Starry Heart Candy Canes by A Colorful Life Designs

  • Master Card Design: Using Stencils for Unique Creations

    Master Card Design: Using Stencils for Unique Creations

    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

    Card Face:  5 ⅛ x 3 7/8

    Card Face:

    • I laid the card face onto my grip mat and positioned the postage stamp mask, centering it carefully. I inked around the outside edges with a heavy hand and dark blue ink.
    • I placed the corresponding stencil around the mask, then removed the mask (exposing the center of the cardstock while protecting the sectionalready inked).
    • I put the Angular Trees stencil over the Postage Stamp stencil and added the three trees in shades of green, using a smaller brush and masking as necessary to prevent colours from mixing.
    • After removing the Angular Trees stencil, I placed the Tree Edger #5 mask at the top of the opening and added purple ink with a light hand.  Then I added blue ink, pulling it down from the top and in from the sides.  When I removed the mask, I had created a white mountain range and a night sky.
    • Leaving the Postage Stamp stencil in place, I positioned the Tree Line Edger #3 stencil so the bottom of the trees was slightly below the halfway mark. Masking off the Angular trees as necessary, I added blue ink, making the trees very intense at the top but allowing the colour to fade as it moved down the tree.
    • I used a piece of torn paper and a soft hand with the same blue ink to create the look of snow and shadows on the ground.
    • My final stencil was the Christmas Postmark:  I positioned it at an angle over the scene and added it with dark gray ink.
    • I inked up a tiny bird stamp with red ink and positioned it on the snow.
    • I used a light hand and the residual ink on my light blue brush over the white mountain range at the top of the card face – this softened the area, removing the stark contrast.
    • I used a white gel pen to add snow to the scene.

    Assembly

    I glued the card face in the center of the card base.

    Final Thoughts:

    I am so happy with this card:  each step was an experiment and could have gone wrong,  but in this instance everything worked together to create the result I was hoping for.

    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:

    Angular Trees,  A Colorful Life Designs

             Tree Line Edger #5, A Colorful Life Designs

    Tree Line Edger #3, A Colorful Life Designs

    Marvellous Masks Postage Stamps: A Colorful Life Designs

    Christmas Postmark: A Colorful Life Designs

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

    White Gel Pen: Arteza, Amazon

    Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Blending Brushes: Stampin’ Up! 

    Blending Brushes:  Waffle Flower Sampler Pack, Scrap & 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.

    Angular Trees by A Colorful Life Designs

    Tree Line Edger #5 by A Colorful Life Designs

    Tree Line Edger #3 by A Colorful Life Designs

    Marvellous Masks Postage Stamp by A Colorful Life Designs

    Christmas Postmark by A Colorful Life Designs

  • Create Stunning Snowflake Cards with This Simple Design

    Create Stunning Snowflake Cards with This Simple Design

    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

    Green Border Layer: 5.5 x 4

    Card Face:  5.5 x 5.25 (before tearing)

    Scraps of holographic cardstock

    Card Face:

    • I laid the card face on my Grip Mat and positioned the stencil.  I added green ink around the snowflakes as well as the edges –  leaving the center white.
    • I tore the un-inked edge of the cardstock at approximately 3”  and used my scissors to roughen the edges.

    Other:

    • I die cut a snowflake from the holographic cardstock, as well as a 5.5 x .25” strip.
    • I stamped the sentiment on a scrap of cardstock and fussy cut around it.

    Assembly

    • I glued the green border layer to the card base, centering vertically.
    • I added the card face on top of this, lining it up with the green layer on the left-hand side (this did not allow any of the green to show,  but since I had added green ink to the edges of the card face, that wasn’t necessary.
    • I slipped the narrow holographic strip under the right-hand edge of the card face.
    • I added the sentiment as shown.
    • I added three small green gems to the white border on the right,  and a larger green gem to the center of the snowflake.

    Final Thoughts:

    I really like the combination of this lovely stencil with the soft green –  the result of this mixture is a very pretty 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: Split Snowflake, 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

    Holographic Cardstock:Recollections, 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.

    Split Snowflake by A Colorful Life Designs