Written In Ink

Tag: stencil

  • Make him a fun and fabulous Father’s Day card.

    Make him a fun and fabulous Father’s Day card.

    Let’s get Started:

    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.)

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

    Cranberry Border Layer: 5.5 x 4.25

    Copper Border Layer: 3.25 x 4.25 

               Alternatively, to save material-  just cut two ⅛ x 4.25 strips from the copper cardstock and glue them directly along the top and bottom of the card face.

    Card Face:  3 x 4.25   

    Card Face:

    • I placed the card face on my grip mat and then positioned the first part of the stencil (the handles).
    • Using cranberry ink and a moderate hand, I applied ink across the exposed areas.  I went back with a shading brush (smaller) and applied addition in specific areas to create depth in the handles.
    • I removed the first stencil and brought in the second layer (the “business end” of each tool).
    • I used copper metallic ink across all exposed areas.

       This is a very dense pigment ink,  and I wasn’t able to create further depth with additional layers.

    Other:

    • I stamped the sentiment with Versafine Onyx,  and cut it down to the finished size with a die.
    • I used an embossing folder on the cranberry border layer to create an industrial feel.
    • I used the same copper foil cardstock and dies to cut out the nuts used as an accent.

        If a piece of foiled cardstock was used for the copper border (rather than strips)  these nuts could be cut from the center of that piece – no one would know!   

    Assembly

    • I glued the cranberry border layer to the card base, and added the copper border layer and card face on top centering appropriately.
    • I put dimensional foam on the back of the sentiment and put it in place in the center of the card.
    • I added the small copper nuts as shown.

    Final Thoughts:

    Such a fun card:  I love the colours and textures.  And I love that sentiment, combined with the wee embellishments.

    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: Layered Tools, A Colorful Life Designs

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

    Stamp and Die:  Taylored Expressions (retired)

    Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Metallic Ink: Copper Pot:  Lisa Horton, Glitter & Ink

    Blending Brushes: Stampin’ Up! 

    Shading Brushes: Waffle Flower, Amazon

    Versafine Onyx, Simon Says Stamp

    Adhesive: Tombow Aqua, Michaels

    Copper Foil Cardstock:  Reflections,  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

    Layered Tools from A Colorful Life Designs

  • The delightful whimsy of dasies, in a thank you card

    The delightful whimsy of dasies, in a thank you 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.)

    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 the Grip Mat and positioned the stencil.
    • I applied school bus yellow ink across the exposed areas.
    • I repositioned the stencil,  turning it  90 degrees,  and applied peach ink across all exposed areas.
    • I used a punch on the corners to create the pattern shown in the image.

    Other:

    • I looked through my sentiment binder and selected one that worked:  I took into account the mood of the design and the size of the sentiment.

    Assembly

    • I glued the black cardstock to the card base,  and then centered the card face on top. 
    • I put the sentiment in place as shown.
    • I scattered three different colours of card bling across the surface:  black,  black with white polka dots and white with black polka dots.

    Final Thoughts:

    The combination of the two colours created some interesting tone depth, and rotating the stencil created an interesting depth in the pattern.

    I love the polka dot card bling,  and the additional whimsy it brings to 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: Trim Octagon,  A Colorful Life Designs

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

    Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Blending Brushes: Stampin’ Up! 

    Stamp: Unity Stamp Company (retired)

    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 notified when I release new work

    Trim Octagon from A Colorful Life Designs

  • Make an Impression with an Exciting Mixed-Media Card

    Make an Impression with an Exciting Mixed-Media 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.)

    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:

    • After laying the black cardstock onto the grip mat,  I positioned the stencil.
    • I used white pigment ink across the exposed surface, repeating a couple of times to build intensity. I had used pigment ink, so  I put this aside for several hours to allow the ink to dry fully.
    • I put the stencil back in place, lining the pattern up carefully; and then added Duo Gel randomly on the inked areas.
    • I placed the stencil water immediately,  and once again put the card face aside to dry.
    • Once the gel had dried (it goes on white,  but is transparent when dry), I added a piece of transfer foil and ran it through my Big Shot.  After pulling the foil away I was left with a wonderfully shiny, random, addition to to the pattern.

    Other:

    • I die cut the Seriously from white card stock twice, and glued them together.
    • I stamped the rest of the sentiment and used my trimmer to cut it down to the final size.

    Assembly

    • I glued the card face to the card base.
    • I glued the large die cut to the card face,  and then positioned the smaller rectangle underneath.

    Final Thoughts:

    I love the look of the stencilled pattern on black cardstock, and also the combination that created the sentiment for the 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: Open Coils,  A Colorful Life Designs

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

    Versamark Embossing Ink: Simon Says Stamp

    Dies:  Seriously,  Picket Fences (retired)

    Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Blending Brushes: Stampin’ Up! 

    Versafine Onyx, Simon Says Stamp

    Deco Gel:  Therm O Web, Amazon

    Transfer Foil: Deco Foil, Therm O Web, 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

    Open Coils from A Colorful Life Designs

  • Stencilling + Paper Piecing on a DIY Card? A fast & easy technique.

    Stencilling + Paper Piecing on a DIY Card? A fast & easy technique.

    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:  5.5 x 4.25, copy paper

    Patterned Paper

    Card Face:

    I decided to use this stencil with patterned paper instead of ink, creating a very different look.

    • I laid the stencil on the green plaid paper and traced the lines to create the suit jacket, and cut out the pieces
    • I traced the bow tie onto the orange patterned paper and cut out the pieces.

    This stencil is approximately 5.5 x 5.5,   and my card was going to be 5.5 x 4.25 –  I had to make the suit jacket smaller somehow.   Rather than cut the extra width off the sides,  I overlapped the two pieces on the copy paper.  This gave me a smaller V,  which worked well with that width.

    • I glued the two pieces of the suit in place, overlapping as necessary.
    • I glued the bow tie in place, allowing it to extend onto the green plaid.

    Other:

    • I stamped the sentiment with Versafine Onyx and cut it out with a die.

    Assembly

    • I glued the black border layer to the card base,  and then glued the copy paper layer on top of both.
    • I added foam tape to the back of the sentiment and put it in place.
    • I glued a tiny white button to the “shirt”.
    • I traced around the button and the pieces of the bow tie with a black fineliner,  providing more definition.

    Final Thoughts:

    I used papers to create a sort of quirky/geeky feel for this suit –  I love the result. Different papers will produce very different results.

    I don’t often do paper piecing, but it’s so much fun.

    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:  The Tux,  A Colorful Life Designs

    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.

    The Tux by A Colorful Life Designs

  • Unlock Your Creativity with simple DIY Grunge Card Techniques

    Unlock Your Creativity with simple DIY Grunge Card Techniques

    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.)

    I do love a bit of grunge from time to time!

    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 laid the card face on my Grip Mat and then positioned the stencil, going over it with a brayer to ensure good contact with the mat.
    • Next I applied a mixture of light teal and purple inks over the exposed areas.
    • I was really happy with the result,  and then(because I was in an experimental mood) I cut the card face in half, and glued them to a piece of copy paper, reversing the order.
    • I put this reconfigured card face into my stamp positioner and added the focal image in the center, using Versafine Onyx.
    • The focal image is from a grunge set,  and to further develop that theme, I stamped a few different sentiments onto the background, using grey ink and second-generation stamping.
    • I ran each edge of the card face over the teal ink pad used on the stencil, tilting the paper slightly to allow the colour to bleed in just a bit.

    Other:

    • I grabbed my sentiment binder and pulled out three that worked with the mood of this piece. This binder contains sentiments that have been created in advance and saved for future need. It’s a great time saver!
    • I put dimensional foam on the back of each strip.

    Assembly

    • I glued the black border layer onto the card base,  and then centered the card face on top of these.
    • I removed the backing from each of the three sentiments, and laid them lightly on the card face where I wanted them.
    • I took a length of purple metallic thread, wrapped it loosely around my fingers and then secured it under each sentiment strip, lifting each slightly to slide the thread underneath and then pushing it down to hold the thread and secure it to the card face.
    • I used an assortment of card bling to finish the card, gluing it randomly across the finished card face.

    Final Thoughts:

    • I like the reversed stencil image:  if I had been planning on this when I started,  it would have been easy to get this look by stencilling just half of the image on each outside edge.  Cutting the card face down the middle left a visible line,  which will be avoided if I redo this design.
    • The metallic thread isn’t very visible in the image,  but it adds a subtle bit of loveliness in real life.
    • I do love a grungy card!  My biggest issue with this style is that I don’t know when to stop, and the card gets muddy –  how did I do this time?

    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: Swirl Band, A Colorful Life Designs

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

    Stamps:

        Studio Light Inspire and Create Grunge Collection (retired)

        Polka Dot Blossoms Sayings,  Tim Holtz, Amazon

    Card Bling:  A Colorful Life Designs

    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.

    Swirl Band by A Colorful Life Designs – remember, use the code to save!

  • Show your love, create an elegant sympathy card

    Show your love, create an elegant sympathy 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.)

    Let’s get Started:

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

    Card Face:  5 x 3.75

    Three small scraps of white cardstock

    Silver Cardstock:   ⅛ x 5

    Card Face:

    • I began by spraying the back of this delicate stencil with Pixie Spray and waiting for (about) 30 seconds before using it.
    • Then I   laid the card face on my Grip Mat and positioned the stencil on the bottom of the card face –  approximately ⅔ of the stencil was on the paper.
    • I applied Versafine Onyx over the exposed areas, using firm pressure and building up ink until I had a bold, dramatic graphic.

    Other:

    • I put the first scrap of cardstock into my stamp positioner and stamped the flowers several times to get an intense black image.  I used the matching die to cut this out.
    • Using the second piece of scrap and the stamp positioner once again I stamped the sentiment a couple of times.  I fussy cut this, using my snips.
    • I die cut the white bow,  and coloured it with an embossing pen.  I sprinkled on silver embossing powder and set it with my heat gun.

    Assembly

    • I glued the card face to the card base.
    • I glued the die-cut bouquet in place and then added the silver bow as shown.
    • I added the sentiment to the card face.
    • I glued the narrow silver strip along the top of the card face.

    Final Thoughts:

    This was an interesting design to create –  the asymmetry in the design makes it interesting, as well as the still minimalistic feel.  I think it works well as a sympathy card.

    Initially the bow was going to remain white –  I changed my mind partway through the design (as I often do).

    I like to keep two or three sympathy cards on hand – experience has taught me that creating them upon need is very difficult.

    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: Swirl Band , A Colorful Life Designs

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

    Versamark Embossing Pen:

    Silver Embossing Powder: Wow, 

    Stamp/Die: Floral Impressions, Hero Arts

    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.

    Swirl Band by A Colorful Life Designs

  • A (quick & easy) gorgeous, inspirational handmade card.

    A (quick & easy) gorgeous, inspirational handmade 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.)

    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   (subtle patterned paper)

    Card Face:

    • This stencil is delicate,  with long “strands” – so before I started, I sprayed the back with Pixie Spray.
    • Next I laid the card face on my Grip Mat, and then positioned the stencil. (I always allow approximately 30 seconds to allow the Pixie Spray to start working.)
    • I applied yellow ink across all exposed areas,  building up intensity in the top left and bottom right corners.
    • After removing the stencil I put the card face into my stamp positioner and added the dancer with dark yellow ink,  stamping a couple of times to create enough contrast with the background.
    • I removed that stamp and added the sentiment,  I stamped this three times with Versafine Onyx to achieve a crisp, intense result.

    When I want to add a sentiment directly to the card face, and need to be certain that it’s straight : I add a layer of acetate on top of the card face and stamp on that.   I make minor adjustments as necessary ,  cleaning the acetate and restamping until I’m satisfied.  Then I remove the acetate and stamp directly onto the card face.  This has saved a lot of work from hitting the trash!

    • I added spatter to the card face, using the reinker for the darker yellow.

    Assembly

    • I glued the black border layer to the card base, and then centered the card face on top of these.

    Final Thoughts:

    I love this elegant ballerina image,  and also the combination of the two stamps with this stencil. They all play together so very well!

    Although I used a subtle patterned paper for this,  the design would also work on regular cardstock.

    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: Glittering Hearts,  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

    Stamps:  Dancer and Sentiment –  Technique Junkies (no longer in business)

    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.

    Glittering Hearts by A Colorful Life Designs

  • Celebrating the King of the Cookout with a DIY card

    Celebrating the King of the Cookout with a DIY 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.)

    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:

    After laying the card face on my Grip Mat, I positioned the stencil towards the top of the panel. I was using the section of the stencil which creates flames,  and I masked off any nearby openings.

    I brushed soft yellow ink over the exposed area,  and then (using a detail brush) I added touches of red to the base of the flames to provide visual interest.

    I rotated the stencil to allow the apron to appear in the bottom right of my card face.  After once again masking off nearby areas  I applied red ink.  I used a full sized brush for the main part of the apron,  and a detail brush for the strings.

    I repositioned the stencil again, this time to feature the dotty words.  After  (you guessed it!)  masking nearby areas  I applied black ink to create the fun font.

    Other:

    I die cut the BBQ tools from white cardstock.

    I used alcohol markers to colour the handles. 

    I used an embossing pen to colour the metallic parts of the tools, sprinkled some silver embossing powder over this and set it with my heat gun.

    Assembly

    I glued the card face to the card base.

    I used a ruler and a black marker to create a fine black border around the card face.  (There are two advantages to this:  it saves a piece of cardstock,  and I can draw a very fine line which is perfectly centered.)

    I used a ruler and a fineliner to draw a black line on the card face where shown,  and then glued the BBQ tools onto this.

    Final Thoughts:

    A fun “guy” card –  I haven’t decided if this will be for Father’s Day or a birthday.  My guy is truly a BBQ King,  he produces amazing results from the grill.

    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:  Kiss The Cook,  A Colorful Life Designs

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

    Embossing Pen: Ranger, Amazon

    Silver  Embossing Powder: Wow, R&R Scrapbooking

    Dies:  Apron of Love,  Stampin’ Up!  (retired)

    Fineliner: Amazon

    Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Blending Brushes: Stampin’ Up! 

    Detail Brushes:  Scrap n’ Stamp

    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.

  • Share a smile with a DIY Cheeky Get Well Card

    Share a smile with a DIY Cheeky Get Well 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.)

    Let’s get Started:

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

    Card Face:  5.5 x 4.25

    White Frame:  5.25 x 4  (outer dimensions)

    Card Face:

    • I began by stamping the image onto the card face with black Memento ink and colouring it in using alcohol markers.
    • Laying the card face down on my Grip Mat and positioning the Scripty stencil.  I applied black ink randomly, using a light hand.  I took care to avoid the image during this process.
    • Removing that stencil,  I replaced it with the Grunge Dots stencil and applied a medium blue ink across the exposed areas, once again avoiding the image.
    • I brushed the same blue ink on the borders, allowing it to fade as it moved away from the edge. The stencilling was visible through this ink and took on the appearance of texture, which I liked.
    • Finally,  I traced around the image of the nurse using a soft grey alcohol marker.  This helped to separate her from the background,  making her stand out.

    Other:

    • I placed two consecutively sized rectangular dies on a piece of white cardstock, securing them with Mint Tape.  I ran these through the Big Shot: this created the frame.
    • I stamped the sentiment and used a smaller rectangular die to cut it down to the correct size.

    Assembly

    • I glued the card face to the card base.
    • I put glue on the back of the frame, but then blotted some of it off on scrap paper before putting it in place on the card face.  (This ensured that no glue seeped out from under the frame.)
    • I glued the sentiment in place as shown.

    Final Thoughts:

    I love a good cheeky image,  and this one (both image and sentiment)  from Art Impressions is awesome.

    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:

        Script,  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,  R&R Scrapbooking

    Stamps:  Get Well,  Art Impressions

    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.

  • 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.