Wildflowers
Random Acts of Beauty
TUTORIALSTENCILTECHNIQUESTRETCH YOUR PENNIES
1/30/20242 min read
![](https://assets.zyrosite.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,w=812,h=936,fit=crop/mp8ey185n6irb3Jk/bgh20241-AzG8baxg8vuOvgPd.jpg)
![](https://assets.zyrosite.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,w=328,h=378,fit=crop/mp8ey185n6irb3Jk/bgh20241-AzG8baxg8vuOvgPd.jpg)
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.)
I had a gel print that I liked, and I wanted to use - but I was short on ideas about how to work it into a card. Then one day, inspiration struck….
Let’s get started:-
Card Base: 5.5 x 8.5, scored and folded at 4.25
Black Overlay: 5.5 x 4.25
Card Face: 5.5 x 4.25
Card Face:
I sprayed the back of the stencil with Pixie Spray and waited 20-30 seconds before putting it in place on the gel print.
I rolled the entire surface with a brayer to ensure good contact between the stencil and the gel print.
I used a pewter-coloured DIY embossing paste*, and spread it across the surface of the stencil.
I removed the stencil, immediately putting it into water to prevent the paste from hardening on the stencil (until I could get it to a sink, a little later).
I put this piece aside to dry.
I initially planned to place the die-cut black piece directly on top of the card face: so I cut the gel print down to size and layered the two to have a look.. However, when I placed the die-cut directly onto the card face, At this point I decided that it would look much better if I used the inlay technique **.
Once the embossing paste was dry, I used the same die to cut the card face, using Press and Seal to contain the pieces as outlined in the Techniques section.
*See HomemadeEmbossing Paste under Stretch Your Pennies in the header
** See Inlay Technique under Techniques in the header
Assembly:
I glued the black frame directly to the card base.
I added a dot of glue to each of the spaces inside the die-cut frame, and then placed the appropriate pieces into the openings, pressing down to secure them.
I glued the die-cut “thank You” down as shown. ( It was cut out of mat silver cardstock, although it looks more like white in the photo.)
Final Thoughts
This piece is just so pretty: the embossing paste is a dull pewter colour, but it has some mica in it so there is a lovely sheen that isn’t showing in the 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.
Stencil: Wildflowers, A Colorful Life Designs
Die: Unbranded, Amazon
Pixie Spray: Michaels
Ink: Stampin’ Up!
Blending Brushes: Stampin’ Up!
Black Cardstock: Dollarama***
See Supplies under Stretch your Pennies in the header
Adhesive: Tombow Aqua, Michaels
Card Base & Card Face: Accent 100 lb., Amazon
Do you have comments or thoughts to share on this design? Please drop me a line in the Contact section in the header - I’d love to hear from you!
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