Celebration: Stencil Techniques || AECP

Hello, and welcome to the first of many card shares that will be coming over the next few days! Honestly, I've been so busy creating that I haven't taken the time to share. Sorry, not sorry.

First up today, I am sharing a few cards I created for my third Altenew Educator class, which was all about stenciling. With these cards, I tried out some techniques that, while not novel, were things I'd never tried -- or even really thought of -- before. 

These first two cards were created with a 2-for-1 technique. And who doesn't like a freebie?! In the past, when I've created my own card stock stencil, I've thrown it away after using it, but this time, I used that stencil on a card, too!

Creating a Stencil:

First, I die cut the "happy" word five times down the center of an A2 panel of white card stock. This die is from the Altenew Bold Bouquet bundle, which was an exclusive product from the Crop & Creative Delivered Card Making event in March 2023. This panel is my stencil!

Next, I stacked my DIY stencil on top of another A2 panel and blended a soft rainbow. I used a super light hand and Gina K inks: Bubblegum, Lemon Drop, Sea Glass (or is that Powder Blue?), and Lovely Lavender. Using those same ink colors, plus Key Lime, I stamped the "happy" word on TWO panels: the one I stenciled on (that just has five rainbow word bubbles on it) and a separate white A2 card base. 

Assembling Card #1:

Now, here comes the nerve-racking part: cutting up the panels! 

I trimmed 1/2" off the left and right of my DIY stencil and popped it up with foam tape down the center of the card base where I'd stamped the "happy" words. (Save the 1/2" strips for later!) This allows the words to show through the stencil windows. I added 1/8" strips of Tonic Studios Glossy Black card stock to the left and right of the rainbow panel. 

For the "birthday" sentiment, I used Yana's Layered Script Sentiments from Spellbinders, cutting the shadow three times from white card stock and the birthday word from the same Glossy Black. That paper die cuts like a dream, even with these super-detailed sentiments! Check it out -- no hair on this die cut! 

I scrounged through my Lucy's Cards Soft Jellybean Mix for the few remaining black pearls and arranged them around the sentiment. (If you're not sure if pearls are right for you, I recommend this product! It lets you try out lots of colors without buying lots of colors.) 

And this card was done!

Assembling Card #2:

I stacked up another set of the birthday sentiment and shadow and positioned it in basically the same place on the other card panel, but I didn't like it. At all.  

It's at this point I realized I wanted some sort of overlay. I decided on vellum, and then began the painstaking process of die cutting the "happy" word in the exact right place down the center of a vellum panel. I don't even know how many times I attempted this. You maybe heard me growling about it. 

So that I could pop up the vellum panel with hidden pop dots, I adhered a diagonal line of Spellbinders Black Smooth Discs across the panel. Under each of these discs is a tiny pop dot! There are also additional "birthday" shadow die cuts -- equal to the thickness of one pop dot -- under the vellum. 

Finally, I added the 1/2" rainbow strips I'd cut off the first panel, two 1/8" black glossy strips, and the birthday sentiment.

The Verdict?

Whew! You know that saying, "if I'd have had this child first, there wouldn't be a second one." Well, that's how I felt about these cards. The end result was worth it, but lining up the stamps and dies, and all the layering, turned out to be a lot of fussing. But I got two rainbows out of the deal, so there's that at least. Kind of like raising children I guess. 

Bonus Card: 

If you've made it this far in today's blog, you've been here long enough, so I'll make this last card a quickie! 

This is the card that surprised me most from this class! I've tried to arrange flowers. I've tried to use paste with this particular stencil. I've tried and failed. Somehow, the stars were aligned, the odds were in my favor. Today, fortune favored the brave, and I was the brave. 

So what made the difference this time? Pixie Spray! A lot of Pixie Spray. A lot. 

Determined to make this work, I sprayed the heck out of the Altenew Beach Towel Stripes stencil, waited about a minute, and then stuck it down to an A2 card panel. So far, so good! Next, I mixed up my own texture paste color by smooshing Concord & 9th Nectar ink onto my glass mat and then blending in Ranger Transparent Matte Texture Paste. I spread it across the stencil, and when I peeled back the stencil, the pattern was clean and crisp! Success!

While the paste dried, I tried my hand at stamp layering! I stamped the flowers and leaves from the Altenew Mini Delight Wild Geraniums set using the following inks:

• Gina K Light Lilac & Dark Lilac
• Gina K Light Carnation & Dark Carnation
• Gina K Light Orchid & Dark Orchid
• Altenew Rouge & Crimson
• Gina K Black Onyx
• Gina K Jelly Bean Green & Fresh Asparagus

And then, I just did it. I die cut the flowers and leaves and just laid them across the panel without second guessing myself. I kept each flower color away from any similar color, and tucked in leaves where things looked a little bare. I added dimension by stacking up some die cuts and leaving others flat to the card.

For a sentiment, I used the "you" and "matter to me" from the Altenew Bold Bouquet bundle. And that was it. No embellishments needed. 

Whew! Thanks for sticking with me for this marathon storytelling session!

I hope this inspires you to dig out your stencils -- or maybe even create your own from dies. Oh, and stop second guessing yourself, and just go for it! With enough Pixie Spray, anything is possible.

Thanks for stopping by!
Tammy