Aspen Trees Stenciled Card



Hello, Friends!

This is a card I created with a different technique but one that I love!  It's easy, fun, and it makes me feel like a cake decorator, which I always wanted to be. 

Now you know a little known fact about me.  When I was in kindergarten I read a book about being a baker and I have wanted to be a baker ever since.  Ten whole years!  (maybe a few more...decades...something like that.)  Anyway, I don't want to have to get up at 2 or 3 in the morning though to start baking.  I'd like to be a baker that opened my store around 11:00 am so I could come in around 8:00 in the morning.  When I lived in Arizona if you didn't get to the bakery by 7:30, all the good doughnuts were gone.  That's not fair to people who like to sleep late.  I'd be the baker that catered to people who don't get up super early in the morning.  I'd have food for people who like a fresh doughnut as an afternoon snack.  Of course I'd also have cookies, muffins, cupcakes, and cakes which brings me back to my card.

So what is the technique, if you haven't guessed already from the picture and the cake decorating feeling I get when I use it?  Simple embossing paste and a stencil.  When I used this technique for the first time, I took a class given by the company Dreamweaver Stencils at a scrapbook store about an hour away probably ten years ago.  This time it was a real ten years.  They used brass stencils back then but for my card, I used a plastic one. 

The directions are pretty simple.  Put down a protector on your table, so you don't get embossing paste on it.  I use a non-stick craft sheet from Ranger.  Tape your card front down using a removable tape.  I use blue painters tape.  Then, tape your stencil down on top of the card, again using removable tape.  Since the stencil was 6x6 inches and I was only making a 5 1/2x 4 1/4 inch card, I put my blue tape over the areas of the stencil that did not have card stock underneath it.  Use a palette knife, like a special small spatula, to scoop up some embossing paste, which looks a lot like frosting, on the back of the knife.  Pull the palette knife towards you, using it to push the embossing paste down over the stencil so it fills in the holes.  While the embossing paste is still wet, gently lift the stencil straight up to take it off.  Clean off the embossing paste from your stencil.  Let the paste dry on your card.

There are ways to add colors and textures to your design.  Embossing paste comes in several colors now, but I colored my own using Distress Inks.  I turned the ink pad upside down and put ink right on my craft sheet that protected the table.  Then I used my spatula to mix the white paste into the ink until I got the color I wanted.  I put the light blue embossing paste over part of my stencil.  Then I made a darker blue, and put it over the rest of the stencil.  I could have pulled the palette knife flat down so my embossing paste was smooth.  However, since trees aren't smooth, I didn't want my embossing paste to be smooth. 

I wanted the trees to be the centerpiece of my card so I just added a simple sentiment on a die cut oval with baker's twine underneath it so it wasn't just floating on top of the trees.  I put the sentiment on with foam tape.  I love that stuff!  I put the image on a dark blue card stock notecard and it was complete!

There was only one difficult part of this card and that was getting a good picture of it.  Unfortunately, the rough embossing paste made it very difficult  to photograph for some reason.  I actually took the picture with the card laying flat on it's back instead of standing up like you would normally take a picture of a card.  For some reason taking the picture straight on just looked blurry and it's not blurry at all in person.  It's still not the greatest picture ever and still looks much better in person, but it's a lot better than the first one hundred or so photos that I took.  (That number isn't an exaggeration either!) 

This stencil is great for masculine cards, which can sometimes be difficult!  I am entering my card in the blog challenge at The Male Room.  Their challenge is to use shades of blue on a craft project, card, tag, etc. designed for a man.


I am also entering my card in the stencil challenge on the CAS on Sunday blog.  My card has one main image, limited layers, limited embellishments and was quick and easy to create.



This card also reminds me of winter.  It may be because of the color scheme or the trees without leaves.  Because it makes me think of winter, I am entering it in the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog Winter Stamping.

If you'd like to make a card like this, I encourage you to go to YouTube and look up videos using embossing paste.  This will give you a visual of how to use this fun product which is probably easier than just following my directions!

Happy Stamping!


I used the following products to make this card:

Sincere Salutations Stamp Set by Stampin' Up
Stormy Sky and Faded Jeans Distress Ink by Tim Holtz at Ranger
Solar White 110 lb Card Stock by Neenah
Not Quite Navy Card Stock by Stampin' Up
6x6 Aspen Trees Stencil by TCW
Non-Stick Craft Sheet by Ranger
Wendy Vecchi White Studio 490 Embossing Paste by Dreamweaver Stencils
Palette Knife Set by Viva Décor
Scotch Safe Release Blue Masking Painter's Tape by 3M
White Baker's Twine by Stampin' Up
Pierced Oval STAX Die-namics by My Favorite Things
Scotch Double Sided Permanent Foam Tape by 3M

  



SQSC5 Elements of Style

Hello, Friends!

This is a card I created for our Stampin' Queens Sketch Challenge.  This card is not my usual style, but I was very happy with the way it turned out.  I love the vanilla, pinks, and browns together.  It's a color combination I will definitely use again. 

Happy Stamping!

I used the following Stampin' Up supplies to make this card:

Elements of Style and Sincere Salutations Stamp Sets and Well Worn Background Stamp

Soft Suede and Early Espresso Classic Inks

Very Vanilla, Pink Pirouette, Soft Suede, and Early Espresso Card Stock

Beau Chateau Designer Series Paper

3/8" Soft Suede Taffeta Ribbon

Large Oval and Scallop Oval Punches

Circle Scissor Plus

Uncharted Territory with Retiring Elegant Soiree

Thankfully, the stamp set "Uncharted Territory" is not retiring. Since it is my go-to masculine card stamp set, I would truly be lost in uncharted territory! The Elegant Soiree Designer Series Paper, however, is retiring. So, this is my last card of the year I'm using it on. Farewell, to all the great Designer Series Papers of this year!

Happy Stamping!

I used the following Stampin' Up products to make this card:

Uncharted Territory and Sincere Salutations Stamp Sets

Daffodil Delight, Baja Breeze, Night of Navy, Crumb Cake Classic Inks

Very Vanilla, Baja Breeze, and Night of Navy Card Stock
Elegant Soiree Designer Series Paper

Blender Pen

TSSC178 and LNS Water Challenge Uncharted Territory

Hello, Friends!

My card today goes along with two different challenges. The sketch challenge comes from Mary Jo's Monday Lunchtime Sketch Challenge. The LNS Design Team challenge for this week is to make a card that features water.

I have to say, I'm not very good at making masculine cards. They might turn out alright, but they aren't just naturally easy for me like some other styles are. Since I make birthday cards for all my leaders at church, including the men, I had to get better! When I saw this sketch, I knew it would make a good masculine card if I put the sailboat stamp from "Uncharted Territory" in the circle. The sailboat works for masculine cards and the LNS Design Team challenge this week.

The printed paper is from the "Elegant Soiree" collection. I'm going to miss this paper so I also used it on this card!

Happy Stamping!

I used the following Stampin' Up products on this card:

 

Uncharted Territory and Sincere Salutations Stamp Sets

Daffodil Delight, Baja Breeze, Night of Navy, Rich Razzleberry, Crumb Cake, and Early Espresso Classic Inks

Very Vanilla, Baja Breeze, and Night of Navy Card Stock

Elegant Soiree Designer Series Paper

Circle Punches

Tasteful Trim Bigz Extra Large Die

Big Shot

Blender Pen

Stamping Sponges

TSSC168 Uncharted Territory

What is wrong with me?

Boy- there's an open ended question. It's also rhetorical. Please don't send me a top ten list.

My problem is with following sketches. I find a sketch I like and then I do about 70%-80% and then change it at the end. That's why I have a lot of "this card is based on the ___ sketch." "Based on" means I started to follow the sketch and then I changed it at the end.

Now I know I've got artistic license and all that stuff. I also know when I share a sketch I don't care if people follow it exactly. So, most people probably don't mind if I don't follow their sketch exactly either.

This card was changed at the end out of necessity. First, I'm not very good with masculine cards. So, I recently ordered this set, Uncharted Territory, so I could make some "boy cards" for the men who serve in my elementary ministry. As it turns out, the sailboat was a little too big for the sketch. Then, this didn't leave me enough room for the little rectangles. Instead, I had to stamp "Birthday Wishes" below. It looks fine. I just wish I could follow a sketch to the very end! Oh, well! Maybe next time!

Happy Stamping!

I used the following Stampin' Up products to make this card:

Uncharted Territory and Sincere Salutations Stamp Sets

Bravo Burgundy, Daffodil Delight, Baja Breeze, Night of Navy, Soft Suede, and Early Espresso Classic Inks

Basic Black Stazon Ink

Very Vanilla, Baja Breeze, Night of Navy, Soft Suede and Early Espresso Card Stock

Elegant Soiree Designer Series Paper

Blender Pen

VC Rocks Blog Tour

Welcome to my first VC Rocks blog tour! VC Rocks is a stamping group that "meets" every summer. Since most of us aren't going to the Stampin Up convention, we have our own virtual one. There are swaps (the best ever!), classes, chats, and virtual roommates. It is one of the highlights of my summer and I look forward to it every year.

With the 4th of July right around the corner, I designed these two cards as picnic or barbecue invitations. I know if you went by scale those ants would take over the world, not just the two different tablecloth designs, but I still thought they added a cute touch to the bottom of the card. I hope you enjoy them both!

 

BLOG CANDY ALERT!!

I love the Stampin Up Big Shot Lattice Die. Leave a comment on my blog and one lucky winner will receive 20 different Stampin Up Lattice Die Cuts from a variety of all four color families!

The winner will be drawn on Monday!

Here are the Stampin' Up Supplies I used for these cards:
 

Bugs and Kisses and Sincere Salutations Stamp Sets

Real Red and Early Espresso Classic Inks

Chocolate Chip Stampin' Write Markers

Whisper White, Real Red, Bashful Blue, Marina Mist, Night of Navy, and Soft Suede Card Stock

Big Shot

 

Card #1 also uses

Stampin' Up Lattice Die

 

Card #2 uses

Stampin' Up Scallop Square Die

To make card #1, fold 8 1/2"x 5 1/2" Marina Mist card stock in half.

Cut Bashful Blue card stock to 4" x 5 1/4" and layer on Marina Mist.

Cut strips of Whisper White and Real Red papers to 5" x 1/2".

On a separate sheet of paper, tape strips down vertically, alternating Real Red and Whisper White card stock.

Then, weave horizontal white strips under the the vertical white strips and over the red ones. Then, weave horizontally red strips under the vertical red strips and over the white ones. Alternate between red and white strips with each woven strip.

Next, cut woven paper to fit through the Big Shot.

Cut with the Scallop Square die.

Trim paper to 2" by 4 1/4" to make table cloth.

Cut Soft Suede paper to 1/2" by 3" and adhere to Bashful Blue background.

Draw lines for wood grain on the Soft Suede paper.

Adhere Real Red and Whisper White woven die cut on top of Soft Suede and Bashful Blue paper.

Stamp ants from "Bugs and Kisses" at the bottom of the card with Early Espresso classic ink.

Cut Whisper White paper to 1 1/8"x 2 1/8 ".

Stamp "You're Invited" from Sincere Salutations in Real Red Classic Ink.

Cut Night of Navy paper to 1 5/8 x 2 3/8"

Mount Whisper White greeting on Night of Navy paper.

Mount Night of Navy paper on Real Red and Whisper White table cloth.

You did it!

For card #2, fold 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" Marina Mist card stock in half.

Cut Bashful Blue card stock to 4" x 5 1/4."

Cut Soft Suede paper to 1/2" x 2 1/2."

Adhere Soft Suede paper to the Bashful Blue card stock.

Draw wood grain lines on Soft Suede paper with a Chocolate Chip marker.

Using the Lattice die, cut two Real Red and two Whisper White die cuts.

Overlap Whisper White die cuts on Bashful Blue card stock to show 1 1/2 circles vertically and 3 circles horizontally.

Cut Bashful Blue so the white die cuts are even at the top.

Adhere Real Red die cut pieces inside the Whisper White open spaces.

Stamp ants from "Bugs and Kisses" with Early Espresso ink at the bottom of the Bashful Blue card stock.

Adhere Bashful Blue paper to Marina Mist.

Cut Whisper White paper to 1" x2 1/8" and stamp greeting from "Sincere Salutations" in Real Red Classic ink.

Cut Night of Navy card stock to 1 1/4" x 2 3/8."

Adhere Whisper White paper to Night of Navy paper.

Adhere Night of Navy paper to red and white tablecloth.

You did it!

 

If you don't want to miss a great project, start at the beginning of the VC Rocks blog tour, start here.

If you'd like to revisit the blog before mine on the tour, go to Melanie Schulenberg's blog.

To keep going, visit the next stop at Kim Overholt's blog.