More Stencils and mask techniques on our Totally Techniques Blog Hop

Welcome to our November Totally Technique Blog Hop. This month we are sharing ideas and tips for using stencils/masks.  I love getting inky and so went with the Basic Pattern Masks in the annual catalogue and first of all used my new blending brushes, which will be available to order in January from the Spring Mini, to add colour from lightest to darkest through the stencil for the card below and then I used embossing paste over the inky stencil/mask to create the detail on the card above. 

Most difficult part was trying to get a half decent photo on a dull day even with lighting these just did not want to play.  As my daughter, Liv said 'They look so amazing in real life!' You'll just have to take her word on it.  

So for the card below I used one blending brush and first of all added Balmy Blue ink directly from the ink pad onto my old Stamp a ma jig plastic sheet.  I held the stencil in place on my cardstock, but you might err on the side of caution more than me and so you may want to add some tape around the card to hold it in place onto your work surface.  I would also colour a larger piece of card that you can then use dies to cut the shape you want.  

Before adding any ink to the card  you need to make sure that you prime the brush before adding to your card stock.  Don't just swipe the brush over the ink pad really get it inky.  Then blend it into to the brush on a piece of plastic like a stamp positioner sheet.  When you are ready to add to the card start off the card to avoid any heavy ink marks.   The stencil will get inky too which is fine, but don't wipe it off if you want to use for a second card like the one above.  

As you add the darker inks then you can choose where you add different shades.  As I said I used the same brush and worked through the different blues including Coastal Cabana and Pacific Point.  

Once I was done with the inking I moved the stencil carefully to one side.  I then made sure the pattern was dry before die cutting with the Stitched Rectangle dies.  I layered it with white layers and added some die cuts from Stitched Stars and Painted Labels dies in silver foil card. 

For the top card I die cut a stitched rectangle from vellum and placed it under the inky stencil ink side uppermost.  I then carefully added a think layer of embossing paste and allowed the ink from the stencil to mix with the paste as I moved it over the stencil.  Be sure to remove the stencil carefully while the paste is still wet and then allow it to dry.  In the mean time wash the stencil and other paste tools. Do not allow the paste to dry on the stencil or it won't come off.  

I've added simple sentiments to both cards from a new spring set called Art Gallery and let the stencilled patterns be the focal points.  

 

Basic Pattern Masks

Embossing Paste

Stitched Stars Dies

Don't forget this is a blog hop so you can visit other international blogs to see their ideas for stencils and masks. 

Keep safe and keep stamping

Zoe x

 

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From 11pm tonight, 23 November2020 until 1050pm on Tuesday 24 November 2020 there will be 10% off everything* well almost in the Annual Stampin' Up! catalogue.  Visit my Stampin' Up! shop to order online or contact me by 8pm tonight with your order. 

A fabulous time to stock up on card, glue, ink and more or treat yourself to that stamp set or dies you've been looking at.  

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Nature's Beauty Christmas Card

 Welcome to our lovely selection of cards featuring deer for the Christmas Card Club challenge set by Gwen.  I was inspired by the very talented Tracy Evans and her recent use of a stencil to create a focal point on her card before adding stamping and fussy cut additions for this card.   I chose to create a circle stencil using a die and vellum and used my new blending brushes that will be available in the Stampin' Up! spring mini catalogue.  Whilst leaving my stencil in place once I have ink blended my green circle I added some water splatters that I left for a few seconds before drying with kitchen towel and then added more and sprinkled salt crystals ontop to also lift some of the colour. You need patience though to let it all dry, which I don't have sometimes as I'm too keen to move on, are you the same?  

Once all dry, in my case with a little help from kitchen paper and a heat tool I stamped the trees and the deer.  I stamped the deer also on a piece of scratch card and used a blender pen to move some of the ink from the stamped image around to colour the deer, but maintain the texturing created as part of the stamped image.  I fussy cut this second deer out carefully and removed much of the detail on the ground to give a little depth created only by adding the cut out image to the one on my circle using just glue dots for a little bit of height, but not too much.  

I also added the sentiment.  My artwork was created on shimmery white card stock so it has a little sparkle and of course this card stock works better than plain white which doesn't react too well with the water splattering.  I've added a narrow Early Espresso matt layer before adhering it all to my brushed copper foil card which I embossed using a new folder called Painted Texture that you will also see in the Spring Mini out soon.  

We have several friends in Australia and of course snowy scenes are not the best for Christmas cards and so this will be a perfect card to send down under.  

We've had some fab walks recently not least yesterday when we found a little sunshine and reached a bench for a quick photo stop, but as you can see our pup isn't one for sitting still. 

Hope you have a happy Sunday and are able to enjoy some fresh air and sunshine.  

Keep safe 

Zoe x

Nature's Beauty 

Brushed Metallic Card

Blender pens

November One Day Sale starts Monday 23 November at 11pm until 1050pm on Tuesday 24 November. 

How to use Stencilling and Ink Blending for cardmaking

 Happy Monday all I'm here today with my card for the Christmas Card Club challenge set by Rachel.  Use a stencil is the theme and you can see here I used a tree stencil.

First of all I created my sky using blending brushes and ink colours Balmy Blue, Misty Moonlight and Night of Navy.  The brushes help to blend the ink smoothly and help with creating a sky like this.  Half way through creating it I masked a moon using a sticky note and 1 1/2" circle punch.  Once I'd got the sky I wanted I removed the sticky note and adhered my design to a piece of boarding using some Stampin' Seal that I then 'fluffed' up on my jeans  before adding to the back and placing it face up on the board.  This makes it easier to remove from the board but also holds it in place for the next step. 

Now I placed the stencil over the card and taped it into place off the artwork and onto the board.  I used painters masking tape to do this again so that it is easy to peel off.  

I then used another blending brush to firmly but carefully add Early Espresso ink to create the tree shadows on the sky.  Once done I heat set the whole piece before adding touches of snow with a gel pen and some Frost White shimmer paint splatters to create the effect of falling snow.  To do this I added a little water to one of my stamping blocks and then using a paint brush dropped a little shimmer paint into it and stirred with the brush to water it down. This helps with drying time.  You can also use rubbing alcohol for a quicker dry.  

Whilst it was drying I embossed a piece of Misty Moonlight card with the Woodland embossing folder and added that as a matt layer.  I also added a stamped sentiment and some berries stamped and die cut using Poinsettia Petals bundle.  The white punched label seemed too stark so I just added some second generation stamping of the berry outlines.   

A little different to the traditional Christmas card themes, but I'm pleased with how it turned out.  

Keep safe lovely readers.  We are in lockdown again here in the UK so more online classes are coming.  If you'd like to join my mailing list please do email at zoetant@live.co.uk to be added.  

Hugs Zoe x

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Basic Pattern Masks 

Frost White Shimmer Paint

Poinsettia Petals Bundle

Woodland Embossing Folder

Christmas Flower Card Challenge

 Happy November everyone! I hope this Sunday finds you relaxing and having an opportunity to craft.  Here I've made my design team card for the Moving Along with the Times monthly challenge.  You can join in too by sharing at MAWTT your card with Christmas flowers on it somewhere.  

I started by using the Hammered Metal 3D embossing folder on the green card matt layer.  To this I've added a distressed piece of red card on which I stamped 2nd and 3rd generation ink images from the Poinsettia Petals stamp set and also I used clear embossing powder for the scripting.  Using a contour brush I added some ink to the outer area of the red card and also distressed the edges in my fingers.  I added some Frost White shimmer paint splatters and also fussy cut words from the Dove of Hope stamp set.  

The main spotlight is the beautiful flower that I cut from red velvet paper  and embossed with dies from the Poinsettia pack.  I've added some die cut greenery from the Boho Indigo refill pack and gold die cut berries.  

The pearl embellishments are just gorgeous and add that flourish that Poinsettias have.  

I'm usually a bit OCD and like things to line up squarely but decided to try a bit of off setting that seems popular right now.  I think it's worked and if not the Poinsettia steals the show any way! 

Come and join us and share your Christmas flower cards. 

Thanks for checking in and remember the products used can be found in my online shop. 

Keep safe and keep stamping 

Hugs Zoe x

Poinsettia Dies

Poinsettia Petals 

red velvet paper

Very Versailles