I have a bunch of stencils that I use in mixed media work but I really hadn't thought much about using them for cards. Today I decided to try it out - and it was so fun and so easy!!
I started out with a fun little stencil that I purchased at Hobby Lobby awhile back. As you can see, it's pretty well loved... one of the flowers is bent up and the "sunflower" has a piece missing. That's ok, I'm not out for perfection - just having FUN!
I decided to make a couple of birthday cards.
First up, I used a blending brush to apply Distress Oxides in Picked Raspberry, Dried Marigold, and Squeezed Lemonade to the sun stencil. I did this both on the card base and the envelope flap.
I then added a sentiment from a really old stamp (sorry I don't know who makes it) in Picked Raspberry. I also watered some of them down to splatter in the background. To add a bit more pop to the background, I decided to also water down a metallic gold acrylic paint.
Once I was happy with that, I got out the blending brush again and applied Picked Raspberry around the edge of the card base. I adhered fun foam to the back of the card front and then centered it on the card base.
The second card was pretty much the same. Again, I used a blending brush to apply Distress Oxides in Picked Raspberry, Dried Marigold, and Squeezed Lemonade to the mandola stencil. I did this both on the card base and the envelope flap.
I then added a sentiment from Gina K - Time to Celebrate in Picked Raspberry. To give some additional dimension, I added some foam dots on the back and adhered to the card front. On this card, I used the same splatter technique as above.
To finish this one off, I used the Squeezed Lemonade around the edge of the card base. I really like the end result of both cards and they were so quick and easy!
Next up, I pulled out my Hero Arts Floral Background stencil and placed it over white cardstock. I taped the cardstock on the back of the stencil using some low tack tape so that it wouldn't move around.
I used some of my inks again - Distress Oxides in Picked Raspberry, Dried Marigold, and Squeezed Lemonade and then added in Mowed Lawn. For the blue and purple, I used Distress Ink Salty Ocean and Wilted Violet.
When I finished with the stenciling, I created a sentiment using the Hero Arts Thinking of You Stamp & Cut and black cardstock. To finish it all off, I inked around the edge of the card base with Picked Raspberry, applied fun foam to the back of the card front, and adhered it to the card base.
I love all of these cards and am looking forward to playing with more of my stencils!