Such a Short Season

Would you like to experiment with a design like this? You'll find a supply list below, including a link to the stencil 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.)

Let’s get Started:

Card Base: 5.5 x 8.5, scored and folded at 4.25

Border Layer: 5.25 x 4

Vellum: 5.25 x 4 (before die cutting)

Large gold border: 5.25 x 4 ( before die cutting)

Focal Piece: 3 x 2 (before die cutting)

Small Gold Border 3 x 2 (before die cutting)

Sentiment: white cardstock strip 3 x .5

Green Transfer Foil: 5.5 x 4.25

Border Layer:

• I laid the card stock on a piece of scrap paper, positioned the stencil and secured it with Mint Tape.

• I spread Duo Gel ** across the exposed surface, carefully removing the stencil when finished, and putting it in water.

• After the gel had dried (it is clear when dry, although it goes on white) I laid a piece of green transfer foil over the top and ran it through the Big Shot. When I removed the foil, the gel (which is a very sticky adhesive) caused the foil to remain behind on the stencilled pattern.

** see Multi-Media products and Stencils under Techniques in the header.

Other:

• I looked through my binder ** for an image to use with this fun, shiny layer and found the candies, already stamped, coloured and waiting for their turn to take center stage. I cut this down with an oval die.

• I used this same die and paired it with one which was one size larger to cut a gold border to fit snugly around this piece. I used Mint Tape to secure the two dies, keeping even spacing all the way around.

• I used a larger oval from the set to cut a piece of white vellum, just slightly smaller than the border layer.

• Again, I used the same die and one that was just one size larger to create an oval to frame this piece.

** See Ready To Go Binder under Techniques in the header to learn how this tool saves time.

Assembly

I glued the foiled border layer to the card base.

I applied Microdot adhesive to the back of the vellum oval and centered it on the foiled layer.

I applied liquid glue to the gold border for this piece, blotted it on scrap paper and put it in place around the vellum. (I didn’t want the liquid glue to warp the vellum, so I transferred as little glue as possible.)

I centered and glued the small oval on the larger one, blotting carefully before placing it on the vellum.

I added glue to the small gold border and put it in place (again, after blotting).

I stamped the sentiment with Versafine Onyx on a scrap of cardstock and cut it down to a narrow strip. After debating on where to place it and moving it here and there, I cut it into three pieces and secured them in the wonky fashion you see in the picture.

I scattered red, green, and white (with a blue tint) bling on the vellum, using the tiniest dot of glue possible to adhere them.

Final Thoughts:

This is one of my favourite stencils, but between the pattern and the green foil it needed to be toned down. The vellum solved this issue, and with the combination of the various elements this is one of my favourite Christmas cards for 2024.

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: Rippling Squares, A Colorful Life Designs

Stamps: Bon Bon Set, Frog’s Whiskers Ink, Ecstasy Crafts

Dies: Nesting Ovals, Hero Arts, Simon Says Stamp

Versafine Onyx, Simon Says Stamp

MIcrodot Adhesive: Sticky Dots, Therm O Web, Amazon

Bling: A Colorful Life Designs

Adhesive: Tombow Aqua, Michaels

Card Base & Card Face: Accent 100 lb., Amazon

Do you have comments or thoughts to share on this design? Drop me a line in the Contact section in the header - I’d love to hear from you!

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