Stencil Techniques

This post shows cards I made inspired by the Stencil Techniques online class at Altenew Academy. This is part of the Level 1 AECP course that I am undertaking. I do not really do much stencilling and certainly not tried it with embossing paste/mousse. This is why I am enjoying these online classes as it makes me try new techniques and enhances my crafting joy.

I make many cards (got a little carried away!) and the Atenew stencils I use are: Greenwood Flower, Halftone, Grid, Watercolor Stripes and Heart Builder.

Do watch the video below.

Stencilling Basics

Positioning: When using a stencil, place in a corner with card, making it easier to align and will not require use of Pixie spray on stencil. Pixie Spray or Stick & Spray is a light tack, repositionable adhesive for stencils to ensure it does not move when ink blending on card. I only use Pixie Spray or Stick & Spray when there are delicate lines on a stencil that may move when ink blending. I use the corner of the Waffle Flower Mini Water Media Mat when stencilling. If you do not have this, you could also use the corner of a MISTI Stamping Tool, or any other stamping tool you have that has a firm corner. Just clean the ink off any of the surfaces after stencilling.

Ink Blending: When ink blending with stencil, use Strathmore Bristol Smooth Card 300 Series for a gorgeous results as the ink goes on like butter and blends easily on the smooth surface. After inking, wipe stencil with stamp shammy and then a dry cloth before storing away.

Mousse/Paste: When using mousse or paste for stencilling, use 80lbs Neenah Solar White Card. After applying mouse or paste, either wash stencil immediately with warm water and soap or steep stencil in a container with warm soapy water, so the mousse or paste does not harden on the stencil and ruin it.

Card #1, Heart Builder Stencil - Everything will be Okay

Placed a 4.5” by 6” Strathmore Bristol Smooth Card 300 Series and Altenew’s Heart Builder in the corner of the Waffle Flower Mini Water Media Mat in landscape orientation. Applied Altenew Canyon Clay ink with a blending brush, cleaned stencil, flipped stencil over and tucked into corner. Then applied second colour, Altenew Burnt Red ink with same blending brush. I have a blending brush for each family colour such as red, blue, green etc - I just clean blending brush on a dry cloth before applying next colour. However if you go from a lighter colour to a darker shade, it should be alright if you do not clean the blending brush in between colours.

After application of second colour, the 3D hearts image is crisp and clearly visible. Trim card to slightly smaller than an A2 card size with Waffle Flower A2 Layers Dies and backed with fun foam for dimension. Adhered card panel for an A2 black card base, which measures 4.25” by 5.5”.

For the sentiment, die cut Altenew’s Everything Will Be Okay die in black card and adhere to card front using Art Glitter Liquid Glue with fine metal tip. For the heart in the sentiment, die cut with white cardstock, inked with Altenew Burnt Red ink, brushed Spectrum Noir Clear on it for some sparkle and finally added Ranger Glossy Accents for shine. Adhered the sparkly, shiny heart die cut to sentiment with Stick It 3D Foam Square to pop it up.

Card #2, Heart Builder Stencil - Hello

Same as Card #1, except for this card six different Ranger Distress Oxide inks are used to achieve the gradation of colours seen on image above and it’s in a portrait orientation. For the first ink layer Ranger Distress Oxide inks used are Speckled Egg, Ripe Persimmon, and Walnut Stain and for the second ink layer Ranger Distress Oxide inks used are Evergreen Bough, Crackling Campfire, and Ground Espresso.

For the sentiment, die cut Altenew Circled Greetings die, ‘hello’ in teal card and cut the ‘hello’ out as did not want to include circle. Do this a few times in white card stock and adhere together for dimension. Adhere layered die cut ‘hello’ to bottom right of card using Art Glitter Liquid Glue with fine metal tip. Finally add a few gems from Lucy’s Shimmering Pool Mix. Adhere these gems using the Marvy Uchida Jewel Picker and Art Glitter Liquid Glue with fine metal tip.

Card #3, Heart Builder Stencil - Positive Vibes

Same as card #2, except for the following:

Inks: First layer of Ranger Distress Oxide inks, Squeezed Lemonade, Kitsch Flamingo, and Spiced Marmalade and for second layer of Ranger Distress Oxide inks, Fossilized Amber, Picked Raspberry, and Ripe Persimmon.

Sentiment: Stamped Waffle Flower’s Fresh Rainbow Sentiments with Altenew Obsidian Pigment ink.

Embellishment: Adhered Lucy’s Crystal Collection - Cherry Blossom and Lucy’s Over the Rainbow gems in a scatter manner using the Marvy Uchida Jewel Picker and Art Glitter Liquid Glue with fine metal tip.

Card #4, Heart Builder Stencil - Hello

Same as card #3, except for the following:

Inks: Used only four Ranger Distress Oxide inks as follows: First layer, Salvaged Patine and Broken China and second layer, Peacock Feathers and Mermaid Lagoon.

Sentiment: Die cut Mama Elephant’s Hilly Hello die in black card. Stamped sentiment ‘dear friend’ from Altenew’s Say It With Love stamp set with Versamark ink and heat embossed Ranger Super Fine White Embossing Powder with WOW Dual Speed Heat Tool.

Embellishment: Converted the heart in the ’o’ of the ‘hello’ die cut as the sparkly and shiny embellishment for this card. Die cut the heart with red cardstock, brushed Spectrum Noir Clear on it for some sparkle and added Ranger Glossy Accents for shine. Adhered the sparkly, shiny heart die cut to sentiment with Stick It 3D Foam Square to pop it up

Card #5, Floral Garden Stencil - Thinking of You

Just like the above cards did ink blending with this stencil as well but also added glimmer paste to the stamen of the flowers. Started ink blending the flowers, which is the top of the stencil and just turned stencil to ink blend the leaves which fitted well between the spaces of the flowers. For the flower Ranger Distress Oxide inks used are, Fossilized Amber, Spiced Marmalade, and Crackling Campfire. For the leaves Ranger Distress Oxide inks used are, Evergreen Bough, Cracked Pistachio, and Twisted Citron. For the stamen of the flowers, used Nuvo Glimmer Paste Raspberry Rhodolite.

The sentiment is actually ‘I’ve Been Thinking of You’ from Altenew’s Sentiment Strips stamp set, but I taped off the 'I’ve Been’ before inking with Versamark ink and removed the tape before stamping onto black card. [This is one way of getting more out of your sentiment stamp sets.] Heat embossed Ranger Super Fine White Embossing Powder with WOW Dual Speed Heat Tool and adhered sentiment to card front with foam strip adhesive for some dimension.

Finally added some Lucy’s Raindrop gems on the card front using the Marvy Uchida Jewel Picker and Art Glitter Liquid Glue with fine metal tip.

Card #6, Floral Garden Stencil - Congratulations

Same as card #5, except for colours and sentiment. Colours used on flower are Altenew inks, Sapphire, Emerald and Volcano Lake and colours used on leaves are Altenew inks, Cloudy Night, Gray Denim and Silver Lake (from Altenew Gentleman’s Gray set). For the flower centre, Nuvo Glimmer Paste, Moonstone.

After the glimmer paste dried, the colour did not stand out despite the shimmer, so added some colour on top of the dried glimmer paste with Altenew’s watercolor brush, Citrus Burst, which is part of the Winter Wonderland watercolor brush set.

Sentiment have been heat embossing with Ranger Super Fine White Embossing Powder on back cardstock. The ‘Congratulations’ is from Altenew Sentiment Strips stamp set and the ‘from us’ is from Waffle Flower Sentiment Additions Stamp and die set. Finally added some Lucy’s Raindrop gems on the card front using the Marvy Uchida Jewel Picker and Art Glitter Liquid Glue with fine metal tip.

Card #7, Greenwood Flower Stencil - Miss You

Colours used on lilac flower are from the Altenew Sugarplums ink set and the blue flower uses the Altenew Lapis Lazuli ink set. The stencil layers are easy to line up and cover with post-it around the flower being inked so the ink does not get to any other part of the card. For the leaves used inks Misty Moor, Marshland, and Sea Forest from the Altenew Nature’s Wonder ink set.

For centres of the flowers, mix Altenew Sea Forest with Altenew Embossing Paste and apply on stencil. Leave to dry for about 30 minutes at least.

Stamped sentiment ‘Miss You’ and ‘Hugs Enclosed’ from Altenew Paint-A-Flower Coral Sunset with Altenew Obsidian Pigment ink. Finally added some Lucy’s Raindrop gems on the card front using the Marvy Uchida Jewel Picker and Art Glitter Liquid Glue with fine metal tip.

Card #8, Greenwood Flower Stencil - Another Year Older

Same as card #6, excep for differences listed here:

Inks: Colours used on yellow flower are from the Altenew Pocketful of Sunshine ink set and the red flower uses the Altenew Martian Terrain ink set. For the leaves used inks Frayed Leaf, Forest Glades, and Evergreen from the Altenew Green Fields ink set.

For centres of the flowers, stamped with Colorbox White Pigment ink. Then heat embossed Hero Arts Clear Embossing Powder on centre of yellow flower and Ranger Super Fine White Embossing Powder on centre of red flower.

Stamped sentiment ‘another year older.’ with Altenew Obsidian Pigment ink on card panel and ‘another year wiser’ on a strip of white card with same ink. Backed sentiment strip of white card with foam strip adhesive and adhered to card front below the sentiment stamped directly on card. Finally added some Lucy’s Raindrop gems on the card front using the Marvy Uchida Jewel Picker and Art Glitter Liquid Glue with fine metal tip.

Card #9, Halftone Stencil - Hello

Placed Altenew Halftone stencil on 80lbs Neenah Solar White Card and applied Altenew Embossing Paste on stencil until all of the card underneath stencil is covered.

I had previously used the Altenew Craft-A-Flower Poppy Layering Die Set in this post for the Altenew March 2021 Challenge. I had many extra flowers that were ‘left over’ from the previous project and used those die cut flowers in this card.

Once the Altenew Embossing Paste dries (takes about 30-60 minutes), cut card panel to slightly smaller than an A2 size, which measures 4.25” by 5.5”. Use a large ink blending tool and apply Altenew Winter Lake ink on the card panel over the dried embossing paste.

Arrange the die cut flowers and leaves (also added some leaves die cuts from Altenew Just Leaves die) on card, once happy with arrangement, ‘pick up’ the floral arrangement with Press ‘N Seal. Apply Art Glitter Liquid Glue and place Stick It 3D Foam Square to the back of the flowers and leaves and adhere to card front.

Stamp ‘Hello’ from Altenew Label Love stamp set with Altenew Obsidian Pigment ink, cut out and adhere to card front with foam strip adhesive.

Card #10, Grid Stencil - Hugs

Placed Altenew Grid stencil on 80lbs Neenah Solar White Card and applied Altenew Embossing Paste on stencil partially covering the card underneath the stencil.

I had previously used the Altenew Regal Beauty stamp & die set in this post and video. I had many extra flowers that were ‘left over’ from that project and thus used those die cut flowers in this card.

Once the Altenew Embossing Paste dries (takes about 30-60 minutes), cut card panel to slightly smaller than an A2 size, which measures 4.25” by 5.5”.

Arrange the die cut flowers and leaves (die cut fom greyish green card using the Altenew Just Leaves die and Altenew Parlor Palm die) on card, once happy with arrangement, ‘pick up’ the floral arrangement with Press ‘N Seal. Apply Art Glitter Liquid Glue and place Stick It 3D Foam Square to the back of the flowers and leaves and adhere to card front.

For the sentiment, die cut CZ Design Hugs die, ‘hugs’ in black card. Do this a few times in white card stock and adhere together for dimension. Adhere layered die cut ‘hugs’ to right of card, partially behind flower petal, using Art Glitter Liquid Glue with fine metal tip. Finally add a few gems. Adhere these gems, Lucy’s Over the Rainbow and sequins using the Marvy Uchida Jewel Picker and Art Glitter Liquid Glue with fine metal tip.

Card #11, Watercolor Stripes Stencil - Hello

Placed Altenew Watercolor Stripes stencil on 80lbs Neenah Solar White Card and applied Nuvo Embellishment Mousse Gunmetal Grey, Orange Blush, Costal Surf, Honeydew covering the card underneath the stencil, following the stripes on the stencil.

Once Nuvo Embellishment Mousse dries, cut down the card panel, back with black fun foam for dimension and matt onto black card. Then adhere mounted panel onto A2 orange card measuring 4.25” by 5.5”.

For sentiment, die cut Altenew Circled Greetings die, ‘hello’ with teal card and mount onto black circle, die cut with Waffle Flower Nesting Circle Dies. Adhere Stick It 3D Foam Square to back of circle greeting and adhere to card front for some dimension. Finally add a few gems. Adhere these gems and sequins using the Marvy Uchida Jewel Picker and Art Glitter Liquid Glue with fine metal tip.

Thanks for stopping by and do leave a comment if you have a query or just if you want to:) Have a lovely day