Using Stencils To Make Hanukkah Cards

Happy Holidays everyone!!

Michael here...Hanukkah is fast approaching with the first night on December 16th.  Thought I would share some very easy cards I made using some of Jessica Sporn's stencils.  

No matter what holiday you celebrate, I want to wish everyone a very Happy Holiday and a festive, safe, healthy, and prosperous art filled New Year!!

Now..on to the cards!

Step by Step (Card on Left):

Place the Hebrew Calligraphy stencil on the silver cardstock and, using a palette knife, apply some of the metallic silver embossing paste.  Do not cover the whole piece of cardstock.  It's okay if you emboss parts of the letters.  Allow to dry or heat set.

Wrap ribbon around silver cardstock and adhere on the back.  Adhere silver cardstock to card front. Stamp menorah image on silver cardstock with Versamark and heat emboss with a dark blue embossing powder.  Cut out with Pierced Square die and then cut a piece of the blue cardstock using the next sized die.

Adhere the dark blue cardstock to the silver card front.  Then adhere the silver cardstock with the embossed menorah image to the blue square piece. Adhere some sequins and crystals to the card front and the ribbon. Stamp phrase on the white cardstock and adhere to the inside of the card.

Supplies Used:

Hebrew Calligraphy Stencil by Jessica Sporn for StencilGirl Product

Silver Metallic Cardstock 4" x 5.25" (for cad front)

White Cardstock 4" x 5.25" (for inside)

Dark Blue Cardstock 8.5" x 10.5" scored in half for card base

Metallic Silver Embossing Paste (Dreamweaver) and a Palette Knife

Hanukkah Stamp Set from Clear & Simple Rubber Stamps

Pierced Square Die Set from My Favorite Things (MFT-341)

Versamark Ink/Dark Blue Embossing Power/Heat Gun

Sequins/Crystals

Blue Ribbon

Step by Step (Card on Right):

Lay the 6 Point Starry Night stencil on a piece of 8.5" x 11" cardstock and apply texture paste or molding paste with a pallette knife.  You can do the whole stencil or just sections if you want.  Allow to dry or, if you are like me and very impatient, heat set with a heat gun.

Then spray some Sunshine Color Bloom by Prima over the whole piece and allow to dry or heat set.  

Now lay the Hebrew Calligraphy stencil over the piece and spray using Summer Sky Color Bloom by Prima.

Now cut the cardstock into 4 pieces of 4" x 5.25" (this will allow you to make 4 cards). Adhere one of the pieces on your card front. Stamp image of a Menorah with Cobalt Archival ink on white cardstock.  I used the same stamp set as in the first card.  Cut the Menorah image with the Pierced Square die and a piece of the dark blue cardstock in the next size of the same die.  Using Versamark stamp the Jewish Star border on dark blue cardstock and heat emboss with silver embossing powder.  Trim the border and adhere to card front.  Adhere white cardstock with Menorah image to dark blue square and adhere over border.  Adhere crystals to each corner.

For the inside - cut a piece of white cardstock 4" x 5.25", stamp the phrase from the same set and adhere to the inside of the card.

Supplies Used:

6 Point Starry Night Stencil by Jessica Sporn for StencilGirl Products

Hebrew Calligraphy Stencil by Jessica Sporn for StencilGirl Product

White Cardstock 8.5" x 11"

Dark Blue Cardstock 8.5" x 10.5" scored in half for card base

Texture or Molding Paste and Palette Knife

Hanukkah Stamp Set from Clear & Simple Rubber Stamps

Sunshine and Summer Sky Color Bloom sprays by Prima Marketing

Pierced Square Die Set from My Favorite Things (MFT-341)

Cobalt Archival Ink

Versamark Ink/Silver Embossing Power/Heat Gun

Crystals

And, for more inspiration, please check out my personal blog for the step by step on the card below!  You can click HERE or on the photo below.  

Thanks and hugs from Brasil!!

StenDoodle A 2015 StencilGirl Calendar

StenDoodled 2015 Calendar with the November StencilGirl Club Stencils

OMG!!  Can you believe that 2014 is almost over?  I cannot believe how fast this year has flown by and I bet most of you guys say the same thing.  One thing that I look forward to at this time of the year are those cheap $1.50 yearly or two-year calendars that are at the front of every big box craft store.  Picked one up the other day but decided it needed a new cover.  

I decided it needed to be StenDoodled with the November 2014 StencilGirl Club Stencils. This is such a fun project to do.  I bet that once you make one, your friends are going to ask you to make one for them.

November 2014 StencilGirl Club Stencils

First thing you want to do is get one of those calendars, remove the calendar cover and trace it on a piece of white cardstock with a permanent fine tip marker. Then cut it out.   

Lay the 6" November Club stencil on the cardstock and carefully trace the outline. You might want to use a pencil first and then go back with the fine tip marker.  

Then go back with other stencils that have smaller designs in them and trace them in different areas of the main traced design. (Sorry, I started to color it in before I took the photo).  

For the above project, I used stencils from November 2014, October 2014, and June 2014. To see the stencils for each month so far, or to get more info on the StencilGirl Club, click HERE!

Next color in the piece.  I went back and applied some Stickles in certain areas to give it a kick.  Then score down the center and staple it back on the calendar and enjoy using for the next year or two!

Hope you guys liked this project.  

Hugs!!

Michael

Have You Met The StenDoodled Elephant From Marrakech?

I have to admit, as soon as I saw the new Elephant Parade stencil by Nathalie Kalbach I knew that I had to have it.  And that it had to be StenDoodled.  It is a perfect stencil for this technique due to the large open area in which to work!  

I have a feeling that this stencil is going to be a favorite for many people.  I did this project as a stand alone piece of "home decor" for a shelf.  But this can be done in a journal or canvas too!  Hope you guys like this project!

Step By Step:

1.  Place the Elephant Parade stencil on a 8.5" x 5.5" piece of heavyweight cover or cardstock, and trace with a permanent fine tip marker. 

2.  Place the Marrakech stencil on top of the traced elephant so that you can trace a row of the quadrefoil design in the center of the elephant. Then place the stencil down again so that the next row of Quadrefoils are about 2/16" apart from each other.  Trace until the whole elephant image has been filled in.

3.  On another piece of cardstock, trace the Quadrefoils 8-10 times with the permanent marker.

4.  Using stencils with smaller design elements in them, trace parts of the stencils within each of the Quadrefoils to give them each a different design. Then color them in with your favorite medium (I used a mixture of Tombows and Sharpie fine tip markers).

The stencils I used below are: Doodle It Dalhia, Net, Slices 6, Curvie Lattice 6, Circle Rays 6, Cornish Petals Small, Eye Lattice, Mini Checkers Small, Journal Texture No. 2. I also used the pattern section on the Elephant Parade.

Also color in the space between each of the Quadrefoils (the part that is kind of like tile grout).  Then cut out the elephant and each of the Quadrefoils and distress around the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink and an applicator.  (Hint: Every time I cut something out of white paper, I distress around the edges with either Vintage Photo or Black Soot to hide the white core of the paper and so that the pieces will blend into the project better).

5.  Now to put together the Quadrefoils.  I placed the elephant down and played around with the different Quadrefoils until I got the look I wanted. Some will be glued down to the elephant and others will be 3D using pop dots.  Knowing that I was not going to use a quadrefoil on the trunk, tail section, or on the bottom of each leg, I went back and did some StenDoodles in these sections.

Then I glued the pieces down, turned the elephant over and trimmed the excess away. The final pieces were the 3 center pieces that I did 3D with pop dots.  I like how these 3 came out looking like a piece of fabric or blanket over the back of the elephant.  Then I applied some stickles in various areas to give it some bling and make it POP.

6.  While the elephant was drying, I took another piece of 8.5" x 5.5" piece of cardstock and distressed around the edges using Scattered Straw, Salty Ocean, and Shaded Lilac distress inks and an applicator.

  

7.  Once the elephant dried, I adhered it to the distressed cardstock with some pop dots.    

Hope you liked this piece and I hope you add this fantastic elephant to your stencil collection.

~Michael

Supply List:

Elephant Parade (L321) by Nathalie Kalbach for StencilGirl Products

Marrakech (L038) by Michelle Ward for StencilGirl Products

Various smaller StencilGirl stencils.  See No. 4, above for a list of what I used in the project.

Strathmore Premium 130lb White Cardstock 

Fine tip permanent marker (Copic, Sharpie, Micron)

Distress inks and an applicator

Pop Dots

Stickles in various colors

Stencil Girl THE BOOK Week Day 2

Welcome to Day TWO!!!!

Today we have THREE new projects for you from the 

Stencil Girl book!

Don't have a copy??

You can get yours HERE and if you order it from our website Mary Beth will autograph it for you and send you the EXCLUSIVE bookmark stencil that only we at StencilGirl have to offer with the book! 

We will be back each and every day this week to show you new projects from new team members.

ENJOY!!

Janet Joehlin

Stencil Girl Book Technique: Let's Get Dimensional

Stencils Used: Seeds, Bullet Holes and Broken Circles

See Janet's Project Tutorial HERE.

Jennifer Priest

Stencil Girl Book Technique: Woulda Coulda Wood Burn

Stencils Used:  Fowl Play and Baily Doily stencils for her project.

See her project HERE.

Michael Trent

Stencil Girl Book Technique Used: Woulda Coulda Wood Burn

Stencils Used: Geomaze, Borders 9J, 6 Point Starry Night 

See his project HERE.

See you tomorrow!!!!
***GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED***

Prize: One lucky winner will receive Stencil Girl The Book with exclusive bookmark stencil and (3) 6"x5" stencils designed by Mary Beth Shaw.

Giveaway will close: Sunday, September 21st @ 11:59PM Central Tme

ALL comments left on the hop are entered in giveaway.

If you don't already, we would LOVE if you would sign-up for our newsletter HERE and follow us on the following Social Media sites to get the latest StencilGirl news!  Facebook, Google+, Pinterest and Bloglovin and YouTube.

StencilGirl and VivaLasVegaStamps Blog Hop Day FOUR

Welcome to Day FOUR!!

Michael Trent

Stencils Used: Complementary, Journal Texture No. 2, Aidan's School Stencil, Net Stencil

See Michael's post and all the products he used HERE.

Please make sure you visit all the stops on the hop today from both teams....

Thursday's Blog Hop List
StencilGirl Talk
Michael Trent
Tera Callihan
Mellpellmell
Viva Las VegaStamps

GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED

Would you like to win a pound of rubber from Viva Las VegaStamps and (4) 6" x 6" stencils from StencilGirl??!! All you have to do is leave a comment on all the blogs all week. ALL comments on ALL days will be entered to WIN! 

We are giving away TWO of these prize packs!

Comments close Sunday, August 31st @ 11:59PM Central.

One comment per post please.

If you don't already, we would LOVE if you would sign-up for our newsletter HERE and follow us on the following Social Media sites to get the latest StencilGirl news!  Facebook, Google+, Pinterest and Bloglovin and YouTube.

"I'd Be LOST Without You" Mixed Media Card

"I'd Be LOST Without You"

The idea for this card began because of an old rubber stamp I found when I was preparing for the Craft Hoarders project and blog hop.  It was an old Amuse stamp that said "I'd be LOST without you".  That got me thinking about summer trips, maps, compasses, riding the subway in NYC, as well as just being in love with someone and being lost without them.  

So, Summer has started.  Trips are being planned. Maps are being looked over. Compasses are being cleaned and packed.  Which way do we want to go? North, South, East, or West?  

Well, no matter the direction, 

"I'd be LOST without you."  

How cute would this card be hidden in a piece of luggage or on a map for the other person to see when it is just opened?

Step by Step:

Step 1 - Lay the Squared Off stencil on a piece of 4" x 5.25" watercolor paper and apply molding paste with a palette knife. I am using a Brasilian brand but use whatever brand is your favorite.  Allow to dry or heat set.

I chose to use this stencil because it looks like a street or subway map and goes perfect with the whole theme of this card.

Step 2 - Place the paper on a craft mat and lightly spray the paper with water.  Then, using a mix of the Ranger Distress Re-inkers and Stains, apply a drop, or a dab, here and there, to the wet paper.  If the colors are not blending as much as you would like, add another spray or two.  Pick up the paper and allow the colors to blend by tilting back and forth or use a makeup sponge to dab the colors out.  Heat set and remove any excess while it is drying with a paper towel. I am using blues, yellows, and greens for a summer feel to the piece.

Step 3: Adhere the Compass Stencil with removable tape (optional), or hold it well with your fingers, and apply the Permanent Red Pan Pastel (or another color if you wish) with a stencil brush (I used a rounded one).  

Step 4: Working with the Font stencil (by Carolyn Dube from the May 2014 StencilGirl Club Kit), CAREFULLY apply more Permanent Red Pan Pastel for the N, S, E, and W points on the compass. I say "carefully" because the Pan Pastels have yet to be sealed and you do not want the compass image to smudge.

This is what you will end up with!

Step 5:  Now to seal.  I followed Carolyn Dube's video and sealed the piece with gel medium and a Gelli plate.  (I only used the corner of my Gelli plate because I only own the very large one).  Use a dab of gel medium on the plate and use a brayer to spread it out.  Then lay your on the gel medium, burnish with your fingers, and carefully remove.  You will have a slight sheen on the piece and once the gel medium dries, it will be sealed.  

Now, if you do not have a Gelli Plate, you will need to use a spray fixative or the pan pastels will smear.

Step 6 - Layer the card.  I trimmed about 1/16th of an inch off each side and adhered to the light green cardstock, which I then adhered to the card front.  

For the inside, I printed the phrase on cardstock and then trimmed and adhered to the inside of the card.

Hope you guys enjoyed this card idea. Whatever your plans are for the summer, I hope you all have a great time!

And please stop by my personal blog HERE to see a cool 4th of July card I made with, of course, StencilGirl Stencils.

Hugs!! ~Michael

Supplies Used:

• Squared Off 6" Stencil (S035), by Mary Beth Shaw for StencilGirl Products
• Compass Stencil (M041) by Mary C. Nasser for StencilGirl Products
• Font by Carolyn Dube from the April 2014 Club Kit for StencilGirl Products

Card Paper Sizes:

• Card base in Blue - 4 1/4" x 11", folded in half.
• Second layer in light green - 4" x 5 1/4"

Other supplies:

• Ranger Distress Re-inkers in Salty Ocean, Shabby Shutters, Squeezed Lemonade
• Ranger Distress Stains in Broken China, Peeled Paint, Picket Fence
• Permanent Red Pan Pastel
• Rounded stencil brush
• Gelli Plate
• Brayer
• Gel Medium
• 4" x 5" piece of watercolor paper
• Molding Paste
• Palette Knife
• Craft Mat
• Spray bottle with water
• Heat Gun (Optional)
• Removable Tape (optional)