Art Journal & Cards with StencilGirl Products

Stenciled Shimmer Sheetz Art Journal & Cards

by Judi Kauffman for StencilGirl Products

Hi, everyone! Judi Kauffman here! Excited to be back as a Guest Designer sharing new projects! I’ve turned to Shimmer Sheetz yet again because it’s so much fun to stencil and I love the sparkle.

With just two stencils and one mask, plus two 5” x 12” pieces of Shimmer Sheetz, a blank journal, some paint and cardstock, I was able to complete the front cover of an art journal and six note cards – nary a scrap wasted.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Paint the front cover of an art journal using teal metallic paint or any other color(s) you prefer. (The covers of my book were originally black and after adding torn paper scraps for added texture I base-coated both front and back with black paint prior to the teal metallic.) Don’t worry if some of the paint gets onto the coil binding rings. Optional – repeat for the back cover.

2. Use black paint and the stencil shown at the right in the photo below (or a stencil you prefer) to add pattern to the front cover of the journal. Optional – repeat for the back cover.

3. Use bronze paint and the mask shown at the left in the photo above to create another layer of texture along the left side of the cover. After the bronze paint is dry, repeat with black to create a third layer and more distinct pattern. Optional – repeat for the back cover.

4. Alter one 5” x 12” piece of Australian Opal Gemstone Shimmer Sheetz with alcohol inks in Stream and Metallic Gold, using more Stream than Gold. Alter one 5” x 12” piece of Black Iridescent Shimmer Sheetz with the same two inks, but using more Gold than Stream. Tip: Use an Ink Applicator Tool to randomly dab on the inks. Drying time: only a couple of minutes.

5. Using the two stencils shown in the photo above, stencil over the alcohol ink-altered Shimmer Sheetz using bronze and black acrylic paints (the same colors used for the journal cover). Drying time: Depends on the weather (longer if it’s humid) and how thickly paint is applied.

6. While you’re at it, stencil three or four 4” x 6” pieces of burgundy laid-finish cardstock with the same three stencils that were used for the cover and the Shimmer Sheetz pieces. Save these pieces until step 10.

7. Back the Shimmer Sheetz pieces with double-sided adhesive sheet. Die cut at least two 2.75” diameter circles from the Shimmer Sheetz, taking care to center the stenciled circle pattern within the die when cutting. (See *Reminder just above the supply list for tips on die cutting Shimmer Sheetz.)

8. Cut at least two rectangles for the front over. Shown: Top rectangle = 2.5” wide x 3.5” high; bottom rectangle = 2.5” wide x 2.25” high. Cut at least two of the circles die cut in step 7 into two pieces. Use the lines within the stenciled design as a guide – the circles are not cut precisely in half. 

9. Add the two rectangles and 4 sections of the circles to the cover as shown in the photos above (or create a collage that better suits your eye!).

10. Use the remaining pieces of Shimmer Sheetz, along with the stenciled burgundy cardstock, to create collage-style note cards.

MORE OPTIONS FOR JOURNAL FRONT AND NOTE CARDS

Using black cardstock for the card base adds an elegant touch, but it doesn’t have to be black and it doesn’t have to be a solid color. Make a batch that is all one style or mix things up!

Do more stenciling or painting; add torn cardstock or paper layers as well as die- or hand-cut shapes. (Cut Shimmer Sheetz with scissors, paper trimmer, craft knife, or dies – it’s Mylar and can’t be torn.)

Add low-relief dimensional embellishments, found objects, and/or paper ephemera (canceled stamps and such).

Do some hand- or machine-stitching on the cards. (Do not machine-stitch through adhesive-backed Shimmer Sheetz. It will gum up the needle and cause problems.) To hand-stitch on the journal cover, use an awl to pierce a few widely-spaced holes.

*Reminder: To die cut Shimmer Sheetz – if you are cutting with a thin metal die like the ‘Stitched Circle’ I chose, you MUST use a metal adaptor plate inside your machine’s standard cutting plate ‘sandwich’ or the Sizzix Big Shot with the Precision Base Plate. However, if you are using a Sizzix Bigz die OR have access to a full size AccuCut GrandeMARK machine and standard dies you do not need the metal plate.

SUPPLIES

StencilGirl Products –

• Sunburst by Daniella Woolf
• Nested Squares by Carol Wiebe
• Tall Reeds by Rae Missigman

Other –

• 5” x 7” coil-bound journal with black covers
• Shimmer Sheetz in Australian Opal Gemstone and Black Iridescent – 5” x 12” sheet in each color (Elizabeth Craft Designs)
• Stitched Circles die set; two 5” x 12” Clear Double Sided Adhesive Sheets; Clear Double Sided Adhesive Tape in width of choice (Elizabeth Craft Designs)
• Sizzix Big Shot with Precision Base Plate
• DecoArt paints – Dazzling Metallics in Peacock Pearl and Bronze; Americana Acrylic in Ebony Black
• Stencil brush
• Alcohol inks in Stream and Gold Metallic; Ink applicator tool (Ranger)
• Cardstock in Burgundy with laid-finish (subtle stripe texture); Black with vellum-finish (smooth)