Little Christmas (January 6) Gift-tags

November 4, I posted about creating mix-and-match sheets of wild-and-crazy combinations of stencil-prints cut into pieces, then glued haphazardly onto a sturdy cardstock.

I'll repeat that post below, since it's the backstory on today's post:

You can click on the above image to enlarge it and better see details.  I've made gift-tags cut from these mix-and-match sheets.  I've attached them to gifts for friends in celebration of Little Christmas (January 6.)  The only change I made to the cut-outs was to add foil strips down the center of each.  The top strip is metallic silver and the bottom strip is gold that fails to show up as metallic here in this photo.

Now for the backstory --

 Making loose-sheet prints with stencils is so much fun, it's easy for me to get carried away, to the point that printed papers threaten to stack to the ceiling!

Today my decision is to cut some stencil-printed papers, to turn them into scraps -- 

Above are some of my scraps; they're piled atop several pieces of sturdy cardstock, ready to start a journey toward new life!

Below, I've started to randomly glue scraps to a backing of sturdy cardstock.  I use a Pioneer brand embellishment gluestick.  After gluing each piece to the background, I roll over it with a rubber brayer to make sure it's completely flattened ....

The following 4 photos show cardstock-backed collages, all ready to ignite ideas for new projects.  

Below:  a close-up detail of one of these collages of scraps:

For my first project, I decide to audition stencils and masks of a specific type -- I want silhouette-like imagery with large open areas and few small details.

Auditioned stencils and masks above:  L to R, top row:  Small Thistles (6" x 6"), Pair o' Parrots (6" x 6") and Hot Air Balloon Stencils and Masks (which come in two sizes.)  Middle right:  Osprey Wings (6" x 6") and Heron (6" x 6").  Bottom L to R:  Thistle (9" x 12") and Cats (6" x 6").

Below, I'm using a watercolor pencil to trace an outline inside the open shape of a mask from one of the two sets Hot Air Balloon Stencils and Masks.  For this first outlining, I'm using the larger of the two hot air balloon sets.

Next, I use the same watercolor pencil to trace around a mask from the same set -- but this time, I'm using the smaller of the two sizes that are available in the hot air balloon sets.

Note:  This mask has been stained with orange acrylic paint from a previous project.

Now that this shape has been traced out in two sizes, I'm ready to cut out both images with fine-detail scissors.  You can click on the photo below to enlarge it and better see detail --

Below you can see the two hot air balloon shapes, now cut out.  If a watercolor pencil leaves marks after the shape is cut out, they can be easily erased later with a water-dampened cotton swab.

Above:  A close-up shot of these two shapes glued to a giftbag (the bag has been sprayed with a metallic gold watercolor in a mister spray bottle.)  Below:  the giftbag itself.

 Now, I decide to trace another hot air balloon on the scrap-collaged paper, cut it out, and take advantage of its sturdy cardstock backing by making a three-dimensional greeting card.
  

The photo above shows my cut-out being auditioned on the front side of a greeting card blank cut from metallic bronze cardstock (from JAMPaper.com). On the upper right is a box of Glue Dots.  Upper left:  the roll of glue dots that I've taken out of the box.

Below, you can see the back of the cut-out and the glue dots I'm placing on it.  Its base of sturdy cardstock is really important in working toward a 3D finish.

Front view of the finished greeting card cover --

-- and here's a view from the side:

Above:  When cutting out the heron that I'd traced onto the scrap-collage, I used an X-acto knife and cutting board instead of fine-detail scissors, because of the small-scale details of the legs and feet.

After the heron got a ribbon around its neck -- again the cardstock backing was very helpful -- it went onto another giftbag that I'd previously sprayed with a metallic gold watercolor.

A close-up--

More giftbags and close-ups:

In the final photo above, you can see that I cut out a paper heart and added it to the cat ... couldn't help myself!

Plain paper giftbags are available here and in some brick-and-mortar art and craft supply stores.

Thanks for visiting here today!  To follow my blog by email, please use that option in the upper right sidebar.  To scroll thru the pages of my StencilGirl stencils and masks, please start here.

PRESSED LEAVES

I was happy to see one of my stencils, 6" x 6" Pressed Leaves, used here today; MaryBeth Shaw chose it, along with other StencilGirl stencils, for developing that impressive, multi-layered art journal page.  

6" x 6" Pressed Leaves

Happy New Year!   

More Christmas Ideas with Stencils

Altho Christmas greeting cards are the thrust of today's post, I need to add that these ideas also work as ways to decorate giftbags and to create gift-tags.

The first 3 cards below were made with the same cardstock that I described in my Dec. 15 post -- it's a sturdy cardstock with tiny embedded particles (perhaps ground mica) that reflect light, making a jazzy frame for any decoration to be added.

I buy most of my greeting card blanks from JamPaper.com.  This one measures just under 6"x 6"... and perfectly fits my  6"x 6" stencil.  And its corresponding envelope is exactly 6" x 6", which means there is a surcharge for mailing it.  I handle this problem by using two regular postal stamps.

Sturdy cardstock is important when the greeting card cover has to easily support coarse modeling paste mixed with silver metallic powder -- which is what I used in today's first 2 cards: 

The card above was made with my 6"x 6" stencil BUDDING BRANCHES.

The above Christmas card was made with my 6"x 6" stencil Swaying Grasses.

The above card was made with part of my 9" x 12" stencil Queen Anne's Lace.

I created the top 2 cards using an art spatula to spread coarse modeling paste (mixed with silver mica powder) thru the stencil openings.  After the paste dried, I added highlights with glitter glue.

My approach to the third card, made with a portion of Queen Anne's Lace, was to spray acrylic paint thru the stencil openings.  Since this stencil measures 9"x 12", I masked off portions of the stencil to keep them from showing.  The same finishing touch was used on this third Christmas card, altho you may have to click on the image to enlarge it, to better see the glitter glue.

Acrylic spray paint is available on store shelves, but I make my own, so I can mix custom colors.  (See the photo below.)  I buy spray bottles at drug stores (in the traveling supplies section); then I fill them with a mix of acrylic liquid paint, water and airbrush medium.  The ratio of water to acrylic liquid paint varies, depending on whether I want to end up with a heavy spray or a light one.  The amount of airbrush medium never varies -- it's always just a few drops per spray bottle.  I clean the spray nozzles after each use.  But if they clog between uses, anyway, then I use rubbing alcohol to clear them.

Because the dark bronze metallic cardstock is just that -- very dark -- I sometimes line the insides of the cards with lightweight papers, cut to fit.  

Above is what the inside of my cards looks like, after the light paper is added.

At times, I skip that step and, instead, use white markers or pens to fill out the inside of these greeting cards.

Today's last Christmas card was made with my 4"x 4" Fern Fronds Silhouette Mini Stencil:

I made this final card by spreading heavy-body metallic silver acrylic paint across the stencil, on a substrate of dark blue paper.  Once the paint dried, I cut out the image with decorative Friskar scissors.  After gluing this to a white greeting card blank with an extra-strong gluestick, I outlined it with glitter glue.  I also used glitter on the red center of the candle's flame.  

Thanks for stopping by today!  To scroll thru the pages of my StencilGirl stencils and masks, please start here.

PRESSED LEAVES Stencil used to Make a Christmas Card

Today's post highlights two photos of the same Christmas card cover --

The top photo comes close to showing the luminosity of these winter leaves, created with my 6" x 6" stencil Pressed Leaves and paint that I'll describe below. And, after that paint dried, I outlined the leaves with silvery glitter glue (Ranger Industries.)

The second photo comes closer to showing the metallic dark bronze background as it really is -- this cardstock boasts a beautifully deep color with embedded flakes that give it a delightful luster.

I buy most of my greeting card blanks from JamPaper.com.  This one measures just under 6"x 6"... and perfectly fits my  6"x 6" stencil.  And its corresponding envelope is exactly 6" x 6", which means there is a surcharge for mailing it.  I handle this problem by using two regular postal stamps.

For making the imprint, I stirred up a custom blend of light modeling paste and Schmincke silver metallic powder.  (This powder is to be used with caution.  Working with it, I wear disposable gloves and am very careful to avoid letting the powder get airborne, where it could be breathed.  Wearing a dust mask is recommended.)

After spreading the paint thru the stencil, I immediately set the stencil down into a basin of water, where it waited till I could later lift it out and wipe it clean with paper toweling or an old rag.  I don't clean stencils after using regular acrylic paint with them, but when using a thick, three-dimensional medium with stencils, I want to keep the medium from drying on them.  Dried thick media could easily change the shapes of some stencil openings or block some openings altogether. 

Instead of using this custom mix, I could have instead chosen high-body silver metallic acrylic paint, which is probably easier for artists to find.  But I wanted to experiment.  Customizing is fun!

Thank you for visiting my blog today!  To scroll thru the pages of my StencilGirl stencils and masks, please start here.

Mind-Opening Ideas for Christmas Cards

Here I had been thinking that I was pretty much alone in using stencils and masks of unexpected design, in making art to celebrate holidays that include Christmas and Valentine's Day.  Not so!  Check out this delightful array of Christmas cards!  Here you can see thinking outside the box at its very best!  This is the reason to make art, my friends -- the fun of adventuring into new territories!

More Christmas Cards

Today's post starts with this Christmas card -- 

The above Christmas card was created with Winter Berries Mask; I used it both in creating the background as well as decorating the textured foil rectangle that forms the pillar candle.

Winter Berries Mask itself looks like this --

The next card in today's post took more time to develop.

First, I gathered prints I'd made with two 6" x 6" stencils --  Marbles 6 stencil and Sprigs.

Secondly, copying an idea from a commercial greeting card, I drew three Magi on scrap paper.

My third step was to cut out each of the scrap paper figures.  One at a time, I used these as patterns -- I placed them over the stencil-prints and traced around their edges with colored pencils that matched the colors that had been used in printing them.  (Matching colors make the tracing lines look less obvious.)

Next, I used fine-detail scissors to cut out the shapes of the Magi from the stencil-prints.

I glued them to the cover of a greeting card blank to make the card below --

The far-left and far-right Magi were cut from prints made with 6" x 6" stencil Sprigs --

And the center Magi was cut from a print made using 6" x 6" Marbles 6 stencil...

The star was a freehand cut-out.  Or you can join StencilClub and buy the star-themed 3-part stencil set by Mary C. Nasser, which came out August 2017.

Thanks for visiting here today!  To scroll thru the pages of my StencilGirl stencils, please start here.

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Christmas Uses for Stencil Prints

Today's post includes both Christmas giftbags and Christmas cards.  First, a full-view shot of a giftbag collaged with a background of a dyed page from a songbook:  a Christmas song.  Over that, I added a tree made from stencil-printed paper.  

Below:  a close-up of the collage --

Stencils used in making the tree's prints --

6" x 6" Sprigs

and

6" x 6" Trivet A 

Below are two Christmas cards made this year ; the three trees were made using prints made with the same two stencils shown above.  On the right, the candle was cut from a print made with Sprigs.

Close-ups:

My cardstock blanks come from JAMPaper.com and most of them have a built-in metallic sheen, like the green card above.

The silver crown comes from a collection of similar decorations given to me a long time ago by a dear friend who has since passed away.

Below is a candle made from a cut-out of paper printed with my 6" x 6" stencil Mimosa 6 --

Mimosa 6

Thanks for visiting here today!  To scroll thru the pages of my StencilGirl stencils and masks, please start here.