How To Use Stencils

Stencil Embossing Techniques

Embossing works best with good quality paper, but with the embossing tool ANY paper or card may be used. The best way to find out if the paper or card will be suitable is to try embossing it.

Place the stencil of your choice on the front of your card in the position you wish it to appear. You may find it helpful to use stencil tape to hold the stencil in position while you emboss and or colour. Don’t use regular sticky tape this will tear the paper.

Turn the card and the stencil over together so that the stencil is under the paper on a light box. Rub over the design with a dry hard soap (I find that the soap that is made with vegetable oil is by far the best.) This allows the embossing tool to slide easily. Then with your embossing tool just trace around the edges of your design, thus stretching the card down into the stencil. So the order is Light, Stencil, Paper/ Card, Soap, Emboss.

You don’t have to worry if you go over the lines, as an error will not show. Isn’t this great finally a craft that no-one will know if you’ve made a mistake. Remember you only need to go around the edges no need to fill in the whole area. At this stage you may wish to colour your design or maybe do some double embossing.

If you would like to double emboss leave your original stencil in position take a second stencil and place it under the first stencil so that you can emboss through your original stencil. Thus patterning your first design. So know the order is Light, Background Stencil, Original Stencil, Paper/Card Soap and Emboss. Leaving the first stencil in place means that once again you cannot make a mistake.

For easy and effective colouring leave your original stencil in place, turn to the front of your card and decide which colours you are going to use. Now starting with the lightest colour first using a Dabba dab into the pigment ink stamp pad and gently dab on your card. Do not press hard as you will end up with circle marks on you card. If you want more colour go over it more often keep dabbing. Changing colours when you want to. Always start with the lightest colour and go darker this protects your colour palette.

If you like for a different effect you can gently circle your work with the dabba. Gently or you will wear out the sponge on your dabba. This is especially good with double embossing as it tends to highlight the background designs. I like the effect it gives. But remember to be gentle.

A stencil brush can be used instead of dabbas. This is your personal taste. Don’t dab with your stencil brush as it will damage the bristles. Just swirl around and around once again starting with the lightest colour and working darker. It is easier to add more colour than remove it so make it darker gently.
You can also overlay your stencils. So emboss as per the first step, don’t double emboss here. Do your colouring lightly and place a second stencil over the top of your coloured work. With a darker colour gently dab your overlay design. I dab first and then finish it off with the brush for a crisper finish.

A word of warning Dabbas will not get into your fine areas of the stencil so you will need to colour in those areas with a brush. You will quickly find what works for you and what doesn’t. Just try it you will enjoy being creative. And remember there is no right and wrong way if you like it then its right.

Now if you like, you can keep your original stencil in position, place the lot in a sparkle tray, dab PVA glue on the card. Remove the stencil and sprinkle some reflective sparkles over your card. Shake off the excess sparkles. Leave to dry a few minutes and your own original card is ready to give to someone you love. Don’t throw your excess sparkles away. The hole in the corner of your sparkle tray is there to help you pour your sparkles back into the container. No mess, no waste. Brilliant.

Cleaning your stencil brushes and dabbas is easy, just use a bit of dish liquid, rinse and make sure it is perfectly dry before you use it again. Remember that every time you wash a dabba or brush you are washing ink down the sink.

Remember if you use thin paper use the large end of the tool, and if the card is thick use the small end and press harder. Most Important Have Fun.

Instructions for 3 Dimensional Paint

1. Position Stencil on front of Card, facing the correct way and stick down with Stencil Tape. Preferably all the way around.( remember to cover the hanging hole as well)

2. Squeeze 3 Dimensional Paint onto the Stencil using a palette knife/spatula or a very flexible bread and butter knife. Spread 3D paint over the Stencil as if you are icing a cake, filling in all the holes. Do not push down, it will sneak behind the stencil.

3. Using your Credit Card or something similar as a scraper. Hold it perpendicular to the Stencil, drag the scraper across your Stencil (do not push down hard – this will definitely force the 3 D paint under the Stencil.

4. Put the residue that you have just scraped off into a small container. This can be used next time. This way you don’t waste any product.

5. Remove your Stencil Tape – sometimes you can re-use this, Remove your Stencil carefully – place Stencil, palette knife and scraper into water. 3 D paint comes off easily with a soft wet cloth. Just dry your Stencil on a flat cloth with a soft dry cloth. You can use your Stencils again and again. Just make sure they are dry and clean. Clean and dry palette knife and scraper too.

6. Your image will dry hard but still be flexible. If you want at this point while the 3 D Paint is still wet apply glitter to the areas that you want covered. Sprinkle on, shake off. Use your sparkle tray to put excess glitter back into container.

7. Remember the colour of the glitter will be stronger if your 3 D paint is the same colour.

8. When you have mastered this technique start becoming a little adventurous. To do different colours of 3 D paint ensure that the areas are blocked with Stencil Tape. Proceed as before. Your 3 D paint will need to be dry before you replace Stencil and do the next colour.

9. 3 D Paint can be used on Cards, Scrapbooks, Tin, Timber, Plastic, Glass, Furniture, fabric, Denim even stockings. Try it on any flat surface. What have you got to loose.?

10. If you are using 3 D Paint on fabric, use hair spray or spray adhesive on back of stencil to hold in position, instead of the tape, wait 8 hours for it to air dry. .If you are using a stretchy fabric it’s a good idea to place your fabric on sand paper to keep it taut. Before washing it is best to heat set with a hot dry iron the back of the fabric. Just that little bit of extra insurance. When using Puff wait the 8 hours and hold a heat gun over the paint and watch it puff up. You can even puff up on card, it’s not limited to just fabric.

11. The most important thing here is to have heaps of fun, you will be a mazed at how professional your work will look. So Enjoy!!

Glitter Art Instructions

1. For Cards with holes, Open card up and peel of backing paper from sticker. Place sticker on inside of card with sticky part facing out to the front of the card throught the hole ( Here I use single sided sticker)

2. Make sure stencil is clean & dry before you start. Rub soap over stencil. Place stencil in position on front of card, press down so as not to allow glitter to slide under stencil. Pour on glitter and pat down into posiiton. If you pat the glitter down it becomes a stronger colour.

3. If you want to use different coloured glitters, pour glitter in position so that you can pour it off without getting any on any other sticky part. So I usually start from the outside of the design and work inwards. Remember once your glitter is stuck to the sticker no other glitter will stick in that posiition.

4. Shake off all glitter. Carefully, before peeling away the stencil.. I find it best to rip it off quickly thisstops the glitter sliding under the stencil, upside down if possible.

5. For the balnce of the card cover the remaining sticker with with clear glass sparkles. these don't have any colour, they only reflect what is behind them - in this case it is a white sticker so that's what will show through. So this will not detract from your brilliant design.

6. Shake the glitter off first and then the sparkles don't mix the two together. We use a sparkle tray to catch all the glitter. 99% goes back into the container and 1% goes on your face if this doesn't happen you are probably not having enough fun.

To use double sided sticker or Jac paper as it is commonly known. Just stick one side of the sticker to the front of your card in position, remover the other side of the Jac paper and follow the instuctions above.

If you have embossed your card and feel like lifting up part of it for example a butterfly and you want ot lift one wing. Then just cut around the area you are wanting to lift I use the incere knife this has a shorter blade and is easier to use as it doesn't wobble. Make sure you are working on a cutting mat. Place some single sided sticker behind the cut out part pressing the card down from the front of the card. Sprinkle some glitter in under the wing. press it down once again to make it a stronger colour.

The most important thing is while you are creating cards have heaps of fun and remember to do it all over the sparkle tray. If your colours happen to mix just start up a mixed up container and use those mixed colours in something different. You sometimes end up with the loveliest colours.

The reason we rub over stencils with soap first is because we find this allows the stencil to stick to do the glitter work but it also allows you to easily remove the stencil without damaging the card creation you have just made.

r ArtGlitte