Happy Birthday

Having recently gifted myself with a slew of stamping toys at even less than bargain basement prices, I’ve been having some really good times playing with them . . .

One of my most fun ideas came as I was looking at my collection of oversized stencils I had ordered, thinking they were standard sized.  Nope – they measure 11” by 7”, and while gazing at their abundance, that’s when my brainstorm arrived.  Why not stencil the entire card base instead of just the front?  So I cut the usual 8.5” x 5.5” A2 card base and stenciled the whole thing.  To insure even inking, I waited until after the stenciling to score the fold.

I LOVE the results and plan to put all of my oversized stencils to work on my future projects.  Why ever not?  If I’m already stenciling a background on the front, then the supplies are assembled, the cardstock is taped down and likewise the stencil, so why not just keep going?

For use with standard-sized stencils and most especially with delicate and/or oversized ones, I have become a raging fan of Pixie Spray.  That stuff is amazing!  I get crisp results with no ink seepage when I spray the backs of my stencils with it.  So I’ve just ordered two more cans of it (Scrapbook.com has the best price) because I don’t ever want to be without it.

Cardstock:   Canson Montval Watercolor #140

Stamps:       Unknown Splatter

Inks:             Distress Antique Linen, Peeled Paint, Superior India

Ink Black

Dies:            Tim Holtz Tangled Twigs, Temu Words: Happy Birthday                    

Stencil:        Finnabair Manuscript, A Colorful Life Veined Oak Leaf

Doo Dads:    May Arts Jute, Skeleton Leaf, Inkssentials Enamel

                      Accents Black