As part of the Gina K July release (now available!) is a new innovative and creative system that she and Jennifer McGuire came up with: the Stencil Builder. It is similar to Gina’s wreath builder, if you’ve used that, but for stencils.

I took their class at Simon Says Stamp’s Create event in May, and that was the product we used in that class, so I got an earlier peek at it. I have a few cards to share that I’ll be adding over the next day or two.

Techniques:

• I used the new Rays Stencil Builder in 3 colors to create the sun’s rays, and blended the ink deeper toward the center of the stencil and lightened it as I worked outward.

• The sun is die cut using the new Layered Sunshine Dies. I stamped and embossed in white on it, and then added some light orange blending in the center to add some interest and let that white embossing stand out even more.

• “You are” was stamped using the “You are a delight” stamp from the new Everything Brighter stamp set by using masking to mask off the other parts while I stamped those two words one and a time. (I could have done them at once, and just masked off the other parts, but I wanted them to be left aligned.)

Colors:

• cardstock: Concord & 9th Sorbet and Buttercup, Hammermill White.

• ink colors: Concord & 9th Watermelon, Creamsicle, and Buttercup. Versafine Onyx Black

Techniques:

• When I’m trying to decide how layering stencils look together, I often hold them up to a window or a light. It is an easy and effective way to see how they fit together!

• I chose three colors for the main stenciling, and decided to do the larger shape lighter than the smaller one. You can do this with just three inks by varying the amount of ink and the pressure you put on the brush, or you can choose 2 pairs of 3, with the values you want.

• I intentionally shifted the Solar Paste and stamping. I could have spaced it out to be perfectly spaced and balanced with the petal shapes, but I liked the variation and interest that brought. It actually adds to the sense of motion/energy to have it be less perfectly spaced.

This one went off on a bit of a tangent, but the stencil shape gave me an idea so I had to try it. It is definitely a different approach to these stencil sets.

I was inspired by the shape of the Teardrop Stencil builder set for this trifold card. I wanted to create an organic flow feel in one color way, and have a second complementary color way for the next panel, with a peek showing. I had planned to get more pictures of the steps and process, but I got into the zone of creating and forgot to stop and do that.

Techniques:

• I started with stenciling the Teardrops in shades of blues on a light blue cardstock. I placed them to evoke a feeling of flow from the lower left corner up and to the right. It was like a puzzle to fit them in as tightly as I could to minimize odd spaces between, while still staying true to the shape.

• Once that stenciling and blending was done, I outlined them all with a black Posca pen, filled in some spaces, and cut out the top and right sides to have that organic edge around the teardrops.

• The next inside panel is blended in Buttercup yellow and light orange Creamsicle on Nectar cardstock. I wanted to play with the juxtaposition of the cool and organic front to a more geometric and warm colored next panel.

• I used the Rays stencil to add some subtle bars of color on that Nectar panel. I taped off the sides so I had one segment ready to use, and blended the Buttercup and Creamsicle in roughly alternating order across the top of that panel. I shifted the stencil each time to add some variation to the angle and overlap, but always blended from the bottom (toward the center of the card panel) up toward the top edge. I blended Creamsicle ink from the bottom of the panel up toward these blended lines, so there is a general shift in color intensity from the bottom to the top of the panel.

• The black circular base for the sentiment on that orange panel ties in with the black outlines used on the front panel, and provides a dose of continuity and consistency from front to inside.

Sometimes you have to experiment and try things. As Gina says, it is only paper, right? What do you think? Does it work, or is it just crazy? Either way, It was fun to play!

Thank you for visiting! I hope you get some time to create something soon.

Links are below if you’re interested in any of the products I used.

Supply list*:

(Listed by company, with links to Simon Says Stamp and others. Simon Says Stamp links are affiliate links*.)

*Affiliate links do not cost you any more when you shop, but it is beneficial to creators when you use them, so thanks in advance!