Custom Stenciled Backgrounds with Infinity Dies

Last weekend, when I was organizing some of my favorite wood stamps, I came across the adorable Illustrated Bird stamp in my collection. Paired with a few, floral branches and a colorful background, I thought that this small bird image could be the focal point of a delightful card.

I started by stamping the Illustrated Bird onto a panel of white cardstock with Intense Black ink. I colored the image with a few colored pencils, but markers or watercolors would work equally well. Then, before stamping a few branches from the Color Layering Birds and Blossoms set, around the bird, I stamped the bird onto some masking paper, fussy cut around the image, and then positioned the bird mask over the colored image.

To create the custom stenciled background, I started by die cutting five circles from five pieces of masking paper with three sizes of the Circle Infinity Dies. Alternatively, I think that the Nesting Hearts Infinity Dies or the Nesting Clouds Infinity Dies would also make wonderfully patterned backgrounds.

One at a time, with the bird mask still over the bird, I positioned the circle “stencils” onto the card and then applied water-based dye inks over the circles with a foam applicator. Before removing each “stencil”, I splattered the ink with water. After inking the final circle, I also removed the bird mask.

I added a lovely, script sentiment from the Color Layering Water Lilies set that I embossed onto a strip of black cardstock and then secured to the card with foam tape. I also stamped a sentiment from the Birthday Messages set directly onto the inked panel.

To finish the card, I matted the panel with black cardstock and then secured it to a yellow card base. Then, I stamped a small collection of flowers from the Color Layering Birds and Blossoms set, with Butter Bar and Bubble Gum inks, and then used the coordinating dies to cut around each image. After securing the flowers to the card with foam tape, I added a few of my favorite black pearls.

Thanks so much for stopping by today. Wishing you a wonderful, crafty week!