Stenciled Backgrounds

Once the air starts to cool and the days get shorter, trends shift toward warmer colors and more texture for clothing, home decor and even paper crafting. My autumn cards always use deeper, warmer colors such as reds, browns, oranges and creams instead of the brighter tones and white commonly used in the summer months. In addition to a richer color palette, I also reach for the texture pastes and foils to add dimension and dynamics to my harvest-season cards.

- Kimber McGray

Pastes and foils used in conjunction with stencils and eye catching ink colors can create dramatic backgrounds for your cards. Stencils allow you to create clean and crisp design elements and also help to mold the mediums.

To start, gather kraft, cream and warmer color card stock for your card base. Next, choose a stencil for your background design. Stencils are typically made out of ridged plastic, so you will need to add some repositionable adhesive on the back or use painter’s tape or washi tape to keep your stencil in place as you use it. You can use stencils without any tape or adhesive, but I am one that can’t seem to keep my paper and/or stencil in place as I use it. When it shifts, the medium or ink being applied can wind up in the wrong spot. Some crafters would just roll with this and use the happy accident. I prefer a cleaner style of card making, so those shifts and misapplication of the medium ruin a project for me.