stenciling - Right as Rain

Holiday Trees Mixed-Media Stenciling

Hello! Today, I’m sharing two mixed-media holiday cards featuring the Tim Holtz Tree Lot stencil that start with the same design but are finished in different ways. On both, the background begins with a monoprint. From there, I explored two approaches. One version combines inking with Sparkle paste, while the other layers paste with Distress Glazes for dimensional shine. It’s a fun reminder of how many directions a single stencil can take you.

Both cards start with a monoprint of the Tree Lot stencil on watercolor paper with Frosty Mint Mica Stain. To note, Ranger’s Mica Stains are not part of the Distress Ink color line from Tim Holtz, so you won’t find them in the standard Distress collection colors.

For the first card, once the monoprint is dry, stencil the trees with Twisted Citron, Lucky Clover, and Mowed Lawn inks. Clean the stencil. Add Sparkle paste through the stencil and set the panel aside to dry. Once dry, trim to 4″ x 7 1/2″, and add to a card base.

Heat-emboss the Bold Tidings Mini sentiment in Princess Gold on white cardstock and cut with a square die. Add a slightly larger vellum square. Add the assembly to the card base with foam adhesive.

For the second card, once the monoprint is dry, add Sparkle paste through the Tree Lot stencil. Sprinkle on Distress Glazes in Twisted Citron, Cracked Pistachio, and Rustic Wilderness. (I started with the Rustic Wilderness; next time, I plan to start with the lightest glaze first.) Set panel aside to dry; when dry, heat-emboss the glazes. Once dry, trim to 4″ x 7 1/2″, and add to a card base. For more inspiration, you can see two cards using this technique and the same stencil HERE.

Heat-emboss the Bold Tidings Mini sentiment in Silver on white cardstock and cut with a square die. Add a slightly larger vellum square. Add the assembly to the card base with foam adhesive.

Mixed Media Christmas Card

Hello! Today I’m sharing a Christmas card created with Tim Holtz products. The sentiment and focal items are kept understated to spotlight the background, where the texture and dimension really come through. This mixed media approach is a bit different from my usual clean style, but it’s been fun to experiment.

- Create a monoprint with the Tiny Poinsettia stencil using Decayed Mica Stain. I shared another stencil monoprint card HERE.
- Once dry, ink the poinsettias with the stencil in place.
- Apply Twinkle paste through the stencil and set aside to dry. I noticed that the colors change considerably with the application of the paste.
- Trim and mat the panel with gold cardstock. Add the assembly to a card base covered with seasonal patterned paper (I used Carta Bella from several years ago). The overall size is 4 3/4″ x 6 7/8″.
- Stamp the Festive Overlay sentiment in Library Green ink on off-white cardstock. Cut with a circle die. Mat with a slightly larger vellum circle. Add to the base.
- Cut the bells with dies in the Festive Things set. Assemble and add to the prepared base.

A Tim Holtz-Inspired Holiday Card

Hello! Mixed media isn’t my usual cardmaking style, but it’s always fun to step outside my comfort zone and experiment. For this Christmas card, I used a variety of Tim Holtz products including stenciling and alcohol inking. The variety of mediums adds character and depth to the design—each layer contributing its own texture and visual interest. It’s a festive project full of wintery sparkle and creative play.

- To begin, create a card base 3 3/4″ x 6 7/8″ from woodgrain cardstock. Ink the sides of the cardstock with Gathered Twigs.
- Next, create a monoprint on watercolor paper with the Pinecones stencil using Antique Linen Distress Spray and water. There are several of the Tim Holtz makers who regularly use this technique. Once dry, stencil in the pinecones and greenery. Apply the Sparkle paste through the panel and set aside to dry. Tim Holtz recently created a video discussing the many pastes available.; it proved to be an invaluable resource.
- Once dry, you can add Antique Linen ink to the cardstock since the areas covered by the paste resist the ink. This can help fill in bare spots from the monoprint method.
- Cut the bird from alcohol-inked black cardstock. I used the same formula as on this card.
- Cut the greenery, from cardstock to which Distress ink has been applied, with dies in the Holiday Greens set. Add a snow effect by applying Snowfall Grit paste and Rock Candy glitter.
- Stamp the Festive Overlay sentiment on to cardstock and cut with a circle die. Cut a vellum circle slightly larger. Adhere the two.
- Trim the stenciled panel and add to the card base. Add sentiment circle, greenery, and bird.

It’s a bit more involved than my usual clean and simple cards, but worth every step for the texture and sparkle it brings to the finished design.

CAS Stenciled Christmas Card

Hello! Today, I’m sharing a clean and simple Christmas card created with Simon Hurley products that captures the season’s elegance in just a few details. The background was made with the multi-part Festive Poinsettias stencil, blending classic holiday reds and greens. To complete the design, I heat-embossed the Sketched Snowmen sentiment in green and framed it with a touch of gold.

- With the first stencil in the Festive Poinsettias set, stencil the poinsettia petals on to Bristol cardstock with Candied Apple ink. With the second stencil, color the greenery with Mowed Lawn. The third stencil has details for both the poinsettia and the greenery. Stencil Archival Vermillion on the poinsettias (masking the areas for the greenery) and stencil Rustic Wilderness on the greenery, masking the poinsettias. Finally, add Champagne Gold Stencil Butter to the centers of the poinsettias, masking the other holes on the fourth stencil. (I decided that I only wanted the gold in the flower centers).
- Once dry, trim the stenciled panel and add to an A2-size card base.
- Heat-emboss the sentiment from the Sketched Snowmen set in Green and cut it with a rectangle die. Add to a gold cardstock mat with foam adhesive. Add assembly to card base.

I love how the layered stenciling adds depth while keeping the card clean and modern.

Spellbinders | A Little Fall Charm

Hello! Autumn brings with it a sense of warmth and coziness, and I wanted to capture that feeling on my latest card. Using the September Stamp and Die Club offering at Spellbinders, I created a design filled with fall icons including acorns, pumpkins, pinecones, and squash. The sentiment, “a little fall charm, just for you,” makes it perfect for sharing the beauty of the season with someone special.

- Create an A2-size card base with Fawn cardstock.
- Using the September Clear Stamp set, stamp the sentiment and images with Potting Soil ink. Stencil the stamped images with Distress Inks using the Autumn Whim stencil (the September Deluxe Caboodle offering). Cut with the coordinating dies.
- Add sentiment and images to the prepared card base with foam squares.