Spotlight Technique using stencils

Hi Everyone,

I hope you have been enjoying all the fantastic inspiration our Team has provided in relation to the Spotlight Technique - have you tried it yourself yet? We have some lovely entries into our challenge already, and we can't wait to see more!

Today, I am sharing two more cards with this lovely technique, but in both cases - instead of die-cutting the spotlighted element - I used layers of stencils. Let's have a look!

Card 1

1. I started with stencilling the Retro Curves onto black cardstock, using white pigment ink. 

2. Once the pigment ink dried, I placed a circle stencil (which I made myself, using some cardstock scraps & circle dies) over the black panel, and sponged the Cracked Pistachio Distress Oxide Ink on top. 

3. I also sprayed the whole panel with water mixed with Perfect Pearls, for some additional sparkle, and to "activate" the Oxide Ink. 

4. On a piece of vellum, I heat embossed the lovely Mudra butterfly in gold, and fussy cut it. 

5. I used the same embossing powder for my sentiment, which I placed within one of the circles. 

6. I ran the whole panel through my die-cutting machine, to add some stitching & scalloped edges. 

7. Finally, I adhered the panel to a card base, and adhered the vellum butterfly.

Card 2

1. This card was made in a similar way to the first one, with some slightly different steps. 

2. I started with sponging grey ink onto the whole card panel, using the gorgeous Floral Abstract stencil. 

3. Without removing the stencil this time, I additionally placed my home-made circle stencil on top of the Floral Abstract one, and sponged on Picked Raspberry and Mowed Lawn Distress Inks where applicable.

4. Not to have such a stark white background, I lightly brushed over the whole panel with grey ink, using stencil brushes - this ensured a very delicate layer of ink. Since I used Bazzil cardstock, which has a slightly uneven surface (it's not fully smooth), brushing over the panel with the ink gave a nice "marbling" effect. 

5. I stamped the sentiment with black ink, and added a few enamel dots in matching colours. 

6. Finally, I slightly trimmed the panel on the edges, and adhered it to a pink card base. I really love how this turned out!

Card 3 - revisiting the distress watercolour lifting technique

1. I covered a panel of watercolour paper with various greens and blues from my Distress Ink collection. 

2. Next, I stamped some images from the You Are Sweet set onto the panel, making them look like little sweets. I used Versamark Ink, and covered it with clear heat embossing powder, which I melted. 

3. Once everything cooled down, I brushed a lot of clear water all over the panel, to lift the colour off the paper - where the images were heat embossed, the darker colour was "trapped", and everything around faded down... 

4. I ran the panel through my die-cutting machine, to add the stitching detail. 

5. I prepared a strip of vellum, and stamped the sentiment. I combined words from the Wishing You and the You Are Sweet sets, in order to make the sentiment applicable to the card. 

6. I wrapped the strip of vellum around my card panel, and adhered it all to a navy card base. 

7. As a final touch, I adhered a few small sequins by Mudra here and there. 

Hope you enjoy today's cards. Here's what I used to make them:

 

Please don't forget to participate in the current fun challenge - Spotlight Technique.

Mudra stamps are now available at the following Retailers:

The Craft Shop
Hndmd

Crafters Corner, India

Crafts Need
Anandha Stationery
Hindustan Trading Company
Kat Scrappiness
Art and Craft Store - Noida
The Craft Store, Srilanka
Papercurves, UAE
Scrapbook Boutique, Australia

Have a great day,

Mirella