My Cards and Tags: Making Masks and Stencils from a Stamp

This week's Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Theme is, "Things with Wings."  I went for a classic bird shape, which I made into five ATC's.

My bird shape started out as an adorable Darkroom Door stamp called "Robin."  You can easily turn any stamp into a simple stencil/mask combo by stamping the image, then fussy-cutting around it.  I don't stab a hole in the middle to cut the shape out because I want to preserve the inside shape, too.  So I just cut straight into the image from the edge of the paper and then tape that cut back together after I've cut the middle out (you can see my "supplementary cut" if you look closely at the lower right corner of the image).

Now you have a stencil you can use to trace other birds (which is what I did) and you have the inside bird, which you can flip over and use the back of to decorate (which I also did).

Next was to make my ATC backgrounds.  I started with Strathmore Mixed Media paper and cut out the cards with a Project Life die and my Sizzix Big Shot (my cards aren't true ATC's because they're 3" x 4", but I went with it anyway).  I glued on scraps of patterned paper cut in circles and strips and added some Washi tape.

I followed this with some acrylic paint.  I used a lot of white and then some streaks of color.  As usual, probably because I'm lazy, I smeared the paint on with my fingers instead of using brushes.

With my backgrounds complete, I went on to embellish either the bird shape or the negative bird shape from the stencils/masks I made earlier.

On the card below, I added some stamping, more Washi, and Distress Ink.  I left the card background showing through my bird stencil.  I also added a sentiment word to each ATC.  The text stamping on every card is from the same Paper Artsy stamp set.  I also used Tim Holtz Symphony Washi and Doodlebug Spring Garden Washi on several of the cards.

On this next card, I used a Seth Apter Spellbinders ring in the background (Robo Rings set), but I used the negative space left between two of the rings that I cut instead of one of the actual ring shapes.  I went with kind of a party raven vibe.

The card below utilizes another Seth Apter die (Ring Around) and I cut the bird out of some floral patterned paper from the Happiness is Homemade collection by Echo Park.  I used the new Tim Holtz Lower Type alphabet stamps (sideways) for some lettering in the back.  The "I have a song" sentiment is from an old book.

For the card below, I used another Seth Apter die (Splatter Proof) and some Tim holtz ruler ribbon.  I'm loving Bo bunny's Faith collection, where the yellow polka-dot patterned paper came from.

Lastly, on this pink version, I used another bird stencil and let the background show through.  I also used some Washi from my stash.  The gray circles that I stamped are from Simon Says Stamp's I Love Donuts stamp set.

Here are the supplies I used, which you can find at Simon Says Stamp:

Darkroom Door Robin Cling Stamp	Strathmore Mixed Media Paper	Becky Higgins Project Life die set	Sizzix Big Shot	Tim Holtz Idea-ology TISSUE TAPE SYMPHONY Music Self Adhesive Vintage Paper
Tim Holtz Idea-ology VINTAGE Design Tape	Doodlebug Dainty Dots Spring Garden Washi Tape	Seth Apter Spellbinders Splatter Proof dies	Seth Apter Spellbinders Ring Round Die Set	Seth Apter Spellbinders Robo Rings Die Set
Happiness is Homemade 12 x 12 paper by Echo Park	Simon Says Stamp I Love Donuts Clear Stamps	Paper Artsy Eclectica 3 EEG 18	Tim Holtz Idea-ology RULER RIBBON Fabric Canvas Measure	Tim Holtz Type Lower Alphabet Stamps
Bo Bunny Faith 12 x 12 Paper Pack	Dina Wakley Fuchsia Acrylic Paint	Dina Wakley Lime Acrylic Paint	Dina Wakley Ranger WHITE Media Heavy Body Acrylic Paints	Dina Wakley LIME Heavy Body Acrylic Paints
Dina Wakley LAPIS Heavy Body Acrylic Paints	Dina Wakley TURQUOISE Heavy Body Acrylic Paints	Dina Wakley BLACKBERRY VIOLET Heavy Body Acrylic Paints	Ranger Archival Jet Black Ink Pad	Salty Ocean - Distress Ink
Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad BLUEPRINT SKETCH Ranger	Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad WILTED VIOLET	Tim Holtz Distress Twisted Citron Ink Pad	Worn Lipstick Distress Ink Pad	Picked Raspberry - Distress Ink
Ripe Persimmon - Distress Ink	Mustard Seed - Distress Ink	Ranger Non Stick Craft Sheet	Fiskars Acrylic Blocks

This week's theme is so timely with all the Springy things that are flying around!  I can't wait to see what you submit to our Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog!  When you enter your creation, you will also be entered to win the random $50 voucher to the Simon Says Stamp store.