Instructions 

I love making custom cards for every occasion, and I especially love when, years later, a friend or family member still remembers a card I made for their wedding, or baby shower, or special birthday! All of the above is made extra-easy by the fact that Ranger's Archival Ink Palette can embrace ANY color scheme.

Step 1: Gather materials: Letter It Shower Stamp Set; Simon Hurley create Happy Hearts Layering Stencil Set; Ranger Glossy Accents; Archival Inks in Light House, Wine Cellar, Shadow Grey and Aubergine; Letter It Cardstock in White and Grey; Ranger Embossing Powder in Magenta and Bridal Tinsel.

Step 2: Use the magnets from the MAKE ART Stay-tion to secure Stencil One from Simon Hurley‘s Happy Hearts Layering Stencil Set over a 3.75 x 5“ panel of white Letter It cardstock. Apply Light House Archival Ink using the Ranger Mini Ink Blending Tool and a Domed Foam applicator. Use an Isopropyl Alcohol wipe to clean the stencil, and a towel to pat it dry.

Step 3: Position Stencil Two from the Happy Hearts set over the same cardstock panel and apply Wine Cellar Archival. Clean and dry the stencil as above.

Step 4: Flip Stencil One to the reverse of the side used in Step 1 and place it over the panel, if necessary shifting the position so that the hearts are filling a different space than the first stencil. Apply Aubergine Archival Ink through the stencil.

Step 5: Using the reverse side of Stencil Two and repositioning once again, apply Shadow Grey Archival  as above.

Step 6: Working carefully from the top of the panel to the bottom, apply Glossy Accents to approximately one third of the stenciled hearts, taking care to scatter them across the design and making sure there are some visible at the edges of the panel. Set the panel aside on a flat surface and allow to dry completely, preferably overnight. For best results, use a generous amount of Glossy Accents, and apply as continuously as possible to avoid air bubbles. Note that if your Glossy Accents are flatter than expected when they've dried, you can repeat this step a second time for greater height and dimension; but do make sure to allow sufficient drying time before continuing to work on the panel.

Step 7: Working with the Letter It Shower Stamp Set and a clear acrylic stamp block, arrange the umbrella stamp over the words, "Bridal" and "Shower" as pictured. Stamp in Clear Emboss It Ink, sprinkle with Ranger Magenta Embossing Powder, and, if necessary, use a small brush to remove any stray powder. Melt the powder with Ranger's Heat It Craft Tool and set aside to allow to cool completely before proceeding.

Step 8: Stamp just the umbrella from the Shower set, using clear Emboss It Ink on grey Letter It Cardstock. Emboss with Bridal Tinsel powder. When the embossed image is completely cool, use a Mini Ink Blending Tool and Domed Foam to apply Light House Ink over the entire surface. Apply Glossy Accents to the four sections of the umbrella, then set aside on flat surface and allow to dry completely. When completely dry, use scissors to neatly cut out the umbrella.

Step 9: Assembly: Affix the sentiment panel to a very thin mat of Silver Alcohol Ink Cardstock using Perfect Card Adhesive. Add the fussy-cut, Glossy-Accented umbrella on top of the stamped one using slivers of Letter It Foam Roll Tape. Adhere the heart panel to a thin mat of Silver and then to a slightly larger mat of Letter It Grey Cardstock. Wrap the panel with a three-inch wide piece of white tulle, tying a small bow at the top. Add the sentiment panel on thin strips of foam tape. Attach the completed design panel to a white A2 Letter It Card.

Step 10: (Optional!) Repeat Steps 1 through 9, but swapping the "Bridal Shower" sentiment for "Baby Shower" embossed with Verdigris Powder; and changing Archival Ink Colors to Seagrass, Sun Dazed, Chrome Yellow and Shadow Grey. Now you have a card ready and waiting for any unexpected baby or wedding news!