About the Cards
Technique: Stenciled Christmas Cards
Designer: Susan Cobb

Making your own Christmas cards this year? It's time to get started! Read on for two cool card creations from Susan using unique new holiday stencils and dimensional paints.

To add stenciled words or images to your projects, simply lay the stencil in place on your project, then secure with stencil tape. Next, apply a small amount of dimensional paint along the edge of the squeegee tool (included with each set of paints). Run the squeegee across the stencil, using medium pressure to make sure the paint gets in all the holes on the stencil. Finally, carefully remove the stencil tape and lift the metal stencil to reveal your finished image! Be sure to let the paint dry completely before continuing to work on the project.

Season's Greetings
By Susan Cobb

Supplies:

• Paper Pizazz® Busy Scrapper's Solution Christmas Papers: Green grid with striped border, red grid and tan grid with Christmas words papers plus artwork
• Stockings Metal Stencil
• dimensional paints: Evergreen
• Cardmaker's™ Classic Ribbons: Red grosgrain ribbon
• white star mini brads
• white cardstock
• stencil tape
• foam tape
• Zots™
• glue stick
• 5"x6 1/2" blank white card

Instructions:
For the Card Front:

1. Place the card with the fold on the left. Cover the card front with green grid paper, positioning the striped border along the card fold. Glue the tree border overlapping the seam between the green grid and striped border portions of the card front, trimming any excess border even with the top and bottom edges of the card.
2. Cut a 2"x3" rectangle of red grid paper and lay the rectangle vertically. Trim off the top left and right corners of the triangle at a diagonal angle to create a tag shape. Mat the tag on tan grid paper, then white cardstock, trimming the mats to 1/16".
3. Place the tag on a work surface and center the star stocking from the stencil over the tag. Use the squeegee to apply evergreen dimensional paint over the stencil, then remove the stencil and let dry. Add a white star mini brad over the star shape on the stenciled stocking, then glue the tag at an angle toward the top of the green grid portion of the card front. Mat the holly tile on white cardstock, trimming the mat to 1/16". Fold a 2" length of red grosgrain ribbon in half and secure the loose ends behind the top of the holly tile. Use foam tape to attach the tile overlapping the top edge of the tag.
4. Mat the "Season's Greetings" tile on white cardstock, trimming the mat to 1/16". Use foam tape to attach the tile in the bottom right corner of the card front. Tie an 8" length of red grosgrain ribbon into a shoestring bow, then use a Zot™ to attach the bow at an angle by the top left corner of the tile.

For the Card Inside:

1. Cut a 3 1/4"x4" piece of green grid with striped border paper, including the border. Mat on red grid paper, trimming the mat to /16". Glue vertically, centered on the inside of the card.
2. Fold a 2" length of red grosgrain ribbon in half and secure the loose ends behind the top of the "Merry Christmas" cut-out. Add a white star mini brad to the ribbon tab, then glue the cut-out centered over the green grid paper.

Happy Holidays!
By Susan Cobb

Supplies:

• Paper Pizazz® Busy Scrapper's Solution Christmas Papers: Burgundy with striped border, burgundy/green striped and green paisley papers plus artwork
• dimensional paints: Burgundy
• Holiday Sayings Metal Stencil
• Cardmaker's™ Jewel Ribbons: Burgundy grosgrain ribbon
• gold mini brads
• black ink pad
• stencil tape
• Zots™
• glue stick
• 5"x6 1/2" blank white card

Instructions:
For the Card Front:

1. Place the card with the fold along the bottom and trim 1" off the top of the card front. Cover the remaining card front with burgundy with striped border paper, positioning the border along the card fold. Trim one swirl stripe off the burgundy/green striped paper and glue it even with the top edge of the card front, trimming any excess even with the edges of the card. Ink the edges of the card front.
2. Ink the edges of the tree, stocking and gift package artwork tiles, then glue them evenly spaced across the burgundy portion of the card front. Add a gold mini brad to the left and right of the series of tiles and to the stocking tile.
3. Tie a 9" length of burgundy grosgrain ribbon into a shoestring bow and use a Zot™ to attach the bow over the striped border.

For the Card Inside:

1. Cover the card inside with green paisley paper and ink the edges. Center the "Happy Holidays!" stencil along the top of the card inside, then use the squeegee to apply burgundy paint over the stencil; let dry.
2. Ink the edges of the red paisley tag. Fold a 2" length of burgundy grosgrain ribbon in half and use a gold mini brad to attach the loose ends behind the tag's tab. Glue the tag vertically, positioning the bottom edge of the tag along the card fold. Glue the "Christmas" and "merriment" fragments across the tag.

To see more great Christmas-themed projects using these cool stencils and dimensional paints, don't forget to check out our Christmas Stenciling segment of Paper Wishes Weekly Webisodes!