BECAUSE OF YOU

I love using stencils, but I must admit, I don't think of using them often enough. Stampin' Up! has some really darling -- and inexpensive! -- stencils, which they refer to as Decorative Masks. The set I used for my card is from the Mini Catalog, called Butterflies & Flowers, on page 68.

I used two of the flowers, a Blending Brush, and two colors, Balmy Blue and Mango Melody, to create the cheery background of the card. 

I started with the larger flower in blue and moved it around the 4" x 5 1/4" piece of white cardstock, followed by the smaller flower in Mango Melody. Using the smaller one last makes it easier to fill in gaps left by the larger. 

I loved this happy background so much that I didn't want to cover up just too much of it. So, on white cardstock, I stamped in Balmy Blue the precious sentiment from the Wildflower Path stamp set (page 106 in the Annual Catalog). I then used one of the Tailor Made Dies on page 175 in the Annual Catalog, to cut the sentiment out.

To create a mat for the sentiment -- which would have gotten lost on the background -- I used another of the Tailor Made Dies with Mango Melody cardstock. 

Using some ribbon left over from a past Paper Pumpkin kit, I knotted it through the white tag. Because both tags had holes in the tops, I arranged the ribbon so it covered up the hole in the bottom tag. 

Once the tags were adhered together, I added it with Stampin' Dimensionals to the bottom of the card.

Oh! The card base is Mango Melody cardstock!

What are your thoughs on stencils, or, as Stampin' Up! refers to them, Decorative Masks? Do you use them often? Or, like me, do you forget about them and at times need to be reminded to use them because you ran across your stash of "stencils"? 

They are a great way to make a wonderful background for a card. And, using the Blending Brushes, makes the job that much easier and enjoyable.

Has anything or anyone made your heart smile lately? Share with us!

Stenciled

Smiles.