Making your own masks

This card uses some techniques that Tim Holtz used in his latest 12 tags of Christmas, posted to his blog. I have made quite a few of these, with different card bases. If I were doing one special card, particularly if it didn't need to be mailed, I would have also added additional embellishments.

Instead of using one of his masks, I made my own using my Klik n Kut digital cutter. I cut the snowflakes out of clear contact paper. The background was created by smooshing broken china and weathered wood distress inks on a craft sheet, then smooshing the cardstock into the ink. I ironed the cardstock to dry it. I applied my snowflake masks and sponged on faded jeans distress ink over the masked area. Because the contact paper was clear, I could see how much in I needed to apply to get the effect I wanted. The word stamp is embossed in black and the card front mounted on a silver cardstock layer, then onto the pale blue card base. The card is a little hard to photograph because both the embossing and the silver background layer wanted to reflect the light. In real life the black is darker and more intense.

Although I used my cutter for the images, you could cut them out with scissors. You do have to be careful weeding out the waste contact vinyl and I did stick my masks carefully onto my jeans at least 3 times to remove some of the tackiness so that it wouldn't tear my cardstock when I removed them. These are not as substantial as the purchased masks but I really liked being able to use the design that I wanted, and in the size I needed for the card.

Supplies used- distress inks, cardstock, contact paper, KNK, stamp by Stampington and Co.,versamark ink, black embossing powder.