A week ago, my mother found some cute Christmas 3D stickers at Hobby Lobby, and they featured a car with a tree on top and an ice skater. She bought 6-8 packs and asked me to create an easy-but-beautiful slimline layout. After thinking about the challenge, I decided it would be easiest to create my own template (stencils and masks), so she can produce many of these cards with ease. If you'd like the template, you can download it in the list of materials below. First, want to see what we're making?
My template will help you create the entire background, and it's all one layer, so you don't need dies or stamps. After you create the background, embellish however you'd like. I created the same background for both cards, but the embellishments totally changed the scenes.
If you use my template to create projects and share your work online, please mention where you got the template. I'd like to know that all of this was helpful, so I can create and share similar templates and projects in the future.
SUPPLIES NEEDED:
- MY SLIMLINE WINTER SCENE TEMPLATE. I recommend printing on the thickest/sturdiest cardstock that you have, since you'll want to use the pieces for multiple cards. When you print the page, the size of the largest rectangle is 4" x 9". NOTE: I lined up the rectangles so you can easily cut the outer edges and the line between Slope #2 & the Road with your paper trimmer. Trim other lines by hand.
- SCISSORS to cut template. Paper trimmer is optional (and recommended).
- HEAVYWEIGHT WHITE CARDSTOCK (thick & sturdy), cut to 8.25" x 3.25". I used the Recollections 110 lb. Heavyweight White Cardstock from Michael's. I also used this same cardstock when I printed my template.
- 3 DIFFERENT BLUE INK PADS. I used Distress Oxides: Tumbled Glass, Stormy Sky, and Broken China.
- 1 BLACK INK PAD. I used Memento Tuxedo Black.
- APPLICATOR TOOLS for the inks. I use the Ranger Applicator Tool with foam rounds.
- REMOVABLE TAPE to hold your paper and stencils in place. I use 3M Post It Tape.
- Recommended: RULER (to line up your layers)
- OPTIONAL BUT RECOMMENDED (for sparkle!): Gina K Glitz Glitter Gel, Black and White
- OTHER CARDSTOCK (your choice of colors) for a mat below the winter scene and the card base. The card base should be 8.5" x 7" (folded in half), and the mat should be 8.5" x 3.5".
- EMBELLISHMENTS for the scene. Anything you want, from cars and ice skaters to snowmen and/or winter characters. The products I used for each card are:
- CARD 1 (car and ice skater): Merry Christmas 3D Stickers (Hobby Lobby); Simon Says Stamp "Peace, Love and Belly Rubs" stamp set (sentiment); Zots (small) for gluing the car sticker to the Glitz Gel
- CARD 2 (Santa and houses): Tim Holtz "Village Christmastime Thinlits Dies;" My Favorite Things "Our Town" Die-Namics; Hero Arts October 2020 My Monthly Hero Kit (snowman, sentiment); Salty Ocean Distress Oxide Ink (instead of Stormy Sky); R29 and E79 Copic markers; Paper Rose Silver Shimmer Cardstock; Elizabeth Craft Black Microfine Glitter; Ranger Super Fine White Embossing Powder; Recollections Opaque Paint Markers (details on snowman)
- OPTIONAL: Ranger Glossy Accents (or Hero Arts Clear Lacquer) for ice on pond
Ready to start crafting? Here we go!
STEP 1: CUT OUT THE TEMPLATE
Once you print the template, make sure it's sized properly. The printout should fill the entire page, and the largest rectangle should measure 4" x 9".
I recommend using a paper trimmer to cut the edges, especially the line between Slope #2 and the Road. Otherwise, cut the slopes and outside of the pond mask with scissors. (The tab will make sense later, if you choose to add the Glitz Gel.) For the Pond Stencil, you want to cut out the inside area. I suggest stabbing the middle with your scissors and then trimming along the lines. When you're done, your pieces should look like this:
STEP 2: CREATING THE POND
Tape down your 3.25" x 8.25" white cardstock panel. (I use 3M Post It Tape, as it removes easily.)
Place the SLOPE #2 layer where you'd like the pond to sit. I used a ruler and made sure the bottom of the SLOPE #2 stencil was 0.5" from the bottom. (I wanted my road to be 1/2 inch tall.)
Carefully lay your POND STENCIL over the SLOPE #2 layer, lining up the ponds. Once it's lined up, tape down the POND STENCIL and carefully remove the SLOPE #2 layer. Right now, all you want on the panel is the pond.
Using your applicator tool, apply Broken China Distress Oxide (or whatever blue ink you selected for the pond) to the inside of the POND STENCIL.
Once you've filled in the pond, carefully peel the stencil away.
STEP 3: CREATING THE SNOW/SLOPES
Now you have a pond, so let's add some snowy hills!
Place the SLOPE #2 stencil over your pond, so you don't get the snow color on the pond. Also place your SKY stencil at the top of the page. (You're using the sky layer to figure out how much shading to add to the snow, so the tops of the hills remain white.)
With both stencils in place, use your applicator tool and Tumbled Glass Distress Oxide (or whatever blue ink your chose for the snow) to add ink ABOVE SLOPE #2 but not touching the SKY stencil.
Remove the SLOPE #2 stencil, and lay down the ROAD stencil. (I find it easiest to lay down the road stencil so it snuggles up to SLOPE #2, THEN remove SLOPE #2, so I know I'm leaving that 1/2 inch area evenly across the bottom.)
Use your applicator tool to add ink ABOVE the ROAD stencil.
Lay down the POND MASK and add blue "snow" shading around the mask. You may need to move the mask around a bit to get the blue ink perfectly flush against the pond.
Now that your snow is done, let's work on the sky!
STEP 4: CREATING THE SKY
Remove the POND MASK and ROAD stencil.
Before you remove the SKY stencil, lay down the SLOPE #1 layer. Make sure it fits snugly against the SKY stencil.
Once your SLOPE #1 layer is tacked down, remove the SKY stencil. Use your applicator tool and Stormy Sky Distress Oxide (or whatever blue ink you chose for the sky) and cover the entire top of the panel.
The sky's done, so let's create the last background element!
STEP 5: CREATING THE ROAD
The last element to create is the road.
First, lay down the SLOPE #2 stencil. The stencil should cover the light blue "snow" ink you've put above the road.
Next, use your applicator tool and black ink (I used Memento Tuxedo Black) to cover the road area with black ink. Since I planned on adding the Black Glitz Gel, I didn't worry about perfectly covering the area. I simply wanted to make sure no white paper showed through when I added the gel.
The scene is now complete! I did a few additional steps to add lots of sparkle, but these steps are optional.
STEP 6 (OPTIONAL): ADDING SPARKLE (A.K.A. BLINGING THE HECK OUT OF THIS SCENE!)
One of my favorite new products this year is the Gina K Glitz Glitter Gel. I love the sparkle created by glitter, but I HATE having glitter dust everywhere. The gel goes on smoothly and adds so much sparkle! AS AN ALTERNATIVE, if you don't have or want the Glitz Gel, you could use a spray adhesive and transparent glitter. I'd avoid liquid glue for covering the snow and road, because liquid glue can warp/wrinkle the paper.
Before I removed the ROAD stencil, I used a palette knife to spread the Black Glitz Gel over the entire road section. SUPER IMPORTANT!! Before you dry the gel (either with a heat tool or by air drying), remove the stencil and move your panel away from any gel still on your craft mat!!! The gel is like cement when it's dry, and if your stencil is still on, the gel will permanently glue that stencil in place.
I'm impatient, so I used a heat tool (embossing gun) to dry the gel. It dries the gel quickly, but I noticed that there was some warping (curling up or down). IF YOU USE THE HEAT TOOL, I highly recommend letting the finished panel sit for 4-8 hours before attaching it to your card or embellishing. The gel and paper relax over time, and I noticed that almost all warping/curling disappeared. You can remove any remaining warping when you attach your panel to your card base.
MAKE SURE THE GEL ON THE ROAD IS DRY BEFORE WORKING ON THE SNOW LAYER, as you have to lay down the ROAD stencil over the black gel.
To glitter the snow, cover the road with the ROAD stencil, cover the sky with the SKY stencil, and cover the pond with the POND MASK. This is where the tab will help you!
Once all stencils/masks are in place, use a palette knife to spread the White Glitz Gel across the entire snowy area. Take your time, spread in one direction, and make sure the gel covers thinly and evenly. (If your gel is very thick, it will take longer to dry and warp your paper more.)
BEFORE DRYING THE GEL, whether with a heat tool or air drying, remove the stencils/masks. This is where the tab helps, since you're not able to grab the POND MASK from the edges without disturbing the gel. If you remove the POND MASK with the tab, it will leave a clean area over your pond.
Again, if you use a heat tool, let your paper relax (4-8 hours) before attaching the panel to anything. Here's a look at the finished panel. OMG, SO SPARKLY!!!
EMBELLISHING YOUR CARD (CREATING A SCENE)
Once your panel is dry, attach it to your card base. On both cards, I used a black cardstock mat (8.5" x 3.5") over a white card base, and I attached the scene panel using double-sided tape (Scor-tape). Make sure to include some tape throughout the center of the panel, as you don't want anything to warp or peel away from the card base.
For the first card, I kept things fairly simple. Before I attached any of the stickers, I used Ranger Glossy Accents to fill the pond with "ice." I let the panel sit for a while (30 minutes or so) before I added the sticker of the ice skater. I wanted the Glossy Accents to still be a bit wet, so it would hold the sticker securely.
I stamped a sentiment from the Simon Says Stamp "Peace, Love and Belly Rubs" set with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on the same white cardstock that I used for the scene panel. Since I was attaching the car over the Glitz Gel, I used some small Zots, as they will stick to just about anything. (Regular stickers or foam dots will NOT hold securely to the Glitz Gel or any glittered paper.) The candy cane sticker from the set completed the card.
For the second card, I got more complex. Instead of creating a road at the bottom of the panel, I flipped the SLOPE #1 stencil over and created more snow drifts. Since I didn't have a road, I used the White Glitz Gel over 2/3 of the card. I also switched the Stormy Sky Distress Oxide for Salty Ocean Distress Oxide, and I lightly splattered the sky with water. (Mask off the rest of your card before splattering, as you don't want to splatter the snow or pond.)
I used the My Favorite Things "Our Town" Die-Namics to cut the buildings. Since the card is so wide, I had to cut two of them. I used Paper Rose Silver Shimmer Cardstock for the buildings, then used my R29 and E79 copics to color them red or brown. I used my palette knife to spread some White Glitz Gel over the bottom of the die-cut pieces, as well as a few spots on the roof.
For Santa, I die cut the Tim Holtz "Village Christmastime" Santa and reindeer out of black cardstock. I added a very thin layer of glue and covered the entire piece with Elizabeth Craft Black Microfine Glitter.
While Santa and the buildings dried, I stamped the snowman from the October 2020 Hero Arts My Monthly Hero kit with Versafine ink. I heat-embossed it with Ranger White Superfine Detail Embossing Powder. I used some Recollections Opaque Paint Markers to create the little details (eyes, hat, etc.) on the snowman. (Copics smear and won't dry properly.)
I stamped the sentiment (using Memento Tuxedo Black) from the same Hero Arts kit onto the same white cardstock that I used for the panel.
I glued the snowman to the pond and used Zots to attach everything else.
After I finished the second card, I actually wished I'd put the pond lower and used the buildings along the top of the panel, so all of the elements would be in a more proper perspective (big Santa, medium snowman, small buildings). Oh, well. Next time.
I hope you find my template and these instructions helpful. If you create cards using the template, I'd love it if you tag me, so I can see and comment on your project. I'd also really appreciate if you'd mention where you got the template, as I spent a lot of time creating all of these materials.
Have a holly jolly holiday season!
