Making stencils from dies?

[Conniecrafter]

I worked for Spellbinders for awhile last year, demoing the dies and how to use them at Michaels and Hobby Lobby. The stencil part of cut emboss stencil, is when you cut and emboss the die and you leave the die in the paper and take your sponge applicator and apply ink inside the die around the edges if it is a die with a big open space, some of their detail dies have little holes where you apply the ink through the holes and what is left is a color emphasizing the little detail.  Can't say I am the best at explaining in writing.

I just got an idea combining this and the challenge to use chalks with stamping, maybe we can use the versamark ink and apply it through the negative of the die cut and use the chalk on that, maybe I will have to see if I can find some time this weekend and try it out and I can share what I am trying to say... LOL... it may have to wait until next week, my birthday is tomorrow and we have plans for lunch with my sister in law who is down here at a conference but not sure what the rest of the day will hold, where we may end up

[Looser]

First off, Connie... Happy Birthday! Enjoy your day!

Thanks for sharing about how you stencil with the dies. Fun that you got to demo for Spellbinders. Yeah. Sometimes it difficult to explain a process without visuals, but I kind of understand what you're saying.

Your idea to use the technique with chalking sounds interesting. 

[yellowcherrios]

Happy Birthday Connie!!! 

And thank you Connie for explaining what the stencil part of Spellbinders means--I do think I know what you are meaning and will try it sometimes..I am guessing then that stenciling with Spellbinders works best (depending on what you are using to color) when there is no image in the center of the die? 

[howdyheidi]

Happy Birthday Connie! I shared in the chat thread that I think it is Einsteins bday too. 

[Conniecrafter]

Thanks for the birthday wishes!!!  I did not know I shared it with Einstein, wow!  One of my sister in laws long time boyfriend's birthday is today too and my nephew is marrying a girl who's birthday is today too, so we have a few people in our family now with the same birth date!

[Conniecrafter]

In my quail card that shows the inking around the edges with the die still in the paper that is one kind of stenciling they are talking about, I went through the gallery to see if there was another that I did the stenciling through the die and I found one, here it is : http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?album=52&pid=690#top_display_media
Do you see around the frame where there is the red ink showing, that is more of the stenciling part that Spellbinders is talking about.

[Looser]

LOL, Connie. Einstein's in good comapany with you! Thanks for the visual(s). I missed the 'quail', but checked it out & left praise. Gotta do that for your other share, but I can see how that die works as a stencil on the embossed parts. Neat.

I have a link to a simple 'die(cut)-as-stencil' in my OP. I did another for my Fingertips' Card. The piece looks layered, but the only layer is the fussycut of the frog.  I was a bit short on the 'how-to' so I'll explain it here more fully...

step 1. I used an MB arch window die & manilla CS to diecut. That gave me 3 pieces--the outline, the diecut arch & inner shape.

step 2. I used little rolls of masking tape to hold all 3 parts to my card base.

step 3. I removed the outline part & did the fingertip work; then put the outline back in place.

step 4. I removed the diecut arch window & did another fingertip job; then put the arch back in place.

step 5. I removed the inner shape, fingertipped it & stamped the butterflys.

step 6. I removed all the remaining pieces of the diecut.

step 7. After stamping, coloring & fussycutting the frog, I cut slits in the card so his 'hand' would thread thru & look like it was behind the arch frame.

Now... I can hear one or two saying (nicely, of course), "What you did was masking.". 

Yep! That's what stencils are! They are a form of masking. Often they allow us to create patterns & designs, but they can also be used as shape 'definers'.  And... If I hadn't wanted to go mostly 'fingertip' for this piece, I could have used other 'real' stencils over any of exposed areas to add patterns. And if you look at the card you'll see a bit of white around the arch. That's a 'halo'. It usually happens when the stencil is a bit heavier than paper. I didn't sweat it for this piece. In fact, I sometimes like a bit of a halo.

[yellowcherrios]

Connie I thought you had drawn in the red accents on your flower card!  Now I'm going to have to look at my dies again....  Thanks for the examples everyone!

[Craft Nerd]

Connie - I hope you had a wonderful birthday.

[Conniecrafter]

Yes Sarah I did.  I had Cataract surgery on March 11, never thought I would have that until I was much older, I am 51.  So being able to see again for my birthday was quite nice

[yellowcherrios]

I am so happy for you Connie that you can see again!!   If there was a tear emoji with a happy face, it would be inserted here.   

[Utah Ann]

I have cut stencils with my border punches.  Often use the negatives as well as the positives.  I have yet to use them, but keep thinking of them and remembering that I can use the punches in this way.

[Conniecrafter]

I never thought of using them with border punches, Hmmmm 

[Looser]

I have cut stencils with my border punches.  Often use the negatives as well as the positives.  I have yet to use them, but keep thinking of them and remembering that I can use the punches in this way.

Amen & Thank You, Ann! While I don't have border punches, I do have lots of handgrip ones. I just retrieved a whole bunch from my 'leave behind' stuff & will be moving South with me.

Even just one handgrip punch can be used like a 'border punch' to create stencils (& tiny stamps). Time-consuming? Sometimes. But the range of possibilities is worth (for me) the time & effort.