Simple Easter Card

• Michaela Butterworth
Close up hero image of the completed Easter Bunny card in shades of blues, green, and brown. A rabbit is sitting in the grass with easter eggs of different patterns. There's clouds in the sky.
Easter card 6″ x 6″ featuring gel prints, stenciling and collage

As a kid, Easter was one of my favorite holidays, not only because we had time off from school (Easter is a long weekend holiday in Australia), but also because it meant chocolate eggs! I’m also a major animal lover, especially of rabbits and hares (hence my Teal Hare Creations studio logo), so the idea of the Easter Bunny (Or Easter Bilby, in Australia) was near and dear to my heart.

The Crafter’s Workshop provided me with some product to create this project. The opinions I share are solely my own.

Today’s simple step-by-step process teaches you how to use gel plate printed papers (you can also use any other colored or patterned papers you may have), stencils and matte gel medium to create this simple Easter card.

HOT TIPS: For a cohesive appearance, use analogous colors that are next to one another on the color wheel). Don’t celebrate Easter? No worries, select some different stencils and create a card using these same techniques.

Follow along with these simple steps to create this beautiful card:

Step One: I used a previously gel plate printed piece of paper to stencil my rabbit on to. For this card, I selected TCW2404 Easter Scenery Sign Stencil to do the stenciling (I used mostly the right side of the stencil). I used an ink applicator brush with black Stayz On permanent pigment ink to stencil the rabbit (be sure to use a pigment based ink that is not water soluble; do not use oxide, dye based, or distress inks). Stencil by applying the ink to the brush and move the brush in small circular motions across the image to stencil it. Using scissors, cut out the rabbit or focal image you chose. Set to the side for later use.

Stenciling of the TCW2404 Easter Scenery Sign Stencil rabbit on to previously gel plate printed paper.

Step Two: Using an ink blending or applicator brush, apply a sky color for the background. For this example, I chose to use Speckled Egg Distress Oxide ink. Again, use small circular motions to apply the ink to the background of the card as desired.

Close up image showing the 6" square card sitting on my work table. The Speckled Egg Distress Oxide Stamp pad and the ink applicator brush sit at the top of the card. The ink has been applied to the card to form the sky background.
The sky was added by blending ink directly onto the card.

Step Three: Using the TCW2308 Clouds Slimline Stencil, and a slightly darker blue shade (I used Broken China Distress Oxide Ink), use the edges of the cloud stencil to form clouds randomly, or however you like, across the sky.

Image showing the slimline clouds stencil, Broken China Distress Oxide ink pad, and applicator brush sitting around the card on my work table. The clouds have been stenciled onto the card.
Clouds were formed in the sky using the TCW2308 Clouds Slimline Stencil.

Step Four: Using TCW9011 Matte Gel Medium and a silicone scraper tool, apply a thin layer of medium over the background, then apply the rabbit to the background. Apply a thin layer of medium over the rabbit to seal the edges completely.
HOT TIPS: When using a silicone or scraper tool. work your way from the center of the collage piece out to the edges, this helps eliminate air bubbles and ensure excess medium is removed. Work with a light pressure when using thin papers such as deli or tissue paper as they rip or tear easily when wet, and ensure you have medium on the scraper tool when scraping across thin papers.

Image of the card sitting on my work table surrounded by the jar of matte gel medium and a mini catalyst silicone scraper tool.
The rabbit was applied to the background using TCW9011 Matte Gel Medium.

Step Five: I used an ink applicator brush with black Stayz On permanent pigment ink to stencil the eggs and small butterfly onto different patterned papers. Stencil by applying the ink to the brush and move the brush in small circular motions across the image to stencil it. Using scissors, cut out the eggs and small butterfly. Set to the side for later use.

Image of the card sitting on my work table surrounded by the black ink Stayz On ink pad, ink applicator brush, scissors, and stenciled eggs and small butterfly image. The eggs have been cut out, the small butterfly is yet to be cut out.
The eggs and butterfly were stenciled onto matching papers and cut out.

Step Six: Next, fill in the grass behind and around the eggs at the base of the rabbit. For this card, I used Rustic Wilderness Distress Ink applied with an ink applicator brush directly onto the card. I also applied some black ink to the the base of the rabbit and eggs to help ground them and give them weight and shadow.

Image of the card sitting on my work table surrounded by the scissors, cut out eggs, rustic wilderness distress ink pad, and the ink applicator brush.
The grass was added using green distress ink and an ink applicator brush.

Step Seven: Using TCW9011 Matte Gel Medium and the silicone scraper tool, apply the eggs and small butterfly to the card.

The small butterfly has been attached to the card using the matte gel medium and the scraper tool. The egg cut outs lay on the work table adjacent to the card, ready to be attached.
Grass and shadows were added to the card.

Step Eight: I added some shadows around and at the base of the eggs using a black Stabilo All pencil, activated with water.

Image of the completed card on my work table surface, standing up.
The completed card sitting on my work table.
Close up images showing the completed card (and my chocolate bunny!)

Want to see a brief step-by-step process video for this project? Hop on over to my YouTube Channel to view the video (30 sec). I really hope you found these step-by-step instructions and photos to be helpful and that you feel confident enough to try this on your own. If you have any questions or feedback, please don’t hesitate to post them below.

I’d really love to hear which part of this process is your favorite and why, please leave me a comment, below! Have a great day and happy making, we *LOVE* to see your projects, so please be sure to tag us using our hash tag of #ilovestencils !

Michaela Butterworth
The Crafter’s Workshop Design Team Member

PS: I’m really trying to build my following. Will you please hop on over and follow me on my blog and social media accounts, and please ask your friends to follow me too? Thank you so much!
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2 thoughts on “Simple Easter Card”

    1. Hi Mary,
      You are so very welcome. Yes, or I try to use one applicator brush per color family if possible. I found a very affordable set on Amazon, thanks to one of my Design team mates! I’d love to see what you make if you decide to check it out. Happy creating! Michaela

      Reply

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