Cereal Box Stencils

I finally cleared off enough counter space to take a few pictures of the cereal box stencils I promised a few days ago. It ended up a little longer than I thought so I hope you have a cup of coffee. But first a little history:

I first came up with the idea for these as a rather new demonstrator, way back in the last century.  Button Bear, a set that has long since been retired, was a big seller and I demonstrated it a LOT. One of the images in the set was a cute little basket of daffodils similar in size to the square-ish stamps from Nice and Easy Notes, a still current stamp set that was also quite popular at the time.  I was looking for a way to make a simple, one layer card without having the basket look lonely on an A2 card.  I thought if I could emboss a square around the basket it would look more complete but I didn't have a template for this.  So, I cut a piece of a cereal box to match the size of my card: 4 1/4" x 5 1/2".  Then I traced the stamp block, which I had placed rubber side up on the upper center of the cardboard.  I cut it out - I think with an exacto knife, but I don't recall exactly.  Not only was it cheap but since the overall stencil size matched my card and the shape was simple NO LIGHT SOURCE WAS NEEDED!

In the years since, I've used many other things to cut my shape: the coluzzle circles and ovals, punches and, most often of all, the Fiskars 12" cutter.  And, because I've misplaced my stylus more often than I'd like to admit, I discovered that a crochet hook can fill in quite easily. This makes it the perfect technique for the beginning stamper who doesn't have a lot of equipment and supplies.

As I mentioned earlier all you need is:

• cardboard - the weight used for cereal and other food products is just right. Thicker cardboard doesn't work as well.
• something to cut with - I like to use the Fiskars 12" cutter because I can use it to cut the card sized shape and also a square or rectangle to be embossed. Punches, coluzzles etc could also be used.
  
• a dry embossing tool - this can be a stylus, the Empressor, or even a crochet hook - a size that works with regular 4 ply yarn.

Cut your cardboard the size of your card:

Cut out your square.  This will be a 2 1/4" square  with 1 inch borders on the top and sides and a larger 2 1/4" border on the bottom.  You also need to be aware that the edge on this cutter is 1 inch from the cutting blade. This makes it really easy to get that 1 inch border on 3 of the sides.

Lift the ruler/cutting bar and put the right edge of your stencil against the right 1 inch ledge of the cutter.  Move the orange cutting blade so that the points are at 1 inch and lower the bar down. The point of the blade should just pierce your cardboard.  It should look like this:

Pushing firmly since you are cutting cardboard not cardstock, move the blade to the 3 1/4" mark.

Lift the bar and turn the cardstock  counter clockwise once - 90 degrees.  This is the one cut that you won't be using the 1 inch ledge. Instead you will want to make sure the shorter left side of yor cardboard is at the 3 1/4" mark of the top ruler on your cutter.  It should look like this:

Firmly move the cutting blade from 1 inch to 3 1/4". Lift the bar and turn the cardboard counterclockwise again.  The next 2 cuts will once again have you lining the right edge up with the right  1 inch ledge of the cutter.  The  3rd cut will go from the 2 1/4" mark to the 4 1/2 inch mark.  Turn the cardboard one more time, line up the right edge with the 1 inch ledge of the cutter and cut from 1 inch to 3 1/4" .  It's OK if your cuts slightly overlap since this is just your stencil, not your finished product.  When you are done it should look like this once you place it on the front of your card:

Holding these together,  turn them over so that you can emboss from the inside of the card:

Using your finger find and trace the square.  The oils from your finger will lubricate the paper to help your tool slide over the paper more easily. An alternative is to trace the shape with a piece of wax paper. Use your stylus or other tool to firmly trace the shape.  The following picture shows how I hold the crochet hook .

After you've traced all around the square you should end up with a card that looks like this:

It's ready to stamp:

This is a confetti cream card.  The daisy from Petal Prints is stamped in Always Artichoke as is the message from Warm Words.  I colored the daisy with the Signo White Gel Pen and the Summer Sun watercolor crayon. 

Here are a few other stencils I have on hand right now:

These stencils aren't the full height of the card because you can't get the punch so far from the edge of the cardboard.   Instead I just make a 4 1/4" wide stencil so that I can make sure it is centered from side to side but control the  "height"  of my placement.  I've marked the stencil so that I can also center a 3 x 3 card over the shape.  This is how I did these cards that I posted last week:

More information about these 3 x 3" cards can be found here:

This stencil is a little rough looking but it works .  You can see that I marked the center of the stencil so that I could get the top circle punch centered.  I just placed the others off set from this. I used this stencil to make this one layered Christmas card:

I used the stencil to place my snowflakes, from   All through the Year,  and to sponge around them.  I ran a bone folder in the 12 inch cutter groove to make the "strings".  Message is from the hostess set, Warmest Regards. Images are heat embossed with white embossing powder.  Cardstock and ink for sponging are Mellow Moss.

While we're jumping seasons to Christmas, here is a card I designed for the TLC77: Look Ma, no layers challenge last summer.  It uses the basic stencil I created at the beginning of the tutorial. Stamps are from Tag Time and All Year Cheer I.  Colors are Real Red, Green Galore, Glorious Green and the white Signo Gel Pen.  Cardstock is kraft.

I'd like to link a few more cards.

Glenda S has been using a similar technique and has some lovely cards in her SCS Gallery: 

Thanks Hand
AHA Campaign 2007

Wiggy aka wiggydl on SCS told me about this pretty card she made after reading this tutorial:
Easter Blessing

Anne Marie shares a darling Mother's Day card

Stamptime Somewhere's  Harmony Card

If you try this and post it on SCS please send me a link and I will add it to this list.  I think it would be great fun to see what  directions other stampers take with this.

Comments

[elizabeth]

what a *great* idea! thanks so much for the info :)

[Debbie]

Excellent tutorial and such a great idea!! Since I don't have a lightbox or any stencils (never wanted to spend the money) I will definitely be using your technique in the future. Thanks so much for sharing!!

[snarflemarfle]

This is just so awesome! I'm going to share it with my demo. After your post this morning I went and found a box (I wasn't that close to the end of the cereal yet) and made a stencil...but now that I've seen your tutorial I've got so many more ideas! Thanks for the inspiration.

[shelley davis]

Wow! What a wonderful tutorial job. Thank you so much. This looks like fun.
Shelley

[Allison]

Looks super (and so detailed)...when I have a moment tonight, I am going to try this out!

[stefanie]

I am WOW-ed! Thanks for the great and inexpensive tip!

[iralamija]

THANK YOU SO MUCH for sharing this!! I can not wait to try this idea!!!!

Bety

[Monika/buzsy]

Thank you for the great tip. I loved your Christmas tree card since you posted it. :o) Now I know the secret. :o) The other cards are great too. TFS!

[Passionstamper a/k/a Debbie VG]

Great Tutorial! When I got towards the end and saw the three Christmas trees card, I realized that I admired this on your SCS site long before I found your blog! I actually used this same card idea for one of my Stamp-A-Stack camps! It really works!

[wiggy]

Thank you so much for posting this awesome tutorial!! Awesome idea. I've got a big square and a circle made and I'm going to give them a try tonight!!

Wiggydl (also on scs)

[Clare Wagner]

I've been wondering how this is done. Thank you so much for taking the time and including very detailed directions on your blog.

[Cathrine]

This is a wonderful, clever idea. It is very generous of you to share it with everyone.

[Anne Marie Klepko]

Thanks so much for the tutorial...I tried it and it worked great! Here is the link to my card on SCS. Thanks again!
http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=496641&cat=500&ppuser=97117

[Diane (scs cameldiva)]

OMG!! How amazing is your tutorial!!Thank you so much for sharing this with us! Love the idea - it never occurred to me to make my own cereal box stencils. I just finished a box too!

[Lisa]

Hoky smokes this is fabo! I love your creative ingenuity! WOW! Thank you for sharing how you do this!

[Jacynthe]

Thank you so much for the tutorials. I will try this at a coming workshop. So cool and simple.
Jacynthe

[Silvia]

This is pretty cool! I especially LOVE the sample with the christmas ornaments! Tooo cute! Great little tutorial too!

[Denise aka Geekgirl415 at SCS]

I'm looking for ideas for my aunt/downline and her first workshop - found your card, which led me here- THANK YOU for posting this- it's wonderful!! I can't wait to try it!!!
denise;)

[CORINNE]

wow cool idea thank you :)

[Michelle]

What an AWESOME idea! OMG! The first thing I did when I saw this was look to see if I had a box I could cut - I do! YEAH!
Thank you!!

[Bernie]

I so appreciate tutorials like yours, and the very practical ideas like making the "stencil" 4 1/4" wide (with additional markings for other sized cards)so you can change the placement and height as needed. Thank you SO much!

[Vickie Maduzia aka vmaduzia]

http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/488806?nocache=1

Just found your blog! It's great. I love your work. Wanted to tell you, here is a card I did with the cereal box stencil idea. I got the idea from your friend Joey Hartman, and she told me she got the idea from you. Thanks for doing this, I think you need to do a tutorial for Beate!!

[Dawn R.]

I am so glad that you posted the link to this, or I might never have found it! What a great idea and thanks for sharing it!!!!!

[Liz Michealson]

As always, your most simple cards are what makes everyone say OOOO. I remember the first time I saw your pear card and box...thanks for putting this down for all of us to use. You are so unselfish with your inspiration!

[Jaya]

Even after 2 years this post is soo useful. Thanks a lot for sharing. I am an absolute newbie in this. It was soo easy to read and follow. My try here http://crafty-crafters-cards.blogspot.com/2009/11/say-it-with-birthday-hat.html

Thanks for sharing your time and effort.

[Mary M.]

Here it is 2012 and my 1st visit to your site. What a wonderful idea with the embossing.I will try this as soon as I get off the computer. Thanks so much for this info.