How to Use Colored Vellum on Handmade Cards

Vellum is one of Kate’s favorite papers to use in cardmaking.  It cuts like a dream and adds texture and dimension without bulk. We recently launched a new line of colored vellum; Encore Vellum. You can purchase this by individual colors or get a variety pack that gives you two each of all 14 colored vellum sheets. 

How to Use Colored Vellum on Handmade Cards

Today Kate is here to share with you some clever ideas for how to use colored vellum. Clear vellum is usually the go-to, but our new translucent colored vellum inspired her. She's created some gorgeous handmade cards using vellum to show off each of these techniques.

Vellum Idea #1: Use Vellum to Diecut Flowers

Use your flower dies and colored vellum to create delicate flowers.  Hide your adhesive (Kate used a small dot of Bearly Arts Glue) under the center of the flower to hold it all together.

Vellum Idea #2: Use Vellum as a Bouquet Wrap 

Kate used some vellum to recreate a tissue wrap on this bouquet of tulips. This is a great idea for stamped or diecut flowers. Distress your vellum - Kate just crumpled it in her hands!  You could also use this same technique to make tissue paper for a present. 

Grab a large shaped die and diecut a window out of the front of the card. You can use a shape like a balloon or flower or even just a basic circle or square. Use vellum to cover the card window for a fun peek thru effect.  

Supplies for this window card:

• Gilded Gold Shimmer Encore Translucent Vellum
• American Crafts Gold Foil Dots on Black
• Mirri H Gold Foil Cardstock
• Die from My Favorite Things Stamps

Vellum Idea #4: Create a Full Panel Shaker from Vellum

• Blush Pink Encore Translucent Vellum
• Bazzill Card Shoppe in Marshmallow
• Die from MyMomenta

Vellum Idea #5: Use Vellum With Layering Dies

This is a super simple idea for using vellum. Replace one layer of a layering die with colored vellum.  Here Kate used matching colored vellum for the decorative layer of this cake.

Vellum Idea #6: Use Vellum to Mimic Smoke, Steam and Clouds

Kate used some clear vellum to give this baseball card some action!  You can also use white, gray or light blue vellum for smoke for race cars and clouds for a sky.

Supplies for this baseball card: 

• Ghost White Encore Translucent Vellum
• Bazzill Smoothies in Coconut Swirl, Kraft, Blackberry Swirl, Clover Leaf and Coral Sunset
  
• Stamp from Stampin' Up!

Vellum Idea #7: Heat Emboss Stamped Designs onto Vellum

The combination of the translucent paper and fine detailed embossing is a winner every time. You can heat emboss on vellum if you get your heat gun VERY hot and go VERY slowly over the embossing powder.  It might be best to test a small section before using up a lot of supplies. Vellum can curl and even get scorched, so you might want to do a practice run Kate used the shimmer vellum for this card.

Supplies for this embossed flowers card:

• White Pearl Shimmer Encore Translucent Vellum
• Fig Swirl Bazzill Smoothies Cardstock
• Various Cardstock Scraps
• Stamps by Simon Says Stamp

So there you have it! A whole bunch of ideas for using vellum on handmade cards. Our Encore Vellum line has 14 colors to choose from, so we should have all the bases covered for your vellum needs. 

SHOP ENCORE VELLUM HERE

-Kate