Hi Everyone,
I hope you’re all having a great week – mine has been pretty exhausting juggling work and home life – isn’t that often the way! I wanted to pop in and show you a couple of cards I created a few weeks ago with the gorgeous new background stamps from Catherine Pooler Designs. I’m really into my ombre ink blending at the moment, and Catherine’s inks blend so beautifully – if any of you struggle with getting a smooth blend, I highly recommend these inks, and also taking a look at which cardstock you use. Blending on Neenah Solar White has just never worked for me, but if I use Bristol Smooth or Canson XL watercolor cardstock, I find I’m able to get a perfect blend with very little challenge.
My first card uses the new Catherine Pooler Designs BFF Background which I first stamped in the new CPD Grape Crush ink onto a panel of Canson XL watercolor card. CP inks can also be used for heat embossing, so before it dried I heat embossed it with Brutus Monroe Icicle clear embossing powder. I then used an ink blending tool and blended Catherine Pooler inks in Limoncello, Tiara and Orange Twist in that order. I blended almost the entire panel in Limoncello, then Tiara about half way up, and then Orange Twist just along the bottom. I find that overlapping in this way gives the smoothest finish to achieve that ombre look.
I die cut the panel with the Celebrate die by Catherine Pooler from the recent Celebrate Friends Stamp of Approval release. Make sure you keep all the little pieces that fit in between the letters. I die cut the word again from white cardstock, and two different colors of fun foam (orange and yellow) – you can get these mega packs of colored fun foam from Michaels or online at Amazon or other craft stores. I covered a card base in adhesive and then overlaid the panel. I then slotted in the yellow fun foam word, then the orange (they are sticky backed) and adhered the white die cut on top. I replaced all of the tiny pieces in the open areas and then applied a liberal coating of Starry Night Stickles on the top which I thought co-ordinated with the Grape Crush perfectly. The sentiment is from the Catherine Pooler Punctuated Party set (also from the recent Stamp of Approval) stamped in Grape Crush and popped up on two layers of orange and yellow fun foam. I added some white enamel dots to finish.
My next card focuses on the absolutely gorgeous Catherine Pooler Kaleidoscope background which I heat embossed in silver embossing powder onto Canson XL cardstock. I then blended Catherine Pooler Inks in It’s A Boy, Fiesta Blue, Something Borrowed and Juniper Mist lightest to darkest, using the exact same technique as outlined above. I die cut the Thanks die by Catherine Pooler and saved the pieces as before. I then die cut it again from Canson XL and added some more ink blending using It’s a Girl, Flirty Fuchsia, and Party Dress with the darkest towards the bottom.
I covered a card base in adhesive and added the panel on top. I then laid in the Thanks die and popped in the little pieces for a smooth finish. As a finishing touch I used Nuvo Glitter Drops and added them throughout the panel where the lines met. I used Pink Champagne, Ruby Slippers, and Sherbert Shimmer to further emphasize the ombre feel. The photos don’t give the card justice – it’s super sparkly in real life.
I hope you like these and they gave you a bit of inspiration and some ink blending tips! Have a wonderful weekend folks – I’m certainly looking forward to it!!
Jenny
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