Hi Everyone,
We are enjoying the last few hours of our Christmas holiday before New Year’s Eve at our house – do you make new year’s resolutions? Mine is to make more video tutorials, and use more of my crafty stash. With that in mind, I have a technique video for you today, which showcases the Erin Lee Creative Sketched Floral Background. ELC is a new stamp company, and the second I saw the range, I had to get it almost all of it, it’s very me. This background stamp is beautiful and my video features three different ideas to use it.
You can find the video over on my YouTube channel or here:
My first card features an emboss resist technique using Distress Oxixe inks, clear embossing powder and colored cardstock.
I heat embossed the background onto a panel of Simon Says Stamp Cotton Candy cardstock in clear embossing powder. I then used Distress Oxide inks (which are opaque so work GREAT on colored cardstock) to in blend over the top. I started with Shaded Lilac over the entire panel, then went around the edges and in about 1 inch all the way round with Wilted Violet, and then Seedless Preserves around just the edges. The embossing resists the ink, and leaves a pretty pink outline of the background.
I die cut the panel with the largest die from the Studio Katia Dotted Patterns Set 3, colored in the florals with Clear Wink of Stella (which also slightly lightens the oxide ink) and adhered it with craft foam to a white card base.
The sentiment is also from Erin Lee Creative – she has some amazing sentiment dies, very different in terms of font and words, which is awesome. I die cut the sentiment from white cardstock and also from purple fun foam. I adhered the fun foam (which is self adhesive) onto the centre of the panel. I adhered the white on top with liquid adhesive, leaving the purple slightly peeping out for a shadow effect. I then coated the entire thing with Magenta Stickles. Don’t you love this color combo?!
For my next card, I decided to stamp out the background in Midnight ink onto a 6×6 panel of white cardstock, and then ran it through my Scan N Cut to cut out the images (you could also fussy cut it).
I was left with leaves and two or three buds, and two of the main blooms. I arranged them onto a panel of Catherine Pooler Smoke & Mirrors cardstock and adhered with liquid adhesive and foam squares for varying dimension. I then used a paintbrush and spattered some white acrylic paint over the top (protecting the florals with a scrap) using Paperartsy Chalk Paint in Snowflake.
The sentiment (by Erin Lee Creative) was die cut from silver mirror cardstock which I had adhered to Stick-It and was then adhered directly over the images. I adhered the panel to a card base made from Smoke & Mirrors.
As a finishing touch, I adhered some Studio Katia Iridescent Bubbles. I really like the monochromatic look of this card, but you could totally trim out the images after coloring them.
My final card uses Nuvo Shimmer Powders as watercolors and wow, I really like watercoloring with these. You can use them super watered down for a soft look, or just the dry powder with a tiny bit of water for lots of intensity.
I stamped the background onto Arches Cold Press watercolor cardstock with Versamark ink and heat embossed with WOW! Rose Gold embossing powder.
I then use the Nuvo powders to watercolor with. I used a variety of colors and I talk through in a little more detail on the video some of the tips I picked up with doing this. On the pink purple flower I used Cherry Bomb and Violet Brocade, on the buds and the larger blooms I used Cherry Bomb, Catherine Wheel and Violet Brocade, on the leaves I used Atlantis, and the background is Blue Blitz and Violet Brocade.
When dry, I used the Erin Lee Creative You Are Incredible die and die cut the panel directly and also from white cardstock, being sure to save all the teeny pieces. I adhered the cut panel down onto a white card base which I had covered with dry adhesive. I then pieced in the white cut sentiment, and the watercolored teeeeeny pieces I had saved, for a seamless look. As a finishing touch, I adhered some sparkling clear sequins from Pretty Pink Posh.
And that completes the three cards – I had so much fun playing with this background, and discovered some fun techniques along the way. I plan to have more watercoloring videos with shimmer powders in the future!
Jenny x
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