I started with a watercolor paper panel. I then took some of my favorite colors of Distress Ink and smooshed them onto my craft mat. Smooshing means that I rubbed them onto the mat so there is ink deposited on the mat.
I typically pick 3 colors that I think will blend together well. On this particular card I am using Mermaid Lagoon, Picked Raspberry and Seedless Preserves. I then spritz water on the ink. It'll bead up. I start pressing the watercolor paper into the ink.
This is when the magic starts to happen! It's so fun - and, yes, you will get inky fingers! The true badge of honor of a card maker!
Here's where I learned a secret! If you just keep smooshing at this point, it just kind of all blends together. The trick is to use your heat tool to dry the paper, then add more ink and smoosh again. That starts layering the ink. You can get some fun color, definition and patterns by drying the paper between each smooshing.
If your paper starts to curl, try heating it from the back to straighten it out. It's not really a problem once it's glued to a card base. What I will usually do, is just dedicate a block of time to make multiple backgrounds, sometimes covering just a portion of the paper, sometimes covering it all. Since you're getting inky anyway! Have fun! Experiment with different color combinations.
For this background I decided to use the "Beautiful Day" set from Altenew! I will use just the outline pieces. I thought silver embossing would look fantastic with this and I wasn't disappointed. I treated the paper with my anti-static bag, then stamped the image using my Misti and VersaMark Ink.
I wanted my flower to have leaves and little flowers peeking out from behind the main flower. I went ahead and embossed the main flower with Nuvo Silver Embossing Powder! Nuvo powders have become my favorite, but use which ever one you prefer. I made a mask using Avery Removable Labels. This works fantastic for masks and can be reused several times. You mask the image you want in the forefront. All other images will appear to be behind your main image.
I then die cut "thanks" from my Die-Namics set of word dies from 80# Neenah card stock. Using the same Nuvo Powder and VersaMark , I embossed the word. I let it cool for a minute, re-inked it, added more powder and melted the powder again. I repeated this 3-4 times. The result is this amazing word that looks like it really is silver! It gives it some depth plus as the powder get thicker, it becomes smoother.
While it cooled, I grabbed a couple of my Prisma Colored Pencils and added a little detail at the base of each petal of the flower. I used short flicks of the pencil. It gives the flower a little more definition and really makes it pop.
Using a #110 Neenah white card stock, I made a card base resulting in a 5.5 x 4.25 inch card when it's folded. I cut my finished watercolor panel down to 5.25 x 4 inches and attached to the front of the card using Nuvo glue. Then dotting glue on the back of the "thanks", I attached it to card front.
I like to finish off the inside of the card and create a matching envelope at this point, so my card creation is totally finished! This particular time, I decided that I would emboss a silver flower on the inside of the card and also one on the envelope, for a coordinated look.
This card is actually, pretty simple. Especially, if you have made several backgrounds. I think it pays off with a unique look, because no background is ever the same.
Hope this tutorial has been helpful. Be sure to click on my link to go to my shop where you can see all of my cards. You can also follow me here, on Instagram as @smilecards44 or on Facebook at Smile Greeting Cards! Any comments or tips would be greatly appreciated! Hope you're having a wonderful summer!
Jan
