An Experiment: Day Eight

Playing with the Kaleidacolor pads was fun yesterday, and I have a couple of those cards to share tomorrow. For today, we're looking at a shockingly successful (yet also very subtle) watercolor-ish background card that highlights Papertrey's Life stamp set.

6.25" x 3.5"

It's hard to believe, but the small panel was made with the same Distress inks used on this card...inks that look so bright full strength but become beautifully muted with a heavy spritz of Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Mist. I took a large piece of transparency, smooshed the ink directly onto it, spritzed with the Glimmer Mist, and then applied the scrap of card stock directly to the transparency. After the paper had absorbed most of the ink, I pressed it between pieces of waxed paper and two squares of plywood I keep for the purpose. Once dry, the piece was almost completely flat and easy to stamp on.

This is a cool technique to use with all sorts of water-based media: watercolor crayons, Smooch, Twinkling H2Os, even acrylic paints. Just remember that the colors will become diluted and soften, so choose brighter colors than you want on your finished product.

Note that matting this on black really helps highlight the soft color...unlike yesterday's card, which a black mat actually detracted from. Also, because it's such a narrow, tall panel, I wanted to emphasize that with a narrow, tall card.

The photo doesn't capture the shimmer of the Glimmer Mist, but I assure you, it's there!

Still fighting this cough, and still taking naps. I feel like a toddler...a cranky toddler. Aren't you glad our relationship is virtual? Much better that way. For you, at least!

Supplies
stamps: Papertrey Mega Mixed Messages, Life
paper: Papertrey white, StampinUp black
ink: Memento Luxe black; Distress shaded lilac, tumbled glass
accessories: transparency, Glimmer Mist Dazzling Diamonds, craft foam, glue