My last project showed you how to make an interesting homemade background paper with a background stamp and an emboss resist technique using the Copic Airbrush System (you can find that project HERE). Had I thought about doing a series of "Beautiful Backgrounds" then, I might have come up with a more interesting post title then and going forward ... but alas, the idea only occured to me this week! So if this kind of series might interest you, please leave a comment on this post and I'll try my best to make that happen! The focus might not always be on background STAMPS, but rather, just how to create different interesting backgrounds. Thus, the unoriginal name of this post/project being Beautiful Backgrounds 2, LOL!
Today's project incorporates stamping onto inlaid die cuts, to give them more interest. This pretty Framed Lovebirds Centerpieces Die-namics from My Favorite Things was die cut three times -- from Bazill Icy Mint (light blue), Gumball (medium blue), and Taffy (light grayish tan):
Before piecing all the die cuts back together onto a piece of gold metallic cardstock (shown above), I stamped the blue pieces with the small flowers from MFT's Clear Spring Backgrounds stamp set, in Versamark, to create a subtle background (see Tip #5 below):
Next, included in the Lovebirds die set are a row of tiny leaf dies which enables you to die cut all 16 of these leaves at once -- I cut them from Bazzill French Mints (light green), and the lovebirds from Cotton Candy. Craft Tweezers, a QuickStik, and Copic's X-Press It Glue Marker make it easy to pick up, glue, and put those small die cuts into place!
Next, I used the Friend die from MFT's Blueprints 8 to cut more gold cardstock and adhered it behind the lovebird gold mat.
The striped background panel was created by stamping MFT's On The Diagonal Background stamp (see Tip #2 below) with Hero Arts Unicorn White pigment ink (see Tip #3 below) onto the Blueprints 8 square stitched die cut, cut from Bazzil Butter Mints cardstock:
Next, I heat embossed the stripes with Ranger's Superfine White Embossing Powder, to give them texture and interest (see Tip #6 below).
Finally, I cut the scallop trip (from the Blueprints 8 die set) from Cotton Candy cardstock and stamped it with tiny dots from MFT's Washi Patterns, using Spun Sugar Distress Ink.
To finish the card, I die cut two of the hearts from Blueprints 8 from gold metallic and French Mints cardstock and tied gold thread through the "button holes" of the light green heart. The bird friends panel was attached to the card base (Neenah 110 lb Solar White) using Copic X-Press It Foam Tape.
Background Stamp Tips:
1. Take cues from patterned papers you like, on what types of color combos and size/scale you prefer, then choose stamps accordingly.
2. To get a good stamp impression with these large background stamps, lay the stamp flat on your work table, impression side up and ink the surface. Then place your cardstock on top of the inked stamp; "rub" the back of the cardstock with firm and even pressure all over. Place a scrap piece of printer paper over the cardstock if you won't be using a piece of cardstock large enough to cover the entire stamp -- this will prevent extra ink from getting anywhere you don't want it.
3. I've found pigment or watermark inks to give the best, even ink coverage on background stamps, especially when stamping on more absorbent colored cardstock.
4. Go bold and dramatic with very dark ink on light cardstock, or vice versa.
5. Go subtle, with a tone-on-tone look by using watermark or clear embossing ink such as Versamark (clear), Frost (silvery) shimmer, Champagne (gold) shimmer; Ranger's Watermark Resist Pad or Distress Embossing Ink.
6. Heat emboss colored pigment inks with clear embossing powder to give them a shiny finish, or go glitzy with gold or silver embossing powder.
Thanks so much for joining me today! ~Sharon
