Thanks – Simon Says Stamp Flickr Challenge #102

Hello again!

Today is extra special for me because I get to be the guest designer for the latest Simon Says Stamp Flikr Challenge.  Be sure to check out the challenge post to learn how to participate in this week’s challenge which is “Favorite Technique.”  I created two cards for the challenge, which you can see over on Flikr, but today on my blog I’m sharing just one.  I’ll share the other in the next few days!

My favorite technique is to use emboss resist to create a beautiful background.  I just love all of the different media that can be used to create something unique in a short amount of time.

I started by using VersaMark ink and Hero Arts white embossing powder to heat emboss the Simon Says Stamp Center Cut Kaleidoscope Background stamp onto a just-larger-than A2-sized piece of Canson XL Watercolor paper.  Then I used painter’s tape to tape down the panel to my work surface.

Using a flat brush, I thoroughly wet the panel with clean clear water. Then I carefully tapped on very teeny amounts of Cherry Bomb and Violet Brocade Tonic Nuvo Shimmer Powders.  A little of this powder goes a very long way!  When the powder hits the wet paper, it spreads a bit, but I helped get it moving by using a Ranger mini mister to add more water to the panel.  Because I didn’t want the colors to blend too much, I used a Pentel Aquash waterbrush pen to gently spread the color so that the entire panel was covered.

While the panel was drying, I heat embossed a tiny sentiment from the You Got This stamp set (one of my absolute favorites!) onto a piece of black Recollections #110 cardstock.  I trimmed it down and backed it with foam tape.

When the panel was dry, I trimmed it down to 4″ x 5.25″ and then used the waterbrush to very carefully lift some of the color that had settled over the white embossing.  Unlike other media, where you can gently rub across the embossing, I found that with the shimmer powders it’s best to dab with a paper towel so that the embossing stays nice and white.

Finally, I adhered the panel to an A2-sized card base and adhered the sentiment and that finished up my first card for this week’s Simon Says Stamp Flikr Challenge.

Thanks so much for coming by!