Inspiration for this card came from a couple of challenges. To start with I found this last Monday's Technique Challenge on Splitcoaststampers particularly enticing because it called for making your own background with layers of stamping. I looked to another challenge I recently discovered, The Paper Players for my colors: Bravo Burgundy, Cajun Craze, More Mustard and Very Vanilla.
I don't have craft ink pads for More Mustard and Bravo Burgundy but I do have many craft refills so I squeezed a little of the ink out onto some large square blocks and applied the ink to my stamps with my brayer. This also allows me to mix the inks a little. I'll let you in on a little secret. I don't have Bravo Burgundy either - yet. So, I mixed some Cherry Cobbler with Early Espresso until I had a color which looked a lot to me like Bravo.
I don't have pictures of each step of the process but here are a few that will give you an idea of how I played with this;
I had mixed the colors before applying them with the brayer to my Medallion stamp. I wheeled the Decor wheel through the mixed Bravo ink.
More Mustard ink on an acrylic block.
I took a bit of a detour and decided to try adding a Very Vanilla Doily so I squeezed some Very Vanilla craft ink onto an acrylic block:
I spread it around with my brayer:
and inked the doily stamp:
and stamped
Unfortunately, I didn't like the result so much after heating the doily ink
So I took this block:
and smeared it randomly over my background and added a little more of the decor wheel. And then I liked it! I added a border from a 1/4 sheet that had some of the Decor wheel on Cajun Craze. Since I didn't want to cover up too much of my background I just added a greeting from Alway Grateful to the lower corner.
That's it.
This kind of stamping and brayering really feel like the ultimate way to play with ink. I also didn't realize how well the Medallion backgroung stamp coordinates with the Decor wheel. I'm going to have to try those to out together again!
Happy stamping.
Wow! SO gorgeous, that you for sharing how you made this card too! Great way to use the colours. Thanks for joining us at the Paper Players!
Posted by: Lesley | October 15, 2011 at 12:11 AM
How unique and creative, Chris! I love how you created your own background and blended your inks. Thanks for playing with The Paper Players this week!
Posted by: Ann Schach | October 15, 2011 at 12:27 AM
Wow Chris! This is amazing. I must try this technique. It is so rich and dimensional. Such a beautiful card for the challenge. Thank you for playing along with The Paper Players!
Posted by: Tara Bilbao | October 15, 2011 at 01:57 AM
Really very unique and beautiful. Love the technique. Thanks so much for sharing this with us on The Paper Players this week!
Posted by: Cindy | October 15, 2011 at 10:17 AM
Gorgeous card! I love the Medallion stamp and you've used it in a way I've not seen before. The colors are fabulous. Thanks so much for playing along with the Paper Players!
Posted by: Julie | October 15, 2011 at 11:01 PM