Thursday, February 11, 2016

Distress Ink Valentine

Today I set out to create a Valentine card for my husband. I had planned to case a card by Amy Rysavy. It was simply gorgeous and I thought I could recreate the watercolor look by using the Stampin Up reinkers.

I set out with the colors I had chosen–Coastal Cabana, Bermuda Bay, and Island Indigo–but the colors just didn't blend the right way. I tried again by watercoloring by putting distress inks on my craft mat and adding water but the colors weren't nearly as intense and I didn't have any reinkers for my distress inks.

So, that left sponging the background. I could have sponged with the Stampin Up inks but the distress inks blend so well so I went with them.

I cut a matte from watercolor paper and started sponging. In the end, I used 10 different distress inks to create my panel! I used Peacock Feathers, Cracked Pistachio, Mermaid Lagoon, Pine Needles, Blueprint Sketch, Faded Jeans, Chipped Sapphire, Evergreen Bough, Lucky Clover and Black Soot. And how do I remember what I used? I snapped a photo of course! It's a great way to record what you are using as you use it. I also used a sponge dauber to apply a fine line of Basic Black Archival Ink to the edges of the matte.

Inks used to distress the matte for the card front
After creating my background, I die cut the Queen of Hearts die from Memory Box using Silver Glimmer Paper. Because the design is so delicate and intricate, I used a metal shim with my Magnetic Platform as well as placing a dryer sheet beneath the glimmer paper.

What a beautiful die cut! It looked stunning placed on the distress ink background. It was then that I decided to add some Silver Cording Trim, wrapped around the bottom of the matte. I adhered the matte to a very thin Whisper White matte, using Fast Fuse Adhesive.

For the sentiment, I simply used the XOXO stamp from the Bloomin' Love Stamp Set. I stamped in Versamark on Basic Black card stock and embossed with White Stampin' Emboss Powder. I used the Bitty Banners Framelits to die cut the sentiment and then cut off the one end. Using the Confetti Hearts Border Punch, I punched a few tiny hearts from the Silver Glimmer Paper and glued them on the banner. I used Fast Fuse Adhesive to adhere the sentiment under the Silver Cording Trim.

I then attached the distressed matte and Whisper White matte to an Island Indigo card base using foam tape. I like to use foam tape when I watercolor because I think it holds the paper better, with less warping.

To attach the die cut, I decided to use spray adhesive. I placed the die cut face down in a box I use as my spray booth and coated it with the spray. Definitely easier than using the Fine Tip Glue Pen! However, it didn't adhere in all places so I ended up adding some Multi Medium Matte to finish the job. I adhered a sprinkling of sequins to complete the front of the card.

I cut a Whisper White matte for the inside of the card and stamped the large intricate heart from the Bloomin' Love Stamp Set. using Basic Black Archival Ink. I zapped it with my heat gun to be sure it was dry before beginning to sponge once again.

I only used a few inks this time–Blueprint Sketch, Pine Needles, Evergreen Bough, Peacock Feathers and Chipped Sapphire. It wasn't the best blending job ever but it still looked nice! I adhered the matte with Fast Fuse Adhesive to complete the card.

Completed inner matte with distress inks that were used


I think my husband will like the card. What do you think? Leave me a comment below–I'd love to hear from you!


2 comments:

Donna Ellis said...

oooooh! such beautiful colors, wonderful technique, and gorgeous card inside and out, Miss Linda! Do you use SU watercolor paper to achieve these results? It's serene, heartfelt, and pretty. Your hubby will love it! hugs, de

Linda Vich said...

Hi Donna! Glad you like my card. This time round it was Stampin Up watercolor paper though I often use Canson Watercolor paper. Both are 140 pound papers.