Embossed backgrounds and a color challenge for myself....

I can't remember the last time I used Brilliant Blue ink. Ages. Maybe more. I challenged myself to break out this color, plus another color I don't use much of and put them together. Green Galore.

It's ironic that I used to be SO into the Bold Brights palette years ago when I first started stamping (that was 7 years ago) and now....well, they scare me. Especially particular colors like Green Galore and Brilliant Blue. I just never seem to think of them or use them much.

It was time to go outside of my comfort zone today.

I started off with Green Galore for the cardstock and stamped one of the ovals from Kitchen Sink Stamp's Playful Ovals set over the cardstock with Versamark ink. I embossed them with Clear embossing powder for a tone-on-tone effect. I stamped some of the small arrows that come in the same set around and inside the ovals with Brilliant Blue ink.

That's where I got stuck. I had made this awesome background that I just couldn't bear to cover up. I wracked my brain a little to see what I could come up with because I certainly didn't want to leave it that way. I suppose I could have but I wanted to push myself a bit more.

I stamped the same oval on a piece of Whisper White cardstock with a combination of Versmark ink and Brilliant Blue ink. Okay.....I know that sounds confusing, so let me explain. I wanted to have an embossed image, but I don't have the Brilliant Blue ink in Craft ink form. I knew that if I stamped it on the cardstock with a dye-based ink (the Classic Pad) nothing would have stuck to it. So.....I stamped my image first onto a Versamark pad and THEN onto the Brilliant Blue ink pad. This gave me the stickiness of the Versmark pad and the color of the Brilliant Blue pad, but it didn't ruin my pad. I sprinkled the image with Iridescent Ice embossing powder and heated it. This gave it the look of embossing with the sparkle of glitter that I love so much.

I used my oval cutter to trim an oval out of the center and then trimmed around the image with my scalloped edge scissors. I matted it on a piece of Tempting Turquoise cardstock, which I also trimmed with my scalloped edged scissors. I tied a couple pieces of black gingham ribbon around the sides and finished them off with double knots. This got mounted on top of a strip of Whisper White cardstock that I trimmed with scalloped edge scissors and also sponged with Brilliant Blue ink.

I stamped the word, "smile," (from the Never a Loss 4 words set) across the Whisper White cardstock with Brilliant Blue ink.

Ta-da!

Now that I've done this background on a card, I think it would look awesome on a whole piece of 12 x 12 cardstock, as background paper for a scrapbook page.

Make sure to check in tomorrow.....I baked yummy muffins today and I'll have a new Bake it, Make it & Take it post

Happy Creating!

-Stampin' Mama

Comments

[Mary C. Anderson]

I am not a big fan of bright colors either but this card is so awesome that when I get a free moment I will be trying these two colors together. Beautiful work as always Erika./ Hope you are doing well.

Mary

[Kathy W]

I'm a big fan of bright colors (maybe because I work with kids and they love all things bold and bright), so I really like this card. I am out of my comfort zone trying to create something "shabby-chic" or "grunged up" with a lot of distressing. Nice focal point on your card to use the oval to highlight one of the words. Thanks for sharing.

[Elishia]

I don't use bright colors much anymore either, but its' fun to try and see what we come up with once in a while! Your stuff is alwasy so inspirational!

[Julie Masse]

Fun card! You are great at thinking outside the box Erika!! :)

[Nicole]

Love how you spotlighted "smile"! Fun card!

[Melanie Muenchinger]

me too, I quickly got over that pahase and became an "earth element girl", still am! (with the exception of my beloved REAL RED!!)