Tag: ink smooshing technique

Cardmaking Kit · Die cutting · Stenciling

Hero Arts August 2025 | Light-Up Tags + Crystal Ball

Karen Brown20 Comments
Handmade Halloween tag with layered colorful tags, white heat embossed spider web on black cardstock, lit up with a hidden light, and “Boo to You” sentiment.

The Hero Arts August 2025 Release is here, and it’s packed with creative possibilities—from interactive Halloween tags to dreamy stenciled scenes and mystical vibes. I had so much fun with these kits and created two very different but equally inspiring projects.

>>>> Hero Arts Club Kits Overview <<<<

🕷️ Project 1: Light-Up Spider Web Halloween Tag – August Card Kit

Let’s start with a spooky showstopper! This interactive Halloween tag uses elements from the August Hero Arts Card Kit, including the spider web stamp and Press One Light that lights up the tag.

Here’s how it came together:

  • I white heat embossed the spider web on black cardstock, die cut it, and positioned one of the included Press One Lights behind the center.
  • When you press the hidden button—the web lights up! 🕸️✨
  • I layered two tags using the Nesting Tag Dies:
    • The top tag is watercolor paper with Yellow and Orange Liquid Watercolors—so vibrant and bold!
    • The bottom tag is purple cardstock with a Hero Transfer from Collage Backgrounds 2—the script texture gives a haunting Halloween vibe.

I finished it off with a heat-embossed “Boo to You” sentiment from the kit and a touch of black hemp cord. This tag is spooky, clever, and totally kid-approved.

Hero Studio light up Halloween spider web tag created with the August 2025 Card Kit, including the Pear Blossom Press One Light.

What’s Included in the August Card Kit?

  • Abraham and Katrina 6×8 Stamp Set (used on tag)
  • Abraham and Katrina Coordinating Die (used on tag)
  • Stamping Guide for stamp set
  • Victorian Frame Die Set (used on card 2)
  • Pear Blosson Press-One Light 2 Pack (used on tag)
  • 10 Sheets of Cardstock- 1 of each color, 5.5″ x 8.5″ (Cinnamon, Terra Cotta, Carrot, Coral, Bellini, Tuscan, Mint, Waterfall, Blue Spruce, Raven)
  • Holographic Rainbow Film, 1 sheet – 5.5″ x 8.5″
  • Acetate, 1 sheet – 5.5″ x 8.5″ (used on card 3)

Receive a FREE Magic Mist Stencil when you purchase The Whole Studio!

Hero Arts has many different Monthly Kits that you can subscribe to including:

Project 2: Crystal Ball Magic – August Stamp & Cut: You Are Magic

Card featuring a die cut crystal ball made from ink smooshed background and acetate layer, with the sentiment “You Are Magic” over a tone-on-tone mini rainbow background stenciled in teal and aqua shades.

This second card leans into the magical vibes with the new You Are Magic Stamp & Cut. The crystal ball die is the star here!

  • I used a leftover ink smoosh background scrap in soft blues and aquas to simulate swirling crystal magic. You can read my Ink Smoosh Tutorial HERE.
  • I die cut a circle of acetate (included in my August Card Kit of the Month) and layered it on top for a glassy, dimensional effect.
  • The sentiment “You Are Magic” is stamped and layered over the crystal ball.

For the background, I used Oceanside ColorWheel Cardstock and the Retro Rainbow Stencil from last month’s Retro Kitchen Release. I went for a tone-on-tone look using:

Mounted on an aqua card base with a few black enamel dots, this card feels subtle, sparkly, and just a little bit mystical and mysterious.

Hero Studio Blog Hop

Hero Arts will give away a $50 gift card, drawn from the comments left across the hop. Leave a comment on all stops for more chances to win!


Hero Arts
Nichol Spohr
Seeka
Rosie Lopez
Rachel Kleinman
Natasha Polite
Mindy Eggen
Michelle Short
Michelle Lupton
Lisa Tilson
Karen Brown
Jennifer Kotas
Jeannie Lieu
Charlene Madrid
Channin Pelletier
Anna Mahtani

Handmade card created from the Hero Studio August 2025 Stamp and Cut "You Are Magic" kit.

From light-up tags to dreamy stenciling and crystal energy, the August kits are perfect for stretching your creativity into fall. Which kit are you reaching for first?

Layering Stencil handmade card and video. Video: Easy Fun Card Idea
Cardmaking Video · Stenciling

Video: Easy Fun Card Idea

Karen Brown1 Comment

Watch above OR click HERE to watch video on YouTube.

Looking for an easy, beginner-friendly card idea that makes a big impact? Today I’m sharing a project using the Hero Studio July 2025 “Just Keep Going” Layering Stencils—a bold, three-layered sentiment that I paired with a coordinating ink smooshed background for a clean, summery design.

Handmade card with bold “Just Keep Going” encouraging sentiment in green, teal, and blue ink, layered over a watercolor-style ink smooshed background.

Supplies & Theme

The “Just Keep Going” stenciled sentiment is built up with three perfectly aligned stencil layers. For the sentiment and the coordinating background, I used the following Reactive Inks:

These bright, analogous colors are side-by-side on the color wheel and blend beautifully together for a unified, harmonious look.

July 2025 Layering Stencil of the Month "Just Keep Going" kit card in analgous green, aqua and blue inks.

The Background: Ink Smooshing

To complement the stenciled panel, I created an ink smooshed background using the exact same three ink colors. Ink smooshing is one of my favorite techniques—just dab ink onto a 6 x 6″ acrylic block, spritz with water, and press your watercolor paper onto the color. I flip my block and weight down with a book for 5 minutes. If there is a puddle, I dab it with a paper towel. The result? A gorgeous, watercolor-style background that’s one of a kind.

This technique is fantastic for beginners and gives your cards a fun, organic texture. It’s also a great way to bring all the color elements of your project together.

Creating an "ink smoosh" background that coordinates with your stenciled focal point

Finishing Touches

I die cut my stenciled sentiment panel using a nesting postage stamp die for extra polish. As a playful embellishment, I added a pair of sunglasses from the Hero Studio July 2025 Card Kit. The frames are cut from leftover inked cardstock, and the lenses from another panel inked with Blue Hawaii—just another way to tie everything together!

Custom coordinated ink smoosh background and bold stenciled sentiment card.

Why It Works

This card’s cohesive look comes from intentionally choosing analogous colors and using them across both the background and focal elements. Whether you’re just starting out or want a quick, cheerful design, this is a project anyone can enjoy!

Cardmaking Kit · Die cutting

Hit the Road with Hero Arts! July 2025 Club Kits Blog Hop

Karen Brown20 Comments
3 fun summery cards for Hero Studio July 2025 in aqua blue, orange and white color palettes.

Pack your crafty bags, because this month Hero Arts is taking us on a road trip! I’m thrilled to be part of the July 2025 Club Kit Blog Hop where we celebrate this month’s travel-inspired theme. The kits are full of scenic surprises, clever sentiments, and summery fun—and I’m here to show you four creative ways to use them.

>>>> Hero Arts Club Kits Overview <<<<

You might also be interested in my VIDEO using the July Layering Stencil Kit.

Card 1: Desert Dreams Heroscape

Road trip Heroscape card with a winding desert road, blue sky, and “just keep going” sentiment.

I started with the Card Kit of the Month, which features a stunning “On the Road” Heroscape. Imagine a desert road winding into the distance with low-slung mountains and a bright blue sky. These Heroscapes are layered stamps that create dimension and realism with every step.

I kept the palette natural and sun-drenched, and chose the sentiment “just keep going” — a perfect message for road trips and life journeys alike. Heroscapes are always crowd-pleasers and this one is no exception!

Layer stamp Heroscape of a winding road through the desert mountains from the July 2025 Hero Studio Card Kit of the Month.

What’s Inside the July 2025 Hero Studio Card Kit?

  • On the Road HeroScape Coordinating Dies
  • On the Road HeroScape 6×8 Stamp Set
  • Let’s Go Die Set
  • Pine Core Ink Cube
  • 10 Sheets of Cardstock (1 of each color), 5.5″ x 8.5″ (Sicily, Coral, Bellini, Waterfall, Teal Topaz, Blue Spruce, Peridot, Beeswax, Saffron, Carrot) These are some of my absolute favorite cardstock colors and I used Carrot and Teal Topaz on two cards below.
  • Mirror Paper, 1 sheet – 5.5″ x 8.5″

The Whole Studio  includes ALL 5 of the monthly subscriptions in one discounted bundle. Cling of the Month, Stamp & Cut of the Month (new name for the subscription!), Layering Stencil of the Month, Fancy Dies of the Month, and the Card Kit of the Month.

Receive a FREE Everything’s Pine stamp & die set when you purchase The Whole Studio!

Hero Arts has many different Monthly Kits that you can subscribe to including:

Cards 2 & 3: Cobblestone Courtyard Two-Fer

2-Fer cards using Hero Arts Cobblestone Courtyard Cling Background Stamp in aqua blue with white heat embossing, die cut hearts and scripty hello sentiment.

Next up is what may be my favorite Cling of the Month EVER: Cobblestone Courtyard. This rubber background stamp is a pattern of concentric circles that looks like a cozy plaza or mosaic.

Aqua blue and white heat embossed and ink-blended Cobblestone Courtyard background card with die cut heart window and a scripty orange “hello” sentiment..

For my first card, I stamped it in Unicorn White Pigment Ink and heat embossed with White Embossing Powder on Bristol Smooth cardstock. Then I ink blended over the top using Blue Raspberry ink to create a vibrant turquoise and white background. I polished the embossing with a microfiber cloth, and the crisp, clean results had me swooning.

I couldn’t resist making a “two-fer”: I die cut a heart (from the Heart Infinity Die set) from the center of the panel and inset a scripty “hello” from the Fancy Die Kit: Mix Tape using Carrot cardstock.

Bright summery hello card with layered die cut hearts, scripty hello sentiment, and turquoise, white and orange color palette.

For the second card, I used the leftover heart die cut and layered it over a Teal Topaz heart, then a smaller white heart, and finally topped it with the turquoise Cobblestone heart. Another “hello” sentiment (this time in Woodland cardstock) finishes the look. The swooping tails of the sentiment are so charming! Two cards with a fresh, summery vibe!

📼 Card 4: Mix Tape Magic

Summery aqua ink smoosh card background with a die cut retro cassette tape and scripty hello background.

For my final card, I had fun with the Fancy Die of the Month: Mix Tape. This playful set includes a cassette tape die with the word “hello” cleverly shaped from the tape itself. I used this hello sentiment on three of my cards today.

I placed the cassette on a handmade ink-smooshed background using Blue Raspberry, Splash, and Pool Party inks. I wanted my background to look like a shimmery swimming pool. Want to try ink smooshing? Here’s how:

Ink Smooshing Quick Steps Tutorial:

  • I liberally inked a 6×6″ acrylic block with Blue Raspberry, Pool Party and Splash inks. This is the panel I used for my background.
  • I spritzed the ink with water and “smooshed” the block onto a piece of watercolor paper
  • I weighted the inked block with a book for 5 minutes
  • I uncovered my panel.  If the ink pooled, I dabbed with a paper towel.
  • I made a “second generation” panel for a future project by taking a piece of Bristol Cardstock and soaking up the excess ink on my work space. So this is another Two-Fer!
Retro cassette tape card with ink-smooshed blue background and whimsical “hello” shaped like audio tape.

The retro vibe of the tape plus the dreamy summer colors made this card a total blast to create.

You might be interested in another popular Ink Smooshing post I wrote.

GIVEAWAY 

Hero Arts will give away a $50 gift card, drawn from the comments left across the hop. Enter by Saturday, July 5th at 11:59pm PT, and the winner will be announced on the Hero Arts blog the following week. Leave a comment on all stops for more chances to win!
  

BLOG HOP ORDER

Hero Arts
Hero Arts Creative Team:
Anna Mahtani
Channin Pelletier
Charlene Madrid
Jeannie Lieu
Jennifer Kotas
Karen Brown <<<You Are Here
Lisa Tilson
Michelle Lupton
Michelle Short
Mindy Eggen
Natasha Polite
Rachel Kleinman
Rosie Lopez
Seeka
Special Guests:
Nichol Spohr
Lea Lawson
Sheri Gilson

🚗 Final Thoughts

Whether you love to layer, emboss, smoosh or die cut, the July 2025 Hero Arts Club Kits have something inspiring for every type of cardmaker. Don’t forget to follow along the Blog Hop to see even more road trip-ready inspiration. Thanks for stopping by—and remember: Just keep going!

cardmaking · Die cutting · Hot Foiling

Spring Whimsy with Hero Arts: Bold Colors, Butterflies & Birthday Cheer

Karen Brown2 Comments

Spring is in the air, and so is a burst of bold color and whimsy! Today, I’m taking a closer look at the new Hero Arts Spring Whimsy Collection with four vibrant cards featuring hot foiling, ink smooshing, ink blending, heat embossing, and die cutting. Let’s get crafty!

>>> You may also be interested in my recent video and blog post: Easy and Festive Cardmaking <<<

Card 1: Hot Foil Butterfly Elegance

This card is all about shimmer and movement! I started with an aqua ink-smooshed background—the perfect backdrop for a gorgeous, hot-foiled butterfly. The butterfly itself was hot foiled onto an ink-blended panel of soft pinks, corals, and oranges before being die cut and centered on the background.

A hot-foiled butterfly in pink, coral, and orange, die-cut and placed on an ink-smooshed aqua background.

My Process for Creating This Foiled Butterfly Card:

✨ Pro Tip: Ink smooshing is a great way to create organic, watercolor-like backgrounds.

Gorgeous Hot Foil Glimmer Butterfly card on a dreamy aqua ink smooshed background.

Card 2: Striking Ink-Blended Background & Black Butterfly

A bold ink-blended background in Fruit Punch, Creamsicle, and Taffy with a striking black die-[cut butterfly as the focal point.

For a dramatic look, I ink blended a bold background using Fruit Punch, Creamsicle, and Taffy inks. These warm hues set the stage for a striking black die-cut butterfly, creating a high-contrast, modern design.

Key Product: Delicate Butterfly Fancy Die (also used on card #1 and #3)
Bold pink, coral and orange ink blended background with a lovely die cut black butterfly focal element. Hero Arts Delicate Butterfly Fancy Die.

Card 3: Heat Embossed Floral Background + Die Cut Butterfly

A white heat-embossed floral background over a vibrant coral and pink ink-blended panel, accented with a small black butterfly and a die cut “hello” sentiment. Hero Arts Whimy Floral Bold Print Stamp.

This card keeps the same coral, pink, and orange hues but introduces texture with the Whimsy Floral Bold Print background stamp. I heat embossed the pattern in white over my ink-blended panel and added a small black die-cut butterfly and a “hello” sentiment for balance.

Key Products Used:

Hero Arts Floral Bold Print Stamp heat embossed over an ink blended gradient from soft orange to hot pink.

This next photo shows two cards I created with the Delicate Butterfly Fancy Die.

2 handmade cards featuring Hero Arts Delicate Butterfly Fancy Dies. Both cards have an orange to pink gradient color scheme with black die cut butterflies.

Card 4: Elegant Window Birthday Card

A birthday card featuring a 9-pane Hero Artd Elegant Window Die with small, Copic-colored birthday images and a stamped “cheers” sentiment with Mist blue cardstock.

For a completely different vibe, I created a charming birthday card using the Elegant Window Fancy Die. The die creates a beautiful 9-pane window, which I die cut from Mist cardstock. Each pane features a tiny, Copic-colored stamped image from the Spring Bunny Stamps, Our Day Messages, and Birthday Animal stamp sets. A simple “cheers” sentiment ties it all together.

Charming 9 window pane stamped and die cut birthday card featuring small stamped images of cake, party hats, balloon animal, duck, butterflies and flowers.

This collection is packed with so much creative potential! Whether you love hot foiling, ink blending, or stamping, there’s something here for every cardmaker. I hope these designs inspire you to play with color and try new techniques!

Four beautiful handmade cards created with Hero Arts Spring Whimsy Collection + hot foiling, ink blending, stamping, ink smooshing and die cutting.

Thank you for stopping by!

cardmaking · Stamping

Fabulous Floral Backgrounds | Ink Smooshing + Stamping Tutorial

Karen Brown1 Comment
Two colorful floral cards using Hero Arts August 2024 Cling Stamp of the Month "Orchids" + Ink Smooshing Technique Tutorial.

Hello lovely crafters! Karen Brown here and today I am excited to share with you a simple yet stunning way to create a floral background with a gorgeous new cling stamp called Orchids.

Easy Yet Eye-Catching Ink Smooshing

Easy yet eye-catching floral background in pinks and oranges + Orchids Cling Background Stamp of the Month for August 2024.

Step-By-Step Tutorial:

I will walk you through how to make two colorful cards using the August Cling of the Month: Orchids.

  • I started by making two background panels. I took a Clear Acetate Window Card Panel, dabbed Reactive Ink on the acetate and then spritzed with water. Some spots were watery and others were a bit dryer, and think I think this combination adds more character to backgrounds.
  • I turned the acetate over, bent it so that it touched just a portion of my background, and applied a section of the diluted ink onto Luxe Watercolor Paper. I continued adding different colors until I liked the look of my panel. I wanted contrast so I made sure to leave some white space. You can see my process photo below.

Below is a photo of my completed ink smooshing. I used Fruit Punch, Creamsicle and Taffy for card 1 and Blue Hawaii, Paradise and Pool Party for card 2.

  • I let my backgrounds dry overnight but you could speed things up with a heat tool.
  • I find I get a better result if I season my cling stamps prior to stamping my project. I inked up the Orchids stamp and stamped on plain computer paper and then discarded this test paper.
  • I put my ink smoosh background and cling stamp in my stamp positioner and stamped three times with Intense Black Ink. I wanted a nice dark impression that really penetrated the paper.
  • Next, using my August Card Kit of the Month, I die cut my elements from Pitch Black cardstock.
  • I cut two 2″ x 3″ white panels, and two black mats.
  • I stamped my sentiment (also from the August Card Kit) near the bottom of the white panel and then attached my die cuts with foam squares.
  • I assembled my card, adding a bit of craft foam behind the small black mat.
Floral Background + Blue Ink Smooshing for an eye-catching Hello card with die cut accents.

Here is a final photo of both cards.

How to make colorful ink smoosh backgrounds for your handmade cards.

I hope you enjoy trying out this technique. Happy stamping!

cardmaking · Mixed Media · Stamping

Hero Arts | Man Card Monday | Ramen Birthday Card

Karen Brown1 Comment
Man Card Monday masculine birthday card for the Foodie

Ramen Card for the Foodie in Your Life

Masculine cards can be tricky, but when I saw Hero Arts Ramen Stamp and Die Bundle, I knew it would be the perfect set for my son-in-law’s birthday. He is a real foodie and I love the fun sentiment included!

How to Make an Ink Smoosh Background

I started by making my “Ink Smoosh” background. I dabbed Fawn, Papaya, Fog, Paradise and Pool Party inks in separate pools on my craft mat and spritzed with water. I then dipped a piece of watercolor paper in the puddle and let it dry. I did this four times.

Next, I stamped my images and then colored in with Artist Alcohol Markers. Die cutting was next. I also used my Rounded Rectangles Infinity dies to trim my background, mat and card base. The final step was to assemble my card.

Graphic Mixed Media birthday card for the masculine Foodie in your life.
Products Used:
cardmaking · Mixed Media · Tutorial

Hero Arts | 2 Fun Mixed Media Cards

Karen BrownLeave a comment
Hero Arts Mixed Media Cards using CM740 Vintage Postmarks and Tickets CM739 Vintage Maps and Ledger stamps.

Hero Arts Spring Catalog Release is live and I love all the new Mixed Media products that they added to their line. I used a bunch of them on these two cards.

Today is the last day for Hero Art’s Blog Hop, which you can find HERE.

Hero Arts Mixed Media card using Vintage Maps and Ledgers stamps.

My Recipe:

Products Used:

Other Tools:  Acrylic Stamping Block

Additional Products Used On Second Card: White Wax + SA263 Mandala Flower Pattern Stencil, Blue Iridescent Embossing Powder

I am so glad you dropped by!

cardmaking · papercrafting

Altenew Educators “Alphabet Name Game” Blog Hop, Linky Party + Giveaway

Karen Brown29 Comments
Altenew Mega Alphabet K die + Ink Smooshing Technique

“K” is for…..Karen! I was inspired to make an initial notecard for Altenew’s “Alphabet Name Game” Blog Hop. I love to make my own paper so I started by coming up with a color palette. I wanted a bright happy card so I selected aqua, green, yellow, pink and tangerine.

Ink Smooshing Technique

I started by making three inked panels.  Here was my technique:

  1. I liberally inked an 6×6″ acrylic block with Altenew Inks.  I wanted an ombre gradient look so went in rows across the block.
  2.  I very liberally sprayed the inked block with water 
  3. “Smooshed” the block onto a piece of watercolor paper
  4. Weighted the ink/block with a book for 5 minutes
  5. Uncovered.  If the ink pooled, I dabbed with a paper towel.
  6. I made a “second generation” panel for the background by taking a piece of Bristol Cardstock and soaking up the excess ink on my work space. 

Panel one and the background were made with Seashore Mini Ink Cube Set (Lagoon & Volcano Lake), Rainbow Prism Mini Ink Cube Set (Parrot & Warm Sunshine).  Panel two was Coral Berry and Orange Cream.

I let the panels dry overnight and then I started my die-cutting. The “K” is from Altenew’s Mega Alphabet Collection and the grid background uses Altenew’s GardenTrellis Cover die, which is a favorite of mine.

Altenew Garden Trellis Cover Die + Ink Smooshing Technique.

Here is a closeup of the card.

Ink Smooshing Technique

Prizes:

$200 in total prizes! Altenew is giving away a $35 gift certificate to 2 lucky winners and a $20 gift certificate to 5 winners! Please leave a comment on the Altenew Card Blog and/or each designer’s blog post on the blog hop list below by 10/09/2021 for a chance to win. 

There’s MORE! What’s a hop without YOU?! We have included an Inlinkz at the Altenew blog for you to enter your gorgeous Altenew “Alphabet Name Game” creations. We will pick 2 of our favorite handmade creations from those who joined the linky party and they will each receive a $15 Altenew gift certificate!

Altenew will draw 7 random winners from the comments left on each stop of this blog hop and announce the winners on the Altenew Winners Page on 10/11/2021.

Hop list:

Altenew Blog

Virginia Lu

Joylita Dsouza

Fiona Duff

Michelle Ochoa Murray

Irina Fonina 

Penny Pynnonen

Anna Patricia Mahtani

Kari VanNoy

Bridget Casey

Rachael Shedeed

Ann Taylor

Neha Aggarwal

Annemarie Caister

Helen Kalb

Sandra Woodson

Nancy Souza

Nandini Karmarkar

Pam Boedeker

Eva Bussom 

Terri Marie Koszler

Karen Brown (You made it to the end!)

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

cardmaking · papercrafting

Spellbinders: Susan’s Garden Party Geranium Basket

Karen BrownLeave a comment
Spellbinders Geranium and Antique Wooden Bucket from Susan's Garden Club

Hello friends…happy Monday! I spent part of my weekend creating with this lovely geranium and antique bucket die set designed by Susan Tierney-Cockburn. I’ve always loved geraniums so this was an especially fun project for me.

Card Details

I wanted a lot of color variation in my geraniums so I started by “ink smooshing” four panels of watercolor paper.

  • I liberally inked a 6×6″ acrylic block with Distress Inks.  I wanted an ombre gradient look so went in rows across the block.
  • I very liberally sprayed the inked block with water then “smooshed” the block onto a piece of watercolor paper.
  • I weighted the ink/block with a book for 5 minutes.
  • Next, I uncovered the panel and If the ink pooled, I dabbed the excess ink with a paper towel.

For the geranium buds, I used two shades of red on the top half of the panel and two shades of pink on the bottom. The colors mixed and mingled and gave me the color variation I was looking for. Panel #2 for the basket was done with a light tan and brown. Panel #3 for the leaves mixed three shades of green. And the background panel was created with Tumbled Glass Distress Ink.

Die cut with Ink Smooshing panels

Once my panels were dry, I started die-cutting with the dies from Spellbinders Geranium and Antique Wooden Bucket from Susan’s Garden Club. I used brown, pink and green watercolor markers to go around the edges of the bucket, blossoms and leaves. I then gently shaped the leaves and buds. To finish the blooms I added a dot of pink glimmer lacquer to the centers.

For the background, I used longtime favorite Spellbinders Essential Rectangles Etched Die on my blue background panel for a little subtle interest. I then mounted my bucket with foam tape and then glued on my leaves, blooms and sentiment,

Die Cut Geranium card with hand crafted papers.

This geranium die set is beautiful, artistic and very versatile. I can see using it for birthdays, Mother’s Day, Sympathy cards, Thank You Notes etc.

Thank you for visiting today!

Karen

Uncategorized

WWC256 – Kath\’s Challenge: All About Occasions

Karen Brown2 Comments
Hello and welcome.  This week is all about \”Occasion\” cards at The Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and Kath is our hostess.  
I started by making an \”ink-smoosh\” panel.  Here was my technique:

  1. I liberally inked an 6×6\” acrylic block with Distress Inks.  I wanted an ombre gradient look so went in rows across the page.  I used Mermaid Lagoon, Salty Ocean and Twisted Citron.  
  2.  I liberally sprayed the inked block with water 
  3. \”Smooshed\” the block onto a piece of watercolor paper
  4. Weighted the ink/block with a book for 5-6 minutes
  5. Uncovered.  If the ink pooled, I dabbed with a paper towel.
The next day, after the panel was dry, I die cut the B using the Altenew Mega Alphabet \”B\” die.  I heat embossed the birthday sentiment and die cut a cover frame using Sunny Studio \”Frilly Frame Stripe\”.  I glued the striped frame, B and sentiment to an A2 card.  I like the clean simple lines of this card.

I am entering this card in Simon Says Stamp\’s Anything Goes Challenge

I am so pleased you stopped by!
Karen
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