Hello!

This week is all about a challenge I set myself (well, we all need things to do in the current lockdown) to try and use just one stamp to come up with some mixed media backgrounds using different techniques and I chose my flourish stamp for this.

As you can see from the photo above, they're the same but different if you get my drift. 

Here are my 3 backgrounds and underneath you'll find each one with the details on how I created them so you might need a cuppa first.

That's Crafty! Clear Stamp Set - Fanciful Flowers Set 1 (for the flourish stamp)

Vintage Background

This one was inspired by some fabric designed by William Morris that featured on Hochanda a while back and I loved it so much I decided to have a go at recreating it.

That's Crafty! Flat Matte Spray - Ochre

That's Crafty! Flat Matte Spray - Walnut

Kuretake Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers

VersaFine Clair Nocturne Ink

I stamped the flourish all over a square piece of cartridge paper, twisting and turning the image as I went, stamping some off the page as well.

I then misted the paper lightly with Ochre and Walnut Flat Matte Sprays to produce a vintage style shade. Once it was dry, I coloured the image with the markers, using 2 toning shades on each one as this was what the fabric had looked like.

I stamped 3 further images on more paper using the black ink and coloured them with 2 toning shades as for the background. I cut them out and glued them on top for a slightly 3D look.

Batik Effect Background

A bright and cheery one here created very simply with Flat Matte and Lustre Sprays on the heat embossed stamping.

That's Crafty! Flat Matte Sprays - Orange, Saffron
That's Crafty! Lustre Sprays - Orange, Red
White Detail Embossing Powder
VersaMark Ink

As before, I stamped the images all over, twisting and turning and going off the page. I stamped with embossing ink and once finished, heat embossed the images with white detail embossing powder.

I then misted sprays over the top, using Saffron and Orange Flat Matte Sprays, topped when dry with Orange and Red Lustre Sprays. You can't really see the shimmer here, just a bit on the main photo at the top. At this stage you could iron off the embossing powder for a truer batik effect but I decided to leave it for the added texture.

Pastel Embossed Background

For this background I was aiming for a more opulent effect so I chose to emboss with gold and used satin inks to paint the images and background.

That's Crafty! Satin Inks - Deep Blue, Deep Green, Magenta, Violet
That's Crafty! Lustre Spray - Lilac
Gold Embossing Powder
VersaMark Ink

I stamped as before, using embossing ink and then heat embossing the images with gold embossing powder.

I then painted the images with Satin Inks using Deep Blue, Deep Green and Magenta. I used several coats, applying each one sparingly to deepen the colours as much as possible. I then painted the background with Violet Satin Ink.

Once the inks were dry, I misted on a little Lilac Lustre Spray for added shimmer. Again you can't really see in the photo the lovely sheen to the Satin Inks.

Preparing The Cards

I used my trusty Tim Holtz ruler to pierce holes around the edges of all the backgrounds. I hand stitched those on the vintage background with black thread and used a black pen to create faux stitching on the other 2 backgrounds.


That's Crafty! Clear Stamp Set - Grunge Flowers Set 4 by Melina Dahl
VersaFine Clair Nocturne Ink
VersaMark Ink
Clear Embossing Powder
Gold Embossing Powder
White Parchment Paper

As the backgrounds are quite strong, I chose to showcase them just as they are by simply adding a sentiment to them in my new favourite way - you can see this on my last set of cards too (April Showers Bring May Flowers)

I stamped the sentiment for each card onto a strip of white parchment paper and heat embossed them with clear or gold embossing powder. I wrapped these around the background papers and glued them to my card blanks to finish.