Dimensional Background Inking

After a little sabbatical from the blog I'm hoping to jump back in. While I was absent I was immersing myself in all thing Tim Holtz and Dyan Reaveley. So I thought I would start off with some layered mixed media backgrounds. Once I started it was difficult to know when to stop layering- its such messy fun! I took Dyan's advice and had extra card available to soak up the extra ink. I now have a few backgrounds already started for another project. Time efficient and a great idea.

Here's how I went about it:

I chose some cool coloured spray inks and liberally covered the cardstock, mopped up the excess ink with kitchen roll and an extra piece of card. Some stencilling and ghosting with water then stencilling with distress paint. this is now at about 5 layers. The paint dried quickly enough and I could move on to the next step.

I embossed a piece of the background with my favourite Tim Holtz embossing folder (well one of my many favourites!) and then trimmed it to size.

Next I used distress crayons to highlight the lovely embossed texture, but I couldn't stop there and added crackle medium on top.  This also acted as a glue for the diecut happy birthday.After leaving it overnight to dry I used a white picket fence distress crayon to emphasise the cracked surface.

For the little robot I created an alcohol ink background and heat embossed the Lawn Fawn stamp with Ranger Liquid Platinum embossing powder. A white linen Dylusions spray splattered kraft card base adds the finishing detail.

Another look at the finished card:

This card came together quite quickly and I was happy to leave the crackle medium to dry over time as I love the result which is subtly different to other crackling products. Cleaning up the excess ink with extra cardstock also means you get more pieces to play with at a later date. I've used a simple diecut sentiment and the little robot for a masculine industrial feel.

Any queries let me know. Hope you can find some time to play too.

Challenges:
CAS Mix Up August Challenge: Stamping + Alcohol Inks + Your Choice (embossing)
Muse Challenge #227: Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge: Splatter It
Stamps & Stencils Challenge: Technique School

Supplies:
Alcohol Inks: Citrus, Mushroom, Patina, Pool, Purple Twilight, Silver Mixative
Distress Embossing Ink
Distress Crackle Medium
Distress Crayons
Distress Paint
Dylusions Sprays
Primary Elements Powder
Embossing Powder: Ranger Liquid Platinum
Embossing Folder: TH Riveted Metal
Stamps: Lawn Fawn Beep Boop Birthday
Dies: TH Handwritten Celebrate
Stencils: THMS070; Dylusions Large Arrow Border; Finnabair Harlequin, Stars, Dots&Stripes
Paint Pen