Creation Station Blog Hop--Got Your Back!

Welcome to the July Creation Station Blog Hop.  We've got your back this month!  The team is making handcrafted backgrounds to inspire your own creative spirit. Be sure to click on the next button at the end of each post to see every design team member's background creations.

Making my own backgrounds is something I love to do.  I've shown many different background techniques on past Creation Station blog hops, so I wanted to try something new (at least new to me!).  This one is a twist on a watercolor background technique.  I love watercolor backgrounds because they always turn out differently.  I did a couple of practice runs just to see how the ink colors worked together and then I went for it! 

The backgrounds each started with stamping the leaf and script images from the Very Versailles stamp set in VersaMark ink onto watercolor paper and embossing them with White Stampin' Emboss Powder.  To add the color, I first brushed water over the watercolor paper with my Aqua Painter.  Next, I used my ink pads to place ink on my Clear Block F.  I spritzed the ink on the clear block, dipped a piece of Window Sheet into the puddled ink, and pressed the inked up window sheet into the embossed watercolor paper.  I kept the ink puddles separate and cleaned off my window sheet when I switched colors.  I used my Aqua Painter to move the color around a bit as needed and a paper towel to remove excess water.  Once the paper was dry, I added splatters to the background.

For the background on this card I used Pool Party, Old Olive and a bit of Daffodil Delight inks.  I created a frame using two sizes of dies from the Stitched Nested Labels dies and Old Olive card stock.  The bird and flowers image was fussy cut from a pattern in the Bird Ballad designer series paper pack.  "Hello" is from the Free As A Bird stamp set and was punched out with the Classic Label Punch.  The watercolor paper is layered on Old Olive card stock and the card base is Whisper White Thick card stock.  I added a few Basic Pearls to finish the card.

Before creating the background on this card, I made a mask using one of the Stitched Nested Label Dies and copy paper.  I used Washi tape to adhere the mask to the watercolor paper and then stamped the images.  I carefully removed the mask before embossing, then replaced it and sealed all the edges around the inside of the mask with Washi tape before I started adding the ink.   I did not want the ink to travel outside the footprint of the mask.  I also added the splatters before removing the mask.  I used Seaside Spray and Old Olive inks on the background.

The bird image from Free As A Bird stamp set was stamped in Early Espresso ink and then colored with Stampin' Blends:  Seaside Spray combo, Petal Pink combo, Soft Suede combo, Old Olive combo,  Daffodil Delight light, and the Color Lifter.  The greeting is also from the Free As A Bird stamp set.  I fussy cut both the bird image and the greeting piece.  The watercolor piece is layered on Seaside Spray card stock and then adhered to a Whisper White Thick card stock base.  I finished the card with a Seaside Spray faceted dot and a few Basic Pearls.

I hope you are inspired to try this fun background technique on your projects.  Now it is time to head on over to Dena's blog, The Creativity Cave.  I can't wait to see what she has for us today. 

To Dena's Blog . . . 

Thanks for stopping by today!--Sara Nell