It's The Background

Now just what is similar about these cards?
At first glance that is a major mystery, BUT it's
what has been used to create the background.
On both cards Tattered Angels Glimmer Mists
has been used to make a
shimmery almost glowing background.
Yes! This product is so much fun
to play with.

On the top card it is easy to see what has been done.
The bottom card is a little different.
A brass stencil was laid over a 4.25 x 5.50 piece
of card stock. Now mist the darker spray over
the whole. Remove the stencil, very carefully
as spray is still wet. Let dry and mist again
with a lighter spray.

As an added use, place a piece of card stock
over the still wet stencil and gently press.
You will have a negative image!
What fun! Once you start, you will not be
able to stop experimenting.

Stencil An Oval

The base of this card is a Glimmer Mist background that has been attached to the card base. My preferred method with this type of background is to make a huge batch of backgrounds, attach them to the card base and pull them for cards as needed. The Glimmer Mists are rather messy AND addictive. (you have been warned, LOL)

I used a Mega Oval by Spellbinders on a 4.25 x 5.5 piece of card stock to cut the stencil. This was taped to the card base and lightly sponged with a brown ink. A black Sharpie was used to further delineate the oval from the background.

To match the long narrow oval, I used a long flower stamp. I used a black ink for the stamping of the flower and the scalloped lace border.

The edges of the card base have been sponged with dark brown ink and then a narrow sponging of black was also applied. This softens the edges of the card and adds depth.

Take Time

Another Glimmer Mist and stencil background.
One is slightly darker than the other. Both have black dye based ink sponged around the outer edges of the card.

The card front was done on a seperate piece of paper and glued to the card base to get a nice crisp flat card.
Place your card under a heavy book for a few hours and when you take it out you will be amazed at how flat it is.

The stamped phrase is by Hero Arts and the tree image is by Inkadinkadoo.

They were both stamped with VersaMark and fine line black embossing powder was applied.
Very simple cards. If you have backgrounds made up a
and waiting - this is a ten minute or less card to produce.

Botanicals

This card has such a soft subtle look that is very easy to achieve.

The background is more Glimmer Mists. Can you tell how much I love those Glimmer Mists?

You could use this technique on plain paper and get a similar effect.

Stamp your image with VersaMark and apply clear embossing powder. This causes your stamped image to be several shades darker than your paper. No matching embossing powders! I love it. Great results that are fast and easy.

The botanical stamp is by Fred B. Mullet. This company has some fantastic botanicals and fish fossil stamps. Very high quality rubber that stamps beautifully.

The second card uses the same technique with one difference. Some of the images have been embossed with fine line gold EP.

Note that the edges of these cards have been sponged with black dye ink.

This technique can also be used to create very interesting backgrounds.

Variations on a Theme

My theme here is stamping over Glimmer Mist backgrounds.

When I am going to use embossing powders on a paper I usually use a dusting of talc to prevent strays of embossing powder adhereing where I don't want them. Even the oils from your fingers on the paper will cause the powder to stick in places you really don't want it.

The only time I don't talc is with dark backgrounds as the powder will lighten the paper somewhat.

On all three cards the images were stamped with VersaMark ink. Then either black or white fine line

embossing powder was applied and heated with a heat gun.

The edges of the black embossing powder cards have been sponged with black dye ink.

Personal Stamp Exchange, fondly known as PSX to long time stampers was the maker of the Courage phrase. I have no idea of who now owns this company as it has changed hands several time. It has been a long time since I have seen any of their classic images.

The floral flourishes are by Inkadinkado. This particular set is clear acrylic. I have found the quality to be excellent.

They stamp and clean up well. The "With Sympathy" stamp is made by Stamps Happen Inc.

The Glimmer Mists were applied to a seperate piece of paper that was the size of the card front. After the misted paper had dried I glued it to the card base with Crafters Pick Ultimate Glue and let the entire card base rest for the night under a heavy book. This gives my cards a nice crisp apperance that is very pleasing.

Working on the card front itself will often warp the card.

Many of the inking type techniques dampen your paper and cause warping.

Tutorial - Metal Stencils and Glimmer Mists

Any stencil, be it plastic or metal, will work

for the spray mist color and stencil technique.

Here is a card made using Glimmer Mists

and a silver stencil that says Lynell Harlow - LJ849.

This positive portion is used for this card design.

1. As this stencil is a perfect quarter sheet size it is

possible to get four card backgrounds from one sheet of

cardstock. Place the paper on a craft sheet, then layer the

stencil over the paper.

2. Mist evenly with color. Note the beading of the

mist on the stencil.

3. Gently place a second quarter sheet of card stock

over the misted stencil and paper.

Hold in place with one hand and rub over the

entire quarter sheet with the other hand.

4. The negative and positive results.

I have noticed that with this stencil the negative is

has a much sharper image than the positive.

5. Mist both again with the lighter color of spray mist color.

6. Let dry. I prefer air drying and when the paper is still

very slightly damp, layering between scrap paper and

placing under a heavy book. Leave it at least over night, so

you have a nice flat background to stamp on.

Tutorial - Stencils and Glimmer Mists

Glimmer Mist Smushed background stamped

with black and brown inks. The metallics in the Glimmer Mists

"float" over the black ink.

For a very detailed and cistinct image embossing is advised.

This technique looks so difficult, but trust me, it's easy,

maybe a little (ok, a lot) messy.

The results are spectacular.

I regret that the subtle shimmer of the Glimmer Mists

cannot be seen in these picture.

SUPPLIES

for this project I used

2 half sheets of white card stock

stencil (no idea where I got this, it is part of my "Someday" stash)

Glimmer Mists or any misted spray coloring, 1 each dark and light

craft sheet or old magnetic photo page

lots of newspapers

iron or heat gun if desired

1. Spread newspapers over a large work area.

These misted sprays diffuse over an amazingly long way.

Now place the craft sheet in the center.

Place 1 half sheet of cardstock on craft sheet

and then lay stencil over the paper.

2. Shake your bottle very well. Make sure all the glimmery goodie

is off the bottom of the bottle. Do several test sprays to avoid splotches.

Mist with darker color - note the liquid beading up on the stencil -

it is easy to apply too much.

Leave the stencil in place over the paper.

This is your POSTIVE image.

3. Carefully position the second sheet of card stock over the

already misted paper and stencil. This will be your NEGATIVE image.

4.Once paper is in place, hold with one hand and gently rub over

surface with the other to pick up all that color that is beaded up on the stencil.

5. Remove the negative image sheet and then the stencil.

There it is! It was so easy!

6. With the postive and negative image sheets side by side

you are ready to mist then again with the lighter color.

I used Glimmer Mists Huckleberry as my dark color

and Timeless Lilac as my light color.

7. Drying finished product - yup, it's going to be soggy.

It can be ironed, dried with a heat gun or air dried.

I prefer air drying until only very slightly damp,

then placing between mutilple sheets of scrap paper

and putting it under a heavy book over night. (great use

for the unused college dictionary) The scrap

paper absorbs the rest of the moisture.

This card shows will give you an idea of what you can do

with a little spray and a stencil.

The flourish stamp is by Basic Grey and the phrase by PSX.

The background was talced first to avoid strays,

then stamped with VersaMark and embossed with fineline black.

The edges were sponged with black in to softly

frame the whole and add that special "finishing touch".