Inspire Me Monday - Distress Ink Resist

Happy Monday! I'm Nancy Sheads and I'm here with this week's edition of Inspire Me Monday!

I usually bring you Copic tutorials, but to be honest my markers and I are not on speaking terms right now. I get like this sometimes - I'm my own worst critic and nothing I color seems to turn out the way I want. So I decided to set my markers aside for awhile and spend some time playing with other coloring techniques.

Today's project features the Big Sexy Blooms and the M-Powering Words clear stamp sets. I love playing with background stamps since the image layout is already done for you. I don't have the patience for masking and fussing over positioning lots of images so background stamps are perfect for me.

Although I could color the flowers individually, I decided to go with an ink blended background in bright colors for extra punch. I used embossing powder and Distress Oxide Inks to create a resist embossed ink blended background.

Want to know the details? Well, here we go with directions and lots of pictures!

• Cut a piece of white card stock to 4.25 inches x 5.5 inches.
• Place Big Sexy Blooms stamp face up on your craft sheet. Apply embossing ink to the entire stamp, making sure that it is evenly covered with ink.

• Place card stock on onto the stamp, rubbing firmly across the entire piece to ensure that the ink transfers evenly.
• You should see a light impression from the embossing ink on the card stock.

• Cover the card stock with white embossing powder. 
• Heat set the embossing powder. Be careful that you do not scorch the paper.
• Allow the embossing powder to cool and set. 

• Using an ink blender or brush, apply Distress Oxide ink in Mustard Seed in a circular motion to a portion of the paper. 
• Do not worry if the ink covers the white embossing. We'll take care of that after the ink blending is complete.

• Apply Distress Oxide ink in Picked Raspberry. 
• Slightly overlap the color onto the Mustard Seed to blend the two colors where they meet. This overlap will create a warm orange color that will create a seamless transition between the colors.

• Apply Distress Oxide ink in Seedless Preserves to the remainder of the image. 
• Slightly overlap the color onto the Picked Raspberry to transition between the two colors. 
• Repeat application of the three colors as needed until the ink is blended and you achieve the color saturation that you want.

• Lightly wipe the excess ink off the embossed image with a paper towel. You will see that the white embossing resisted the ink and will be visible again.

• Apply a very light coat of Distress Micro Glaze to the image. You only need a very small amount. Rub in, wipe off, and buff lightly with a paper towel. This will enhance blend and brighten the colors. 

• NOTE: The remaining steps work best if you use a set of nesting dies.
• Select a medium sided rectangular die and place in the center of your image. 
• Run die and image through your die cutting machine.

• You now have a frame and a small background piece. Set both pieces aside.

• Use one of the smaller nesting dies to cut a piece of white cardstock.
• Stamp sentiment with a pigment ink such as Versamark.
• Cover sentiment with clear embossing powder and heat set.
• At this point, all of the card elements are ready to assemble.

• On the back of the frame, you can either apply foam tape or foam squares. I like to use craft foam so I cut a piece to size and then used one of the large dies to cut a window in the center. Then I glued it to the back of the card frame.

• You can either cut a small piece of craft foam and adhere to the back of the sentiment (as shown here) or apply foam tape or foam squares.

• Glue the card frame to your card base.
• Apply glue to the back of the smaller background. Make sure that it is right side up. Line it up inside the card frame and adhere to the card base.
• You now have a raised frame and the center background is set back.

• Glue sentiment to center of card.
• Add embellishments as desired. 
• Stand back and admire your work!

Whew! That's a LOT of photos, but it's really not very complicated and you could easily make these cards in bulk.

Be sure you check out my Power Poppy coloring videos on YouTube.

Thanks for joining me today! See you again soon!

** Nancy **