A short video below –
I was totally inspired by Jennifer McGuire when making these backgrounds. (I will link to her video below). I went to my craft room and made a ton, and I mean a ton (like 40) backgrounds. I tried all different kinds of things with my Alcohol Pearl Inks. I brought out embossing folders and stencils I haven’t used in years. After I was done making all those awesome backgrounds, I went thru all of my die cuts (especially the words) and tried to keep the cards simple – so that the awesome background was the focal point.
For all of the cards I used –
1. Alcohol Pearl Inks – there are 4 sets with 3 colors in each set. set #1, set #2, set #3 and set #4.
2. Blending Solution – this gets the ink moving
3. Neenah Solar White 110# card stock
4. Yupo paper – Regular and Heavy Weight. Yupo paper is a plastic paper so that the inks move around on the paper. As soon as my video camera is set up I will show you what to do 🙂
Tip – if you don’t like your background at 1st, wait until it dries, and then cut it down to card size. You will probably like it much better. And, don’t throw away any scraps. You can make amazing cards with scraps – see my Card Making Using Scraps post.
For this background I put the Alcohol Pearl Inks on the Yupo paper before I put it in the embossing folder and ran it thru my Gemini Jr. I waited until the ink was completely dry. I then took my sanding block and very lightly sanded the high areas.
1. Emboss Folder – Darice Floral Whimsical
2. Card Stock – Simon Says Stamp Schoolhouse Red
3. Vellum circles – Neat & Tangled Punchinella
4. Vellum – Ellen Hutson 40#
5. Critters – I don’t know. I had them in my stash of extras 🙂
6. Sentiment – Altenew Crafty Friends
7. Envelope – Simon Says Stamp Schoolhouse Red
I used a stencil for this background with Wendy Vecchi Embossing Paste. Waited for it to completely dry. I applied the alcohol inks on top. I used Blending Solution to get the ink moving. Once I was done adding the inks/blending solution I used my heat tool to dry. The air of the heat tool moved the ink from the ‘valleys’ and gave it an amazing look.
1. Thanks Die – Simon Says Stamp Big Thanks
2. Flowers – Simon Says Stamp modern flowers
3. Stencil – Hero Arts Bold Daisy Stencil (SSS and HA)
4. Black Card Stock – Gina K black
5. Gems – Little Things Chunky Rainbow Sparkle
6. Envelope – Hero Arts
I used a stencil for this background with Wendy Vecchi Embossing Paste. Waited for it to completely dry and then applied the alcohol inks on top. I used Blending Solution to get the ink moving. Once I was done adding the inks/blending solution I used my heat tool to dry. The air of the heat tool moved the ink from the ‘valleys’ and gave it an amazing look.
1. Stencil – Tim Holtz Rays
2. Vellum – Ellen Hutson 40#
3. Hero Arts Nested Circles
4. Leaves – The Stamp Market Botanical Beauty
5. Sentiment – The Stamp Market Hand Stamped
6. Envelope – Gina K Tangerine
I used a stencil for this background with Wendy Vecchi Embossing Paste. Waited for it to completely dry. I applied the alcohol inks on top. I used Blending Solution to get the ink moving. Once I was done adding the inks/blending solution I used my heat tool to dry. The air of the heat tool moved the ink from the ‘valleys’ and gave it an amazing look.
1. Stencil – Hero Arts Large Flower
2. Birch Press Sugar Script Big Hugs die
3. Vellum – Ellen Hutson 40#
4. Envelope – Gina K Coral Reef
I used a stencil for this background with Wendy Vecchi Embossing Paste. Waited for it to completely dry. I applied the alcohol inks on top. I used Blending Solution to get the ink moving. Once I was done adding the inks/blending solution I used my heat tool to dry. The air of the heat tool moved the ink from the ‘valleys’ and gave it an amazing look.
1. Stencil – Hero Arts Bold Floral
2. Embossing Powder – Brutus Monroe Alabaster
3. Hello Die Cut – The Stamp Market Hello
4. Hello Stamp – The Stamp Market Hugs & Hello
5. My Favorite Things Ripe Raspberry Card Stock
6. Envelope – Simon Says Stamp Doll Pink
I used a stencil for this background with Moonstone Nuvo Glimmer Paste. Waited for it to completely dry. I applied the alcohol inks on top. I used Blending Solution to get the ink moving. Once I was done adding the inks/blending solution I used my heat tool to dry. The air of the heat tool moved the ink from the ‘valleys’ and gave it an amazing look.
1. Stencil – Stampin Up – I am not sure
2. Die cut – Wish (MFT and SSS)
3. Sentiment – Simon Says Stamp Tiny Words
4. Envelope – Gina K Wild Lilac
For this background I put the Alcohol Pearl Inks on the Yupo paper before I put it in the embossing folder and ran it thru my Gemini Jr. I waited until the ink was completely dry. I then took my sanding block and very lightly sanded the high areas.
1. Emboss Folder – Darice Flower
2. Die Cut – Simon Says Stamp Rose Flower Frame stacked 3 times
3. Envelope – Hero Arts
For this background I put the Alcohol Pearl Inks on the Yupo paper before I put it in the embossing folder and ran it thru my Gemini Jr. I waited until the ink was completely dry. I then took my sanding block and very lightly sanded the high areas.
1. Emboss Folder – I don’t know
2. Tree – Tutti Designs Spring Tree
3. Sentiment – Simon Says Stamp Big Hugs. There is a ‘hugs’ stamped inside
4. Envelope – Simon Says Stamp Doll Pink
For this background I put the Alcohol Pearl Inks on the Yupo paper before I put it in the embossing folder and ran it thru my Gemini Jr. I waited until the ink was completely dry. I then took my sanding block and very lightly sanded the high areas.
1. Emboss Folder – Spellbinders Ocean Dreams
2. Hero Arts Nested Circles
3. Die cut – Altenew Majestic Bloom die
4. Vellum – Ellen Hutson 40#
5. Little Things Lime Mix
6. Envelope – Gina K Jelly Bean Green
I used a stencil for this background with Moonstone Nuvo Glimmer Paste . Waited for it to completely dry. I applied the alcohol inks on top. I used Blending Solution to get the ink moving. Once I was done adding the inks/blending solution I used my heat tool to dry. The air of the heat tool moved the ink from the ‘valleys’ and gave it an amazing look.
1. Stencil – Echo Park Bubbles From the Deep
2. Die Cut – Simon Says Stamp You Are My Favorite
3. Envelope – Simon Says Stamp Metallic Green Leaf
I used a stencil for this background with Moonstone Nuvo Glimmer Paste . Waited for it to completely dry. I applied the alcohol inks on top. I used Blending Solution to get the ink moving. Once I was done adding the inks/blending solution I used my heat tool to dry. The air of the heat tool moved the ink from the ‘valleys’ and gave it an amazing look.
1. Stencil – Altenew Feeling Dotty (EH and SSS)
2. Die Cut – My Favorite Things Cheers (EH and SSS)
3. Vellum – Ellen Hutson 40#
4. Gina K Jelly Bean Green Card Stock
5. Envelope – Simon Says Stamp Cornflower Blue Metallic
For this background I put the Alcohol Pearl Inks on the Yupo paper before I put it in the embossing folder and ran it thru my Gemini Jr. I waited until the ink was completely dry. I then took my sanding block and very lightly sanded the high areas.
1. Emboss Folder – not sure
2. Die Cut – Birch Press Sugar Script Big Sending die
3. Vellum – Ellen Hutson 40#
4. Sentiment – Simon Stamp Tiny Words
5. Envelope – Simon Says Stamp Metallic Orange Peel
I used a stencil for this background with Wendy Vecchi Embossing Paste . Waited for it to completely dry. I applied the alcohol inks on top. I used Blending Solution to get the ink moving. Once I was done adding the inks/blending solution I used my heat tool to dry. The air of the heat tool moved the ink from the ‘valleys’ and gave it an amazing look.
1. Stencil – Altenew Feeling Dotty (EH and SSS)
2. White frame – My Favorite Things Snowdrifts (EH and SSS)
3. Animals – Mama Elephant Page Huggers colored with Copic Markers
4. Card Stock – My Favorite Things Paper Bag
5. Envelopes – Simon Says Stamp Copper Metallic
For this background I put the Alcohol Pearl Inks on the Yupo paper before I put it in the embossing folder and ran it thru my Gemini Jr. I did not sand it.
1. Emboss Folder – Sizzix Vine Street
2. Best die cut – Simon Says Stamp Best Circle
3. Sentiment – Simon Says Stamp Big Hugs
4. Blue paper – Simon Says Stamp Metallic Cornflower Blue envelope (I cut it up)
5. Gems – Little Things Rainbow Sparkle Jewels
6. Envelope – Gina K Jelly Bean Green
I used Alcohol Pearl Inks on Silver Yupo paper. The shine is amazing. The photos don’t capture it at all. I did not emboss or use a stencil.
1. Birch Press Mini Dahlia Die – A, B and C (EH and SSS)
2. Envelope – Gina K Dandelion
For this background I put the Alcohol Pearl Inks on the Yupo paper before I put it in the embossing folder and ran it thru my Gemini Jr. I waited until the ink was completely dry. I then took my sanding block and very lightly sanded the high areas. I cut each sheet of Yupo paper in half. So, I was able to make 4 A4 size cards.
1. Top Left – Embossing Folder (I don’t know). Simon Says Stamp Lotus Frame (stacked 3 times)
2. Top Right – Embossing Folder – Sizzix Flowers-A-Plenty. Simon Says Stamp Lotus Frame (stacked 3 times)
3. Bottom Left – Feeling Dotty Stencil (EH and SSS)with Alcohol lift ink (I love this look). Simon Says Stamp Dahlia Corner Frame stacked 3 times
4. Bottom Right – Hero Arts Bold Floral Stencil (SSS and HA) with Alcohol Lift ink. Simon Says Stamp Poppy Frame stacked 3 times
Altenew sent me the cutest floral stamp set. Included in the set was the stamp above! All of my cards are stamped with this on the back. How fun is that! #AltenewLove.
I hope I have inspired you to get your alcohol inks out and get messy. And then look at your die cuts and make some simple cards. Leave a comment below – tell me your favorite one(s).