Saturday, 8 March 2025

Stamping Inkspirations Blog Hop - Technique Challenge

Hello and welcome to my blog! Today I am taking part in a blog hop with some fellow enthusiasts who love sharing their creative talents using their Stampin' Up!® products. This month in the Stamping Inkspirations Blog Hop we have a technique challenge for creating our projects.

Our challenge is to make a watercolour background for our projects. I have to admit that I usually shy away from watercoloured backgrounds because they are unpredicatable. There is trial and error involved, and even if I make one I really really like it can't be repeated. However, I am up for the challenge and I'm going to embrace the fact that each piece is unique and connot be replicated!

The Mixed Media Florals Suite is my current favourite - it hasn't left my desk for ages. My cards today are totally inspired by the Designer Series Paper - the colours are gorgeous together. I gathered together Fluid 100 Watercolor paper, an E block, Waterpainters and inkpads/reinkers/Stampin' Write Markers.

Before adding any colour to the paper I gave it a light misting of water on the front and back to help prevent warping and also to allow the colour to flow easily. Then I added a couple of drops of reinker to the block (I used Boho Blue), mixed some water in and applied it to the paper. I tried a few ways to do this - adding just drops of colour and allowing it to spread (which I concluded would be better if you were using multiple colours, so that they would blend); creating an all over wash and then trying stripes. After allowing the pieces to dry I added a second wash of colour to some of them to intensify the shade.

This is my array of background attempts. Some of them were trimmed or die cut to add to cards, but some will be disgarded and chalked up to experience!

For my focal point I stamped and heat embossed the floral images. Some are black heat embossed and some were stamped with Versamark followed by Basic Gray ink and clear powder to give a more subtle outline.

To colour the images I stuck with watercolouring, creating my own palette on a block using either the ink pad or Stampin' Write markers. On some scrap watercolour paper I made a swatch to help me fill in the images.

I couldn't stop at just one card! They all share similar design elements, but equally they are all different. I do have a favourite though! The background I liked the most was the stripes, but that didn't end up being my favourite card. The one shown below is my favourite.

Here, the inked background is altered by flicking water droplets on to it and removing some colour with a dry cloth to create a spattered pattern. After die cutting a rectangle I highlighted the edging by adding dashed detailing using a black, fineline marker. Each card has the same birthday sentiment from Simply Said - white heat embossed on black card and a bow tied with Linen Thread. The Neutral Matte Dots are the perfects accent for the cards.

Altogether I made three tulip cards and one daisy styled one.

So after my initial worries about this challenge, I had a wonderful morning creating backgrounds and transformong them into cards. Please continue along the hop to see what the others have created too...enjoy the projects! We would love to hear from youand so if you have been inspired, please leave a comment.

Leonie Stuart ● Danielle Kassing ● Angie McKenzie

Teri West ● Karen Henderson ● Mo Rootes

Annette Ball ● Marga Bultena ● Kim Fee

Do you need any of the products used on today's cards? If you live in the UK please take a look in my online Stampin' Up! shop. You can follow the link or click on the pictures below of the products I have used today.

Stay safe and as always, happy crafting,

If you would like to order any supplies, and you live in the UK, I would love to be your demonstrator. Use the current hostess code (March 2025 code: Q4RERBVK) to get some free product (it will follow in the post after the end of the month). If your order is over £150 do not use the code as you become the hostess and get the rewards. To place an order please visit my online shop HERE. The products I have used on today's project are linked from the images shown below.

All Star Video Class Bundles

The Video Class Bundles have 12 AMAZING video tutorials to inspire you each month. For March, we are featuring the Online Exclusive Mixed Media Florals Suite.