{Spotlight Project} Shirley Creates A No-Bleach Watermark Background

Hi guys! Remember in the bad old days when we had to use real bleach if we wanted a bleached-out look to our backgrounds? We can now do a no-risk, no-smell, no-spoiled-clothes version just using water and Distress Inks.

Sponge Distress Inks onto your panel. TIP: if you buy your card stock in sheets to cut down into finished card size, you can make one masterboard from a sheet then cut it into four or more to get panels for the fronts of your cards. (Anything to help with Christmas card production.) Ring the changes by adding different toppers and using different sentiments.

I used Crushed Olive, Peeled Paint, and Barn Door. Once you've covered the sheet with colour, go over the Barn Door with Peeled Paint and vice versa. You'll be surprised at how the colours look as though they belong to each other by introducing a bit of their opposite colour.

I've used the sentiment block from Vignette: Christmas Block. Attach your stamp to an acrylic block (that block in the photo is my favourite, and I panic if I can't find it. Which is often). Spritz the image heavily with water. More is More in this case - if it isn't wet enough, it won't lift the colour. You can blot any excess off the block before you stamp. Stamp onto your sponged card, let it sit there for a few seconds and you will see the colour start to lift. It will be random, but that all adds to the artiness.

Stamp your main sentiment in black, trim the panel if necessary to fit your card, and before adhering to the card, sponge around the edges with a brownish Distress Ink - Gathered Twigs or Walnut Stain would be good for this.

Stamp your focal image onto spare card and trim closely. Because the background is so colourful, I left the image uncoloured for contrast. Here's another look at the finished card.

How about a purple and blue panel using this wording or the snowflakes from the same set? You could top it with bells or candles from the other sets in the release. If you're really quick, you can buy all five of the Christmas sets in the Christmas bundle at 29% off - get in there before 5 September! Better still, join the Stamp Club and you could get an extra 15% off this bundle - as well as all the other lovely benefits.