Sunday 25 March 2012

Handmade Backgrounds - Spring Card

The theme this week on Simon Says Stamp and Show is 'handmade backgrounds'. I love making my own background papers by stamping, painting, spraying, dry embossing and powder embossing - or perhaps all of them at once! Sometimes it's really successful and other times I look at what I've done and think 'hmmm - not sure if I like that'!

I made this background 'paper' (it's on card actually) and fell in love with it straight away. It has a slightly random, grungy look but includes lots of texture, depth and some shine - all things I seem to love!

I have included yet another of my little wooden 'ducks' as they came in a pack of four and I'm sure you'll see the other two at some time on this blog because I just fell in love with them. I'm not a particularly 'cutesie' person but obviously I couldn't resist these or the little TH rabbit which is totally lovely too!

I made the background into a 'Spring' card because that's what these colours say to me. I know some people will say they are also autumnal but I just think of the spring flowers growing in my garden now and I can see all these colours.


This is a close up showing a section of my handmade background. The card was embossed with a floral embossing folder. Colour was added using Distress Inks. The raised areas were embossed with clear powder. Random areas were then embossed with a mixture of gold and white embossing powders, heated from below the card.
The background was made into a spring card using toning colour elements of various kinds. 



These are the various elements that make up my card. All are handmade except the little wooden duck and the TH c'oredinations card.


The flowers and leaves are all TH die cuts. The large flowers were stamped before being inked and coated with glossy accents. The smaller flowers were all inked and coated as before. They are held together with small brads which I coated with nail varnish to make them look less gold. The leaves were inked once, stamped and embossed with crystal embossing powder. I then inked them again, followed by further stamping and embossing in gold to make the detail stand out. You can also see the little 'scarves' around the animals' necks!

The letters are a TH die cut. They were stamped in green with a foliage image then inked and coated with clear embossing powder. The edges have been inked in walnut DI.

This close up shows the detail on the leaves and a little more of the background 'paper'.


I intend to show my work here too:

16 comments:

  1. Wowee! I totally love all the detail Julia, so much work, lots of stamping, embossing & embossing powders. Love the way you have constructed all of this. Michelle x

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  2. Wow!!! Fabulous work, just love all these textures, beautiful, stamping-embossing just amazing work, Love how you put it together... Hugs May x x x x

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  3. Really beautiful background, Julia! I love the texture and shine and the colors are very pretty. Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

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  4. Julia...all of your elements really are so wonderful that you've combined to make this Spring card! Love the colors you chose. I love your embossed background and the texture. Your bunny and duck look so cute tucked into those beautiful tattered flowers! Thanks for sharing your work with us at Simon Says Stamp and Show. <3 Candy

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  5. Julia, your creations are divine. I love all your attention to detail and the stamping before colouring elements is just brilliant. Really think you ought to give blog lessons. BJ

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  6. This is just gorgeous Julia, love the glossy flowers and the little duck and rabbit. Fab! xx

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  7. Fabulous background Julia, and I love your spring card with all the little embellishments.
    Avril xx

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  8. That is outstanding, it must have taken a while to put together, but the end result is just stunning.
    Cassidy

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  9. Wow Julia !! That's gorgeous!! LOVE the colours in that!! I may try something like for my Altered Book. I have a few embossing folders that I haven't used yet.

    Appointments went well and things are moving slowly. The college interview went well I think. I left with a really positive and good feeling. Won't find out until after Easter if I have a place or not. But you can be rest assured that if I do i will announce it on my blog!! lol


    Thanks for the lovely comments.

    Take care

    Jackie x

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  10. Really fab card, love the colours and the heat embossing. Thank you for joining in with the PanPastel challenge blog
    Lindsay xx

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  11. Mmmm I just love all this detail .... fab work and it makes want to get out the 'heat gun' Thank you for joining us at the PanPastel UK Challenge. Eileen x

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  12. Back again ... I am now a follower! Clever work on here! xxxx

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  13. Love the explosion of colours that you have used really eyecatching work x

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  14. This is beautiful. I really like all of the detail and the color choices. Very nice :D x

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  15. Wow! You really put lots of work into this creation! I think that embossed/painted piece is absolutely stunning. And the little chocolate bunny made me smile!!

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  16. I love all the detail you put into work, I don't plan my work I just go and do it but it's nice to all elements before you begining. Spring is sprung!!!

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Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. Juliax