Scrap and grab - February card challenge

Have you heard the news? Scrap and Grab will include from now card challenges in their monthly challenges! Yoohoo!!!

You see, I've said before... I may be doing a number of things lately, but I'll never forget that my papercrafting journey started with card making and this will always be my first love ;) So I was so happy and honoured when Chrysa asked me to prepare the card monthly challenges for Scrap and Grab for the next six months!

So for February, what we want you to do is to make a card where you will create your own background. You can use whatever you want - stamps, inks, markers, stencils, mists, whatever makes you happy when you play with it. The only limitation is NOT to use pattern papers at all for the card!!!

As you can imagine, the choices are really endless. I have prepared some examples with materials that I usually use for cards, but you can let your imagination guide you!

So I made a number of cards using the same background stamp, the same sketch, the same (almost) colours, to show how different the results can be with different techniques. So let's start (be prepared for many photos!)

First of all, all five cards together:

1. Tone on tone stamping: I simply used my stamp with brown ink on kraft paper:

The result is quite discrete. For a more discrete result you can use Versamark or any similar colourless ink for embossing. And a close up:

2. White heat embossing on kraft paper:

The result is brighter than the previous card. And the close up:

3. White heat embossing on black paper - to enable the comparison with the previous card:

You see how stronger the contrast is. Here I've kept the embellishments in red colour.

4. Distress markers - or any stamp markers as long as they are not alcohol based! I used my markers directly on the stamp, then I misted it with a bit of water - not too much as I didn't want to mess it all up - and finally I stamped on watercolour paper.

And a close up. Just be careful to cover the whole stamp, especially if you use light colours that are more difficult to see on the stamp, or you'll get a blank area as it happened to me below the sentiment! ;)

5. Finally, by far my favourite technique: resist technique with white heat embossing and distress inks. I really don't know why I haven't used this technique for so long!

And the close up:

I hope you like them!

So what don't you come over at Scrap and Grab and play along with us? Get your supplies out of their drawers and enjoy creating! The winner card will get a present from Chryssa!

Hugs,
Anastasia