Hello and welcome to my blog. I’m Tami Hewlett from California, USA and today I’m sharing a fun background technique that I created with Stampin’ Blends Markers for the Stampin’ Up! Facebook and Instagram pages.
Here’s my completed project featuring the Friends Are Like Seashells stamps and coordinating Seaside Seashell Dies and Seashells 3D Embossing Folder. I also used Deckled Rectangle Dies for the main panel and sentiment.
As you might know, Stampin’ Blends Markers are alcohol based, so they don’t mix with water. They are great for lots of fun techniques, including ink blending on Vellum with rubbing alcohol. So it occurred to me that it might be fun to try to use rubbing alcohol to blend the markers on cardstock! And … it worked!!!
Step 1: To start out, I used the brush end of my Tahitian Tide and Night of Navy Stampin’ Write Markers to create an ombre pattern on Basic White Cardstock. I started with the Dark Night of Navy and then added the Light Night of Navy, Dark Tahitian Tide, and Light Tahitian Tide. As I added each color, I slightly overlapped the previous color to aid in blending.
Step 2: I poured 91% Isopropyl Alcohol into the cap and used a Water Painter to add small drops to the paper, by hitting the barrel to create splatter; and also large drops, by holding the brush vertically and touching the tip of the brush to the paper. I simply repeated this multiple times all over the paper and then added large drops on the sides to blend the marker edges.
I advise NOT putting the rubbing alcohol into the barrel, just dip the tip of the brush. I also advise using a high percentage of alcohol to make this technique work.
To finish the card, I stamped the large shell and starfish with Memento ink and colored them with Stampin’ Blends Markers. I used Balmy Blue, Night of Navy, and a little Tahitian Tide on the shell, and Light Flirty Flamingo and the SU 1000 marker from the Light Combo Pack for the starfish. Also, instead of using a Color Lifter marker to blend the colors and fade to white, I simply used the Water Painter and rubbing alcohol again and it worked!
For the sand dollar, I stamped the image with Soft Suede ink and colored it with Crumb Cake Blends. And again, I used a Water Painter and rubbing alcohol to blend to white.
I hope you give this technique a try! I’d love to see what you come up with. Have a wonderful and creative day.
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