Friday, February 26, 2010

Grungy Shimmery Christmas

I needed to complete my February Christmas cards to keep on track with my Quest - Complete all 40 cards by end of October, 4 a month. This month they are based on a new technique that was inspired by Tim's Perfect Distress technique - here's a link to his video.

I call this technique Perfectly Distress Background. Here are the steps:

Start with a dark card stock, here I used chocolate chip:

Apply your Distress Inks direct to paper - starting with your lightest color first:

I used 3 inks (recipe to follow) - I did not want full coverage as you you see here:

Loosely apply your Perfect Pearls, don't blend them together and again you are not looking for full coverage:

Here's what it looks like with all the Perfect Pearls applied:

Next HEAVILY mist your carstock:

Now let the water and Distress Inks work their magic (you can see them running and blending together):

Dry with your heat gun:

Here is the background completed - see the shimmer:


The recipe for this background (DI - PP):

Scattered Straw - Heirloom Gold
Peeled Paint - Green Patina
Aged Mahogany - Rust

Now the Christmas card that I made with this background:

Another view to see the shimmer:

The second Christmas card:

Another view to see the shimmer:

Recipe for Snowflake card:

Weathered Wood - Blue Patina
Faded Jeans - Blue Smoke
Black Soot - Pewter

The snowflake background was stamped using Snow Cap pigment ink - dye based inks do not stamp well over this background.

Here is a butterfly that I made stamping on the background (this will find a home later):

I hope you will give this background a try - it is Grungy Shimmery in real life!

Happy Creating!

KAT

The Stuff:
Stamps - Santa (inkadinkado), Snowflake (Here Arts)
Inks - Coffee Archival (Ranger) - all Distressed Inks listed above, Snow Cap and Pitch Black Pigment (Ranger)
Other - Perfect Pearls (listed above - Ranger), Picket Fence, Tarnished Brass Distressed Stickles
(Ranger), Gold Leafing Pen (Krylon), corners (idea-ology), Classic Frame (Spellbinders)

24 comments:

Laura D. said...

Love, love, love that card!! I'm not familiar with Spellbinders. Is that a die cut? Glad I subscribed to your blog-I'm still altering chipboard with the glue & AI's.What an incredible technique! Thanks for sharing
Laura D. ATT

Nancy said...

Kat, I love this effect/technique! Yep, going to have to try it myself. Thank you for sharing!

Sara Carns said...

Wow! Great technique, absolutely gorgeous! Thanks for sharing your creativity!

Lori said...

Yep, AWESOME technique! How do you think of this stuff???? It's flippin' awesome! What a great background, your cards are STUNNING!
Good goal for the year, too. Maybe I should have that goal...lol

Anonymous said...

ABSOLUTLY GORGEOUS cards!!!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE the DTP you did with the colors!!!!! GREAT job!!!

Sandi M said...

Kat, this technique looks perfect with your cards. Thanks for sharing.

Evelyn S. said...

Thank you for sharing this wonderful technique! I love shimmery....and this is terrific!

Anita said...

This is so cool.

Anonymous said...

Awesome technique Kathy. I really like that - have to try it. Love it with the butterfly too. Well I have to say I was surprised. From here it looks like purple and green my favorite colors together - but alas, it's really aged mahagony --- Suzanne

Starla said...

Seriously? You are starting Christmas cards NOW?!! (I think I'm gonna be ill.....hehe)

I have yet to try perfect pearls...(again, last one on the boat)but you have inspired me to do some shopping that I've been putting off, LOL!
Love this look, btw....now to see if your inspiration is enough to get my mojo out of hiding!

Shelly Hickox said...

This is too, too cool Kat! I love the butterfly.

Unknown said...

OMG! Such a stunning card! I also like your idea about making the cards regularly. TFS:D

roro said...

Love the techniques and I hope you do more. It nice that your teaching us such great techniques (need to learn).

Helena said...

Beautiful, beautiful cards!!

InkyFingers said...

Your blog is filled full of wonderful inspiration!

Unknown said...

What a fun technique! Thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...

very cool! i too was playing with my distress inks nd perfect pearls but my technique is for the next issue of my magazine so i will not be sharing it quite yet *wink*

Unknown said...

This is so beautiful. I can't wait to try it out.

Sabrina Jackson said...

OMGOSH, GF you've got me speechless!! This is soooooo cool!! I love the colors you chose and the end result....WOW!! You go girl!! Hugs, Sabrina

Art By Wanda said...

I LOVE this!!!! Wonderful backgrounds and cards and butterfly!!!!

Anonymous said...

Hello Kat,

I really, really love this background !
I pay a lot of time and attention to my backgrounds and this is surely one I want to try.

When I first saw the ink and the glimmer put on , I thought: Ok, not bad... but then I saw the result of putting water on it and let it all drip... YES ! that's the kind of backgrounds I love !!

Thanks for sharing your experience !
greetings from Belgium
Inge

inge said...

Hello Kat,

i'm not ANONYMOUS... I just pushed the wrong button :)

greetings
Inge

Cindy Rescorl said...

Love this technique and your cards are fabulous!! You would do Tim Holtz proud with this technique!!

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