Welcome, everyone! It’s Mindy Eggen and I’m excited to be sharing my first blog post as a creative team member for Scrapbook & Cards Today Magazine!
I am always inspired by the contents of our gorgeous magazine, and today’s cards were inspired by Ashley Van Camp’s card on page 14 of the winter 2019 issue. This card features a beautiful background with a simple sentiment in the center:
Two of my favorite techniques to use when making cards are heat embossing and ink blending for a dramatic effect!
My cards today will show you how easy it is to achieve a dramatic look on your cards using the Flower Garden Bold Print Background stamp from Hero Arts!.
The key to this look is starting with colored cardstock. This gives you a base color to work from and saves you some time. Also, heat emboss your background image in an embossing powder that won’t take over your card. I like to use Sparkle Embossing Powder from Hero Arts, which gives a watermark effect with tons of sparkle. For my bases, I’m using Mustard and Azalea cardstock from Hero Arts.
I usually use three colors to create this look. Two of the inks are shades darker than the cardstock I used. My third color is Hero Arts Sea Salt Reactive Ink, which I apply with a blending brush. This color is added to the center to highlight that area and really makes the ink blended edges pop off the card.
To step it up a little, you can add flicks of Liquid Stardust from Lawn Fawn which will just add more sparkle and shimmer!
To keep the rest of the card simple, I added a large die cut word and sentiment to the highlighted area in the center, using the Bloom stamp/die set from HoneyBee Stamps. This stamp has a nice variety of spring-related sentiments to cheer anyone up. The highlighted center not only makes the edges look darker but also draws your attention to the sentiment!
I hope you’ll give this background technique a try— it works with any background stamp that you may have in your stash. You’ll be amazed how easy it is when you start with colored cardstock instead of white. Be sure to share what you create with us on Instagram by tagging @sctmagazine and using the #createwithSCT hashtag!
You can view more inspiration from me over on my Blog, Youtube Channel and Instagram page. Thanks for stopping by!
~ Mindy Eggen
Supplies | Hero Arts: Flower Garden Bold Prints, Sparkle Embossing Powder, White Embossing Powder, Clear Embossing Ink, Sea Salt Reactive Ink, Mustard Cardstock, Azalea Cardstock, Dove Cardstock, Pitch Black Cardstock; Honey Bee Stamps: Bloom Stamp/Die; Lawn Fawn: Liquid Stardust
Very nicely ink blended cards. I am very interested on the products you used here, Hero Arts Reactive Ink and Lawn Fawn Liquid Stardust. Maybe I should try these products too.
GORGEOUS cards by Mindy!!!
Gorgeous look! I’ll have to put this technique in my notebook for future use. Especially love the sparkle.
What an amazing look using this technique!
Gorgeous ink blended backgrounds! the embossing makes the image really pop!
Mindy, your cards are beautiful! I’m always nervous using embossing powders. When I do my cards do not turn out as nice as yours. But I’m determined to try again. Thank you so much for the inspiration ❤️
Interesting background that you can do allot with. Love it and what was done with it!
These are gorgeous cards, and what a great tip of using coloured cardstock to begin with.
Beautiful card. You are very talented.
Love these cards! Been following Mindy’s work for a while and just love everything she creates. So happy she’s on the SCT DT!