Hi, I’m Nicky Manel and I’m so excited to be here on the SCT Blog for Card Café Thursday! I would like to share a card I made using my version of this popular, fun and easy technique called Bokeh (pronounced Boca). This technique is used in photography to make an image appear out of focus, and it now translates well with ink and paper to make fabulous backgrounds for cards.

The supplies you will need are:

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• Neena classic white card stock or any smooth card stock, to make sponging blend easier.
• Large and small Tim Holtz blending tool or sponges of choice.
• Broken China and Shabby Shutters Distress inks by Ranger or any die based inks.
• Memories Unicorn white or any white pigment ink.
• Using acetate, window sheet or card stock, punch or die cut different size circles to create a template.
• Double sided tape or adhesive of choice and glue dots.

 Let’s get started. The following describes what each step represents:

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1. Sponge Broken China in several places leaving white space.
2. Sponge Shabby Shutters, filling up the white areas.
3. Use the template with different size circles and randomly sponge white pigment ink onto the card stock. Allow to dry, then, re-sponge some of the circles to create bright highlights, as shown below.

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4. Once you are happy, allow the white pigment ink to air dry completely or heat set before stamping sentiment. The sentiment I used is by Pointers Crafts. Use Archival black, Stazon black or Versa Fine ink for best results.

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To finish the card I then punched Retro flowers in 2 sizes and sponged Broken China on each petal. The glitter strip of paper was used instead of ribbon. I added the rhinestone, layered the sponged card stock on to black card stock and then on to an embossed card.

I hope you give this great and easy technique a try and have as much fun as I did!

~ Nicky Manel

Thank you Nicky for joining us today!  Just a little behind the scenes, I met Nicky at the Creativ Festival back in 2005 when she was doing a make n' take.  I loved her technique so much I wanted to take a card class with her.  A few days later as I was looking at the schedule to see when she would be teaching my husband and I discussed starting a "newsletter" to help stores advertise classes and products better.  That "newsletter" became the first issue of Scrapbook & Cards Today magazine a short 5 months later.  One might say Nicky had a lot to do with that!  ~  Catherine, Publisher, Scrapbook & Cards Today magazine

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Are you ready to join us  right here for {inter} National Scrapbook Day this Saturday?  We will have 12 hours of inspiration and giveaways that you won't want to miss!