Just For Fun May Challenge

Hi and welcome to my blog. It is time for another challenge at Just For Fun Stamps! The challenge this month is - celebrate the women in your life, with at least three layers.

My mom, mother-in-law and a close aunt are all with the Lord now. I miss them so much. When I saw this stamp I knew I wanted to use it to celebrate all of the wonderful friends in my life. I am so blessed! Thank you dear friends for all that you add to my life!

I made the background of this card by sponging on Distress inks. I then used a flower stencil to sponge white ink through it to make a bokeh effect. I stamped the image with black ink and added sequins for sparkle. I layered the stamped background on black card stock and then adhered that to the white card base.

I hope that you will join in our new challenge and help celebrate the women in your life. We would love to see what you create!

Thanks so much for stopping by. Have a blessed day!

Challenges entered:

Love To Scrap:  Anything Goes #121

Bokeh With Alcohol Inks

Hi Everyone! Welcome to my blog. I hope you are having a nice day. The bokeh technique has taken off lately and I tried a new spin on it. I started off by doing the polished stone technique with alcohol inks on glossy card stock. I used Currant, Slate and Denim alcohol inks. I spritzed the felt with 91% alcohol (or you can use Ranger blending solution) and tapped the applicator all over the card stock. It is best to make several layers of ink on the card stock, because when you start lifting off color the bokeh is more distinct as you will see.

Here is the finished polished stone background.

Now take your stencil and lay it where you want on your background. I found that larger simple designs work better with this. Use a small finger dauber sponge and spritz some alcohol on your craft sheet. Rub the dauber in the alcohol and blot it a little on a cloth. Hold the stencil down very firmly with your hand. Now rub the dauber LIGHTLY around in the circle stencil. If you press too hard alcohol will run under the stencil. I found that rubbing around in one direction and then the other worked best.

You will begin to see the circles turning whiter because the color is being lifted off by the alcohol. That is why you need several layers of the alcohol ink on the card stock to start with. Some of the color will move to the edges of the circle to form a distinct edge.

Here is the finished bokeh background. I really love the look of this!

This is the card I made with the background. It is SO hard for me not to add loads of things to my card. I made this one simple so that you can see the bokeh background. 

I hope you will have fun making some of your own backgrounds this way. I hope you have a wonderful day!