Home Sweet Home

I used a newly learned technique on my card background today.  

Over this past weekend I attended 2 workshops by Wendy Vecchi (see this post and this post) and one of the myriad of techniques she taught us was this wonderful 'marble-look' background.  To make it you first need Ranger Specialty Stamping Paper - that is somewhat like glossy card stock - but not as glossy (it may work on glossy card stock - I haven't tried it yet!).  You pour a puddle of rubbing alcohol on a non-stick craft mat and mix a drop of Archival Reinker into it (I used Cornflower blue - you can use more colors if you want).  Then you drag your paper through it and dry it with your heat gun tilting it to move the drips around and dropping more alcohol right on the paper if you want to change the look.  Then you dry it completely with the heat gun

I then used Ranger Distress Stains to color two of my chipboard houses and one I inked with Cornflower Blue Archival Ink.  I layered them to the panel with foam dots.   I stamped the sentiment from Waltzingmouse on white card stock and punched it with a circle punch.  Then I simply layered the panel to a white panel and then to the blue card base.

I was inspired by the following challenges for my card today:

The Paper Players Sketch

The Jugs Inspiration Photo - I was inspired by the blues and the patterns of the sky

Less is More - to use 3 of something -  I used 3 houses and 3 colors of blue.

Stamps:  A Cottage Home - Waltzingmouse
Paper:  White, Blueberry Sky - PTI, Specialty Stamping Paper - Ranger.
Ink:  Cornflower Blue ink pad and re-inker - Archival, Ranger Distress Stains - Salty Ocean, Tumbled Glass.
Accessories:  Rubbing alcohol, foam dots, Glue N Seal - Ranger, 1 1/4" circle EK Success, non-stick Craft Mat - Ranger, heat gun, chipboard mini houses - Maya Road.