This month’s blog hop is all about our favourite techniques, and there’s nothing better than getting messy, so I thought I would show you how to create an ink smooshing background with your favourite Stampin’ Up! colours. It’s a really fun way of making quick and easy backgrounds for your crafting!
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I have used the background I made to create a wintry themed Christmas card, with the amazing Joyful Flurry Bundle, but as you will see below you can use the ink smooshing technique with other colours for a more autumn or a more vibrant look too!
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So, how to create an ink smooshing background. First thing, you just need to choose your colours (I used ink pads even though the refills are pictured!) Here I went for Balmy Blue and Pacific Point. Balmy Blue is a light soft blue from the Subtles family and Pacific Point from the Brights family is much more vibrant, giving a real punch. The other supplies you will need are some Fluid 100 Watercolour cardstock, a non-porous surface like a large acrylic block (or silicon mat) and a water spritzer.
Onto your non-porous surface, dab the ink pad in random places. I always start with the lighter colour first. Then add a little of the Pacific Point too. Spritz the ink with the water spritzer, four or five squirts should be enough, and lightly spritz the watercolour cardstock too.
Then all you need to do is take the card to the ink on your block or mat and smoosh it into the ink. When you lift it up you will notice the ink has made some beautiful patterns onto your cardstock, and the joy is that you can just keep playing until you get the result that you want!
The biggest tip is that more water will give you a nice blended background and less water will give you more interesting textures and patters, so personally I tend to mix it up a bit. I do a bit of ink smooshing with plenty of water and then add some more ink to the block, just lightly spritz and pick up some of that drier ink.
Just play around with it and have some fun! Here I have used other colours for a completely different look!
Once your background is completely dry you can even add a little stamping if you wish, just like I have with the snowflakes on the blue card and the leaves on the brown card. Just make sure it is really dry otherwise you won’t get the clean crisp lines that you might want.
I hope that you give it a go and that you have fun if you create an ink smooshing background of your own! For now though, why not hop around the rest of the team’s posts for even more technique ideas and inspiration.
Until next time, Happy Stamping!
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Love a smoosh! Gorgeous cards Heather as always x
Beautiful cards, great technique – one of my faves too. tfs
Thank you for sharing this technique & I can’t wait to have fun with it. I love your icicle blue card. Very pretty, simple yet effective modern card.
Gorgeous cards. The smoosh is beautiful, I always forget this one x
Fabulous smooshing – I love playing with inks. Lovely cards.