Mixed Media Backgrounds - Part 2 - Bluebell Card

Morning Everyone,

I can't believe that it's taken me this long to follow up on Part 1 of my experiments with mixed media. I simply forgot! Indeed, I've made a couple of projects with those backgrounds since then - see here, here and here. So, I think it's time I got caught up by sharing how I made this card for the UKPC May Swap. 

The background is a piece from a Gelli plate print which was made using the plate.

This one is quite old now and though it is no longer pristine looking it's still in very good condition and fit for purpose.

Other items I used are a brayer, for smoothing the paint over the plate, and a variety of little tools, plastic cutlery, an old comb, bottle top and a Vicki Boutin art wedge, that I use for marking out patterns on the surface of the paint.

To make this particular print I began by putting dots of of acrylic paint - a mix of pastel shades, Maggie Holmes mint and blue,  Wilko white and Heidi Swapp's Hot Pink metallic texture paste - randomly on the plate, then smoothed it over with the brayer before using the art wedge, etc., to create surface pattern. Then, very quickly before the paint dried, the print was lifted off the plate.

 To make the card I used the following:

A piece of the Gelli plate print, cardstock in two shades of blue, the bluebell mask from That Special Touch Masks and the word 'Imagine', stamped in black, from Sarntangles stamp set.

With a stencil brush and a variety of inks, in shades of blues, greens and pink, the floral image was created over the background. Then, to add a bit of sparkle, Stickles,  pink, blue and rock candy, and blue Nuvo crystal drops was added to the bluebells and the butterfly.

To finish the card the topper was simply matted and layered on to the two shades of blue cardstock then adhered to the front of a white card base.

I can't think why I'd forgotten how much fun it is to make your own backgrounds, especially with the Gelli plate and paints. Messy but great fun. It's just another of the many tools that I've tucked away in an effort to keep this room tidy. Trouble is, to be tucked away is to be forgotten. And there's a lot forgotten in this craft space. Wonder what I'll unearth next.

Take care and have a wonderful day.