Hollyhocks and Gesso

Hi there.  I'm so glad you stopped by!

We're using gesso at CAS Mix Up this month and this card came about

from playing with this medium.

I had seen something a few years ago about using gesso to lighten a background.

You can see that post here.

So while I had the gesso out, I thought I'd give it a try.

I went in a different direction though.  I picked out a Brusho background from my stash

that hadn't worked out and decided to see if I could make a usable background from that.

The technique calls for smooshing a background into gesso that's been spread on a

craft sheet and spritzed with water.

This is what it looked like after the first smooshing.

It was still too much for a background.

So I smooshed it again in more gesso and water and got this result.

Now here's where I went in a totally different direction.

The colors reactivated with the watery gesso and what was left on my craft mat was 

so pretty that I grabbed a piece of cardstock and smooshed it in the leftover color to mop it up. 

After that was dried (and the mess cleaned up), I used this hollyhock stamp, inked with 

Distress Ink, spritzed with water and stamped onto the background.

This technique is usually a disaster for me, but this time I had the right amount

of water.  It left some watery blobs that I sopped up with the corner of a paper towel.  

When it dried, I had just the look I wanted.

I just happen to have the die that matches the flowers so I cut one and colored

it by swiping the ink pad directly on the die cut.

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Full Bloom Hollyhocks (IO), Banner Sentiments (PB)

Ink:   Aged Mahogany (DI), Versafine Onyx Black

Paper:   Neenah Solar White, Neenah Natural

Other:  Gesso, Hollyhocks Die (IO), Linen/Canvas Coverplate (PTI)

Enjoy!

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