Monday, April 15, 2013

Backgrounds to the front please!

Monday again! I think I must have tripped and fell into a time warp on Friday night because I sure don't know where the weekend went to. Monday morning also means a fresh new challenge theme over at  Simon Says Stamp & Show where good old 'background stamps' are in the spotlight. I'm a huge fan of background stamps and can't get enough of them.
I was very glad to have a chance to play with my new Distress Paints and see how they performed. Yippee, something new, as full time mummy duty leaves me very little time to try out new stash. Oooh, I'm feeling all trendy.
I started my experimenting with colours and effects and I have to say I luuuuurve the paints. They are so vibrant, versatile and fun. I must also add that you really only need a little bit of paint to create a great blast of colour, so if you are thinking you'll use them up too quickly, let me tell you no! 
I actually was too generous and could have swooshed at least twenty tags with my left overs. Steady on next time Sarah. When you spritz them with water they really move and wick in a great way but retain their intense colour.
I worked with Ranger Specialty Stamping Paper which is coated so my paints really moved. In fact, I decided to play with the paints on a larger piece of paper and then I cut my tags from my favourite part. I dried them well and then in comes the background...
 l used just a section of Tim's Grunge Alphabet, also stamping in Distress Paint. By using just a part of the stamp and rolling it across the tag without an acrylic block, you can achieve some great effects. I do this a lot. It is a great way of getting more out of your stamps, especially if you are into art journalling too. I have also done this with the eyes on the first tag by masking off the bottom section.
I stamped the faces and eyes in Jet Black Archival Ink which you need to get that crisp, permanent image. Be sure to heat set as ink does take longer to dry on Specialty Stamping Paper. I added a little Distress Ink around the edges and then headed to my typewriter to create the wording which just came into my head whilst I was busy.
I wanted a little extra dimension and felt a butterfly fitted the mood. I refrained from lots of extra stamping and just decided to let the colours and images do the talking (she says, rambling on here...)
 So there you go lots of colour, painty love and a guest appearance from the background stamp. It's a great theme and I am sure everyone has a background stamp! Check out the really wonderful ideas from the rest of the Design Team here! We are on the hunt for our top three artists and there is this very generous $50 voucher to be won too.
With that, I am away... until the next time!
Sarah

17 comments:

Helen said...

Another stunner, Sarah! My weekend vanished in a blur of fun at Ally Pally... hope to join in this week, it's been too long!!

Suzanne C said...

Gorgeous! Love the colors you put together so bright and lovely!

barbarayaya62 said...

FAntastic colours! Amazing work! BArbarayaya

Peggy Parker said...

Gorgeous! And you make it sound so simple!

Candy C said...

Sarah...your tags are amazing. I love you use of the distress paints to give such vibrant yet soft color to your tag background. Those stamped eyes are so haunting and work so perfectly with your sentiments! I love the outlining if the tags and the sentiments in the vibrant pink, too. <3 Candy

Craft Addicts - Tracy Evans said...

Wonderful tags Sarah, again that wonderful pop of colour. The pink, green and blue work fabulously together. I love the eye stamps combined with your fabulous sentiment. The butterfly and twine are the perfect finishing touches. Tracy x x

Carol Q said...

love this colour combo, it must be one of my favourites - it never fails.

Nicecrane Designs said...

What a colorful and bright colors, OMG, love all these unnusual colors,,,,very well done,,,,,woww.Thanks for your comments at Jenny ' s blog (pushingtherightbuttons) about my bird picts,...so feel free to ask me your favorite product from all my stuff for free.....e-mail me to nicecrane@yahoo.com

Janny Jager said...

Great tags Sarah with fantastic colors.
Greetings Janny

Sandra said...

Ohh, Sarah! I so like the bright colors you chose for these tags! They really pop! Love the stamps too! So pretty! Hugs, Sandra

email: Steph@SimonSaysStamp.com said...

Wow, this is absolutely stunning, Sarah! I love the color palette!

*mwah*
Steph
Simon Says Stamp!

Miae said...

Oh these tags are wonderful and those stamps give them such a mysterious feel...!

Kate Yetter said...

These tags are fabulous. Love the brights and faces. the butterflies add the perfect touch.
Kate

Anonymous said...

love, love, love the bright colors with those faces peeking out!

Arnoldo L. Romero, MLA said...

I love the dreamy and romantic feel of your tags. Blessings!

froebelsternchen said...

simply AMAZING!

Juls said...

These are stunning!!! Love the colours!! Hugs Juls xxx