Making Spectrum Sherbet inspired backgrounds!

Hello, old friends!

Here I am back again playing after a very loooonnnngggg break. Life last year got completely crazy for me and time to blog was just beyond me. I was overwhelmed with going back to University to study for the third time, what was I thinking? Well, really it was studying, and upgrading my qualifications or losing the chance to further employment. Anyway, I qualified with flying colours and life is a lot more mellow. So, I have been loving having the opportunity to scrap and paint when I’m not working.

Anyway, let’s scrap! Like half the scrapbook community I have fallen completely in love with the 49 and Market, Spectrum Sherbet collection. A scrapbook collection with the most amazing colours, textures and patterns. I wanted to buy it all but unfortunately, my finances couldn’t stretch to buying the whole collection, plus I already have so many supplies to use up, that I held back and just purchased the one classic pack and two packets of the acetate leaves. Both products are absolutely beautiful.

So, beautiful that I don’t want to use the paper as I only have one of each! Being two-sided sheets, with gorgeous designs on both sides makes it even more difficult. How can I possibly choose which side to use? Well, my creative mind had an epiphany when I realised that I could try and make some of my own papers in the same style as these beauties.

So, make I did, and it was a wonderful experience. Yes, it took me a few hours but who cares about time when one is creating. I stepped back in time and used an old stamping technique, masking, which worked really well to create that collaged look. I chose to work with Tim Holtz Distress inks (for my first attempt) and chose to try and create a teal blue and green background.

I really stepped out of my comfort zone and even filmed the process. Yes, people, I have made my first ever scrapbook video. Something that I have been planning to do for years but have not been brave enough, nor had the time. It’s pretty basic, so be kind. If you are interested in watching it, you can view it on my YouTube channel here. I would appreciate any feedback, so please do leave a constructive comment and like the video. With some motivation and support from other crafters, I hope to continue to develop my video production skills.

Right, so let’s look at stamping and masking. First I selected a heap of stamps which could blend to create a similar nature theme. I also selected some travel stamps for fun, which I used on the second background. I chose to use some Vicki Boutin foundation mixed media cardstock for the first layout, it’s a good quality cardstock made to take wet media, so should easily handle a bit of ink. I also use some thinner Poppy Craft cardstock which I used for the masking shapes and for making a template.

Template? Yes, I decided to not directly copy the Spectrum Sherbet design making a 12×12 sheet but used the collage look within a circle template design. I masked off different sections of the circle and stamped on my images, colouring each section with the distress inks. It was a pretty easy process but a bit fiddly and time-consuming. I really like how it looks in a circle design. I ended up adding a little stamped splash around the edges where I accidentally got some ink smudges. overall, I’m pretty happy with how it turned out.

So happy that I made a second background, working with grey and brown inks and adding some travel stamped images. Not at all a sherbet colour, but I love it anyway.