EMERGING COLOR TUTORIAL

Believe it or not, the bright red background on this card actually started out life as a piece of Whisper White cardstock! Amazing, huh?

This card features a technique called Emerging Color. It is a variation on the wondrous emboss resist technique.

Do you see how the underlying colors seem to be emerging? Even though the whole thing seems to be pretty mysterious, it is really easy -- and gratifying!! -- to do!

Since this card has so much punch and personality, I decided Sassy Salutations (page 67 of the big catalog) was the just right choice for the greeting. Do you not agree?

And I love the tag with the little blip on one side from the Chalk Talk Framelits (page 230 of the big catalog) upon which to place the snappy Happy Birthday.

I used the flower from the retired Button Buddies stamp set. But any stamp that is mostly solid inked areas would work just as well: the two bottom left stamps from Label Love (page 14); Perfect Pennants (page 16); even the frame from Say Cheese (page 30); the cute octopus from Sea Street (page 48); the cupcake bottom from Cupcake Party (page 58); the large label from Everything Eleanor (page 69); Something for Baby (page 74) would be aDORable; the elephant and the rhino from Zoo Babies (page 78); imagine the sports characters from Simply Sports (page 92); the alphabet, Larger Than Life Alphabet & Numbers, (page 99) would be so cool; many of the stamps from Flower Patch (page 156); What's Your Type? (page 160); and For All Things (from the new Holiday Catalog, page 41) would be great to try. This is just from a quick look through the catalogs. I'm sure there are lots more that I missed. Use your imagination!

Now, how would you like me to tell you just how to make a card like this one for  yourself or someone special? In lieu of Button Buddies, try any of the sets I listed, or maybe you already have one in your stash that would be perfect for the technique! 

Anyway, this is how you would replicate my card:

Supplies:

Circle Circus stamp set

Button Buddies stamp set

Sassy Salutations stamp set

Whisper White cardstock

Pool Party cardstock

Strawberry Slush ink

Crisp Cantaloupe ink

Hello Honey ink

Pool Party ink

VersaMark ink

Big Shot

Chalk Talk Framelits

Heat Tool

Embossing Buddy

Clear Embossing Powder

Brayer

White Baker's Twine

Glue Dots

Stampin' Dimensionals

Button

Paper towel

Directions:

Fold a 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" piece of Whisper White cardstock in half, creasing well with a bone folder.

Adhere a 5 1/2" x 4" piece of Pool Party cardstock to the card base.

Randomly stamp three circles from Circle Circus, each in its appropriate color, across a 3 3/4" x 5" piece of Whisper White cardstock. It is OK to overlap these colors, but not just TOO much. This will provide the color in the flowers.

Rub the Embossing Buddy well over this small piece of cardstock.

In VersaMark, randomly stamp the large flower (or stamp of your choice) over the color circles. Keep track of where you are stamping these flowers. If possible, do not let them overlap.

Cover the stamped flowers with Clear Embossing Powder. Heat to emboss, making sure each flower is fully shiny and embossed.

Run the brayer through the Strawberry Slush ink pad several times, always in the same direction. Brayer this over the flowered paper. Continue inking and brayering in all directions until you have an even coat of color. This will take several applications. Be patient! The end result will be so worth it!

Use a paper towel to gently rub the excess ink from the flowers. Adhere the flowered panel over the Pool Party layer.

Stamp the sentiment in Strawberry Slush on a scrap piece of Whisper White. Use the Framelit from Chalk Talk in the Big Shot to make the label. Attach the label to a 1 3/8" x 3 1/4" piece of Pool Party cardstock. Adhere this piece to the card front with three Stampin' Dimensionals, keeping the two edges flush with the outer edge of the card.

Tie White Baker's Twine through the holes of the button, forming a large bow at the back of the button. Adhere the button to the center of one of the flowers with a Glue Dot.

There! Have fun with those emerging colors!

Emerging 

Smiles.