Take It, Make It - June Challenge

So, my summer vacation has started and I'm not only feeling crafty, I also got plenty of time to be crafty! The weather is cold and rainy here in Sweden and I found another challenge!!  It's the Take It, make It June Challenge. I read about the challenge a while ago in the magazine Craft Stamper to which I have been subscribing to for some years. Since I love the Magazine I decided to have a look at their blog and the challenges.

The June challenge is about a technique showcased in the July issue of the Craft Stamper magazine. Hels Sheridan invented a technique called Bleach Blocking. In short, you remove some of the ink from a background made with Distress Inks. She removed the ink with the rectangular blending tool and the 'bleached out' areas appeared in blocks. Hence Bleach Blocking.

At first I thought it was kind of dull to make only blocks in the background (when you can make flowers!) so I tried to remove the ink through a stencil as well. I also turned the wet stencil over and used it as a stamp. I like the outcome of all three attempts. With all the embellishments added later on, the blocked background is calmer than my floral ones. And not dull at all, actually!

I ended up using some of my favourite things on these cards. I love purple, orange and white together (added some more white by embossing a floral stamp in white and by splashing some white Dylusions spray on the panel). I love this floral stencil from TCW. I have used it in all my latest project and I will keep on using it! I love the sentiment "don't compare your beginning to someone else's middle" and I have been waiting for a project to use it in. Actually, another sentiment would have been better here but I couldn't think of another one.

I also ended up using some of my least favourite things! The flowers I used are made for children and were really cheap. They are very colorful and I have regretted buying them. I must have seen their potential because I thought they worked out very well when used one colour at a time!

The distressed backgrounds

The bleached backgrounds.
The blocked ones in the background,
the stencil bleached ones to the left,
the one stamped with the stencil to the right.

Gluing everything together!



The horrible, but in a way lovely weather!



The cheap flowers!



The blocked background



Close-up



The stencil bleached background 

 

 

The stencil stamped background



Close-up

 

MATERIAL:

STAMPS:Pinkpaislee - Indigo Bleu - 00623 clear stamps

Kaisercraft - CS752 Script
INKS:
Distress Ink Pads - dried marigold, dusty concord, ripe persimon, gathered twigs,

Hi-Boss Embossing Stamp Pad
Embossing Powder - White

Dylusions Ink Spray - White linenSTENCIL:

??? - bought it second hand and I got the wrong name

OTHER:
Cheap flowes from ÖoB