Starry HB2U!

I've been enjoying "Background Check"--Online Card Classes' latest offering--this week. Day 1 of class was devoted to "Inking Techniques for Backgrounds." Jennifer McGuire had a demonstration, using cardstock inked with Distress ink, a stencil, and a baby wipe. I based the background of this card on that technique.

Because this card is for my brother, who loves blue, I used Chipped Sapphire, Salty Ocean, & Evergreen Bough Distress inks. I also used the "Stars" layering stencil by Tim Holtz for my background. As Jennifer had demonstrated, I did try dry embossing with the stencil and my Grand Calibur machine when I had finished with the baby wipe, but it didn't really emboss. I don't know if I'd used too thin a cardstock or what. I may try again with a thicker cardstock.

After I finished the background, I die cut a star out of it, using one of the "Nesting Stars" by Lifestyle Crafts. I temporarily adhered the background panel to the front of a 4.5x7.25" card base, and lined up the die with the cutout in the panel. I ran it through my Grand Calibur again, to cut a window in the card front.

For the greeting, I put the card base in my MISTI, and used a grid sheet overlay to line up the stamp (from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps' "Birthday Bash" set). Then I stamped it on the inside of the card with Hero Arts Navy ink, through the star window. I was glad I used my MISTI, because it took me a few stampings to get good ink coverage. With the MISTI, I had absolutely no trouble lining up the stamp again! All that was left was to adhere my technique piece to the front of the card base, and that finished up this card.

I am entering this card in Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday "Anything Goes" challenge.