The 'i should really be in bed its not actually Friday' Tut!

Well it is that time again, when I feel the need to get art mucky and make a total mess. Luckily, I'm in Gezza's house this weekend so I'm making quite a mess here instead. She has a beautiful new workshop to play in {see her flickr for pics! its gorgeous} I've had fun trying this one out and I'd love to hear from you if you give this one a go.

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This is a great effect that you will be able to use in various ways for all your mail art, collage, card art... practically anything. Its basically a form of emboss resist {only better}, which gives a wonderful faux batik result. Here are a couple of atc's, 'Little Boo' and 'Ra-Ra', which I've made using this background technique....

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You will need;

• Large piece of off white/cream lightweight cardstock
• Either Clear Embossing powder or UTEE
• Versamark pad {any clear pigment ink pad is ok}
• A Brayer {If you dont have one - then grab a rolling pin}
• Elastic Bands or fibres
• Inks; whatever you have, chalk & pigment best for this.
• A couple of big swirly or geometric stamps
• Newspaper to protect your work area
• Babywipes

• Lets begin by randomly stamping onto your cardstock in a few different colours, I like using my Kaleidocolours ink pads for this...
• Wrap rubber bands or fibres {or both} around your brayer

• Load uo your brayer with versamark and roll it up and down your sheet with wild abandon.
• Sprinkle on the clear embossing powder and heat it up. {not too long or it will sink into your paper}
• Rub in some chalk pigment inks, lots of colours - build it up in layers...
• Wipe the surface with a babywipe - see what happens? :)*
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  Now take it and *cRuMPle* it all up - oh yeah baby!
  Sweep some inks over it to add depth, the ink will seek out all the breaks in the embossing and look really cool. Overstamp if you like using a darker shade. You will also be able to make out bits of your original stamping underneath the embossed lines....
  
  This looks amazing in blues and greens. I went for an earthy autumnal colour palette and sweeped over some metallic inks at the end. Everytime I try this technique, something new happens - thats why I love it. It really is up to you! Have a play, have a go and most of all.... get messy and have fun!!!