Distress Ink Valentine

Today I set out to create a Valentine card for my husband. I had planned to case a card by Amy Rysavy. It was simply gorgeous and I thought I could recreate the watercolor look by using the Stampin Up reinkers.

I set out with the colors I had chosen–Coastal Cabana, Bermuda Bay, and Island Indigo–but the colors just didn't blend the right way. I tried again by watercoloring by putting distress inks on my craft mat and adding water but the colors weren't nearly as intense and I didn't have any reinkers for my distress inks.

So, that left sponging the background. I could have sponged with the Stampin Up inks but the distress inks blend so well so I went with them.

I cut a matte from watercolor paper and started sponging. In the end, I used 10 different distress inks to create my panel! I used Peacock Feathers, Cracked Pistachio, Mermaid Lagoon, Pine Needles, Blueprint Sketch, Faded Jeans, Chipped Sapphire, Evergreen Bough, Lucky Clover and Black Soot. And how do I remember what I used? I snapped a photo of course! It's a great way to record what you are using as you use it. I also used a sponge dauber to apply a fine line of Basic Black Archival Ink to the edges of the matte.

Inks used to distress the matte for the card front

After creating my background, I die cut the Queen of Hearts die from Memory Box using Silver Glimmer Paper. Because the design is so delicate and intricate, I used a metal shim with my Magnetic Platform as well as placing a dryer sheet beneath the glimmer paper.

What a beautiful die cut! It looked stunning placed on the distress ink background. It was then that I decided to add some Silver Cording Trim, wrapped around the bottom of the matte. I adhered the matte to a very thin Whisper White matte, using Fast Fuse Adhesive.

For the sentiment, I simply used the XOXO stamp from the Bloomin' Love Stamp Set. I stamped in Versamark on Basic Black card stock and embossed with White Stampin' Emboss Powder. I used the Bitty Banners Framelits to die cut the sentiment and then cut off the one end. Using the Confetti Hearts Border Punch, I punched a few tiny hearts from the Silver Glimmer Paper and glued them on the banner. I used Fast Fuse Adhesive to adhere the sentiment under the Silver Cording Trim.

I then attached the distressed matte and Whisper White matte to an Island Indigo card base using foam tape. I like to use foam tape when I watercolor because I think it holds the paper better, with less warping.

To attach the die cut, I decided to use spray adhesive. I placed the die cut face down in a box I use as my spray booth and coated it with the spray. Definitely easier than using the Fine Tip Glue Pen! However, it didn't adhere in all places so I ended up adding some Multi Medium Matte to finish the job. I adhered a sprinkling of sequins to complete the front of the card.

I cut a Whisper White matte for the inside of the card and stamped the large intricate heart from the Bloomin' Love Stamp Set. using Basic Black Archival Ink. I zapped it with my heat gun to be sure it was dry before beginning to sponge once again.

I only used a few inks this time–Blueprint Sketch, Pine Needles, Evergreen Bough, Peacock Feathers and Chipped Sapphire. It wasn't the best blending job ever but it still looked nice! I adhered the matte with Fast Fuse Adhesive to complete the card.

Completed inner matte with distress inks that were used

I think my husband will like the card. What do you think? Leave me a comment below–I'd love to hear from you!