HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALLISON! (& 2. Gesso Cardstock with Embossing & Reinker painting)

It's Allison's Birthday today!

Happy birthday Allison. I made card is for you, though I'm late mailing it (sorry Darlin'!) I just want to say I sure am glad you were born. You make the (blog) world a better place--with your wicked stamping talent, your kind & tireless support, & your brilliant wit that keeps it real in the stampin' hood! heehee. :0) Hugs to you and may this be the best birthday & the best year you've ever had!

Don't know Allison & Stampin' When I Can? Crawl out from under that rock & go visit her! ;0)

Check out these other gals who appreciate how Rockin' Allison is: Anna (who organized this Net birthday surprise party) :0) Theresa, Smriti, Deb, Jackie, Tina, Monica, Zarna, & Malieta!


About the card...
I loved making coloured papers with gesso cardstock, but embossing on it was even more fun! I did find the gesso had to be dry when embossing it though, (it bubbled on me once when I was being impatient--a BIG bubble!) :0)

This image is kind of the reverse of the spotlight technique (so that the small section is white versus coloured in.) It's made with my favourite background stamp Riot of Petals embossed in Silver Encore ink with clear embossing powder. (I sanded the cardstock first to be sure the embossing would take.)

Here is the inside of the card:

and here is the back:

Card Details: The scallop is made by punching out 1 inch circles of gesso cardstock & running it through the Swiss Dots Cuttlebug embossing folder. The cardstock for the main card is Mellow Moss. I rounded some of the corners with SU's corner rounder and added a white cardstock panel on the inside. All of the embossing is done with Silver Encore ink & clear embossing powder.

Embossing & reinker painting on Gesso cardstock:
(same as with any other embossing & painting, lol)

1. Make gesso cardstock (how-to here)
   
2. Sand it & emboss with waterproof ink (Encore ink, Dye ink or you can even emboss Stazon on this)
   
3. Watercolour image with reinkers/paints & let set (if you find the ink still wet, you can emboss to seal it, or daub of excess)
   

Reinker on the gesso cardstock has some awesome effects. You can use the wet into wet technique easily because the gesso slows the drying time of reinkers & embossing holds the colour in the lines for you. I love my aqua painter, but this fine brush was way easier to paint with. The colour I used first was a weak wash of Tempting Turquoise ink with water.




After you have your wash of ink in a section, add full-strength reinker. You can add a little dot of it & watch it go! It bleeds into the first light wash & settles into the texture of the gesso to make a funky effect. So easy that it feels like cheating! The gesso does all the work of adding interest. I did find that the ink you use makes a difference. Some inks may need embossing with clear embossing powder to be fully set.

Go to the Gesso Index (7 techniques)

P.S. Does anyone know if there is an embossing powder that is clear but matte out there?

P.P.S. Next post is colouring on gesso c.s. with markers. (Close to my Heart markers leave a lovely matte finish & look watercoloury, but S.U. markers have some trixy-tricks up their sleeves too! Can't wait to share with you!)

P.P.P.S. Don't forget to sign up for the blog candy! :0) I'm gonna to do the random-number-thingy-draw for it this Friday July 11th.