Hi friends!
Today I’m sharing 2 cards using August’s Background of the Month stamp! I love the fall season, so this stamp was just an absolute joy to play with! That’s why I have not one, but two cards to share! I’ll also be using Bohemian Dreams and Gosh I Love You patterned paper as well as Embrace the Change stamp set!
For my first card, I stamped the leafy background in black ink over a piece of white cardstock. I love how the background also has mixed media elements to it, adding interest! I applied generous amounts of dye ink over each of the leaves in shades of yellow, teal, green, and orange. I used reactive inks and applied water over the surface to remove some of the ink and get a blotting effect. I love this mixed media look, it’s simple but very effective! And this technique is quick and fantastic to get bold color onto your card panel!
Once the coloring was done, I splattered metallic watercolors over it for added interest and shine. Then I did the unthinkable – I tore the finished card panel in half at an angle. YIKES! But stay with me because the end result is lovely!
I adhered a piece of coral patterned paper from Bohemian Dreams to an A2 sized white card base. Then I tore in half (at an angle) another piece of black checkered cardstock from Gosh I Love You. I adhered the torn layers of both the black checkered and leafy background over the coral base so that just a tiny piece of the patterned paper was peeking out from behind! I added black ink over the edge of the leaves to grunge it up a bit. Then I finished with a fall sentiment from Embrace the Change stamp that I heat embossed with gold powder!
I wanted to keep the background stamp as my focal point, so the sentiment was kept simple!
My next card is one where you can see how lovely this background stamp is for August! And the colors are a bit more muted than my first card, but equally as lovely! There are several ways that you can color this background panel!
As with my first card, I stamped the image using black ink onto a piece of white cardstock. This time, however, I added color using Tim Holtz crayons. I had so much fun adding layers to create a realistic fall leaf! I’m not sure there are purple fall leaves out there, but I had to add that color anyway! Once the coloring was done, I went around the entire panel with light brown crayon. I also added metallic splatters for shine.
The next technique is a fun one that I use frequently because it can take a basic design and add a pop of interest to it! I die cut through the center of the leafy card panel, and also die cut a piece of black cardstock just slightly larger. I adhered the center of the panel over the piece of black cardstock, and then adhered that over the outer part of the card panel, which was also framed in a piece of black cardstock! So basically, the pattern is this (from smallest to largest): center card panel, black cardstock, outer card panel, black cardstock, white card base. So much fun and so pretty!
I finished with a sentiment that I thought was so appropriate because the word “fall” was in it! I tucked some shiny string behind it for added shine and interest, and that was it for this card! 
To learn more about Unity’s membership kits, click here. The Background of the Month kit can come to you each month at a discount, and you’ll always have the latest design in your hands! Thanks for stopping by!
