NEW Background!! H2Oholic

We are in the middle of a snowstorm here in Wisconsin, so Pea was lucky enough to have a SNOW DAY!!

WOOHOO!! I have wanted to come up with a new background, using supplies that I already had in my home!

(one would think that would be easy . . . . right??) Well, in this case, it actually WAS!

SUPPLIES:

Disposable pan . . . . I cut my card stock into 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" - so my pan didn't need to be any larger than that. If you are using full sheets, you would need a larger pan. This could be any container that you wouldn't need to use for food again, as long as it is at least 1 1/2" deep.

white or beige card stock - cut to size you want your background to be

water

Alcohol Inks - colors of choice plus one metallic

paper towel and newspaper

paint brush (you will be using the wood end - not the brush)

(told you this was going to be EASY!)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Lay out your newspaper on a surface suitable for drying your backgrounds. Place a layer of paper towel on top, so the newsprint doesn't stick to your card stock

I placed my tray right in my kitchen sink - turned on the tap until the water was deep enough for the paper to be submerged.

I used three colors of alcohol inks at a time - PLUS one metallic (I used gold, just because I like it!)

Drip 5 or 6 drips of your lightest color into the pan filled with water. This will become the color that your paper will "mostly" be tinted. You will see that it pretty much disolves evenly throughout the water. Next

drop in 3 - 4 drops of your METALLIC alcohol ink. You will see that this spreads out a bit, but stays on the surface in "blobs". Take your remaining two colors and drop small drips of each color "into" each of the metallic ink blobs.

Take the end of your paintbrush and use it to swirl and break up the blobs . . . . you will see that it still remains on the surface.

Take your first cut piece of card stock and lay it directly on top of the water. Let it rest there for 10 seconds or so . . . then gently place your fingers on top and lower your paper underneath the water. Let sit for 5 - 10 seconds. Lift up, let some water drain off and place on your paper towel.

THAT'S IT!!!

I did try second sheets without adding any more alcohol inks - and they are VERY muted. BUT, you can add more colors right into this water. I only changed the water when I was drastically changing the colors.

Just to let you know - you may want to have multiple pieces of cut card stock on hand as this was rather addicting!!! I could have done it all day - except that I actually had to help shovel ? ! ? ! ? !

Hope you have fun - and would love to hear some comments after you have made yours!

(Click on images to get a bit better idea of true color - they are actually brighter in person!)