Distress Crayons: a subtle approach

It's raining here today (not something we say often in CA) and I always like to be working in the craft room when it rains.  If it's not too cold I sometimes even open the window so I can hear it better.

Well today I thought I experiment a little more with the Distress Crayons.  Follow along and I'll show you what I did.

Scribble out some crayon on to the craft mat.  You will also need a Mini Blending tool and a bit of water.

Use the Mini Blending tool to pick up the crayon.  The foam must be damp not wet.  Here are some hints:

• too much water - it picks up the crayon way too easy and almost makes suds
• too little water (or none) - it won't pick up the crayon (it will just squeak across the mat)
• damp sponge - picks up the crayon easily (if you feel like you have too much water on the foam just pounce it on a paper towel a couple times and that will take cake of it)

 I cut a card front from Mixed Media paper and used a large stencil to add a pattern with the Blending Tool.

Now go back and pick up another color.  Same blending foam (no need to change the pad) - I just pounced it on the paper towel a couple times before going into the Fossilized Amber. 

 This time I'm using a Mini Stencil to change the scale of the circles.

 Another Mini Stencil to add some numbers with Seedless Preserves.

 I mounted the card from on Silver Metallic cardstock and then on a turquoise Kraft Core.

 A little stitching around the card finishes it off.

 Next, I mounted the self adhesive Deco Sheet onto a piece of cardstock then punched tiny 1/2" hexagons using the Tim Holtz Hexagon punch.  A quick way to make a lot of hexagon pieces.

 A dot of Glossy Accents works perfectly to adhere the hexagons to the card front.

 A sentiment from the Hashtags stamp set.

I thought the card needed a bit more detail so I used Ranger Watercolor paper and the Tattered Flower Garland to cut a few small flowers.  They have been colored with Distress Inks and a waterbrush.

 I adhered a small Crinkle Ribbon bow with Glossy Accents.

And then added the flowers.  These flowers have a hole in the center for layering with a brad.  I find that if you bend and squish the flower to make them more realistic, the hole fades away.

I added a Heart Charm to complete the cluster.

Its hard to show the shine of the silver Deco Sheets but that textured surface really makes the card fun.  The hexagon punch was super easy to use to create all those hexs...can't imagine doing that by hand.

Well, I hope you will try the crayons/blending tool technique to make a background.  I ended up creating a few card fronts while I was experimenting.  I found that more often than not, I did not even have to wipe off the foam pad between colors (that foam pad is kinda magic).  I think this would be a great way to add color to an art journal.  I guess I better try that size surface next!
now carry on,
paula

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