Background check – Varada Sharma

Background check – recap and a Winner !!!

March 1st, 2017Varada1 Comment

Hello friends! I am very excited to announce that we have a Winner!!! I will email you shortly, so that I can get your gift card out to you, @BunnyD!! Thanks so much for all the love you all shared here and on instagram. We explored 13 different ways to enhance card backgrounds – some very simple to some slightly complex / advanced. I hope each of you found something that clicked with you :-) Here’s a quick recap: {Background using the pattern on the paper itself} {Create an anchor for the focal point} {Use embossing folder} {Use watercolors to …

Background check – repeated negative die cutting

February 28th, 2017Varada0 Comments

Hello friends! Today is the last tip in this series of #vsbackgroundcheck. Thanks for sticking with me so far. Hope you have been enjoying these tips as well as getting inspired to try some of them yourself!! Today’s card uses a technique that is almost reverse / opposite of the last one. Today we will be using the negative area after repeatedly die cutting positive images out of it. I started with a gray panel die cut using the largest stitched rectangle die from SSS. For rest of this project, I used My Favorite Things’ Undeniable Chemistry stamp and die …

Background check – faux embossed look using die cut words

February 27th, 2017Varada2 Comments

Hello there! Are you ready for the next episode of #vsbackgroundcheck ? Well, today’s idea is slightly on the advanced side, but don’t worry. It’s easy once you understand how it is done… :-) The idea is to adhere several die cut words (or even die cut shapes) over and over, ideally using the same color as the background, to create a faux embossed look. Like I did with this card: Die cutting I started by die cutting the word ‘love’ from Neenah gray cardstock. I cut out 7 of them. Then I cut a panel from the same cardstock …

Background check – Use textured card stock

February 25th, 2017Varada2 Comments

Hello and welcome to 11th post in the #vsbackgroundcheck series. Today’s idea is to use textured cardstock for the card base. This one here came from one of Hero Arts’ card kits. But I will try and link to similar ones below. The subtle texture on this card stock does wonders to the focal point cluster. Honestly speaking, I worked on the focal point on this card because the background was a simple one – I just used the texture on my card base to the advantage of this design. For the focal point, I started by cutting and rounding …

Background check – Repeat stamp sentiment or images to create your own pattern

February 24th, 2017Varada0 Comments

Hi friends, I am so excited to share tip #10 for our series #vsbackgroundcheck! This is one of my favorite techniques – repeat stamping. In this, we repeatedly stamp an image or a sentiment on a certain area or all over the background. Like I did in the two cards below: In the first card, I stamped and fussy cut images for my focal point using Tuzedo Black ink. Then I colored them using Spectrum Noir alcohol markers. I could not fussy cut the fine thread on the tea-bag, so I used real needle-thread to attach the two pieces together. :-) Initially …

Background check – use background stamp

February 23rd, 2017Varada0 Comments

Hello lovelies! Today’s idea for rocking card backgrounds is to use background stamps! Just like with background dies, there are so many options out there for this. I will list some of my favorites below. By the way, if you are new here, welcome!! :-) This month we are exploring ways to create great backgrounds for our card focal point. You can check out the earlier posts in this series by clicking here. Here’s my card for today: For this background, I used gray cardstock which I first die cut using the largest stitched rectangle die from SSS. Then I used the …

Background check – Use background dies

February 22nd, 2017Varada0 Comments

Hello and welcome to the next card design in our #vsbackgroundcheck series. Today is tip #8 – use background dies to enhance the background. As you can see in the card above, having the swirls on the background just adds a whole new level to the overall card design. This design is actually meant to look like snow swirls, I think. But I think it can be used on even a non-snowy card. {Use what you have, right? :-) } Rest of the card is made us of couple patterned paper rectangles layered using foam tape. I used the colorful …

Background check – layer with a doily or die cut

February 21st, 2017Varada0 Comments

Hello friends, and welcome to a beautiful new week! Today’s card shares tip #7 for backgrounds in this #vsbackgroundcheck series – layer the focal point with a doily or a die cut. In this case I layered it with both. The doily at the bottom and I added a circle on top which I die cut from one of the patterned papers. I stamped one of the sentiments on this circle. {I simply love the infinity circle dies from Hero Arts – so many sizes of circles to play with. I find myself reaching for them all the time! They …

Background check – Ink Blending

February 18th, 2017Varada0 Comments

Happy Saturday, my crafty friends!! I am back with my next idea for backgrounds. Idea #6 is to ink blend. My favorite ink blender in the whole world is Laura Bassen. You should go look at her creations. She is the queen of rainbow colors!! By the way, if you are new here, welcome!! :-) This month we are exploring ways to create great backgrounds for our card focal point. You can check out the earlier posts in this series by clicking here. Here’s my card for today: I started by cutting out pieces of patterned paper that I wanted to put together …

Background check – go with plain cardbase for background

February 16th, 2017Varada0 Comments

Hello dearies! I am back with my next installment of inspiration for backgrounds. Idea #5 is the simplest of them all – go with plain cardbase. Don’t have any kind of pattern or texture for the background at all. It does not get any simpler than this, guys! :-) If you are new here, welcome!! :-) This month we are exploring ways to create great backgrounds for our card focal point. You can check out the earlier posts in this series by clicking here. Here’s my card for today. Other than a strip of washi tape on the side, the background …

Background check – use watercolors to create a background

February 14th, 2017Varada0 Comments

Hello my crafty friends! I am here with another installment of background check series posts. Today is idea #4. If you are new here, a warm Namastey! :-) This month we are exploring ways to enhance the background for our card focal point. You can check out the earlier posts in this series by clicking here. Just because of the sheer number of alternatives you have in terms of colors/color combinations and types of watercolors you use (from kids ones to professional grade, and even distress inks or die inks!), this idea is super versatile. Here’s my card using …

Background check – Add beautiful texture to the background using embossing folders

February 11th, 2017Varada0 Comments

Hello everyone and welcome to idea #3 for background check series. If you are new here, nice to meet you! :-) This month we are exploring ways to enhance the background for our card focal point. You can check out the earlier posts in this series by clicking here. Today’s idea is a simple but powerful one – using embossing folders to add texture and interest to card backgrounds. Here is what I made with this idea today. For this card as with previous cards, I kept my focal point really simple by cutting out this cute donut from one …

Background check – Create an Anchor for the focal point

February 9th, 2017Varada0 Comments

Hello everyone and welcome to idea #2 for background check series. If you are new here, nice to meet you! :-) This month we are exploring ways to enhance the background for our card focal point. Today’s idea is to create a panel with patterned paper as an anchor for the focal point like so: Creating a banner with the coffee beans for this focal point reinforces the whole “coffee bean” theme in this design and also gives an interesting backdrop to the focal point. The rest of this card is just a lot of layering and playing with patterned …

Background check – a new series for Feb 2017 and a giveaway!

February 7th, 2017Varada4 Comments

Hello peeps!! I have something exciting to share with you all today. From this month onwards, we will focus on a theme for the month. All month long I will share multiple cards with tips and tricks for getting more out of your supplies. These tips and tricks will range from some quite simple ones to some a little more involved, so there is something in it for everyone. This month we will be focusing on Backgrounds!! I have lined up more than 10 cards, each one showing a way to make backgrounds special. So let’s get started. When I …