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3 Creative Ways to make backgrounds with your dies

Have you been looking for other ways to use your dies? Well today I will show you 3 creative ways to make backgrounds using the same die set. For this project, I am using cloud shapes from the Impression Obsession Set Cloud Dies.  Each of the three cards, use the same images: the Steel Pan (Trinidad and Tobago’s National Instrument), a Toucan,  and a Coconut tree, with different cloud backgrounds. So let’s begin.

PREPARING THE SHAPES

Using my big shot machine, I laid the large and medium cloud dies on a piece of scrap white card stock which I ran through the machine multiple times to cut out many shapes. Next I paired up the shapes, sticking a medium cloud to a large one alternating sides (medium cloud on left and large on right then vice versa). By overlaying the shapes, it becomes one continuous cloud and you will see why I did that…..in a moment.

READ ALSO: OUTSIDE THE BOX

FIRST BACKGROUND

For the first background, I got a piece of white card stock 2 3/4” x 5 1/2”. Taking a pair of medium and large clouds I laid it on the card stock like a shaped stencil. Then with my distress ink pads and applicator, I  applied the ink in a circular motion from the top of the clouds onto the paper below, switching out the cloud shapes. Pretty soon I had several sets of bluish clouds which I saved to make another background and a fluffy stencilled design on the card stock below.

THE SECOND BACKGROUND

Remember I saved the bluish clouds from the first background? Well these I used to make the second background and card. Firstly I created a border by covering the edges of another piece of white card stock 3 1/2”  x 8 1/2” with removable tape. Then with distress inks I created a distressed border with blues and purple Ranger inks. I then adhered the pair of clouds to the upper region of the card to make my second background.

THE THIRD BACKGROUND

Now the third one was made using the shape left behind in the scrap card stock. I overlayed the shape onto another piece of white card stock measuring 3 1/2 x 6 1/2. Using the shape left behind in the paper like a stencil,  I transferred  colour to the card stock below in a stencilled pattern of clouds for my background. A few dots and dashes with a white gel pen and some wispy shapes to represent bits of debris for embellishment.

Now that you have seen what one die cut shape can do, are you ready to try it on your own? You can use more colours, create designs like swirls in your clouds, group more clouds together or try different dies…. Just have fun!

MATERIALS USED AND RESOURCES USED

  • Rangers distress inks- Wilted violet, Blueprint Sketch, Mermaid Lagoon
  • Sizzix Big Shot Machine
  • Impression Obsession Cloud Dies
  • Pear Blossom Designs- Tropical Summer Digital Stamps
  • Poppy DreamZ- Steel pan Band
  • Copic Markers