3 Easy Cardstock Backgrounds

Hello there, Michelle Short here, and I am delighted to be back on the Spellbinders blog using the Merry Mischief Collection. This is such a cute collection that is perfect for Christmas and the holidays! I thought the sets would work perfectly for some quick and easy cards with some simple backgrounds.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

My first card uses Cozy Waddles Clear Stamp & Die Set with a fun colour block background. This is an easy way to add both colour and interest to a card in a simple way. To make this card:

• Die cut base of penguins from Raven ColorWheel Cardstock.
• Die cut faces and tummies of penguins from Classic White ColorWheel Cardstock.
• Die cut feet and beaks from Saffron ColorWheel Cardstock.
• Die cut scarf from Cosmic Sky ColorWheel Cardstock. Assemble pieces, adhering with Bearly Art Glue.

• Using a guillotine, cut a panel of Cascade ColorWheel Cardstock, cutting the bottom into a diagonal.
• Cut a panel of Poppy ColorWheel Cardstock with a diagonal at the top (the same as the bottom of the Cascade piece, use this piece as a guide) and a diagonal at the bottom.
• Cut the top of a Cosmic Sky ColorWheel Cardstock panel into a diagonal, the same as the Poppy piece.
• Adhere all three panels onto a white A2-sized card base.

• Place card into Mini MISTI and mask off sentiment from Deck the Paws Clear Stamp Set to read ‘Merry Christmas’. Ink up stamp using Versafine Clair Nocturne Ink, remove masking from stamp and stamp onto card.
• Adhere penguins above using thin foam tape.
• Embellish with Crystal Mix Color Essentials Gems.

TIP: If you didn’t want to worry about angles of the cardstock, you could simply add three strips across the card, or four squares in either corner and that would work well too.

SKATING BY

My next card uses the adorable Hedge-Hugs Clear Stamp & Die Set, along with Seasons Sparkles 3D Embossing Folder to create a base for the hedgehog to skate on. To make this card:

• Die cut base of hedgehog from Acorn ColorWheel Cardstock.
• Die cut front of hedgehog from Alabaster ColorWheel Cardstock.
• Die cut snout and arms from Fawn ColorWheel Cardstock.
• Die cut nose from Blush ColorWheel Cardstock.
• Die cut skates from Brushed Silver Treasured Cardstock and Cosmic Sky ColorWheel Cardstock.
• Die cut scarf from Poppy ColorWheel Cardstock.
• Die cut hat from Poppy, Pomegranate, and Classic White ColorWheel Cardstock.
• Assemble and adhere hedgehog together using Bearly Art Glue, adding Raven ColorWheel Cardstock behind the eyes.

• Place panel of Poppy ColorWheel Cardstock inside Seasons Sparkles 3D Embossing Folder and run it through Platinum Six Die Cutting Machine.
• Adhere to the bottom of an A2-sized white card base.
• Stamp sentiment from Hedge-Hugs Clear Stamp Set above, using Versafine Clair Nocturne Ink.

• Cut strip of Classic White ColorWheel Cardstock and adhere at the top of the embossed panel.
• Adhere hedgehog on top using thin foam tape.
• Embellish with Crystal Mix Color Essentials Gems.

TIP: For more definition on the embossing, you could add ink blending on top with a darker red ink. The ink would catch the raised areas and make them darker.

SANTA’S VISIT

For my last project, I’m using Chimney Caper Clear Stamp & Die Set. This time my background has a few more steps to it but it is still simple and easy to create. To make the card:

• Die cut Santa from Poppy, Raven, and Classic White ColorWheel Cardstock.
• Die cut buckle from Brushed Gold Treasured Cardstock.
• Die cut base of chimney from Pomegranate ColorWheel Cardstock.
• Die cut grouting top layer of chimney from Alabaster ColorWheel Cardstock.
• Die cut snow from Classic White ColorWheel Cardstock.
• Assemble Santa, followed by the chimney, adding the snow on top. Adhere Santa behind the chimney using Bearly Art Glue and a little Best Ever Craft Tape.

• Take panel of Cosmic Sky ColorWheel Cardstock and using a Large Blending Brush, blend Nautical Core Ink at the top, followed by a little Pitch Black Core Ink at the very top.
• Mix a little Splatter White Opaque Watercolor with water and, using a paintbrush, splatter over panel. Set aside to dry.
• Once dry, adhere panel to A2 sized white card base.

• Adhere Santa and chimney on top using thin foam tape.
• Die cut top of Classic White ColorWheel Cardstock panel using snow landscape die.
• Stamp sentiment from Chimney Caper Clear Stamp Set on top using Versafine Clair Nocturne Ink.
• Adhere snow piece on to the bottom of card, overlapping the bottom of the chimney, using foam tape.
• Embellish with Crystal Mix Color Essentials Gems.

TIP: Using coloured cardstock as a base for ink blending really speeds the process up as you are not having to cover a whole panel with ink. I also find that it gives a really nice smoothness to the inks too! If you didn’t want to add the ink blending here, you could simply add the snow splatter to a dark blue cardstock base.

I hope you have enjoyed seeing my projects today, and I have inspired you to create some easy cardstock backgrounds. Thank you so much for stopping by, have a wonderful day!

Other Supplies

Thin foam tape, Versafine Clair Nocturne Ink, Hero Arts Nautical Core Ink, Hero Arts Pitch Black Core Ink.