Unpretentious meets elegant brocade

In keeping with the monthly challenge of using our Globecraft & Piccolo embossing powders to create a background, I used a large background stamp to replicate the look of brocade.

I love this photo of my mother. She's young, sitting in her dad's rocking chair with her legs crossed and her pant legs rolled up, holding onto her Brownie camera. So natural, casual and unpretentious. I decided to create a background that would be in direct contrast to her.
Here's what I used:

Linda Neff
linda-neff.com

• Piccolo Copper Kettle Embossing Powder
• Piccolo Chunky Black Embossing Powder
• Piccolo Embossing Powder Adhesive
• Sizzix Primitive Hearts die
• Ranger Heat-it Tool
• Karen Foster Floss
• Buttons
• Seam Binding
• Chipboard letters from stash
• Stick pin from stash
• Cardstock

I used a large background stamp from JudiKins titled Esponge. The crackle effect you can achieve with this stamp has always intrigued me and I thought it might work well to create an elegant brocade.

It all started with a piece of plain greyish beige cardstock. I inked the stamp with the Piccolo Embossing Powder Adhesive and stamped onto the cardstock, starting in the upper corner.

I sprinkled the stamped image with Piccolo Copper Kettle Embossing Powder, which has a hint of glitter in it. Then I heat set till melted smooth. I continued across the entire paper inking, stamping and heating one image at a time and lining them up the best I could.

 

Well, that turned out so nice, I couldn't stop! I grabbed three corrugated hearts from my stash of die cuts. I inked these, one-at-a-time, sprinkled with embossing powder and heat set. When it was cool to the touch I repeated the steps again, building four layers. I prepped my stamp with another coating of Piccolo Embossing Powder Adhesive.

Then, I heated the heart to melt the powders again and quickly pressed the inked stamp into the hot and juicy, melted powders. You want to leave the stamp sit in the melted powder for one-to-two minutes to cool before removing.

Cool look isn't it? Lots of depth and texture. I did this to all three hearts then added a ribbon, stick pin, and some pink gems.

I took two random chipboard letters from my stash to spell the title. They were inked and embossed with one coat of the Piccolo Copper Kettle embossing powder. They were too perfect and smooth and needed a bit more of something so I pulled out my Piccolo Chunky Black embossing powder. I inked the letters again sort of haphazardly so I wouldn't get good coverage. I sprinkled then lightly with the Chunky Black powder and tapped hard to knock a good amount of the powder off.  As I heat set this combo the Copper Kettle rose to the surface and the Chunky Black sunk so it creates the look of marble. A nice little surprise, but a very welcome one!

 

I wasn't done yet! The frame needed some help as well so I reached for my trustee buttons. When all else fails - add some buttons! I inked the stamp up again and stamped the buttons with it, sprinkled on the Copper Kettle embossing powder and heat set before adding some Karen Foster Floss.

I printed my journaling on a manilla shipping tag and just tucked it under the brown seam binding that runs across the page.

I am really pleased with the way the brocade-looking background worked out. The chipboard letters really pop on the page, and the hearts - just loads of chunky goodness there! Here's another look.