Cindy Brown - Beyond Basic Backgrounds

After completing the Altenew course "Beyond Basic Backgrounds," I am highlighting a way to create a background which was lesson 4 in the course and called "Matt watercolor resist." This technique brings new ideas for card backgrounds and I am going to tell you how I used the technique to create the background in my card. The supplies required are the usual plus freezer paper. Freezer paper works for this technique because on one side it is a heavy paper and on the other side is a wax/plastic coating and that coating side will react with heat to adhere to the watercolor paper.

I began by die cutting a piece of freezer paper with the Altenew Pegboard Canvas cover die. I placed this on top of a piece of Arches 140 pound cold pressed watercolor paper and ran both through a laminating machine. 

The waxy/plastic coating of the die-cut freezer paper adheres to the watercolor paper after it reacts to the heat from the laminating machine. This creates a resist which I used to create the background. I wanted to test the process by seeing how detailed the end results would be. 

I painted the surface with Altenew's watercolor 36 Pan Set in Industrial Diamond. While this was drying, I stamped Altenew's "Weekend Doodle" with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and I used  Altenew's Artist Markers, set D to color. I then die cut the results and set them aside for later.

I removed the freezer paper from the paper by peeling it away from the watercolor paper to reveal the pattern. I had not expected the level of detailed results that were achieved. I can see a lot of future possibilities for this technique. 

I prepared the card base with Neenah 110 pound top folding cardstock which I had taped a matte silver cardstock cut to 4.25 X 5.5 inches. I was still appreciating the results from this technique! 

I arranged the elements I had created with the Altenew "Weekend Doodles" stamp and die set. 

I embellished the stem of flowers with Baker's twine and added a few gems to the background. Look at the detailed results achieved with this technique!
I stamped the sentiment Thank-you from the Altenew set "Label Love" with Altenew's Lagoon ink. This sentiment set is so versatile. I have seen it on cards ranging from whimsical to the serious and it fits in with the design. I clear embossed the sentiment so that the color would be brighter. I centered the sentiment on the card and adhered it with foam tape. 

I will use this technique in the future with different dies, cardstocks, inks and pencils to create some unique backgrounds. This is a great technique to add to my crafty skills.