The lovely Just a Note collection from Catherine Pooler Designs is available to buy today and I’ve got a video on ink blending tips and tricks using this collection. I was inspired to create fresh floral cards using the new Big Blooms bundle and share 3 ways to use ink blending with cardmaking. However, you can use easy ink blending techniques for card making with any paper crafting supplies you have so you can get crafting straight away!
PRODUCED AS PART OF MY BRAND AMBASSADOR WORK FOR CATHERINE POOLER DESIGNS - SEE END OF POST FOR MORE DETAILS
*** Affiliate links used at no extra cost to you ***
Double ink blending with stencils
One way I love to use ink blending is with stencils. You can easily ink blend over the top of a stencil, but I also love to ink blend a background first before stencilling. For this background, ink blend with blending brushes an ombre gradient using the following inks: Hot Tub, All That Jazz and Uptown.
When ink blending, make sure you’re blending on a smooth surface like a blending mat or glass mat. Also, start of the cardstock and move in circular motions onto the cardstock for a smooth blend. In addition, overlap the colours for a seamless blend.
Place the In the Square stencil over your ink blended background and repeat the same process over the stencil ensuring you’re using the same colours at the same point on the card. This will create the pattern of the stencil design but in a lighter tone to the rest of the card. Trim this panel down and add it to a card base.
To finish this card, stamp a flower from the Big Blooms stamp set in Limoncello and Tiara, as well as the leaf veins in Uptown. Use the coordinating die to cut these out to add to the card along with a stamped sentiment. Lastly, embellish with sequins from Park Avenue sequin mix.
Stamping over ink blending.
My second ink blending technique adds some tone on tone look to an ink blended background with stamping. For this card, ink blend with blending brushes Cummerbund, Fiesta Blue and Dress Blue. This would work well for a winter snowy sky.
To fade your ink blending out to white, use a large ink blending brush and use large circular soft motions to add the ink. Once complete, stamp in Dress Blue some of the outline stamps from the Big Blossom stamp set. In addition, add some ink splatter in Dress blue to add texture.
For a little added interest, heat emboss the florals from the stamp set in Metallic Gold Rich Embossing powder. Colour the flowers with the ink pad directly to the paper method using the same three blues. Next, use the coordinating dies to cut the images out and foam mount onto the front.
To finish the card off, heat emboss a sentiment from the stamp set and embellish with sequins from the Portland sequin mix.
Fade out ink blending
Fade out ink blending adds a lovely halo behind your stamp/focal element. This can add a highlight to the card and add a lovely soft texture. For this to work, you need to start blending on the card, not off it, so make sure where you start will be an area that will get covered up to prevent harsh marks from showing.
Start ink blending in a circular motion with Sweet Sixteen gradually making the circle big to fade the colour out. Next, do the same with Flirty Fuschia though do not fade out as far this time. Lastly, do the same with Glam and again make sure you don’t fade this out so far. This helps intensify the colour blend.
Stamp the outline flowers in Melon Ice and the outline leaves in Martini. To colour the images, use a clear Tombow Blend pen to pick up colour from the ink pad to colour the flowers/leaves. Stamp the inners of the flowers in Flirty Fuschia ink and then cut the images out with the coordinating dies.
The card was finished with a sentiment from the Notes of Love stamp and die set and stamping in Glam ink. Lastly, embellish the card with sequins from the Park Avenue Sequin Mix.
Supplies
easy ink blending techniques for card making
Affiliate links used at no extra cost to you at these shops: Altenew (ALT), Scrapbook.com (SB), Hero Arts (HA), Picket Fence Studios (PF), My Favourite Things (MFT), Tonic Studios (TS UK/US), Crafty Meraki (CM), Concord & 9th (C9) WOW! UK/US (WOW UK/US), and Craft Stash UK/US (CS UK/US).
All other shops are not affiliated links: Bumbleberry Papercrafts (BP)
**For 10% off at the WOW! Embossing Powder shop, use the code WOWDTVB **
**For 10% off at the Crafty Meraki shop, use the code VERITYBIDDLECOM **
 Just A Note I want it all bundle – Catherine Pooler Designs Shop at: CPD |  Big Blossoms Bundle – Catherine Pooler Designs Shop at: CPD |  Notes of Love Bundle – Catherine Pooler Designs Shop at: CPD |
 Big Blossoms Stamp set – Catherine Pooler Designs Shop at: CPD | SB | BP |  Notes of love stamp set – Catherine Pooler Designs Shop at: CPD | SB | BP |  Blig Blossom Die set – Catherine Pooler Designs Shop at: CPD | SB | BP |
 Notes of love die set – Catherine Pooler Designs Shop at: CPD | SB | BP |  In the square stencil – Catherine Pooler Designs Shop at: CPD | SB | BP |  Hot Tub Ink – Catherine Pooler Designs Shop at: CPD | SB | BP |
 Hot Tub Reinker – Catherine Pooler Designs Shop at: CPD | SB | BP |  All That Jazz – Catherine Pooler Designs Shop at: CPD | SB | BP |  All That Jazz Reinker – Catherine Pooler Designs Shop at: CPD | SB | BP |
 UpTown Refill – Catherine Pooler Designs Shop at: CPD | SB | BP |  UpTown Ink & refill – Catherine Pooler Designs Shop at: CPD | SB | BP |  Dress Blue Ink Pad – Catherine Pooler Designs Shop at: CPD | SB | BP |
 Dress Blue refill – Catherine Pooler Designs Shop at: CPD | SB | BP |  Fiesta Blue Ink Pad – Catherine Pooler Designs Shop at: CPD | SB | BP |  Fiesta Blue Reinker – Catherine Pooler Designs Shop at: CPD | SB | BP |
 Cummerbund Ink – Catherine Pooler Designs Shop at: CPD | SB | BP |  Cummerbund Reinker – Catherine Pooler Designs Shop at: CPD | SB | BP |  Martini Ink Pad – Catherine Pooler Designs Shop at: CPD | SB | BP |
 Martini Refill- Catherine Pooler Designs Shop at: CPD | SB | BP |  Melon Ice Ink – Catherine Pooler Designs Shop at: CPD | SB | BP |  Melon Ice Reinker – Catherine Pooler Designs Shop at: CPD | SB | BP |
 Limoncello Ink – Catherine Pooler Designs Shop at: CPD | SB | BP |  Limoncello Reinker – Catherine Pooler Designs Shop at: CPD | SB | BP |  Tiara Ink – Catherine Pooler Designs Shop at: CPD | SB | BP |
 Tiara Reinker – Catherine Pooler Designs Shop at: CPD | SB | BP |  Flirty Fuschia Ink – Catherine Pooler Designs Shop at: CPD | SB | BP |  Flirty Fuschia Reinker – Catherine Pooler Designs Shop at: CPD | SB | BP |
 Glam Ink Pad – Catherine Pooler Designs Shop at: CPD | SB | BP |  Glam refill – Catherine Pooler Designs Shop at: CPD | SB | BP |  Sweet Sixteen Ink Pad – Catherine Pooler Designs Shop at: CPD | SB | WOW (US) |
 Sweet Sixteen Reinker – Catherine Pooler Designs Shop at: CPD | SB | WOW (US) |  WOW! Clear ultra slow drying embossing ink pad Shop at: CPD | CS (UK) | CS (US) | WOW (UK) | WOW (US) | SBP |  WOW! Clear ultra slow drying embossing ink refill Shop at: CPD | CS (UK) | CS (US) | WOW (UK) | WOW (US) |
 Metallic Gold Rich – WOW! Embossing Powder Shop at: CPD | CS (UK) | CS (US) | WOW (UK) | WOW (US) |  Portland Sequin Mix – Catherine Pooler Designs Shop at: CPD | SB | BP |  Park Avenue Sequin Mix – Catheriner Pooler Designs Shop at: CPD | SB | BP |
 Neenah Classic Crest Solar White 110lb Cardstock Shop at: SB | BP | SBP | Neenah Classic Crest Solar White 80lb Cardstock Shop at: BP |  Original MISTI 2.0 – My Sweet Petunia Shop at: ALT | CPD | SB | HA | BP | SBP |
 Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive – Tonic Studios Shop at: HA | SBP |  Scrapbook Adhesives 3D foam squares 1/4″ white Shop at: CPD | SB | BP |  Small Blending Brushes 4 pack – Catherine Pooler Designs Shop at: CPD | SB | BP |
 Large Blending Brushes 4 pack – Catherine Pooler Designs Shop at: CPD | SB | BP |  WOW! Dual Speed Heat Gun (UK version) Shop at: CS (UK) | WOW (UK) | WOW! Dual Speed Heat Gun (US version) Shop at: CPD | WOW (US) |
 Crafter’s Essential Bone Folder – Altenew Shop at: ALT | SB | BP |  Tim Holtz 8.5 Inches Comfort Trimmer – Tonic Studios Shop at: SB | CS (UK) | CS (US) |  Trim and Score Board – We R Memory Keepers Shop at: SB | CS (UK) | CS (US) |
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DISCLOSURE
This post was produced as part of my Brand Ambassador work for Catherine Pooler Designs I have not been paid to make this post, but I am given supplies from Catherine Pooler Designs to use. However, I create projects with creative control and produce projects I am proud of and with products that I love. The information provided is based on my own personal experience – I am not an expert.
