Ink Blending Tips and Techniques with Stampin' Up!'s Blending Brushes

Stampin' Up!'s new Blending Brushes might be the new item from the January-June Mini Catalog that I am most excited about. If you remember, a few months ago, I shared how to do ink blending using make-up brushes. These new blending brushes are so much better! So, I had to make a new video to show you some of the fun things you can do with them. Plus I have lots of sample cards! So, on y go! Let's get stamping.

Supply List for these Ink Blended Cards

Sample Cards with the Pretty Perennials Stamp Set and ink Blending

All of my sample cards use the new Pretty Perennials stamp set and coordinating dies. I love the bold flowers and greetings in this stamp set. They are just so happy! And it's a big stamp set and huge set of dies! Plus, some of the smaller dies, like leaves and small flowers, have multiple dies of the same shape so that you can cut multiples in the same pass through the Stampin' Cut & Emboss. 

DHow to Create a Puff of ink on a Card Front

My first technique is create a small puff of ink in the center of a piece of cardstock. Because the Blending Brushes have a domed shape, they are fabulous for making this type of ink cloud on your card front. Here, I've used Pool Party to create a soft cloud under the Bermuda Bay and Gorgeous Grape flowers.

Dimensions for this simple birthday card design

Bermuda Bay cardstock:

• 8 1/2" x 5 1/2", scored at 4 1/4"
  
• 3/8" x 1 1/8'

Basic Black cardstock: 5 3/16" x 3 15/16"
Basic White cardstock: 5" x 3 3/4" & Scraps

Ombre Card Design

When you first try ink blending, it's best to start with a single color. Here, I've used Blushing Bride to create an ombre effect on the bottom portion of my card front. 

Dimensions for this ombre card

Blushing Bride cardstock: 8 1/2" x 5 1/2", scored at 4 1/4"
Basic Black cardstock: 4 15/16" x 3 11/16" & scraps
Basic White cardstock: 4 3/4" x 3 1/2" & scraps

Multi-Color Ombre Card Design

Once you have mastered a single color ombre, you're ready to move on to multi-color effects. Here, I used Petal Pink, Flirty Flamingo, and Highland Heather. It's best to choose colors that are next to one another on the color spectrum. If you try mixing red and green, you might wind up with brown!

Dimensions for this Multi-Color Card Idea

Petal Pink cardstock: 8 1/2" x 5 1/2", scored at 4 1/4" & scraps
Gorgeous Grape cardstock: 5 3/16" x 3 15/16" & scraps
Basic White cardstock: 5" x 3 3/4" & scraps
Flirty Flamingo cardstock: scraps
Highland Heather cardstock: scraps
Pear Pizzazz: scraps

Creating Water spots on Ombre Ink Blending

Create this fun effect by spritzing water on the cardstock after doing the ink blending. Here, I used Pool Party, Coastal Cabana, and Bermuda Bay inks. Then, I spritzed the water, let it sit for 20-30 seconds and blotted it off with a paper towel. 

Cutting Dimensions for this Water-spotted Card Idea

Bermuda Bay cardstock: 8 1/2" x 5 1/2", scored at 4 1/4"
Basic Black cardstock: 4 15/16" x 3 11/16" & scraps
Basic White cardstock: 4 3/4" x 3 1/2"

Stencils and Blending Brushes

My last two cards use the Basic Pattern Decorative Masks, which is a fancy way to say stencil. I chose the polka dot one. The blending brushes are fabulous for adding ink with a stencil. I did the same ombre effect as the water-spotted card, but this time over the polka dot stencil. 

Cutting Dimensions for this Polka Dot Card

Coastal Cabana cardstock:

• 8 1/2" x 5 1/2", scored at 4 1/4"
• 3 1/2" x 2 1/2" cut with the Stitched So Sweetly Dies

Bermuda Bay cardstock: 5 3/16" x 3 15/16"
Basic White cardstock: 5" x 3 3/4" & scraps

Since I started with a piece of 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" Basic White cardstock to do the stenciling, I trimmed it down to 5" x 3 3/4". I added a piece of the trimmed front to the interior of the card to add a fun polka dot. 

Emboss Resist and Blending Brushes

My final card also uses a stencil, but this time, I've embossed the polka dots. I placed the stencil over the cardstock and inked over it with a Versamark ink pad. Then, I embossed it with white embossing powder and heat embossed it. Finally, I used the blending brushes to do the same ombre effect with Pool Party, Coastal Cabana, and Bermuda Bay ink. When I was done, I wiped the top with a paper towel to remove any excess ink from the embossed areas.

The cutting dimensions for this emboss resist card are the same as the ones above.

Supply List for these Ink Blended Cards

Click here to see the supply list for these ink blended card ideas. If you need any of the supplies to recreate these cards, simply check the items you need and click "Add to Cart." On the next screen, be sure to add this month's host code under the pink "Checkout" button to earn Frequent Shopper Points.