Okay, yes, happy spring, too. :) Today's tutorial was inspired by an image I, Vivian, pinned on Pinterest a while back:
(Click on image to see source and directions for making these eggs.)
I love the simple yet bold look of these egg designs and wanted to replicate that look with paper. Today I'm going to show you just how I did that, using string to mask off cardstock prior to spraying ink over it. Let's get started!
Step #1: Materials
Grab the "ingredients" needed:
- White cardstock
- String
- Scissors
- Masking tape
- Sprinkler color(s) of your choosing
Step #2: Mask Off the Paper
Cut several different lengths of string that will be used to make your design. Make sure each length is a little longer than either the length or width of your piece of white cardstock. Tape one end of the string to the back of the white cardstock and stretch it across the front of the cardstock, taping the other end under on the back of the cardstock. Repeat with as many pieces of string as desired. Here's what this looks like, front and back:
Step #3: Apply Sprinkler
Put your string-covered white cardstock inside an empty box. Spray the ink directly over the top of the string-covered cardstock, let dry, and then remove the string. Here's what this looks like immediately after applying the ink and then after removing the string:
Step #4: Use on a Layout (or Card)
I cut three 3.5" squares from the masked/misted piece above and used it to create this layout:
The lines looked a lot like clotheslines to me, so I used mini clothespins to "hang" stickers, Flower Sack elements, and die cuts from the Sidewalks and Cherry Hill collections.
I used this string-masking technique on another layout, creating a mat for my photo and using the string lines to draw attention to the subjects in the photo:
This layout features the new Woodland Park collection and the Cactus Sprinkler from the Sasparilla collection (which coordinates beautifully with Woodland Park). In addition to spraying ink, I also dripped some bigger blobs of ink on the cardstock for a different effect.
If you give this technique a go, please be sure to post your creation(s) to our October Afternoon Flickr Gallery for all to see!
Happy String/Spring!