Creating a Grungy Floral Card with Fresco Paints

 

Hello crafty friends! Ericka from Strangely Creative here, and today I'm sharing a card that embraces all the things I love about mixed media: layers of paint, plenty of texture, and a beautifully distressed finish.

Sometimes the most interesting backgrounds come from simply experimenting with color and letting the layers build naturally. For this project, I reached for my PaperArtsy Fresco Paints and some beautiful Alison Bomber designs to create a card with a vintage, weathered feel.

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Building a Grungy Background

I started by creating the background with a combination of PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Acrylic Paints in Beach Hut, Mud Splat, Mulled Wine, and Pumice.

Using a brayer, I rolled the colors across my cardstock, allowing the layers to overlap and peek through one another. I love how this technique creates an imperfect, textured look that feels naturally aged and full of character.

 

Once the first layers were dry, I reached for the PaperArtsy Alison Bomber PS523 stencil and added even more texture by pouncing paint through the design with a dauber. Those extra marks brought movement and depth to the background and helped tie all the colors together.

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Adding Layers of Detail

With the background complete, I stamped one of the beautiful images from the PaperArtsy Alison Bomber 59 stamp set using Lavinia Truffle Ink.

 

These subtle details add another layer of interest without overwhelming the background. One of my favorite things about distressed projects is how each layer peeks through the next, creating little surprises as you look closer.

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Creating the Focal Point

For the focal image, I stamped the rose from the same stamp set onto a separate gel print and carefully fussy cut it.

To give the flower a bit more dimension, I pulled out my colored pencils and added shading to the petals along with touches of green on the leaves. I love how just a few extra strokes of color can bring a stamped image to life and help it stand out against a busy background.

Once the rose was finished, I added a sentiment stamped in Versafine Clair Twilight and began assembling the card.

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Finishing Touches

To complete the design, I added:

• Gold and white paint splatters for a little extra contrast
• A hand-drawn frame to define the composition
• Simple layering that lets the rose remain the star of the card

 

Those final details brought everything together and added just the right amount of grungy charm.

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Thank you so much for stopping by today! I hope this card inspires you to pull out your paints, experiment with texture, and create something beautifully grungy.

 

Have a wonderful day and happy crafting! 🌹✨

  

 

Topflight Stamp Supplies 

PaperArtsy - Alison Bomber 59 Shop at: CSTP	PaperArtsy - Alison Bomber PS523 Shop at: TP	WOW! Embossing - Clear Shop at: TP	WOW! Embossing - Clear Embossing Pad Shop at: WOW US | TP	Lavinia - Elements Dye Ink - Truffle Shop at: TP
Tsukineko - VersaFine Clair - Nocturn Shop at: AZ | TP	Tsukineko - Versafine Clair - Twilight Shop at: TP	PaperArtsy - Fresco Chalk Paint - Beach Hut Shop at: TP	PaperArtsy - Fresco Chalk Paint - Mud Splat Shop at: TP
PaperArtsy - Fresco Chalk Paint - Mulled Wine Shop at: TP	PaperArtsy - Fresco Chalk Paint - Seth Apter Pumice Shop at: TP	Speedball - 2" Brayer Shop at: TP

Bright, Bold & Beautiful: A Mixed Media Floral Card

Hello Topflight friends! Ericka from Strangely Creative here, and today I'm sharing a bright, colorful card that combines some of my favorite things: gel printing, embossing powder, texture, and lots of sparkle!

One of the things I love most about mixed media is discovering new ways to use the supplies already sitting on my craft desk. This project not only added beautiful shimmer to a gel print, but it also gave new purpose to a well-loved embossing pad that was almost ready for retirement.

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🎨 Starting with a Colorful Gel Print

Every great mixed media project starts with an interesting background, and for this card I chose one of my vibrant gel press prints.

 

It already had plenty of color, but I wanted to add another layer of texture that would catch the light and make the background feel even more dynamic.

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✨ Adding Texture & Sparkle

To create that extra dimension, I reached for the PaperArtsy Tracy Scott PS519 stencil and my trusty WOW! Embossing Pad.

If you're trying this technique, the safest way to apply embossing ink through a stencil is with an ink blending sponge or dauber. It helps protect your embossing pad while giving you great control over the design.

But here's where this project took a slightly different turn...

I have an old WOW! embossing pad that's been on my craft table for well over ten years. It's definitely showing its age, but it's still just juicy enough to be useful. Rather than throwing it away, I've officially promoted it to my mixed media embossing pad!

Since it's nearing the end of its life anyway, I simply pressed it directly through the stencil before sprinkling on WOW! Blue Diamond and Cerulean embossing powders.

 

The result is a beautifully textured background with layers of shimmer that change as the light hits the card. Sometimes our oldest supplies still have plenty of creative life left in them.

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🌸 Creating the Focal Point

For the focal image, I stamped the beautiful PaperArtsy Tracy Scott 108 bloom onto another gel print that featured Nuvo Drops, creating a soft, sparkly texture behind the flower. Using Versafine Clair Twilight ink allowed the detailed lines of the bloom to stand out beautifully against the colorful background.

Once everything was trimmed, I layered the flower onto the embossed background and finished the card with a sentiment from the Lavinia Uplifting Collection.

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💌 Finishing Touches

This card came together with just a few simple elements:

• A colorful gel print background
• Embossed texture through a stencil
• Sparkling embossing powders
• A bold floral focal image
• A simple sentiment to finish the design

It's proof that layering color, texture, and shine can create plenty of impact without adding lots of embellishments.

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Thank you so much for stopping by today! I hope this project inspires you to experiment with texture, embrace a little sparkle, and find new ways to enjoy the supplies you already own.

Have a wonderful weekend, and happy creating! ✨💙🌸

 

Topflight Stamp Supplies 

PaperArtsy - Tracy Scott 108 Shop at: TP	PaperArtsy - Tracy Scott PS519 Shop at: TP	WOW! Embossing - Clear Embossing Pad Shop at: TP	WOW! Embossing - Tracy Scott Pea Coat Shop at: TP	Lavinia - Sentiment Stickers - Uplifting Collection Shop at: TP
Tsukineko - Versafine Clair - Twilight Shop at: TP	Gel Press - Reusable Gel Printing Plate Shop at: TP	Speedball - 2" Brayer Shop at: TP

Beautiful Bits: Turning Gel Print Scraps into Art

 

Hello friends! Ericka from Strangely Creative here, and today I'm sharing one of my favorite ways to stretch my supplies and make the most of every creative session.

If you've been following me for a while, you already know I have a hard time throwing away anything colorful that comes off my gel plate. Every little strip, corner, or leftover piece finds its way into a small container on my craft desk. Today, that little container became the inspiration for three completely unique cards.

Sometimes the smallest scraps hold the biggest creative possibilities.

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🎨 Building Backgrounds from Leftovers

Instead of starting with a fresh sheet of paper, I reached into my stash of gel print scraps and began creating small collage panels.

Using a square piece of cardstock as my base, I simply glued down the colorful scraps until the entire panel was covered.

There was no plan.

No pattern.

Just color, texture, and intuition.

One of the things I love most about this process is that every panel tells a different story. Even though they're made from leftovers, each one becomes a one-of-a-kind background.

Once the adhesive dried, I added a few random paint marks across the panels to bring in another layer of texture and movement. Sometimes those final little marks are what make everything come together.

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🍃 Creating Three Different Focal Points

While the paint was drying, I reached for the beautiful PaperArtsy JOFY mini 103 leaf stamp and challenged myself to stamp it three different ways.

I created:

• A classic version stamped on white cardstock using Versafine Clair Twilight ink. 

 

• A soft, translucent version stamped on blue vellum and heat embossed in white. 

 

• A second vellum version heat embossed in gold for a little extra elegance.

 

It's amazing how changing just the paper and embossing color can completely transform the same image.

 

Once each leaf was finished, I paired it with the collage panel that complemented it best.

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✨ Finishing Touches

To complete each card, I added:

• A simple hand-drawn frame
• A short sentiment
• Minimal embellishments to let the colorful backgrounds remain the star of the show

The result is three completely different cards, all created from pieces that could have easily ended up in the trash.

Thank you so much for stopping by today! I hope this project inspires you to dig into your scrap bin, embrace a little creative play, and discover the beauty hiding in those leftover pieces.

Happy creating! 💛🌿

 

Topflight Stamp Supplies 

 

PaperArtsy - JOFY Mini 103 Shop at: TP	Embossing - Bright White Ultra Fine Shop at:  TP	WOW! Embossing - Clear Shop at:  TP	WOW! Embossing - Clear Embossing Pad Shop at:  TP	WOW! Embossing - Metallic Gold Rich Pale Shop at:  TP
Tsukineko - Versafine Clair - Twilight Shop at: TP	Gel Press - Reusable Gel Printing Plate Shop at: TP	Speedball - 2" Brayer Shop at: TP

Swimming in Color: A Mixed Media Ocean Card

 

Hello friends! Ericka from Strangely Creative here, and today I'm sharing a project that feels perfectly suited for summer. When I think of summer, I immediately think of sunshine, beach days, and of course, the ocean. So I couldn't resist pulling out one of my favorite fish stamps from PaperArtsy Tracy Scott 79 and creating a colorful underwater scene filled with texture and layers.

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🎨 Starting with Gel Prints

One of my favorite ways to create unique cards is by digging through my stash of gel prints. Every print has its own personality, and it's always fun finding new ways to use them.

For this card, I selected one gel print for my background (using Lavina Inks and Lindy's Gang Sprays) and two additional prints for my fish. The variety of colors and textures gave the project an instant underwater feel without requiring a lot of extra work.

That's one of the things I love most about gel printing—the background is already doing a lot of the heavy lifting.

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🐟 Building the Ocean Scene

After choosing my prints, I stamped the fish images onto the gel prints and began creating my focal point. To help the main fish stand out, I added color with colored pencils. The extra shading and highlights brought the image to life and created a beautiful contrast against the printed background.

This is one of my favorite tricks when working with gel prints. Even a small amount of coloring can completely transform a stamped image and make it the star of the card.

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✂️ Layering for Dimension

Once everything was colored, I fussy cut the fish and began arranging them across the background.

Layering multiple fish instantly created movement and made the card feel more like a lively underwater scene. It's amazing how a few simple layers can add so much depth and interest. To help frame the design, I added one of my signature hand-drawn borders around the card.

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✨ Finishing Touches

No summer card is complete without a little sparkle.

To finish the project, I added:

• Sentiments from the Lavinia Sentiment Collection
• A few gems for shine and dimension
• Final details to help guide the eye around the design  

 

 

The result is a bright, cheerful card that captures everything I love about summer creativity.

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Thank you so much for stopping by today! I hope this project inspires you to dive into your stash, play with your gel prints, and create something colorful this weekend.

Have a wonderful crafty weekend and happy creating! 🌊🐟💙

 

Topflight Stamp Supplies

 

PaperArtsy - Tracy Scott 79 Shop at: TP	Lavinia - Sentiment Stickers - Uplifting Collection Shop at: TP	Lavinia - Elements Dye Ink - Blue Atoll Shop at: TP	Lavinia - Elements Dye Ink - Mermaid Shop at: TP
Lindy's Gang - Glitz Spritz Set Shop at: TP	Lindy's Gang - TiffanyLou's Blue Starburst Shimmer Spray Shop at: TP	Gel Press - Reusable Gel Printing Plate Shop at: TP	Speedball - 2" Brayer Shop at: TP