Good day, fellow crafters. It's Tamara once again, with a new post where I will be showcasing my latest card created using I Brake for Stamps and Blank Page Muse products!
Mermaids have captivated human imagination for centuries, embodying a mystical blend of beauty and danger. These aquatic beings, with the upper body of a human and the shimmering tail of a fish, appear in folklore across many cultures—from the sirens of Greek mythology, who lured sailors to their doom with enchanting songs, to the benevolent sea spirits of Caribbean legends. Some tales paint them as guardians of the ocean, and protectors of marine life, while others depict them as ominous omens of shipwrecks or storms. Whether seen as tragic figures longing for life on land or as symbols of the untamable allure of the sea, mermaids remain a powerful metaphor for duality: balancing the familiar and the foreign, the beautiful and the terrifying.
To create this project, you will need the following:
Background Panel
Cut the white card stock to an A2 size of 4.5” x 5.5”.
With the cardstock on the work surface, use the Blue Gilding Polish. and applicator to apply a thin layer of of the polish across the entire surface.
Repeat for a deeper hue if desired.
Set aside and allow to dry completely.
Place the background panel into the embossing folder/cover die and run it through the die-cutting machine.
The cover die used for this example is a pinhole type. For clarity, it is shown here from the back of the panel.
Set aside to await assembly
Focal Image
Place the watercolor paper into the stamp positioner and secure it.
Position the Pearl Princess stamp into place.
Secure to the stamp positioner with low tack double-sided adhesive.
Use the watercolor-safe Black ink to ink the stamp. Be sure to cover thoroughly.
Stamp the image. Repeat if required for any missing places.
DO NOT remove the stamp from the stamp positioner.
Apply a coating of water to the watercolor paper to moisten it.
Use the watercolor pigments and watercolor brush to color the focal image.
Allow the image to dry.
Place the focal image back into the stamp positioner and secure it.
Re-ink the stamp and re-stamp the focal image to crisp the image up.
Allow the ink to dry, then using the scissors/X-Acto knife, fussy cut the image out.
*OPTIONAL* Using a dark marker, cover the focal image's edge. This is a personal preference for my work.
Set aside for assembly.
Sentiment
Add the sentiment to the background panel using a sentiment and method of choice. The example card used a watermark ink on black cardstock, and a white embossing powder to achieve its appearance.
Position the sentiment, apply liquid glue, and adhere into place.
Assembly
Using various-sized flat-back pearls, add pearls to the focal image. The reference project uses them on the mermaid's wrist, shoulder, and hair to replicate a sense that jewelry is being worn.
On the back of the focal image apply a liberal amount of foam squares.
Remove the backing and apply a small amount of liquid glue to each square. This will keep the foam from immediately adhering to the background panel.
Position the focal image and adhere to the background panel.
Apply an uneven number of larger pearls, i.e. three, above the focal image to imply air bubbles. This will also give the card some additional dimension.
The stamps I used can be found by following the links in the materials list or you can find them with a quick search on www.blankpagemuse.com. Visit our social media sites for more stamping fun!
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Pinterest- https://www.pinterest.com/blankpagemuse/boards/