52CCT - Acrylic block background ....

.... Morning everyone, it's time for our technique challenge at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown.  Louise wants us to create a background using the acrylic block technique.  By that, she means inking acrylic blocks, spritzing with water and stamping on to card - hey presto a quick and easy background.  I've included a link at the bottom of this post to a tutorial that I found on U-tube (there are lots more).  Here are my cards - yes, I got carried away and made a couple of cards:

Card Size: 4¼" × 5½"

Card Size: 4½" × 6¼"

Stamps: Penny Black - Xmas Constellation; Stampin' Up! - More Merry Messages, Dictionary
Inks: Distress - Forest Moss, Pine Needles, Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint, Evergreen Bough, Mowed Lawn; Stampin' Up! - Garden Green, Wild Wasabi, Coastal Cabana, Pistachio Pudding; Versafine - Onyx Black
Dies: Spellbinders - A2 Matting Basics A (S5-131) #5, A2 Matting Basics B (S5-132) #5, Wonky Rectangles (S4-306) #6
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Clear Embossing Powder; Black Card; Sakura Micron Pen; Kanban Sentiment Strip; My Favourite Things - MPD Graduated Diamonds Stencil; Signo White Gel Pen

I had lots of fun with this technique and ended up getting quite inky!  But that was half the fun.  I used several different sized acrylic blocks - long and thin, tiny squares, and a couple of different sized rectangles.  I inked the backs, spritzed and stamped.  I overlapped some of the stamped images dried them with a heat gun and then added more.  The top card has a somewhat smoother finish to the stamped blocks because I added more water to the acrylic blocks; the bottom card has a slightly blotchy look because of less water.  On the top card, if you look closely, you might just see a subtle patten of graduated diamonds.  I achieved this effect by spritzing water through a stencil and allowing it to react with the stamped blocks.  I didn't add any texture to the background on the bottom card.  I stamped the Christmas tree on each background and heat embossed with clear powder.

On the first card I used the Matting Basics to cut a rectangular image which I matted onto black card.  I stamped the Dictionary background on the card base and then adhered the Christmas tree.  It has the look of a painted canvas.

On the larger card I decided to have a bit of fun with placement of the image.  For this card I die cut the tree using the Wonky Rectangles and, after stamping the dictionary background, adhered the image directly to the card.  I put the die over the top of the image and lightly drew round the die.  Then, using a Micron pen I created a "Zentangle" type frame.  I finished the front of this card with a greeting that I found in my scrap stash - just happened to be the right colour!

For the inside of each card I cut a mat layer in black and on the white panel stamped the Christmas tree and added a sentiment.

Inside of top card

Inside of bottom card

I think this is only the second time I've tried this technique - it was lots of fun and I'll certainly use it again.  Don't forget to check out the inspiration cards from the rest of the team.  I'm looking forward to seeing what you make with this technique.  See you soon.