2017 #15 Pearlescent: Pearly Bits with ESN {by Autumn Clark}

2017 Topic 15: Pearlescent

Autumn Clark is back today to share a lovely blog post making pearly backgrounds. She has opted to create some painterly combinations using metallic shades with Opaques to create bespoke pearlescent paints - very interesting!

Hello PaperArtsy Blog followers, it's Autumn Clark here, sharing with you a post on faux mother of pearl backgrounds. 

What a great challenge to experiment with this old, beloved stamping technique once again.  As a true Southern American girl, the love of pearly things is part of my heritage!  As a lover of stamping, making backgrounds is a favorite pastime.

I was curious to see how combining Fresco Chalk Acrylic Paint (White Fire) and (Pewter) would work for my pearly background.  I pounced plastic cling wrap into my paints then lightly tapped my Smoothy card, air drying between colors.  I gave the card a light sponging of Antique Linen and Milled Lavender Distress Inks to create a slight color variation and aging.  I stamped my sentiment in Dusty Concord and then clear embossed.  The embossing powder clung to the paints and created such a beautiful effect, however so hard to capture on photograph.

I knew background stamping with the PaperArtsy E³ {Sara Naumann} from the Eclectica³ Collection (ESN17) would make a lovely frame for this panel. 

Eclectica³ {Sara Naumann} Set 17

My plum palette was inspired by the latest home décor color trends. 

I applied Fresco Chalk Acrylic Paint (Amethyst) to an MDF photo frame, then tapped my Versmark ink pad onto the frame and covered with chunky purple embossing powder and heated.  I then stamped my leaves in gold pigment ink and heat set a second time to make a permanent finish.  The undercoat of paint shows through in areas, creating a lovely variegated effect.

To complete my gift set, I made a coordinating card.  I whipped up an inky background with Distress Ink and added more gold stamping.  This time stamping my sentiment onto plain Smoothy card, but layering with a sheet of mica.  

I couldn’t resist adding my favorite Christmas angel from the PaperArtsy {Lynne Perrella} Collection (LPC018) onto another pearly panel. 

Lynne Perrella Collection: Set 18

The result was like a marble carving!  The mica complimented the faux mother of pearl background perfectly.  A few hole-less mother of pearl buttons brought it all together.

This was truly a delightful experience, both creating such a rich background effect with the Fresco Chalk Acrylic Paints and also over-stamping these lovely leaves onto embossing powder.  I hope you will give this a go and find the techniques to be as equally rewarding.  Why not make up some Christmas gift sets of your own?  Your loved ones will thank you!

Until next time, Autumn

Blog: https://sewpaperpaint.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/autumn.clark.79025

Instagram: @sewpaperpaint

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/autumnsclark/ 

Your background certainly does look like marble! I love how simple the idea is, yet so very effective! The embossing powders add such a luxurious feel to your creations! Beautiful! ~ Leandra

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