It's a Blackout!

For something just a wee bit different, today's card features a new-to-me technique called Blackout Embossing.  

I did encounter a problem straight away though - and that is most of my 3D embossing folders are texture patterns like brick, timber, weaving, etc, rather than a focal image. So I settled on Tim Holtz's gorgeous poinsettia and decided to use some non-Christmassy colours to hopefully make it look like just any old flower, lol. 

The technique is you emboss, then ink inside the debossed portion of the image (in this instance, flowers and leaves). Once that's done, use direct-to-paper with a dark coloured ink pad, in my case black. You have to be fairly lighthanded so it doesn't get in too much of the debossed areas but I must admit to also using a sponge applicator when my direct-to-paper didn't give me quite as much coverage as I wanted. I absolutely love that I ended up with this slightly patchy effect - it has so much more texture and character than an all-over smooth finish would have. I paired it with a gold foil die-cut sentiment and some gilded gems.

The end result is what I term a bit 'arty-farty' lol, but I rather like it. It's not grungy nor is it clean - kind of an in-between - and makes me think of a burned wood etching for some reason. I'd love to hear what you think.

Thanks for dropping by.

Cheers

Kerry