Hello Stampin’ Friends,

Welcome to September, a month filled with the promise of autumn’s vibrant colors and creative inspiration. To kickstart this exciting month, I’m thrilled to introduce you to the “Direct-to-Block Spritz” technique using our water-based ink dyes. In this blog post, I will guide you through the process of creating two distinct looks with the same technique. So, grab your supplies and let’s dive into this innovative and fun crafting journey!

Step 1: Prepare Your Workspace

Set up a clean and well-lit workspace, protecting it with a craft mat or disposable tablecloth to avoid any ink stains.

Step 2: Choose Your Colors

Select the water-based ink dyes that you’d like to use for your background. I used Cajun Craze, Pumpkin Pie, Crushed Curry and Old Olive with worked wonderfully for this project.

Step 3: Apply Ink to Acrylic Blocks

Tap your ink pad of each chosen ink color directly onto separate acrylic blocks… I use a Sponge Dauber or my finger to blend the sharp lines. Don’t overlap colors too much… this will make it muddy. This will serve as your ink palette.

Step 4: Spritz with Water

Lightly mist the ink colors with your Stampin’ Spritz to activate the pigments and create a watercolor effect.

Step 5: Create Your Background

Gently press the inked acrylic blocks onto your Basic White, Very Vanilla or Watercolor paper. Experiment with different angles and color combinations to achieve the desired look.

Step 6: Let it Dry

Allow your background to air dry completely. This might take some time, so be patient. You can use a heat tool to speed up the drying process if you’re in a hurry.

Now we are ready to create our cards: The first card will showcase the mesmerizing background effect achieved using the Direct-to-Block technique. I added a stamped image to incorporate some additional design which comes from our Nature’s Prints stamp set (I also used this stamp set on yesterday’s card). This highlights our beautiful technique.

To create some extra dimension, I stamped the Old Olive background of my card base with the spatter stamp in the same set, and added texture by embossing the “Spatter” from the Stripes & Spatter Embossing Folder.

The second card will take the design a step further by using it to die-cut leaves from our upcoming Autumn Leaves Bundle, set to launch in our mini catalog on September 6th. I used the Stripes & Splatter Embossing Folder to add texture to this card as well (you must run it through twice to emboss the entire piece). I love the simple & clean look of this card.

With the Direct-to-Block Spritz technique and our water-based ink pads, the possibilities for creativity are endless. Whether you’re crafting a stunning background or using the design to enhance your projects, this technique is a fantastic way to welcome the autumn season with a burst of color and style.

Don’t forget to mark your calendars for September 6th when our Autumn Leaves Bundle becomes available in our mini catalog. I hope this blog post has inspired you to experiment with this technique and explore new horizons in your crafting journey.

Thanks for checking out today’s post. Happy September 1st!!