Smushing technique – Tech 4 Stampers Blog Hop

This month’s topic for the Tech 4 Stampers Blog Hop is “your favourite technique”. There are so many like the kissing technique, rock and roll, it’s really hard to pin point one single one, but if I had to shortlist one, then it has to be the Smushing Technique. The smushing technique is primarily used to create a back ground. All you need is an acrylic block, a marker pen and a water spritzer and you’re good to go!

The Tech 4 Stampers is a monthly subscription group run by Louise Sims. She mentors and enables members to understand IT jargon and equips them with a fountain of Technical knowledge to build or manage their own websites. It takes the mystery out of “tech” and I’ve certainly grown in confidence thanks to her expertise, patience and guidance. Not only that, I’ve met and made new friends with my fellow “Techs” and love the camaraderie within the group.

With autumn fast approaching, I chose the “Hello Harvest Bundle” to work with. The sentiments in this set were too large for my card design so I added the “Cottage Wreaths” stamp set and used the “grateful” greeting from there.

Smushing Technique

This technique is called a smushing technique because when you transfer ink to paper, it smushes into an indistinctive pattern.

To create this effect you need an acrylic block. Select the size you want for your project. Then add colour by scribbling over the surface with a Stampin’ Write marker pen. I haven’t tried it with alcohol markers yet, but find that Stampin’ Write markers are excellent in this instance. Fill a spritzer with water or rubbing alcohol and spritz the block. Place your card stock on top of the block and smush it together.

Another tip is to use a water tolerant piece of cardstock. Shimmery paper works best, but you can use it with Basic White or Very Vanilla as well. Bear in mind that If you wish to use the Fluid 100 water colour paper then add more water or rubbing alcohol to your block as this paper is much more water absorbent.

Card details

1. Cut an A4 Basic White Thick card stock in half for your card base and then fold it in half. In UK and Europe this measures 5-7/8″ x 8-1/4″ (14.5 cm x 21 cm). Folded card size will be 4-1/8″ x 5-7/8″ (10.5 cm x 14.5 cm)
2. Die cut a Pumpkin Pie layer measuring 3-3/4″ x 5-1/8″ (9.5 cm x 13 cm)
3. On a piece of shimmery white card stock, create your background using the smushing technique as described above then die cut it with the second largest Deckled Rectangle die after the card stock has dried.
4. Adhere Shimmery White Deckled Rectangle to Pumpkin Pie layer then adhere this to card base at an angle.
5. Stamp the largest pumpkin in Tuxedo Black Memento ink on Basic White card stock and colour it in with Stampin’ Blends. These are a combination of Old Olive, So Saffron and Pumpkin Pie.
6. Die cut the stamped large pumpkin together with the long thin Pumpkin in Basic White.
7. Use Pumpkin Pie to die cut the Medium pumpkin, and Old Olive to die cut the other elements.
8. Colour the Basic White slim pumpkin with a blending brush using Old Olive, Mango Melody and Pumpkin Pie. Add some lines with one of the Old Olive Stampin blend.
9. Lastly arrange these on your shimmery white layer and adhere them with dimensionals.
10. Stamp “grateful” from Cottage Wreaths in Pumpkin Pie at the bottom right.

Supply list

Listed below is the supply list. Just click on the picture to take you directly to the item in my online store.

Product List

Hello Harvest Bundle (English) [159644]	Hello Harvest Cling Stamp Set (English) [159634]	Rustic Pumpkin Dies [159643]
Cottage Wreaths Photopolymer Stamp Set (English) [159652]	Deckled Rectangles Dies [159173]	Shimmery White A4 Card Stock [121717]
Basic White A4 Thick Cardstock [159230]	Basic White A4 Cardstock [159228]	Pumpkin Pie A4 Card Stock [108601]
Old Olive A4 Card Stock [106576]	Pumpkin Pie Classic Stampin' Pad [147086]	Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad [147090]
Mango Melody Classic Stampin' Pad [147093]	Subtles Stampin' Write Markers [147156]	Clear Block E [118484]
Stampin' Spritzer [126185]	Blending Brushes [153611]

Thanks for visiting. I would love to know what you think of my project and would appreciate it if you could leave a comment. To visit the next person on the list and see their fabulous creations, simply click on the link below or before my name depending who you visited initially. Happy hopping!