CCEE1228 - Reverse Masking

Each member of the CCEE challenge blog gets to be hostess for a month -- that means she can pick the challenge.  As I am the hostess for July, I decided to use my very favorite technique for the challenge this week -- Reverse Masking.  I usually use Eclipse Tape to mask off the rest of the card while I am sponging my background.  I love it!  (Mental note to self -- you need another roll of Eclipse Tape.  Yours is almost gone.)

My card is a sneak peek at a new stamp set from Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company, which will be released next week.  It is called Be Wild & Free.  Included in the set is a most-familiar African tree, which is what I used on my card.  To make this card, I first cut out an opening in a piece of Eclipse Tape using the third largest Large Petite Ovals nestabilities die and then sponged on the background color.  I used four different Tim Holtz Distress inks -- Scattered Straw, Wild Honey, Crushed Marigold, and Spiced Marmalade.    Whenever I remove the Eclipse Tape mask,  I am always amazed at how dramatic it looks!

I then stamped the tree, the lion, and the sentiment in Versafine Onyx Black.  One trick I've learned when using silhouette clear stamps is to rub a white eraser on the stamp to "rough up" the surface.  The ink seems to grip better, and you get a much cleaner image.   All that was left was to pierce the corners, and voila -- I was finished.

We'd love for you to play along with the CCEE team.  Just make your card and upload to the CCEE blog using Mr. Linky at the bottom of the post.

Stamps:  Mark's Finest Papers - Be Wild & Free

Paper:  MFP Favorite Natural

Ink:  Tim Holtz Distress Scattered Straw, Wild Honey, Crushed Marigold, Spiced Marmalade; Versafine Onyx Black

Accessories:  Petite Ovals Nestabilities die, Eclipse tape, Paper piercing tool and template