I decided to try a new technique for creating backgrounds, and I loved the result! A brayer tool is essentially a little roller. The one I used was bought from Stampin Up and it uses a foam roller. I think you can buy others with a rubber roller, but the one I have is foam. When you buy it from Stampin Up it comes with two handles and 4 foam rollers in total. The rollers can be washed after use.

I used a YouTube video created by Carolyn Bennie (Carolyn Bennie – Sponge Brayer), she describes things really well and the video is easy to follow. I used three different ink pads  (I can’t recall the brand), one in yellow, one in a bright orange and one in a bright pink. I started with the lightest colour (yellow) and worked up to pink, blending as I went.  Once the background was complete I decided to turn it into a christmas card using the stamp set I had received as a gift from Stampin Up for joining in July. The set is called Carols of Christmas. I stamped the sentiment onto white card stock and used dimensionals to attach it.

I thought it needed something more so I cut some paper in a curved shape to act as a mask and sponged along the edge of it in another Stampin Up ink called Tip Top Taupe to create a small hill. I then used the reindeer stamp from the Carols of Christmas set and attempted (but kinda failed!) to put four reindeers walking along the hill. Although a couple of them look more like they are hovering I was still really happy with the end result.

The envelope was decorated with the same reindeer plus some ornaments from the same stamp set.