Floating Chalk Backgrounds

National Craft Month is "MARCHING" on and it's time for another fairly simple technique previously featured in Cindi's Simple Solutions for When Creativity Knocks.  I learned this years ago when I began rubber stamping and it is great for making custom papers for your paper crafting projects!  

Colorful floating chalk backgrounds are very easy to create!  While you may start with the same colors, no two pieces of this unique paper will ever be identical.  The way the colors blend and swirl is just beautiful. 

Materials:

Colored chalks
X-Acto craft knife
Shallow baking dish
Water
White card stock cut to fit in baking dish 

Instructions:

• Place approximately ½” of water into the baking dish.  Set aside.
• Choose 2-3 shades of complementary colored chalks.  Use X-Acto blade to gently scrape first color of chalk onto the top of the water.  Be careful not to “chunk” it – as the larger pieces will simply sink.  You want a fine powder of chalk floating on the surface of the water.
• Repeat with 2nd and 3rd colors.
• 
• Place cardstock face down onto water and press gently.  Do not push onto the bottom of the baking dish.  Just let the cardstock float on the surface.  Wait about 5 seconds - it will begin to curl back from the water.  Gently lift out of the water and set aside to dry.   To speed up drying time, use a heat tool.  If cardstock is curled, iron on low setting to flatten.
• No fixative is needed.
  Repeat steps 2-3 to create additional pieces of background paper.
• Add a bit of Pearl-Ex powders or use shimmering chalks for a sparkling effect.  Try interference shades of Pearl-Ex powders on dark cardstock for a “galaxy” background.  Layer with coordinating cardstocks, stamp directly over the background, let your creative muse guide you!