Creating a Mixed Media Scene behind an Aperture: Birthday Card

I used mixed media techniques to create a scene behind an aperture die cut into the front of a card.  It was then finished off with a coordinating 3D frame.

I started by using the Tree Scape Aperture die from Claritystamp on the front of a 6" x 6" white card blank.

I wanted to create a scene to glue behind the aperture, so cut a piece of mixed media card to 14cm x 14cm.  I then tore strips from pages of a book of French plays and a Romanian play and glued them onto the card, drying and trimming the edges.

To even up the colours and tone down the background, I brushed a thin layer of white gesso over the papers and dried it with a heat gun.

I laid the page behind the aperture and lightly marked key places with a pencil.  I also added one of the mini moon masks.

Next, I blended a mixture of Evergreen Bough and Pine Needles Distress Oxides over the 'ground'.

I added Salty Ocean and Faded Jeans Oxides to the 'sky' in the same way.

A mist of water over the background created some texture and the mask was removed.

Next, I added some stamping using two of the stamps from the Wee Grasses stamp set.  These were stamped in Library Green Archival ink.

Next, I worked on a frame to go on the front of the card around the aperture.  I used two of the Deluxe Picot nested Square dies to create a frame out of stencil card.

I used the script stamp and the harlequin stamp from the Journaling set as well as Pine Needles, Faded Jeans and Salty Ocean Oxides to cover the frame.

Next, I stamped 'Celebrate Your Birthday' (Mini Word Chains 1&2) in Cobalt Blue Archival paint along the top of the frame.

As the word 'Celebrate' didn't stand out against the background as well as I liked, I added a drop shadow using a white gel pen.

It only remained to glue the scene in place behind the aperture inside the front of the card.  The frame was added using foam tape to create a 3D effect.

Next time I create a frame, I will probably leave an area free for stamping a sentiment, rather than completely covering the frame with background stamping.  That is the only thing that I would change about this card.  There are a few more Clarity Fresh Cut Dies that I could use with the same method.