Bokeh Effect Card - Anything Goes Eclectic Ellapu

Over at Eclectic Ellapu we're having an Anything Goes challenge. Which are my favorite kind of challenges because I just get to let my creativity run.. or get stuck... it really depends on the day, doesn't it?

I decided to play around with a bokeh technique. It's not a technique that I've done before EVER. So I decided to take of my scaredy pants and give it a try. I recently got the ARTplorations Oh My Stars! stencil and I wanted to try to create a galaxy type feel.

The first thing I did was to smoosh Spun Sugar, Pink Raspberry, and Stormy Sky Distress Inks onto a craft mat and spritz with water. Then I dipped my paper into the mixture.

Doing this creates a really cool watercolor-esque inky background. I like to dip my card stock, dry it, dip it again, and maybe repeat up to 3 times to get a real depth of inky layers. 

Next, I used my stencil and sponged white ink. 

If you haven't done a bokeh effect before (and I'm assuming everyone else in the crafty world has and I'm just behind the times) the trick is to do varying intensities of the white and layer. Some of the stars I just sponged very lightly, some I sponged at medium intensity, and some I laid it on thick. 

That's a shot in process. I also sprayed some White Picket Fence Distress Spray Stain onto the background to give it more of that galaxy feel. 

Lastly, I added a matching sentiment (which says Reach for the Stars but I embossed it in silver and it was being a photographic nightmare) and some hanging stars, along with a little sequin dazzlement. 

I'm pretty pleased with my first bokeh attempt! The Eclectic Ellapu challenge runs all month long, so come show us what you've got!