Happy Hippos

I have a card for Anna's Craft Cupboard  to share today.
I've used the adorable My Favorite Things set called Happy Hippos.
This set is full of  hippos and little birds and birthday themed images to go with them.  Plus there are some wonderful sentiments too!

I thought a colourful but soft Bokeh background might look good with these two cuties.
Here is how I created it if you'd like to give one a try too :)
Ingredients :
I used Tim Holtz Distress Inks in Broken China, Dusty Concord and Dried Marigold. You could use any colours, but I always think that 3 different colours works best.
Dylusions White Linen Acrylic Paint.
I used watercolour paper on the smooth side, but other cardstock can also be used.
Tim Holtz/Ranger Mini Foam Blending Tool
Circle Dies
Tombow Mono Multi glue
white embossing powder

Step 1 - Using the Blending Tool, apply distress inks to card in a circular motion. I used the purple first, then the orange and then added  blue to fill in the gaps and blend it together a little.
Use a different foam pad for each colour.

Step 2 -  Make a stencil from a scrap piece of card by using small circle dies or punches.  Don't place the holes too close together or near the edge, so that it's easier to sponge.

Step 3 -  Shake the Dylusions paint a little and then just use the paint that is sitting inside the lid.
Using the blending tool and a new pad, pick up some paint and dab some off onto some plastic or craft mat to remove excess.
Dab paint onto stencil to create 2 sizes of white circles on the card.

Step 4 - The largest circles are applied with just the Blending Tool.
Load paint and dab off as before. Place Blending Tool on card and twist/turn until you have a nice circular shape.

Step 5 - Reload Blending Tool with paint and using stencil again, add more circles and overlap some this time too.
You can realign stencils and go over circles with paint again to make them brighter.  You want to have some softer and some brighter circles to add depth.

Step 6 - Using just the Blending Tool make more of the large circles. Try to make some without applying extra paint but if it's too dry just add a little.  These last circles are meant to be very light.
You are trying to fill in the gaps and card edges to create a very soft filter effect.

Step 7 - Trim the edges so that there is no harsh coloured edge.

I coloured the images with Copics to compliment the colours I used in the background, cut them out and added them to a white panel.
I also white embossed one of the fabulous sentiments from this set onto grey card.

Bokeh backgrounds are fun to create! No two are exactly the same and they work wonderfully with so many of the MFT stamps.

I hope you will give this background technique a try too.

Kathy