Rainbow Anchor Backgrounds with Reactive Inks

Spring is finally here and with it, beautiful, seasonal inspiration. Today, I’m sharing a pair of spring rainbow inspired cards that I made with the Strong Anchor Stamp & Cut set using one of my favorite, tried and true stamping techniques—stamping images with water and Reactive Inks to create colorful watercolor designs.

I started by selecting five, rainbow colored Reactive inks for each background. To create a rainbow effect, it’s important to select ink colors that are adjacent to each other on the color wheel. For my first card, I selected Creamsicle, Fruit Punch, Grape Slush, Blue Hawaii, and Key Lime Fizz inks.

On a piece of watercolor paper that I die cut with a Nesting Rectangle Infinity Die, I positioned the anchor stamp at the center of the panel. I inked the stamp with two Reactive inks (Grape Slush and Blue Hawaii), lightly sprayed the ink with water from a Water Mist Bottle, and then stamped the anchor image. The result is a vibrant anchor with a subtle, blended watercolor appearance. Next, I repositioned, reinked, resprayed and restamped the anchor multiple times to cover the panel, inking the stamp each time with the appropriate rainbow colors. To create a background with the most anchor images, I flipped the direction of the anchors in every other column. I secured the finished panel to a side-folding, Lavender card base.

Next, I stamped a fun thank you sentiment from the same stamp set onto a piece of Amethyst cardstock with Clear Embossing & Watermark ink and embossed it with white embossing powder. I die cut the sentiment with the small banner die included in the set. Before securing it to the card with foam tape, I looped and knotted some cording to resemble marine rope and then placed it behind the banner. I also embellished the sentiment with a trio of small starfish that I stamped and die cut with the Sea You Soon set and coordinating Frame Cuts. For a final detail, I scattered a rainbow of enamel dots across the card.

For my second card, I created a different rainbow of colors by simply using Lemon Drop ink at the center of the rainbow, instead of Grape Slush, and then stamping the other inks across the anchor background in correct rainbow order. I also spun the background panel, upside down, before securing it to a handy Dove White Side Folded card.

For more variety, I stamped and secured two encouragement sentiment banners to the card center.

Thanks so much for stopping by today. Next time you make some cards, I hope that you’re inspired to use your favorite stamping technique or find some lovely spring inspiration outside your door. Happy crafting!

Click on products to shop:

DC280 Strong Anchor Stamp & Cut -... HA ] DI198 Nesting Rectangle Infinity Dies... HA ] CM459 Sea You Soon - Hero Arts HA ] DI784 Sea You Soon Frame Cuts (D) -... HA ] AF421 Fruit Punch Reactive Ink - Hero... HA ] AF422 Creamsicle Reactive Ink - Hero... HA ] AF423 Lemon Drop Reactive Ink - Hero... HA ] AF424 Key Lime Fizz Reactive Ink -... HA ] AF429 Blue Hawaii Reactive Ink - Hero... HA ] AF432 Grape Slush Reactive Ink - Hero... HA ] AF419 Clear Embossing & Watermark Ink... HA ] PW110 White Embossing Powder - Hero Arts HA ] PS406 Hero Hues Dove White Side... HA ] PS317 Hero Hues Premium Cardstock... HA ] PS318 Hero Hues Premium Cardstock... HA ] WM101 Water Mist Bottle - Hero Arts HA ] CH328 Sunset Hero Hues Enamel Dots -... HA ] CH323 Greens Hero Hues Enamel Dots -... HA ] CH327 Aquas Hero Hues Enamel Dots -... HA ] CH325 Purples Hero Hues Enamel Dots -... HA ]