Eclipse Card Technique

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. Today's project was created for the Blank Page Muse and I Brake For Stamp blogs. Thank you BPM & IBFS for allowing me to share the project here in my blog, too!

Today's project showcases the Eclipse technique. Eclipse technique is when you die cut a word or a shape on a background panel, then raise this die cut up slightly with foam or layered die cuts. I have created several projects using this technique. I didn't know that what its called until now. Thanks to Craft With Sarah for now I have a name for this technique. 

The stamp I used is the I Brake For Stamps License Plate Vintage Style Alphabet Rubber Stamp. This is an unmounted red rubber stamp that comes in two strips of letters and icons. You have an option to cut the letters apart or keep it together. I did not cut my stamps apart.  

Initially, I was using the Misti Stamping Tool to create my background but later on changed to a long acrylic block. To temporarily adhere the rubber stamp to the acrylic block, I applied double sided adhesive to the block then adhered the rubber stamp strip to it. The adhesive was tacky enough to keep the rubber stamp in place but not too tacky that I wasn't able to reuse it for the other rubber stamp strip. I was also able to remove the tape without ruining the acrylic block. 

I repeatedly stamped the letters on a 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" watercolor paper. I highly recommend using a smooth watercolor paper to get a better impression of the letters. 

I did the paper to stamp inking technique here. After I inked the letters with Versafine Onyx Black ink, I placed the watercolor paper on top of the inked stamp and rubbed my fingers over the paper to transfer the ink. I repeated this step until I filled up the whole panel. 

I heat set the panel before coloring the letter blocks with Zig Clean Color Real Brush markers following a rainbow pattern. Once I was done with the coloring, I heat set the watercolored panel again to speed dry it. 

Here comes the fun part. I die cut a sentiment on the panel making sure I kept every piece of the die cuts. The die I used is from Lawn Fawn.

I adhered tape to the back of the opening created by the sentiment die. Using a double adhesive tape is another option.

I die cut the word on brown cardstock three more times. I applied dots of glue to the back of one of the word die cuts, then pieced this on the opening of the water colored panel. 

I adhered the drop out pieces to the opening of the letters. It already looks good at this point, right? You can actually stop here to make this into an inlay card.

Since I am making this card into an eclipse card, I adhered the other two pieces of sentiment die cuts over the piece that is pieced in the panel to build layers. I adhered the sentiment die cut from the watercolored panel on the top. 

It is kind of difficult to see the raised sentiment on the first photo but this is what makes this card magical. The sentiment is hidden and you only figure out that there is a sentiment once you run your fingers over the panel and/or tilt the card. 

An option to make the sentiment pop out more is to lightly tap embossing ink over the raised sentiment, pour clear or glittered embossing powder over it, then heat set it. I like the camouflage look of the sentiment so I kept it as is.

I hope you like today's project and give this technique a try. Thank you for visiting my blog. Have a blessed, brilliant and creative day!

Maria Giselle B.

Blank Page Muse and I Brake For Stamps is generously offering a 15% discount to their online store to YOU, my blog readers. Just use the code BPMMaria when you check out. Enjoy!

I am sharing this project at

Challenge #40~Rainbow

Challenge #311~Anything Goes