You might recall I was experimenting with polished pigment backgrounds earlier this year. Here's an image to refresh your memory.
At the time I remember saying that they were really rather hideous but I promised I would eventually use these backgrounds and here's what I did with them.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSjSwWcbCrq7Dbnl1KstS_eZbQ76osA9sNL1ZhxrVJCRx7ivYSBLw9aeObSLR0YJGiP37y3UdTfpgoH7Z_eoq3JuUOP4pGexi0l2g9R1aKZI2X1lsZ41illbjxkApBIuWHrug5EDgt8-LN/s400/diff_colour_combos.jpg)
Wow! ..... orchid and lime green!
The image is from Rachel Greig's Darkroom Door collection and the word "tulip" is stamped with metal alphabet stamps on metal shim. I added a layer of black gloss card sprayed with gold webbing spray to make it more substantial and added a lime green layer for the card base.
The next piece had really great texture and I wanted to show it off instead of covering it up with an image..... the solution, a transparency! This one is from Stylish Images. I layered it on card stock which matched the gold polished pigments so that the gold blended off the background and onto the card. The flourish at the top is a rub on and it finishes off the card nicely.
The third piece I made up into an ATC. I cut the heart from angel wire with my Cuttlebug and added some rub on flourishes to it. The letter Q is painted with polished pigments and frames an image and then I added a couple of ribbons and paper flowers. The touch of cream balances out the rust and blue really nicely.
So there you have it. Even ugly backgrounds aren't necessarily ugly - it's all just a matter of finding the right images and embellishments to work with it.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWnQ3B_lFqLtJOMrOyJ3nJtNAGcVB4vJK1pu68zy30brMI3yYsJDIbNFFIpcYFc0Yk1iOelMVsPvDClN-mY_z6OcssVGNuOWC8obVCJ_ic-XMC8LQk_swETdnmkpSPhbQL7iyN1ccUIx9e/s400/elegant_polished_pigments_sml.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHI1nf3dwZC6ynIIm-LdK_4GQxwnZcy0T2lO7Za7W9L6LChOrLHXaWAh8AWOZR9tVYeRyP_77hayGCYFshfg5E1rCHxLaAp3e4eZO18UFKC5yO9gNKQ2Mtkwligkq3tMkzclQEgInYmuCX/s400/ssi_retreat_take_time_to+_smell_the_roses.jpg)