Reference static resource for TextBlock
<UserControl x:Class='SilverlightApplication3.MainPage' xmlns='http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation' xmlns:x='http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml' xmlns:d='http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008' xmlns:mc='http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006' mc:Ignorable='d' d:DesignWidth='640' d:DesignHeight='480'> <Grid x:Name="LayoutRoot" Background="LightBlue" > <TextBlock Name="textToDisplay" Canvas.Left="10" Canvas.Top="10" Text="This is our Text" /> <Grid.ColumnDefinitions> <ColumnDefinition /> <ColumnDefinition /> </Grid.ColumnDefinitions> <Grid.Resources> <LinearGradientBrush x:Key="SharedBrush"> <GradientStop Color="Yellow" Offset="0.0" /> <GradientStop Color="Green" Offset="0.5" /> </LinearGradientBrush> </Grid.Resources> <TextBlock Text="Hello" FontSize="48" Foreground="{StaticResource SharedBrush}" Grid.Column="0" /> <TextBlock Text="World" FontSize="48" Foreground="{StaticResource SharedBrush}" Grid.Column="1" /> </Grid> </UserControl>