I have been waiting and waiting to use this stamp from Mama Elephant. Putting aside the household chores, I made two cards. Why only two? Because I had to finish what I put off earlier. I will be making more cards with this stamp . . . it's now made my Top 5 Stamps I Love list.
Mama Elephant: Botanic Hello (stamp design and sentiment)
VersaFine Ink in Onyx Black
Zig Clean Color Real Brush Watercolor Markers
Tim Holtz Stamp Platform
ATG with double-sided adhesive tape
Base Card: Conqueror 118# Cover Card Stock in Diamond White
Card A: Memory Box Stitched Oval Layers Die Set 30069 using Silk Card Stock from Hanko Designs
Card B: Spellbinders' Nestabilities Card Creator 5x7 Matting Basics A Die Set using Bazzill "Red Carpet" Bling Card Stock
I stamped the image with the Tim Holtz Stamp Platform; if you haven't purchased yours yet, drop everything and run to your nearest rubber stamp and/or craft store. They're in high, high demand due to the extended wait from the manufacturer; however, it seems to be superior to the MISTI that we've all loved. Now I have both stamp tools and I love them both. There are features on the Stamp Platform that make life a little easier when using it. With the Tim Holtz Stamp Platform, I was able to cut my base card and score it; without folding it, I placed it on the stamp platform to stamp directly on it because of the open sides. Otherwise, I would have had a stamped panel and a mat panel on top of the base card.
After stamping the image with the VersaFine ink, I heat set the ink so it wouldn't bleed with the watercolor markers. I used at least two, if not four, different tones of each color used. Using a darker tone on the letters helped to add a subtle dimensional effect. In the second card, I used the lightest gray color to go around all of the outside edges and the inside white spaces. I didn't go back to do that with the first card because I wanted you to see the difference. My vote is to stay with the light gray shadowing.
I'm always the one who never stamps the sentiments in a straight line, or gets off kilter with something.
To aid in deciding how to center the top frame panel in the first card, I die cut the oval. I then placed the oval die cut over the stamped image where I wanted the opening; using temporary tape, I adhered the oval to the stamped panel and snuggled the metal die around the die cut and taped it down using the temporary tape. It worked!
For the second card, I sized up two of the nesting dies in the Matting Basics A die set to cut the thin "frame" that sits atop the stamped base card.
I don't know how old or new this stamp design is. I do know I love it and thank MAMA ELEPHANT for designing it!
Thank you for stopping by. I'm off to Portland, Oregon tomorrow night for a 2-day class with Finnabair. And then I'm back for classes at Art 'n Soul in Lacey, Washington featuring the artistry of Kae Pea with RubberMoon stamps. The next 5 days are going to be fantabulously artsy!