Tips and Ideas for Using Big Stamps

Using Big Stamps

Recently, I found a new-to-me stamp company, Colorado Craft Company. Their Big and Bold stamp collection looked particularly interesting because they are really large images!  I purchased a couple of sets and started playing with them. The first one is called "Miss You Peony". Working with the gorgeous peony image led me to discover a few tips and ideas that I hope you will find useful when using big stamps on your projects.

Stamping Tips

3C's Blissful Butterflies and Miss You Peony 

Extra-large clear stamps may be too big for a traditional acrylic block. Listed below are some alternate ideas for using a big stamp. Practice on some scratch paper to see which options work best for you and your project. Keep in mind, it is a good idea to turn the stamp upside down and apply the ink to the stamp rather than tapping the stamp onto the ink pad.

• Using the carrier sheet that the stamp comes packaged upon
• Fiskars Easy Stamp Press I have better success with this tool if I press down without hesitating
• Using your hand as a flexible 'block' - this is particularly useful in art journaling 
  
• Using the top side of the MISTI tool or removing the top of the Tim Holtz stamp platform and using it as a giant block

Ideas

Watercoloring

Both of the examples above were colored using watercoloring techniques. The stamps can be stamped using traditional, no line, invisible line, or ghost stamping and then inked or painted. In the video below, I show a couple of ways to do this along with some of the stamp block substitutes.

Traditional Coloring

The card posted below was colored with Tombow Dual Brush Pens. I outlined the image to help make it pop a bit. This is a personal preference. Please do what you think looks best!

Background stamping - no coloring

Neither of the example shown below needed coloring after stamping. The crisp image is so striking on the scrapbook page that it did a good job of adding to the story without taking away from the photographs.

The art journal page on the right-hand side has the peony stamped on it several times. Both projects used Tuxedo Black Memento ink.

Supplies

From the Colorado Craft Company: 

Blissful Butterflies Stamp Set or from Scrapbook.com

Blissful Butterflies Die Set or from Scrapbook.com

Miss You Peony Stamp Set or from Scrapbook.com

Inks:

Tuxedo Black by Memento

Rose Madder Archival by Ranger

Tombow Dual Brush Pens

Thank you for visiting today!

Beverly

Free Hugs

Sizzix - Framelits Die with Clear Acrylic Stamp Set - Sending Hugs

You know those moments when you see something that you just need to have because it strikes you that it is perfect for you or someone you know?  Well, this stamp and die set fit that situation for me.  It is a really cute set and is easy to color. I dusted off the Tombows after I masked the cacti and hoped they hadn't dried out in the almost two years of neglect in storage.  The glittery die cut piece was stamped with a glue stamp pad. Then I poured three different colors of glitter on it and matted it onto the card front.  The two little cutout hearts glued to twine seemed like a rustic, yet sweet, touch. This is a mailable, standard-sized card at 4.25" x 5.5".

Sizzix is part of Scrapbook.com's Seven Sizzling Days of Summer sale. If you like this set, you may want to check it out on their site.  The freebie for today will help you make lots of cards. It is perfect for making your die cuts into stickers by applying the double-sided adhesive to the cardstock and running it through your die-cutter.

Clear Double Sided Adhesive Sheets - 6 x 6 Inches - Permanent - 5 Sheets
Scrapbook.com

Here is the link for the Sizzix set:

Sizzix - Framelits Die with Clear Acrylic Stamp Set - Sending Hugs
Scrapbook.com

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great day!