For the past few days I’ve managed to resist the urge to make Christmas projects and I’ve succeeded again today.  This week the What Will You Stamp? challenge Design Team have been working on WWYS186 – Waterfront.  Oh I did think about using the fir trees in a snowy background, but instead went with autumn colours.

THE BACKGROUND

I began by preparing the background for my scene on a layer of Very Vanilla Card.

Starting with the Z-shaped stamp from the Waterfront Stamp Set inked up using a Sahara Sand ink pad, I stamped the image a few times horizontally across the bottom third of the layer.  Then  I used So Saffron ink (first stamped-off onto scrap paper) across that bottom section too.  Finally I filled in the bottom section overlapping the other colours with Old Olive Ink (also stamped-off onto scrap paper).

TIP – To get a lighter shade of ink, tap the stamp onto the ink pad and then stamp onto scrap paper.  Finally, without reinking the image, stamp on to your project.  This is known as ‘stamping-off’ (or sometimes generational stamping).

Now with the ‘ground’ area identified I could get to work on the trees.

AUTUMN COLOURS

For the trees I thought it would be fun to revisit a technique that I haven’t used in ages.  It’s called the babywipe technique, and basically you use a folded babywipe to create an ink pad.  If you have any odd pieces of felt lying around that would work just as well.

I began by choosing my autumn colours, Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, Real Red, Old Olive and Garden Green.  I folded my babywipe into 4 and placed it onto a plate, then squeezed random dots of colours from the refills onto it.  Finally all along the bottom edge of the babywipe I added some spots of Soft Suede ink.  I now had my ‘stamp pad’ ready to use.

Using the group of three trees image from the Waterfront Stamp Set I tapped it onto my makeshift ink pad.  I tried to keep the tree trunks roughly on the area with Soft Suede ink, and the branches in the multi-coloured area.

Once I’d inked up the stamp I stamped onto my prepared background.  I repeated this process a number of times until I’d add all the trees I needed.

COMPLETING THE SCENE

Now that I knew where my trees were, I could finish the sky portion of the scene.

Going back to the Waterfront Stamp Set I started with the large triangular shaped image, inked it up using a Smoky Slate ink pad and stamped-off onto scrap paper.  I began by stamping the shape between the trees and then added more of the image over the ‘sky’ with ‘stamped-off’ Smoky Slate ink.

Next I took a Balmy Blue ink pad and the long abstract image from the Waterfront Stamp Set.  Lightening the colour by stamping-off first, I filled in the gaps in the sky, and over-stamped some of the grey too.

My finished piece looked quite artistic, and I couldn’t resist adding to the illusion by giving the piece some texture.

Out came my Big Shot and multipurpose platform with all the tabs open.

I placed the card inside the Subtle Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder directly onto the platform.  Then I placed a cutting pad on top and ran the folder through, hinge first, forwards and backwards.

The result, in case you’ve not come across this embossing folder before, was a ‘canvas’ type of texture.

THE REST OF THE PROJECT

With the main piece completed I turned my attention to the rest of the project starting with the card base.  Using my Stampin’ Trimmer I cut and scored a piece of Soft Suede Card and folded it along the scored line.  Once I’d sharpened the crease with a Bone Folder I added the scene with Multipurpose Liquid Glue (Tombow).

I decided to take my sentiment from the Beautiful You Stamp Set.  ‘Wishing you brighter says to come’ seemed really appropriate for this card, stamped onto a scrap of Very Vanilla Card with Soft Suede ink.

As the Big Shot was handy I cut out the sentiment using the Magnetic Platform and the #2 plain-edged die from the Layering Ovals Framelits.  To mat the sentiment I cut some Soft Suede Card using the #3 plain-edged die from the same set.

The sentiment was fixed to the mat with liquid glue and added to the card front with Stampin’ Dimensionals.

FINISHING TOUCHES

I loved the trees in their autumn colours and decided that would be my coordinating element for this project.

On a layer of Very Vanilla Card I stamped the ‘ground’ in the right-hand corner as I’d done for the card front.  Then I added multi-coloured trees with the aid of my babywipe ink pad.

Once done, this piece was then fixed inside the card base with liquid glue.

Finally, for the front of the Very Vanilla Medium Envelope I thought it would be fun to have the stamping across the full width.  I stamped a narrow strip of the ground and then added multi-coloured trees at either end.

There’s no fancy embellishments, die-cut pieces or ribbons on this project, but I love it.  The autumn colours really are the star of the show, don’t you think?

You can see other projects I’ve created using the Waterfront Stamp Set in these previous blog posts:

Watercolour scenes

Top that

Blue Monday

Good Times

Special Days, Special People

WHAT WILL YOU STAMP? CHALLENGE

I created today’s project for the What Will You Stamp? Challenge Design Team.  You’ll find projects from other members of the team over on the What Will You Stamp? blog WWYS186 Waterfront.

If you have the Waterfront Stamp Set why not take up the challenge?  Simply create any new project (not necessarily a card) using at least one image from the Waterfront Stamp Set.  Then upload it to the What Will You Stamp? Challenge Gallery for all to see.

At the end of the challenge one person will be randomly selected to be our winner.  They’ll get bragging rights, a winner’s badge for their social media, and an invitation to be our guest designer two weeks later.

This stamp set has been available from Stampin’ Up! for a while so we hope lots of you will play along this week.

STAMPARATUS NEWS

Today we heard that Stampin’ Up! will be releasing some additional products for the Stamparatus.

From October 1st you’ll be able to order additional foam mats as well as sets of two hinge plates.  Imagine how much time you’ll save on your Christmas crafting when you can mount all your stamps and just swap out the plates as you go!

Also you’ll be able to buy grid paper, designed specifically for the Stamparatus.  No more getting ink on the base as you stamp over the edge of a piece.  Having a grid on top of the foam mat when stamping with photopolymer stamps will be so useful too.

Demonstrators can order these new items now, and customers will be able to get them starting October 1st, just in time for the Christmas madness.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST

This morning Stampin’ Up! updated the Clearance Rack with lots of retired items at up to 60% off.  If you’ve been kicking yourself because you forgot to get more of your favourite ribbon, or missed out on some great dies, now’s you final chance.  All items on the Clearance Rack are only available while stocks last so if you see something you want, don’t hesitate, place your online order straight away, before someone else beats you to it.

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