Stamp Layering Ideas – Next on the Journey

Stamp Layering Card 1

Stamp layering is getting to be almost an obsession with me.  I keep finding stamping sets that feature multiple layers, stamped on top of each other, and I keep trying them…any buying them…and trying them some more.  (Sound familiar anyone, LOL?)  This post features some cards for my “All About Layering 2” class in the AECP series (Altenew Educator Certification Program).

All About Stamp Layering

I thought this particular class was going to be a piece of cake, as I have so many layering stamp sets.  And that was probably the root of the issue – what set do I use?  After trying several, I decided to go with the set “Watercolor Extravaganza” by Altenew.  It has a daisy-like flower as well as a few others, plus some leaves and greenery.

The large daisy flower is extremely easy to line up the layers; there’s a little notch that makes it go fast — which makes it fun!  The leaves aren’t layered, which to me is kind of a bummer, but there are ways around that (which I unfortunately didn’t think of until after I put the leaves in place — oh well, next time!)

Anyway, I made three cards because I wasn’t sure which layout I’d like best.  However, the basic steps are the same in all three cards.

Stamp Layering Ideas – Steps

Here was my next problem — what colors should I use?  I couldn’t decide, so I tried several different combinations before I decide on three groupings — pinks, purples and yellows.

Stamp Layering Card 2

Step 1:

For three sets, I used my blending brushes to lay down a light layer of whatever I wanted to use as my first layer, extending the blending to outside the stamp.  Why?  So I wouldn’t have a white line around the image when I did my die cutting.

Step 2:

I proceed to stamp my first layer.  So that I would be able to distinguish the layer from the ink blending, I stamped the image twice (I used my Mini Misti to keep the images aligned).

Steps 3 and 4:

For each of the following layers, I used a darker shade in the same color family.  The daisy-like image has three layers for the petals, so I used three different colors total for the petals.

For the centers (three stamps for the center) I used one, two or all three of the images, to give the flowers some variety.

I also stamped the leaves — I picked three different images and did multiples of each.

Putting it All Together

After all the stamping was done, I die-cut all the images.  Since I had a lot of images, I chose three for each card, plus some leaves.

One card I did some more ink blending, from blue to green.  I added some water spatters and then used a paper towel to blot it.  I then added some ink splatters and stamped my sentiment directly on the card.  Then I aligned my flowers and leaves on the left side of the card.

The second card I decided to cut  piece of dark cardstock 4.25 inches by 5.5 inches,  I then cut another piece of white cardstock at 3.5 x 5.5″.  I did my spatters and stamped my sentiment.  I added a washi tape border to the left and right of the dark cardstock and then centered my narrower cardstock in the middle, so that the washi shows on both sides.  After that — time to add the flowers and leaves, this time I concentrated on the bottom of the card.

Stamp Layering Card 3

Then it was a matter of putting the panels on the card base and adding a few embellishments.

Hmmm, Not Happy Yet

I wasn’t thrilled with either one so I took a different direction on the last card.  I covered a card panel with some wide washi tape, and then added a ribbon to the left side of the card.  Because of the colors on washi tape background, I stamped a few more large flowers in various colors, along with more leaves.

But before I tested out the flowers, I stamped a simple “hello” sentiment on the washi taped panel with multi-media ink, and then used my heat gun to dry the ink so that it wouldn’t smear.

I surprised myself for choosing a single flower in a grayish blue-green color family, along with some gray-green leaves.  I put the flower on the lower left side of the card, with the leaves.  Finally, I added three enamel dots to complete the card.

Which one do you like best?  Let me know in the comments!

Supplies:

• Inks:  Tim Holtz Oxide in Sea Glass, Peacock and Evergreen.  Altenew inks in Rose Quartz, Pink Diamond, Blush, Puffy Heart, Vanilla Cream, Hazelnut, Citrus Burst, Wisteria, Lavender Fields, Deep Iris, Pure Graphite, Industrial Diamond, Limestone, Forest Glades, Sweet Leaf, Cloudy Skies, Nimbus, Misty Morning and Dark Night.
• Stamps:  Mini Delight: Bold Bloom (sentiment), Watercolor Extravaganza with matching dies – both Altenew.
• Washi Tape:  Green Border (Amazon), Monochrome Wide (Altenew)
• Stamping Platform:  Mini Misti
• Miscellaneous:  Clear “foam” tape for dimension, Bearly Arts glue, tape runner, satin ribbon, enamel dots (Altenew).