Ink it! Stamp it! International Design Team Blog Hop - Technique: Petal Palette with Home Made Stencil watercolour background

Welcome to the Ink It! Stamp It! Design Team Blog Hop - we hop every month so be sure to pop back and visit us again!  

Today we are sharing a technique.

You are currently at my page - Stephanie Fischer, The Crafty Thinker.  At the end of my post there is a full line up of team members, please click on the name after mine in the list to continue the hop.

This card includes a watercolour background, a home made stencil, colouring some ribbon and selective stamping

As I was busy experimenting with stuff in my craftroom - which resulted in the card above - I was thinking to myself "what technique shall I choose for the Ink It Stamp It Blog Hop?" - then it occurred to me that I was already using several techniques without even thinking about it!  So I'm going to share them with you.

Making a Stencil

This is something I do quite a lot.  

I tend to cut mine from Window Sheet because they're sturdy and I wash them and drop them into a drawer to use again and again.  

However, I find effective die cutting of Window Sheet requires the use of a Precision Base Plate on my Big Shot.  

The alternative would be to cut the stencil from a thinner acrylic sheet (like the packaging on photopolymer or acrylic stamps) or even a piece of paper for a one-use stencil.

So I used the Florentine Thinlits Die to cut Window Sheet to create my stencil.

This is the stencil I cut with the Florentine Thinlits Die and some Window Sheet

Watercolour Background

I used my newly created stencil to create a background by sponging several colours over/through it.  Once I'd finished, the front of the stencil was randomly covered with ink that I decided not to waste.
I thoroughly spritzed a piece of watercolour paper with water and then carefully pressed the stencil onto it, inky side down.  Then I left the colours to blend and move a bit.
(Aside:  I was really unhappy with the result of my original background so I haven't used it yet!).

Selective Stamping
There's probably a technical name for it, but this is what I call it!
I wanted to use the "Best Wishes" greeting from the Petal Palette stamp set but I wanted it to fit into a small circle.
I covered the word "wishes" with piece of washi tape (anything softly self-adhesive, like a post it note, will do the trick).

Covering part of a stamp with washi tape prior to inking for selective stamping

Then I tapped onto the ink pad, as usual.
It's very important to remember to then remove the washi tape!

After removing the washi tape, only part of the stamp is inked

I stamped the word "Best"

Remember to remove the washi tape before stamping down onto the cardstock!

Then I cleaned and dried the stamp and repeated the process, this time covering the word "Best" and inking and stamping the word "wishes".

Then I was able to cut out my greeting with my small circle framelit.

The finished greeting ready to cut out with my circle

An alternative method would be to use a Stampin' Write Marker to ink up just one word, stamp, clean the stamp and repeat with the other word.

Or: for those with a steady hand, carefully ink the part you want with the ink pad (probably a smaller Stampin' Spot would be easier), stamp, clean the stamp and repeat on the other word.

Miscellaneous
I coloured the edge of the circle with a Light Heather Stampin' Blend alcohol marker.  I find the "stitched" decoration provides an excellent guide for colouring the edge.

Having cut the pretty little lacy decoration with the Petals & More Thinlits, I decided I needed another pop of colour.  Lacking the correct colour ribbon that I could weave through the die cut, I coloured a white piece with the Light Bermuda Bay Stampin' Blend.

I cut two of the branches , stuck one down and then used bits of the other one to extend or fill in the decoration on the card front.

Thank you so much for joining us today and we hope you'll join us again next month when we'll be providing sneak peeks from the new Annual Catalogue!

I'm Stephanie Fischer and to keep hopping around see the list below to see who is up next with another great project.

Thanks for visiting
'Til next time!
Stephanie

Product List - All products used are available for purchase in my online store

Petal Palette Clear-Mount Stamp Set

$61.00

Petals & More Thinlits Dies

$59.00

Florentine Thinlits Die

$49.00

Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies

$50.00

Window Sheets

$8.75

Blackberry Bliss A4 Cardstock

$14.75

Card Stock A4 Bermuda Bay

$14.75

Whisper White 1/8" Sheer Ribbon

$10.50

Coastal Cabana Classic Stampin' Pad

$13.00

Gorgeous Grape Classic Stampin' Pad

$13.00

Lemon Lime Twist Classic Stampin' Pad

$13.00