5th January Playing at home with my new stamp.

This is my new stamp. I thought that it was ideal for a new house or just moved card. The following are my first ideas.

I started by stamping my card and colouring it in. I used my Pro markers as they give a more professional finish.

Next I distressed the edges using the two colours shown.

I then found a matching green paper and stamped it with the words " New Home ". I used the metallic silver ink pad and embossed in black which gives a granite effect then I distressed the edges just like the main card. this is a very simple card which anyone can do but still looks effective.

The finished card.

Now for a new technique .This is a method that I use when I want to stamp something behind something else. Because my stamp is quite large I have used two pieces of post it notes but normally i just use one. making sure that one edge of my stamp is covering the sticky part of the post it note I stamp both sides of the house.

I then very carefully cut round the image. Note that I cut just inside the lines this is important as if you cut outside the line you will have a space where the next stamp doesn't touch it.

I have stamped the house as normal. Then very carefully lay the post it note over the image being sure to keep the post it inside the lines. The trees are then stamped over the post it's and when you remove the post it's the trees are behind the house. All that is left to do is colour in the house.

Following this I have distress the background with the ink pads shown keeping the blues up top (sky) and the green down the bottom for the ground. I have filled in all the white card and darkend the edges.

Now I am going to make my own background paper using the same method as before. As shown I have stamped my trees onto the post it note.

Now being very careful I start with the darkest colour at the bottom and stamp them one at a time. Then for the second row I cover the trees with the post it and stamp moving the mask as I go until I get to the top.

I then repeat the distress background the same as the main picture using the same coIours as before.

And this is the end result,

This card was made as a type of decoupage. I picked a number of patterned papers and stamped the house on each one . Then each part of the house is cut out and placed on the stamped house. I then made three blocks of colour mounted them on a reflective card. the flowers are peel offs placed on odd bits of the three blocks and cut out.

So there you have it three cards one stamp and a little imagination. All my cards are available to buy at The Gallery Dereham. www.thegallerydereham.com.uk