Show Us Your Stamps at Frilly and Funkie

Hi everyone and welcome! For the past week it's been Autumn Clark's turn to host the latest challenge over on the Frilly and Funkie Challenge blog. She's called it 'Show Us Your Stamps' and here's what she is asking for with this one; "Our challenge this round can be summed up with one word - STAMPS! We want to see you break out those stamps and get inky. There are so many ways to use stamps, and you probably have a few you have never even used - so come play along! We cannot wait to see your stamped vintage or shabby chic creations."

The team will choose their top four picks with the winner being invited to join us in a Guest DT spot at Frilly and Funkie and the next three will receive badges to display on their blogs. Everyone who enters and follows the rules will be entered into the draw to have the chance to win a $25 spending spree at The Funkie Junkie Boutique, so there are plenty of reasons for joining in the fun.

A little while ago I was extremely fortunate when Patti Behan of Ranger Ink sent me some of the latest releases from Ranger. This including a set of Wendy Vecchi's latest embossing powders which coordinate perfectly with her Archival Inks (you can find a full list of Wendy's Designer Line here). And of course Linda carries all of Wendy's line at The Funkie Junkie Boutique! A stamping challenge was the perfect opportunity to play with some of them and so I created these cards;

Of course you'll want to know how these came together so here's the tutorial;

1. Cut a piece of Ranger Watercolor Paper 4 1/2" x  5 1/4". Dip into Frayed Burlap Distress Oxide Ink mixed with a little water and dry. Repeat to mop up some of the remaining ink. Add water droplets using a Tim Holtz Distress Sprayer and blot to remove some of the ink.

2. Use the Tim Holtz Stamp Platform to stamp Wendy Vecchi's Botanical Register Background Stamp onto the centre of the inky paper with Tree Branch Archival Ink. You may need to repeat this process to ensure the image is clear and crisp.

3. Again using the Stamp Platform, this time with a combination of Garden Patina and Leaf Green Archival Inks, stamp Wendy Vecchi's Rectangle Collage Background Stamp onto the centre of the paper. If the first impression isn't to your liking it's easy to repeat the process.

4. This time use the Stamp Platform with Wendy's Stamp It Stencil It! Prairie Flower set to add a Jet Black Archival Ink flower on one side of the paper. Remove the paper from the Stamp Platform ready for the next stage BUT leave the flower stamp in place as you'll be over-stamping the image later.

5. Use the Ranger Emboss It Dabber to apply embossing ink through the leaf section of the stencil from the Stamp It Stencil It! set.

6. Using the end of a palette knife, a small spoon or similar, add a little Carnation Red Wendy Vecchi Embossing Powder onto the flower bud part and tap off any excess.

7. Cover the remainder of the embossed section with Leaf Green Wendy Vecchi Embossing Powder, again tapping off any excess. Use the Ranger Heat It Craft Tool to melt/heat set the powder.

8. Now apply more embossing ink through the flower section of the stencil and cover in more Carnation Red Wendy Vecchi Embossing Powder, heat setting as before.

9. Finally apply embossing ink through the dot section of the stencil and cover in Garden Patina Wendy Vecchi Embossing Powder, heat setting as before.

10. Return the paper to the Stamp Tool, positioning it in exactly the same place as before, and over-stamp the flower using Jet Black Archival Ink to reveal all the details.

11. Stamp the sentiment from Wendy Vecchi's All Occasion Art stamp set in Jet Black Archival Ink onto the paper either using the Stamp Platform or an acrylic stamping block.

12. Cut a piece of card 4 3/4" x 5 1/2" and add the embossing ink to the edges of it. Cover the ink with Tree Branch Wendy Vecchi Embossing Powder and heat set as before.

13. To finish layer up the stamped paper onto the embossed card, a coordinating piece of Tim Holtz Ideaology Classic Kraft Stock (cut to 5 3/4" square and sanded to reveal the kraft core) and finally onto a 6" square white card black. I added some machine stitching detail but it is not essential.

Here's a closer look at the first version of the finished card;

For the second version I followed the same steps, replacing the Leaf Green and Garden Patina Archival Inks with Carnation Red and Cactus Flower Archival Inks on the Rectangle Collage Background Stamp. I also replaced the Garden Patina Embossing Powder with the Cactus Flower Embossing Powder when colouring the flower.

And here's a closer look at the second version of the finished card;

That's it for my DT project for the current Frilly and Funkie challenge 'Show Us Your Stamps'. I hope you've enjoyed seeing the tutorial - if you have any questions be sure to leave a comment below. Meantime do make sure you hop on over to see what my talented team mates have been inspired to create for this challenge, and remember to link your own shabby chic or vintage projects featuring stamping to be in with a chance of winning one of the fabulous prizes that are up for grabs.

I'm off to get in some more playtime with these gorgeous embossing powders.
Whatever you have planned for the rest of the week take care of yourselves and get creative! Jenny xxx