Hi there!

It’s Saturday’s Blog a New Technique. So let’s take a look at a collection of very cool animal stamps we designed a while ago, which I have to say, I absolutely love. 

You can clearly see that the animals are created with their spelling – a big educational plus. Also, from an arty point of view, they all come in pairs: outline and silhouette. This is so super to use. 

Let me show you a neat card, then explain how I got the mottled effect. See how the elephant is grey and yellow?

Let me explain.

I used Claritycard for this one,

the Elephant silhouette stamp

the Elephant outline stamp

Low-tack masking tape

Butterscotch Adirondack

Slate Adirondack

One of the leaves from the Naked tree leaf-set.

But here’s how…

Ink up the Elephant Silhouette Stamp in the Butterscotch Adirondack ink pad, but before you stamp it into place, screw up a piece of paper, unravel it a little, stamp the elephant onto the screwed up paper and then stamp it where you want it on the Claritycard. 

This will give you a mottled yellow elephant.

Now do exactly the same thing, but with the Slate ink pad.

Stamp the grey straight over the yellow.

Good job you can see through the Claritystamp, eh!

But now comes the outline. 

Ink up the Lineart Elephant in the Slate grey ink pad and stamp an outline around the letters. This defines the shape brilliantly. 

The low-lying fruit and leaves can be added next.

Then the Low-tack masking tape round the edges,

and lastly, the ground cover can be added next.

I personally find it takes longer to successfully add a couple of eyelets and raffia than stamp the entire ABC Safari Collection!

We have several safari pairs like this.

The Giraffe is cool, the crocodile is fun.

Here are a few others:

This time, I stamped the outline stamps in black, 

and then added the stripes,

or spots,

or colour.

Then I stamped the silhouette stamp (the full-surface stamp) with Versamark over the top, added clear embossing powder and glazed the animals.

That makes it really easy to add the background, once you have glazed or covered the animals. You can just wipe them clean afterwards.

And this strip of textured animal paper? 

Amazing optical illusion, using the DTP technique. 

Direct To Paper, not Desk Top Publishing!

Remember that screwed up copy paper we used earlier, to get some texture on the elephant? That’s what this is. Screwed up copy-paper, which I have simply rubbed the Butterscotch and Black Adirondacks over. The inks stain the creases in the paper. 

Unbelievable, isn’t it, how effective and dimensional this little strip looks.

Every time I use these stamps, I can see them on T-Shirts, mugs, posters – the full merchandising upsell range! 

Maybe one day…

Tell you what though. If you do fancy any of these ABC Safari Animals, and I think we can apply this offer to all of them,  

BOGOF !!

Buy One Get One Free.

If you order the outline stamp, I will include its silhouette absolutely FREE. Can’t say fairer than that. 

(Offer ends Tuesday 21st January)

Have a great weekend. 

with love,