Hi there!

Thanks for stopping by.

Greetings from a hotel room in L.A. 

Thought that, it being Monday, and Monday’s blog is always Flowers and Trees, I’d revisit the Fantastic Stamp I used here at the Live Launch. The Lone Cypress is one of a collection of three superb stamps and stencils, which can stand alone perfectly, but go together beautifully, if you make sets of notelets to sell, for example.

This is the Lone Cypress.

Here’s the Napa Valley,

And here is Carmel.

Now just because I gave these images names of places in California, I have to add that I can see these stampscapes in lots of places! 

So let’s take a look at an old trick which creates a brilliant backfround for any silhouette image.

Brayer some colours onto A5 Clarity card. The coated stock. Butterscotch first,

Then Stonewashed,

Then Stream Adirondack.

Next spritz a piece of clingfilm with water and lay it down on the inky card.

Then scrunch it up to make creases and rivers.

Pat it down and then leave it to dry completely.

This is the hardest part – leaving it alone until it’s totally dry!

When you peel away the clinfilm, you will be astounded by the patterns.

Buff or polish the card with a dry paper towel. High gloss now, right?

Now we have a superb background for any one of these 3 stampscapes.

I will go with the Lone Cypress. Stamp it into place using a Black Archival ink pad.

Blot it well and make sure it’s dry, 

before you start adding colour with the Distress pens.

Next, position the stencil over the image and use either pens or a make up sponge and ink to ground the floating image.

Outline these boxes with a black Micron pen.

So here’s the one I have done here on the coffee table in the hotel room (yikes!), and the one I did on the TV. Never any 2 the same. I like that.

Trim back the artwork so that the Lone Cypress sits well, and then mount on a second piece of lighter clingfilm card. I have a whole stash!

See how the Claritycard buffs to a high gloss? But always do the polishing BEFORE you use a Micron pen; it may smear.

That’s it folks! Hope you enjoy trying this one, and that you love these designs as much as I do. 

Honestly, they are pretty superb!

One more show to record tomorrow, then we’re off to New Mexico for a break. 

Albuquerque here we come! 

Like LA. LOVE New Mexico.

Much love,

Barb xxxx