We're Kissing at Less is More

Good morning, crafters!

So, there's a new challenge for this coming week just kicking off at Less is More and we have an interesting one for you.  Our theme for this week is a technique, which is...

Stamp Kissing!

This involves inking up a solid stamp and a detailed stamp and then 'kissing' them together before stamping onto your project.  There is a more detailed description over at Less is More or you can find lots of tutorials over on YouTube.

I've got two examples for you today.  I won't lie, I dragged LOTS of stamps out of my stash before I found some which worked together.  And a little tip for you, I find this technique works best with pigment ink, the sticky consistency seems to help in keeping hold of the detail of the images.

So, here's my first...

For this one I chose leaves as my solid images and a distressed grid image for my detail.  For each leaf I inked it up with the lightest ink, then inked up the grid stamp with a darker shade, 'kissed' them together then stamped on my card base.  I stamped a few leaves in different shade combos directly on my base.  I embossed the sentiment in white on a black strip of textured card, adhered this flat and then added some enamel dots.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Paper Smooches - Leafy Greens; Kaidercraft - Grid; Sentiment from Hero Arts set (unknown name)
• Ink: Versa Color - Green Tea, Evergreen, Bamboo, Olive, Umber; VersaMark
• Embossing Powder: Wow! - Opaque Bright White
• Accents: Doodlebug Sprinkles - Limeade

Challenge entry:

Daring Cardmakers - Leaf it Alone!

I decided to go with a fun feel for my second card...

Again, I stamped the solid images, this time the balloons, with the lightest shades and then inked up a circles background stamp with the darker co-ordinating shades.  These were kissed together, stamped, and then die cut with the co-ordinating balloon die.  I stamped the balloon strings on a white cardstock panel and adhered the balloons flat to this.  I added the fun style sentiment and then popped the panel up on 3D foam.

Materials used:

• Stamps: Wplus9 - Whole Lotta Happy; Uniko - Balloon Bash (strings); Pink Cat Studio - Background Stamps
• Ink: Versa Color - Cyan/Royal Blue, Heliotrope/Violet, Pink/Opera Pink; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Die: Wplus9 - Whole Lotta Happy

Challenge entries:

Cute Card Thursday - Challenge #408 - A Bit of Fun

Seize The Birthday - Clean and Simple

Simply Create Too - Challenge #100 - It's Party Time

Stamping Sensations - January Challenge - Anything Goes with a Die(s)

Time Out Challenges - Challenge #47 - Birthdays with Optional Twist (I didn't twist for this one)

If you are new to this technique why not have a go, I've only done it once before so this was also a challenge for me this week.  I hope you'll join us.

Happy Birthday, Shirley-Bee!

Good morning

Many of you will no doubt be aware of the amazing talents of Shirley-Bee of Shirley-Bee's Stamping Stuff.  Today is her birthday and some of us have secretly arranged to hold a surprise linky party in her honour.  If you'd like to join in the celebration by sending some happy birthday wishes Shirley's way then you can find the linky over at maria f's blog, rieslingmama.

Shirley is a super-talented lady and I'm in awe of how she can just smoosh some watercolour and add a few scribbles and come up with amazing creations time after time.  She has also recently released her very own stamp designs, The Bee's Knees, available at Stamplorations.

I thought I would CASE one of Shirley's cards to send my birthday wishes.  I used her design, colours and layout as my inspiration.  Not a patch on the original, here is my card...

I inked up the leaf stamp in the lilac shade then used the ink 'Kissing Technique' by using a dotty stamp in a darker purple shade.  I then did the same with the orangey tones.  This is the first time I've tried this technique and I quite like the effect.  I stamped 'wishes' in black ink and adhered the birthday word die cut which was cut from black cardstock.  The panel was matted onto some black cardstock before adhering to the card base.

This is Shirley's wonderful creation...

Materials used:

• Stamps: Clearly Besotted - Leafy Accents, It's Your Birthday
• Ink: Versa Color - Heliotrope, Boysenberry, Marigold, Topaz; Versafine - Onyx Black
• Die: Clearly Besotted - Birthday Word Die

I would like to enter my card at the following challenge blogs:

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Anything Goes

Simply Create Too - Challenge #73 - Shop in your Craft Room (I raided my much loved Clearly Besotted goodies, all of which have been used many times before)

Brown Sugar - Challenge #117 - Anything Goes
Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes

Happy Birthday, Shirley! I hope you have a fabulous day x