I've been wanting to start a "Stamping 101" category for some time now. There are a lot of "basics" that stampers "should know" but I've noticed that a lot of the time ppl (like me) just assume that *everyone* already knows it and don't take the time to explain it!!
I remember when I first started stamping I would hear ppl talking about different things (whether it be heat embossing, masking, coloring or whatever) and a lot of the times I *thought* I knew what they were talking about I realized I had no clue when I would actually SEE someone doing it!! I'm a very visual learner - if I see it it's much easier for me to "get" it.
So after I did this card the other day I thought I would also show how to do masking step-by-step w/ pictures - I hope this helps y'all!! :o)
SETS: Think Big, Paisley, Happy Everything, Holiday Sampler (retired). CS: Whisper White, Bashful Blue, Basic Black, Certainly Celery. INK: Certainly Celery, Old Olive, Really Red, Bashful Blue, Basic Black. ACCESSORIES: Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, Clear EP, Black Grosgrain, Light Blue Gingham, Iridescent Ice EP.
To create a mask you need sticky notes, and ink pad and a stamp (solid images are easiest and best to start with - once you get the hang of it you can do more detailed images - they take a lot more time to cut out but the end result is worth it!!)
Stamp the image on the sticky note making sure that part of it is actually on the sticky part on the back (as that holds it in place when you use it).
Cut out the image carefully leaving no blank areas (this is where scissors like the Paper Snips come in really handy - they are AWESOME for getting into all the little places!). It helps to cut *slightly inside* the outside lines - this helps to prvent unwanted "white space" around your image.
After stamping you image on CS place the mask on top (normally I wouldn't have stamped the flower before doing the mask but I wasn't thinking LOL!)
Stamp the image(s) around the mask.
NOTE: When you are masking multiple images (say I had wanted to do Ellie, the alligator and the giraffe from this set all in a group) the image you want in the FRONT will be the image you mask as everything stamped on/around it will appear to be BEHIND the masked image.
Once you're done stamping the images pull off the mask. All the snowflakes I stamped don't cover the elephant image.
Now this was something I thought was really cool:
When you are done w/ the mask *don't throw it out!!* Place it on TOP of the image on your stamp - that way you'll always know where it is and you don't have to cut out a new one every time you want to mask that image. (I was so wow-ed when I was shown that at Regionals a couple of years ago LOL!). Since you're using sticky notes you just peel it off each time you want to use it - cool eh??
About the card:
I did the kissing technique on Ellie - I inked up the Linen BG w/ Old Olive and Ellie w/ Certainly Celery and pressed it on to the BG, huffed on it, then stamped it on the CS. I re-stamped her ear (w/out kissing it) on a scrap of CS and adhered it w/ a dimensional.
I used the Santa hat from the Holiday Sampler set (retired) for her - I thought it was pretty cute! The snowflake stamp is also from that set. I added glue and DD Glitter to the flakes and to the "snow" she's standing on.
The Paisley piece turned out pretty cool but is a little overwhelming on this card (at least that's what I think). I stamped it on Bashful Blue w/ Real Red craft ink and embossed it w/ clear EP. It looks SO cool IRL - it's all shiny and textured.
I stamped the "Happy" with Certainly Celery craft and the snowflakes beside it w/ Bashful Blue Craft that I embossed w/ Iridescent Ice EP (just the flakes - I left the "Happy" as is).
I tied a little red gingham to her tail and cut out another flower from a scrap of CS and added glitter to the center.
I think it took longer to type this all up than it did to actually MAKE the card LOL!!
