7 ways with your bonus stamps
Achieve print perfection with these inspirational designs by Tracey Daykin-Jones
Stamps are amongst the most versatile of crafty products, and this jam-packed project perfectly demonstrates why. From ways to colour the images, to ideas on advanced techniques, there's so much to try your hand at. So increase your crafting repertoire and give each one a go, you'll be thrilled with the results.
Shrink Plastic
1 Trim lilac paper to fit the centre of a yellow blank, round the corners and stick in position. Stamp the large flower motif onto various patterned papers in black ink then cut out. Print the design again onto white shrink plastic, trim and heat according to the manufacturer's instructions. Apply glue to the flower centres and sprinkle with fine glitter. Put all these elements to one side.
2 Snip a circle from white card, stamp ‘Best Wishes’ in the centre with purple ink then clear emboss. Cut away a small section from the bottom to create a straight edge then stick to the blank. Add the flowers using double-sided tape and foam pads. Embellish with a fabric flower, yellow bow and two heart gems to finish.
Coloured Chalk Backgrounds
1 Trim a pink blank to 10cm square and snip a further, slightly smaller shape from white card. Stamp a large flower image onto the white panel using clear, slow drying pigment ink and brush with coloured chalks.
2 Cut a circle from lilac paper, large enough to accommodate the pram die-cut and put to one side. Create a bigger disc from blue paper with a scalloped edge and mount the two elements together. To complete, stick this piece to the centre of the card.
Heat Embossing
1 Take a green blank and stick the base square of a decoupage image to the top using double-sided tape. Add the remaining layers with foam pads. Stamp a ‘Best Wishes’ sentiment onto green paper using black ink and clear emboss.
2 Trim to a rectangle and punch a small hole either side. Pass yellow ribbon through both then attach to the card using foam pads. Secure the ribbon ends on the inside and back of the card with doublesided tape. To finish, glue pink hearts to the centres of three fabric flowers and stick to the card using foam pads.
Decoupaged Imagery
1 Cut a yellow blank to 8cm x 14.5cm. Add dot patterned paper down the left edge and round the right corners using a punch. Trim three circles from different coloured papers and stamp flowers in the centre of each using black ink.
2 Print three more blooms onto white paper and trim out. Punch three circles from yellow glitter card and adhere in the centre of each flower before layering onto the original stamped blooms, using foam pads between each layer. To finish, glue a small yellow bow above each circle.
Inchie Mosaic
1 Stamp a large flower design repeatedly onto an 8cm square of white card using black ink before colouring with pencils. Trim into nine individual squares and stick to the top of an orange blank leaving a small space between each panel.
2 Stamp ‘Best Wishes’ onto white card using black ink and colour with dark pink pencil. Stick to the blank then embellish the inchies using fine glitter.
