January 28, 2017
5 Comments
Hey everyone! Elaineabella here to introduce a fun new regular feature here on the Stamping Bella blog. We already have Marker Geek Mondays, Spotlight Tuesday, Wonderful Wednesdays, DT Thursdays, Bellariffic Fridays and now we’re starting STAMP IT SATURDAYS!
The idea behind Stamp It Saturdays is to share stamping tips and techniques so you can get the most from your Stamping Bella stamps. We want you to stretch those stamps, get as much use as possible from them and really enjoy the magic of stamping!
With that in mind, let’s get started.
If you follow me on Instagram you might have seen that last week I spent a little time playing with my new favourite stamp sets – the UNICORNS of course! I had a card layout in mind and wanted one of the unicorns from the Set of Unicorns set to face the other way, so I reached for my Mirror Mirror/Cardstock Matcher stamp and the MISTI stamping tool.
Watch the stamping process in the video below or in HD over on YouTube.
The Stamping Bella Mirror Mirror/Cardstock Matcher stamp is a great size (approximately 5.75″ x 4.5″), giving you the ability to practice this technique using most of your Stamping Bella stamp images.
To see the card I created using my stamped images, along with full supply details and info on how I die-cut the mirror stamped unicorn visit my blog here: A Little Unicorn Magic with Stamping Bella
The first time I tried this I placed the Mirror Mirror/Cardstock Matcher stamp on the to plate of the MISTI as I would any stamp, then stamped the unicorn on to it using an acrylic block. That worked ok, except that really for this technique you might need a little more ink on the mirror stamp to ensure a good final impression, and this is where a stamp positioner like the MISTI is indispensable.
As you will see in the video, I then tried placing the Mirror Mirror/Cardstock Matcher stamp in the bottom tray of the MISTI where you would normally place a piece of paper, placed the unicorn on the lid and stamped it onto the rubber twice, before laying my paper over the rubber and pressing gently to pick up the ink. Because both stamps are foam mounted this is a little tight, but you only need to really lightly kiss the stamps together, so shouldn’t be putting much stress on the MISTI hinges.
NOTE: if you don’t have a MISTI you can absolutely try this technique simply using acrylic blocks – I just found that the MISTI made it so much easier.
In the video I demonstrate the technique using my usual smooth cardstock, which I use for colouring with Copic markers. To create the card shown over on my blog I knew I wanted to colour the unicorns using coloured pencils, so I stamped on a textured paper. This of course meant that getting a nice stamped impression was more difficult – not a problem – I simply used a black pen (Copic Multi-liner in my case) to trace over the lines and fill in faint or partially stamped areas.
If you’re concerned about using the MISTI in this way with two foam mounted stamps, you might want to consider removing the foam backing from the Mirror Mirror/Cardstock Matcher stamp.
If you don’t have the Mirror Mirror/Cardstock Matcher stamp you can still try this technique – if you have any un-mounted stamps or clear photopolymer stamps larger than your chosen image you can use the back of those. Personally I love the fact that I have a dedicated stamp on hand for this purpose, that is large enough to allow me to do this technique with most of my Stamping Bella image stamps.
Which brings me to the next little demo I have for you today!
Originally the idea behind the Mirror Mirror/Cardstock Matcher stamp was a simple one – a nice solid block of rubber for easily stamping coordinating coloured cardstock for your images. Personally I don’t have much coloured cardstock on hand, and when I did I found that I never seemed to have quite the colour I wanted. Sometimes I find using ink blending tools quite wearing on my hands/arms – all that repetitive motion – so Emily thought a stamp might be a fun idea. Then we realised it would also be perfect for techniques like mirror stamping as we have seen above.
Here’s a look at how well it works for it’s originally intended purpose!
Watch the process in the video below or in HD over on YouTube.
This technique should work particularly well with inks like the Hero Arts Shadow inks range that tend to settle and smooth out after stamping. Some inks may give a blotchy appearance or texture. Pigment inks would also be ideal. I simply used an ink that I had easily to hand at the time. The surface you stamp on will also give different results depending on how smooth or textured it is.
Can you think of any other uses for a large slab of smooth, solid rubber? Let us know in the comments below. 🙂
If you try out the techniques shown in any of the posts with your Stamping Bella stamps, be sure to share! We would love to see the results and hear how you feel about them. Show off your creations in the comments below and even better, share your own favourite tips with us. Let’s talk colour!
If you are posting your images online, we would love to see them on Instagram and all the platforms mentioned above. To make it easier for us to find you just use #markergeekmonday and/or #stampingbella as a hashtag. Even better tag me @markergeek and @stampingbella . We love it when you connect, so don’t be shy!
If you’re on Facebook join us in our private chat group Stamping Bella Sistahood to share your creations there and chat all things Stamping Bella related!
Until next time, HAPPY COLOURING!
MWAH
Elaineabella
That looks great. I use a piece of thick acetate works however that stamp may work better. Thank you
eu amei este passo do unicornio
voce fez um espelho, adorei
Years ago (in the dark ages) I bought a wood-mounted solid piece of rubber to stamp reverse images. I’ve used it a few times, like the reflection of a penguin in the ice, or a sailing ship reflection in the water. Sad to admit I’ve not used it for any other purpose…I’m sure it’s the same idea, which does work great. Please let all of us know if there are other ways to use these. Thanks so much. (Love all the new stuff, but REALLY love those chicks).
Wow – love this idea! Think I need a Misti!
Oh thanks for sharing how this works. I just might have to get ahold of one! Love how you can reverse your images! There are so many times I wish a stamp was facing the “opposite” way. Now I can do it myself! Thanks! 🙂