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I just recently purchased some lovely background stamps. But not sure how to use them. Do you make them bold and the main feature of the card, or light and subtle so you can add other stamps/embellishments too. I love the designs, but now I have them I just can't figure out what to do with them.
Hay Mitch. I've used some of my bkgrnd stamps as the main feature. It greatly depends what the design is. Mostly, I use them as a muted bkgrnd, sometimes even using the same color ink as the cs. Sometimes stampin' in Versafine Black and colorin' w/ muted Prismacolor Colored pencils & OMS. Go to www.cornishheritagefarms.com and look at their gallery for inspiration. They have a huge inventory of great bkgrnd stamps and very reasonably priced. HTH! May God bless, Sandi
__________________ StormyElf'd '07Humble Ink Smears If at first you don't succeed, talk to God! Then, go put on your big girl panties!
I think it depends partly on your style of stamping and the card you want to produce. I sometimes use mine to make a background layer (like using designer paper, I guess) and sometime make them a feature. Tone on tone or watermark can look great with some BGs and bolder contrast can be fun too. Some patterns are great for adding texture to other elements (especially weave or 'weathered' kind of patterns).
What designs do you have? Could you search the gallery with keywords to see if you get any inspiration there (so say you have a paisley BG, try searching for 'paisley' in the gallery).
I like using Versamark for a watermalk effect or with chalks, for background. Sometimes I use card stamped with a BG stamp as my matting layer for a stamped image. I'd agree with trying a search in the gallery here if you got SU stamps. I always find inspiration in there
I'd agree with trying a search in the gallery here if you got SU stamps. I always find inspiration in there
I'd do the search even if your BG stamps are not SU! None of mine are (they're all Cornish Heritage Farms) and I know lots of of other stampers are using non-SU! so the gallery might well supply inspiration for others.
Another neat thing to do with them is to stamp an image (not the BG stamp) in black or a dark color. Stamp the BG stamp over it with Versamark, emboss with Stamp & Stick powder and cover with glitter.
__________________ Ann Here is my oily blog! CLICK HERE Certified Copic Instructor - Local ClassesI love cars, stamping and essential oils!
Wow! I have hardly touched my backgrounds recently! Yikes!
Formerly, they were such an important element in our routine stamping .. but I believe that the popularity of using printed papers has allowed us to move away from our backgrounds, without intention. I love using them "stamped off" once for a very subtle effect. There are a few that can actually "stand alone" as your primary layer, with just a sentiment or simple something above it! Enjoy!
I LOVE my background stamps. I use Versamark for a subtle background. I also do tone-on-tone (Green Galore ink on Green Galore background, etc.), or a dark color background behind a lighter paper.
You can just use a background stamp on a portion of the page (such as the bottom).
I really prefer them to patterned papers--you always have them, and can do the colors YOU want!
I emboss with mine and my favourite thing to do is distressed embossing. It's as easy as regular embossing: You use white craft ink & clear embossing powder then just overheat it (without scorching it.) It makes a neat dark line around the white ink & brings out the detail of the background stamp. Here's a sample:
I have the stamp "Happiness" which I consider a background stamp, even though it isn't listed that way. pg. 122 in the catty. Anyways, I want to cut it apart and not mount it on the wood block. Does anyone know what I need to use as a backing so that the pieces will stick to a clear block??? I asked at Micheal's and they had no idea!!!
I have the stamp "Happiness" which I consider a background stamp, even though it isn't listed that way. pg. 122 in the catty. Anyways, I want to cut it apart and not mount it on the wood block. Does anyone know what I need to use as a backing so that the pieces will stick to a clear block??? I asked at Micheal's and they had no idea!!!
EZ Mount will work Or Cling Cushion. It is called different things depending on where you buy it.
__________________ ~Lori~ Mom of 3...Colton (20),Justin (19), and Melody (17)
As for BG stamps, one of my favorite thing to do is the "Kissing" technique. Where you ink up your background stamp, then kiss it with another stamp, and stamp your non-BG stamp. It works best with more solid stamps. I like it with my Mono Alphas and Letterpress Alphas. :0)
__________________ ~Lori~ Mom of 3...Colton (20),Justin (19), and Melody (17)
I have the stamp "Happiness" which I consider a background stamp, even though it isn't listed that way. pg. 122 in the catty. Anyways, I want to cut it apart and not mount it on the wood block. Does anyone know what I need to use as a backing so that the pieces will stick to a clear block??? I asked at Micheal's and they had no idea!!!
I love my background stamps, but the biggest deterrent to my using them more often is the thought of having to clean them, LOL! I use them a lot if I'm doing a set of identical cards, like monogrammed note cards, for a gift.
(Oh, and I think Michael's is pretty clueless when it comes to stamping.)
I emboss with mine and my favourite thing to do is distressed embossing. It's as easy as regular embossing: You use white craft ink & clear embossing powder then just overheat it (without scorching it.) It makes a neat dark line around the white ink & brings out the detail of the background stamp. Here's a sample:
I love my background stamps, but the biggest deterrent to my using them more often is the thought of having to clean them, LOL! I use them a lot if I'm doing a set of identical cards, like monogrammed note cards, for a gift.
(Oh, and I think Michael's is pretty clueless when it comes to stamping.)
I stumbled onto an easier way to clean them. My stamp'n'scrub cleaning pad from Stampin' Up! kept falling out of the holder. So I used carpet tape (super strong double-sided tape) To hold it in. Then I broke it (I'm a clutz.) Well breaking it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Now I can use the half with the lower ridge (if you have one a look at it will show you what I mean) Anywho, I can drag the pad over the stamp instead of the other way around (as though I was using a scrub brush.) Sounds complicated, but it's really easy. And since it comes apart, you don't have to break it to do this. :0)
I keep meaning to take a real scrub brush & remove the bristles then cut the pad in half and super glue it on, but I'm not sure if the fuzziness will start to come off. (And yup, if you're curious, I am a nutnar, lol) :0)
Hi.....Another idea you can try with your background stamps is to stamp with a pigment ink (which ever kind you prefer) then use one of the Ranger brand distress embossing powders. It gives a very different look to the project than the other kinds of embossing powders. It gives it more texture, rather rough feel. Those come in many different colors that can match or contrast your background cardstock.
I use this method frequently, then just mat and attach my sentiment over the embossing.
I live in Australia and someone on SCS suggested using the paint edgers for cleaning stamps. We only have "backed" edgers (ie a plastic backing glued on). I bought the small and large ones and never use my SU stamp cleaner anymore as I find it great to just pick up the edger and rub it over the stamp. Much much simpler - and they are thicker than the SU cleaner. Very similar to what you are doing I guess.
Quote:
Originally Posted by stampztoomuch
I stumbled onto an easier way to clean them. My stamp'n'scrub cleaning pad from Stampin' Up! kept falling out of the holder. So I used carpet tape (super strong double-sided tape) To hold it in. Then I broke it (I'm a clutz.) Well breaking it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Now I can use the half with the lower ridge (if you have one a look at it will show you what I mean) Anywho, I can drag the pad over the stamp instead of the other way around (as though I was using a scrub brush.) Sounds complicated, but it's really easy. And since it comes apart, you don't have to break it to do this. :0)
I keep meaning to take a real scrub brush & remove the bristles then cut the pad in half and super glue it on, but I'm not sure if the fuzziness will start to come off. (And yup, if you're curious, I am a nutnar, lol) :0)
One in each hand and smackin' everything in sight!
I use them mostly as tone-on-tone to create interest on a blank piece of card stock. Occasionally I use a different color for a firmer impression on the card... but not too often.
__________________ Pegg Thomas Socialism is trickle up poverty.
Ann-I am going to try your technique of stamping the image then the background stamp over it with the versamark and stamp and stick powder. I've never tried that before but I like the sound of it.
__________________ Suzanne "With God, all things are possible." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Here is what I do: Buy about 20 of them. Include giant alphabet letters, designs, stuff from Cornish Heritage and SU! Pet them, love them, place them on a shelf, move them to a box, put them back in their cases, take them out and move them to a flat file/map case so you can open the drawer and admire them all at a glance. Move them to another box........
__________________ ~Vee
It's not who you know-it's whom you know.
I usually use background stamps as a subtle design. I stamp with the same color as my paper, thus making it not as bold. You could also accomplish that with Versamark.
I love SU!'s baroque, canvas, sanded, twill, polka dots, and pretty petals. The canvas, sanded and twill all produce a very subtle design. gives the paper some dimension.
Here is what I do: Buy about 20 of them. Include giant alphabet letters, designs, stuff from Cornish Heritage and SU! Pet them, love them, place them on a shelf, move them to a box, put them back in their cases, take them out and move them to a flat file/map case so you can open the drawer and admire them all at a glance. Move them to another box........
HAHAHA!!!!!! They also like to be in close proximity to that Janome Mini I had to have!
LOL Vee, your little paragraph on how you use your background stamps sounds VERY familiar. I love to LOOK at my stamps and re-organize them ALL the time. But to use them much? nope, haven't got that far LOLOLOLOL. I am a serious collector of stamps and stamping accessories
Here is what I do: Buy about 20 of them. Include giant alphabet letters, designs, stuff from Cornish Heritage and SU! Pet them, love them, place them on a shelf, move them to a box, put them back in their cases, take them out and move them to a flat file/map case so you can open the drawer and admire them all at a glance. Move them to another box........
Exactly!!!!! Mine do a great job of filling a spot on the shelf.
I've not used background stamps much but am looking to expand some. What SU background stamps do you use the most?
Print Pattern is one of my favorites because it can be used as a background or stand as the main image of a card. Of the current SU ones, I also use Weathered, Flannel Plaid and Canvas a lot.
I also want to get Sanded, Stitched, and Posy from this catalog. Posy is another one of those that can be the main focus of a card, like the one on page 144 of the catalog.
__________________ Julie my gallery
I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Phillippians 4:13
I love my background stamps, but the biggest deterrent to my using them more often is the thought of having to clean them, LOL! I use them a lot if I'm doing a set of identical cards, like monogrammed note cards, for a gift.
(Oh, and I think Michael's is pretty clueless when it comes to stamping.)
Hey Nancy - as a REAL new member of this craft - and still learning every day it's people like you that keep me from asking "stupid" questions... so not fair to Michael
How do you use background stamps
