No one signed up to make a perpetual calendar tonight (see the sidebar), so I’ll show you a simple project you can do with stamps tonight. This will work with any stamp. I’m using a very architectural stamp, but you could use an animal stamp if you’ve gone zoo crazy, or a Christmas stamp if you’re putting together holiday cards, or a ball stamp if you’ve got a kid whose second word was ball. You’ve got the idea.

A word about stamp pads

There are a lot of different inks. But when it comes to putting ink on your stamp there’s only one thing you need to know: is it a felt/cloth pad or a foam pad? If it’s a felt pad like the one on the left, you bring the stamp to the pad and tap it gently on the pad, then give it a little twist before lifting it off the pad. If it’s a foam pad like the one on the right, you turn your stamp upside down, and gently tap your pad on the stamp. No twisting! You can rip or separate the pad from it’s case if you aren’t gentle. If you follow these instructions, you can have stamp pads for years! They will need re-inking eventually, but that’s another easy thing to do. How to tell if a stamp pad is felt or foam? Get your fingers dirty! A felt pad feels like a piece of canvas, and a foam pad feels like, well, foam.

The Technique

We are going to make a background. I used this technique to make a card and a scrapbook page, but there are lots of other things you can do with this idea–even use paint and you have a home decor treatment that looks like wallpaper, without the need to scrape and peel in ten years when you decide you must have been crazy to do that. First you need to choose a stamp. Base this on what your end project is going to be. I knew I was going to be doing something with my husband in it, so I chose a stamp that could be considered masculine. (Maybe.) From this stamp set from theangelcompany (aka TAC). Then I chose three colors–2 colors close in hue, and then an accent color. I used Niagara Mist, Hint of Pesto, and Night Sky . (I’m linking you to Michael Trent’s website because I haven’t set one up for myself yet. He’s the wonderful guy who sent me a catalog from TAC for free! It’s his fault I’m selling TAC now.)

Start with the lighter of the two colors close in hue, and stamp in a staggered pattern, leaving room between images for the image in the darker color. If you aren’t comfortable with eyeballing it, stamp the image on a post it note, with as much of the image on the side with the sticky strip as possible. Cut close to the image, and you’ve got a repositionable place holder that you can use to help space your images. In StamperSpeak, it’s called a mask, and it’s a very useful trick for layering images, and creating scenes. That will be a future technique.
After you’ve filled the page with the lighter color, choose where you want your accent spot to be, and stamp the image once with the accent color. Then fill in all the empty spots with the darker background color. Don’t forget to go off the edge of your page. This will ground your background, and it won’t look like it’s just floating there, waiting for you to finish it.

I used it for a page about my husband on his birthday two years ago. I hope you like it.

So, I’ve decided I’ve got to make my paper crafting obsession pay for itself. To that end I’ve done some things, and am planning on doing a few more to try to drum up some business.

Done:

Signed up as an Angel Company demonstrator. They have beautiful stamps and papers, and a very generous attitude towards crafters using their images in handmade items. I’ll eventually sign up to use their online store as well, so people can order from me directly online. For now though, if any one needs any stamps or papers, you can email me. 🙂

Started teaching at the local JoAnn’s etc. I’ve only taught a few classes, but I’m starting to get into the swing of things, and my class sizes are increasing! (From one to four, but hey, any increase is a good increase at this stage of the game.)

In the Pipeline:

Putting out flyers and handing out catalogs to anyone who will take one. I’m almost done with making a small pile, then I have to figure out where to put them. I’ve also been handing out business cards any time I can think of an excuse to give one out.

To Do:

Make samples/ put together a sample file of cards, scrapbooks, and classes. I’ll have hard copies, photos, and then I’ll put them online as well. I’ve got some together now, but this really needs to be much more organized.

Keep entering contests. I really want to get published. (I know, so do half the other papercrafters out there.)

Publish instructions for projects with pictures, so if any of you are feeling the need to play with paper, maybe I can help you with some ideas and how-tos.

A little further out:

Check out etsy. Selling cards and scrapbooking stuff online. Why not?

Look into craft fairs and shows in the area. I’ve got to try to sell myself. I’ve never been really good about that, but I’m working on it.

So, that’s what I’m working on. Wish me luck!