Creating a Stamped Background for a Layout

Today I have a layout to share with you that is all about stamping. If you have been reading this blog for awhile, you have probably caught on that I am a huge fan of Studio Calico. I subscribe to their monthly Scrapbook and Project Life kit. I love that they come up with really fun exclusive items every month, and this month was no exception. I was so excited to find foam stamps and paint in this kit and immediately tried to come up with something fun I could create with them. 

What I am sharing with you today could be adapted for any stamps and acrylic paint you have really, just find a pattern that you love and that you want to use repeatedly. If you are curious about the foam stamps or paint that was included in the June Hello Hello Scrapbook Kit.  You can see an image of the Scrapbook Kit and stamps HERE if you are curious. :-) *I am not compensated by Studio Calico for this post, I just really love their products and customer service, and highly recommend them. *

The Hello Hello Scrapbook Kit came with a gorgeous yellow and blue acrylic paint. I started by stamping all of the yellow circles, then I stamped the blue, and lastly I combined the two colors and stamped green circles. I cleaned the foam stamp in between each color change by just running it under my kitchen faucet and wiping it down carefully with a rag. It worked brilliantly and I managed to make three backgrounds. I picked the one I liked best for the layout, and am saving the rest for another project.

Once the stamped background was dry ( I waited overnight,) I cut down my 8.5 x 11 piece of white stamped cardstock to 8 x 10.5 inches. This was to leave room for a patterned paper border for the background. I adhered the white stamped cardstock to my yellow patterned paper sized 8.5 x 11 inches. I then added a circular matted photo (approximately three inches) and began journaling around the circles using my favorite American Crafts Precision Pen in black. The journaling is all about life lessons I want to remind my daughter about. If you click on the image below you can see the journaling in a larger (and hopefully easier to read format.) I also stamped the title "always remember" at the top and bottom of the layout using Versafine Ink in Onyx Black.

I stepped away from the layout for awhile to do some laundry, and then came back and had so much fun adding embellishments to this layout. I first added the butterflies, to break up the linear quality to this layout. I then placed various wood veneer, buttons, puffy stickers, and a Geotag around the layout until I found an arrangement I liked. I use a lot of visual triangles in my designs. If you look closely you will see that the wood butterflies make a visual triangle (as do the puffy gold hearts, the puffy red stars and veneer starts, and what not.) This really makes your eye go around the page and notice all of the little details.

My last finishing touch was to stamp the expression I love you repeatedly in the bottom right corner. I used Versafine Onyx Black ink and an October Afternoon Roller Stamp.

I appreciate you being here and stopping by life, scrapbook, repeat. I hope you liked reading about how I put this layout together. It was a lot of fun to make, and a great excuse to get messy with stamping.

Let's talk stamping today. Anyone else trying any new stamping techniques or doing something out of the ordinary? I would love to hear about some of your favorite stamping techniques. What are you loving lately? What are you finding difficult about stamping? Let's chat.

Until next time,

xoxox

Toni