Masking and Stamping Platform Technique

Happy February. Rachel with you again today, kicking off a month of inspiration over at Crafting with Lisa Horton. Here is my finished project

It's easy to take for granted techniques in crafting when they become second nature and we almost don't even recognise them as a technique. I use masking a lot in my projects for lots of reasons and find it second nature to mask a stamped image to do a background or add layers without bulk. I thought I would share this technique as there are new crafters all the time. The Crafting With Lisa Horton Facebook group is a lovely place for first-timers and experienced crafters, not forgetting everyone in between. So forgive me if this is nothing new to you but I wanted to share this with those who might not have come across it before. I thought the best way to explain it was to make a simple card, so here goes.

Firstly, not all post it notes are created equally... I know, you may or may not be surprised to know there are post it notes with a full adhesive back as well as those with just a strip. I'm going to be using the ones with the strip as those are the ones most readily available.

The first thing you need to do is stamp the images you want to create masks for as close to the adhesive edge of your post it notes as you can. I am using distress oxide inks and Lisa Horton's Daisy Burst stamp set. Don't worry

about your stamping on these as long as you have an outline you are good to go.

I don't stamp the same stamp multiple times I just keep a little stack of the notes together and cut them all out as a stack.

You can stamp the circle design I'm going to stamp with, or without, a stamping platform. If you don't have a stamping platform just lightly draw yourself a circle as a guide.

When you're using masks for multiple stamping layers, you need to just take a moment to think about what you want in the foreground and the background. Whatever you stamp first is going to be in the foreground. In this instance I'm going to put my smaller flowers in front of the larger flowers so I start with them. If you're not using a platform you can do this by eye and evenly position your first layer.

I've just stamped four as there are plenty to come. On the stamp platform position your first small flower stamp and then turn your paper 90 degrees and repeat until you get back to where you started.

Next cover this first layer with the post it note masks, and you're good to go with the next layer.

Cover that with your masks and repeat with the third layer.

I used four different flowers from the set and stamped each one four times it doesn't look like much when it's all covered in your note masks.

This is your opportunity to add any other bits or background shading etc. as your flowers are covered so it won't effect them.

I added a bit more stamping and I blended a little distress ink around the edges and splashed a tiny bit of water on it to give some subtle splodging.

Then comes the exciting bit, you get to peel off your post it notes and see what you have created.

To finish my card off I stamped the sentiment onto the circle.

I then stamped a few petals on the edge of the circle and matted it in the middle.

I hope this has been useful it's such a handy technique for so many projects and it's also great for making cards that you want to look dimensional without having the bulk for postage. Thanks for joining me today. Rachel