Day 22 - Foliage Stamps (tutorial)

On Day 15, I used a large leaf stamp to construct three dimensional poinsettias for my card.  Today I'm using a small leaf stamp, from the "Lovely As A Tree" set, to create a Christmas wreath.

 

 

YOUR TURN: Use a small stamp and three shades of ink to create a holiday wreath.

Upload your creation here.

 

 

You'll need a small foliage stamp and at least three shades of green ink.  If you don't have a small leaf stamp, consider using a fern, flower, butterfly or heart - as long as it's small it will work. 

 

Draw a feint circle on your piece of cardstock with a pencil.  This will form the basic shape of your wreath and can be rubbed out once you have finished stamping. 

 

Start stamping with the lightest of your inks.  Begin at the centre bottom of the circle and stamp up one side until you reach the centre top.  Repeat for the other side as shown in the photo below. 

 

Fill in the wreath making sure you tilt the stamp in different ways as you work your way around the circle.  Try to keep the wreath an even thickness all the way around. 

 

Now ink the stamp using the middle shade.  Starting in the centre at the bottom, stamp in the darker leaves working around until you're about half way up each side. 

 

Now re-ink the stamp in the first colour (the lightest shade) and touch the stem of the leaf into the middle shade again.  Stamp the rest of the way up the wreath on both sides.  This will help to prevent a sudden, and very obvious, change in colour. 

 

Repeat the process with the darkest colour, but only work about 1/4 of the way up each side of the wreath.  Re-ink with the middle colour and again tip the stem into the darkest colour to prevent sudden colour changes. 

 

Now decorate!