Welcome to my first blog post

Welcome to my first blog post! I have been on the fence for quite some time regarding whether I should start a blog or not, and finally decided to do it. I am planning to keep the blog relatively simple and it is not finished yet. Earlier this year I hosted a challenge on Two Peas which I called ‘Layers of ink’, and I thought that would work well as a name for a blog devoted to stamping and papercraft. A big thank you to my friend Jan for having come up with the name.

Here’s a little bit of info about me. I have been doing arts and crafts my whole life, but papercrafting is the one that has totally captured my heart and mind. I have been making cards since 2002, when I got the idea of making my own Christmas cards. It turned out to be a brilliant idea and cardmaking has given me numerous hours of fun since then. I also scrapbook and enjoy switching between the differently sized space of a card and a scrapbooking layout. My stamps are my absolute favorite tools and I love creating something using only white paper, stamps and ink. I love trying out new and old techniques, to experiment and try different products and tools. The possibilities are truly endless.

This first post is about the blog header. I love scenic stamping, so I wanted to stamp a scene for the header. This 8.5” x 11” scene is done on glossy cardstock and coloured with dye inks. It is the longest scene I’ve made so far.

Most of the stamping was done with Archival Jet Black ink, except for the sun, clouds and water pattern, which were stamped with blue dye ink. All the stamps are from Stampscapes, such gorgeous stamps. I first stamped the cabin, masked it and stamped the Autumn Bank on top, using a stamp positioner for precise placement. Then the Autumn Bank and Brook were stamped, lining them up. The sun was stamped in the sky and then again in the water, without reinking. The scene was coloured with a Colorbox Stylus Tool and Fantastix brush tips, starting with the lighter shades of ink and gradually building up darker layers. I tried to get a lot of variation when it came to the green shades of the trees and used darker green and Pesto in the shadow areas. The water and the sky were coloured with relatively light shades of blue ink and leaving quite a bit of the paper white. Pink was added to some areas. Then the water pattern stamp was stamped with first to third generation stamping. I love the life and texture it gives to a mass of water. I wish it was me sitting in that rowing boat.

Thanks so much for looking and for visiting!

Supplies: Stampscapes stamps: Autumn Brook 212G, Autumn Bank Left 213G, Autumn Bank Right 214G, Hot Sun 285E, Cloud Strips 281F, Cloud Strips Sm. 296C, Lilly Grass 295C, Cabin Sm 248A, Migrating Birds 152D, Prickly Branches 272G, Reeds 067B, Row Boat 166A, Oak Branch 203G, Water Pattern 231C, Pebbles 256A, Tree Cluster 244E; Adirondack ink: Aqua, Stonewashed, Willow, Pesto, Hazelnut, Espresso; Distress Ink: Antique Linen, Shabby Shutters; Jenni Bowlin: Soap Powder, Chewing Gum; Memento: Bamboo Leaves, Pear Tart, Danube Blue, London Fog; Colorbox Frost White; white and coloured gel pens; Kromekote glossy cardstock; Colorbox Stylus tool; Tsukineko Fantastix brush tips.