Background stamps are one of my favorite tools, and I say tools, because they can do so much. They are a quick way to make patterned paper and they can give your card subtle texture or a bold design. One of my favorite techniques with background stamps is double stamping, or overstamping. To do this you need two background stamps. For this demonstration I chose Tres Chic...my latest fave, and Sanded, an ultra cool background stamp with so many possibilities.
When I first started stamping I had a hard time getting a good impression with background stamps. Then I learned a little technique at a Stampin' UP! regional seminar that changed the way I looked at background stamps. So to start, here is a simple way to get a great impression every time.
Start with your background stamp rubber facing up.
Hold your stamp pad with the grooves and ink the stamp. I usually start by swishing my stamp pad around, then tapping it. Swishing gets the ink on, tapping gets it inked fully.
Next you are going to lay your card or piece of cardstock on your stamp while it is still facing up. You can position it by moving it slightly.
Then, with the cardstock on the stamp, place a sheet of paper, just scrap copy paper. Run your hand firmly over the paper to ensure your card or cardstock gets evenly inked. Pay special attention tracing the edges with your fingers and ensuring the centre gets fully inked.
Then voila... a perfect impression! Sorry the picture isn't so great...my photography skills could use a bit of a brush up.
To double stamp your image, you are going to go through this same process. You can choose to use the same colour or a different colour, there are no rules. I chose to use the same colour, So Saffron. The final result is a gorgeous shabby Tres Chic image!
When I assembled the card I decided to work with Julee's Mojo Monday #15 sketch, and I am really giving my retiring stamps a workout! I chose Oh So Lovely, a level one hostess set that is so gorgeous, and So Many Sayings, another level one hostess set that is so appropriately named!
The card base Old Olive, and I added a layer of More Mustard, which stamped with Sanded in More Mustard, to keep with the shabby feel of the card. I stamped the background image on Very Vanilla, and then stamped the flower and watercoloured it with Watercolour Wonder Crayons and the Aquapainter. I distressed all the edges with the Cutter Kit, and sponged a little more mustard around the edge of the So Saffron layer. The sentiment is framed with a chipboard frame from the On Board Basics set. I love the mottled colour it took! I simply rubbed the chipboard directly into the classic pad. I lifted it to see how fully it had 
taken the colour, and decided that I liked the mottled look the way it was. I attached it with two gold brads, and placed it over the band of Old Olive layered with More Mustard Prints Designer Paper. The half circles on the top and bottom were made with the 1 3/8" circle punch, and rather than adding another layer I simply punched the half circle from the So Saffron to let the More Mustard layer show through! Click on the image so you can really see the overstamping, and the mottled colour of the chipboard..gotta love it! So do you think it's a winner? Should I enter it in Julee's sketch challenge? Or should I enter this one:
I thought it would be fun to show a different set of background stamps, so I whipped up this card for a totally different look. OK, not so different, I kept the same sketch...did you recognize it? To achieve this look I wanted to imitate a golf shirt of my husbands, sort of a beige on beige knit, so I started with Sahara Sand, and stamped Print Pattern in River Rock, then overstamped with Canvas using Sahara Sand ink. Love the way it turned out! I stamped the deer from Wildlife Reserve and watercoloured it. I used my Cropodile to set those Jumbo Eyelets...how cool are they? They add real masculine touch don't they! I couldn't resist adding some of that luscious satin ribbon from the Holiday mini..so sad it retired, I think it's behind everything so it doesn't take away from the masculine look. I decided the sentiment should go directly on the card, and I stamped it crooked!!! I tried various ways of covering it, but they all seemed out of place, and made the card look too busy. So there it stays, Happy Birthday in all it's crookedness. I guess I will just have to give it to the recipient when he's well into his celebrations! Maybe he won't notice? Ya think?
Well what do you think? You have now seen three cards with Julee's sketch, including this one from my earlier post...which one should I enter? Leave a comment and let me know what you think! Hope you are having a great day!
