Stamping School - Chalk it up to elegance

Hi all, well it’s that time again, another stamping school from me! Following Shimelles featured stamp post on the 17th featuring the elegant swirls stamps I was inspired to come up with this chalking project to share with you

 

An age of elegance

 

 

The ingredients

 

The layout is 12x6 and features a 6x4 photo of my nanny and her friends. I used the elegant swirls and It’s all about elegance stamp sets for this project (can you see where I got the layout title from?)

You will need a clear versamark ink pad (or similar)some cotton wool pads and a selection of decorative chalks and/or pastels for this technique, as well as some co-ordinating inks, embossing powder, selection of papers/card, trimmings and embellishments of your choice oh and some cheap hairspray (all will be revealed!)

I love this chalking technique, you can create so many lovely patterns in so many shades of colours and it’s a great way to make your own patterned paper. I think it works especially well for a vintage feel as in the layout I have created.

 

 

The main strip across the layout is created using one of the smaller stamps in the It’s all about elegance stamp set and I have used the matt side of some brown paper to stamp on.

 

 

Create a random pattern by stamping with your clear ink

 

 

Then using some cotton wool pads and your choice of chalk colours gently rub all over the paper in a circular movement tip; let the versamark dry a little before applying chalk so you don’t smudge your pattern and don’t be too heavy handed. Build up the different colours, I’ve used 3 shades of brown, until you are happy. The chalk clings to the versamark ink, it’s like the pattern magically appears (a bit like the magic colouring books I had as a kid where the picture appeared when you applied water LOL)

 

 

I then created a patterned strip with a different stamp using the same technique but this time using pastels instead of the decorative chalk. It is slightly richer in colour and gives me more colour choice. I put a block of pastel on some scrap paper and pick it up on my cotton wool.

 

 

Using some basic grey paper as a base I stamped along the bottom edge with the scallop lace stamp from It’s all about elegance, chalked it in the same way and cut out the scallop. I also used another stamp from the set to create the corner details again using the same technique, adding chalk around the rest of the sides. I distressed the edges of the paper and inked them.

 

 

I stamped the lovely It’s all about elegance frame on to some thin chipboard (well the back of a reporters notebook actually!) and embossed it with a copper detail powder. Tip; to give it a distressed metal feel heat the powder so it just melts giving you a hammered metal effect. I created my title on some cream card that I then chalked. I cut out the frame, inked the edges and framed my title.

 

 

The last thing I did before assembling my layout was to stamp the photo with a couple of the elegant swirl stamps to pull the whole design together.

 

 

Before assembling everything it is very important to fix all that chalk and pastel so your work doesn’t get smudged this is where the cheap hairspray comes in, the cheaper the better, it has more sticky stuff in it! Spray over all the chalky bits (once over is enough, don’t soak the paper!)

 

 

Assemble the layout with all the layers and patterned loveliness and embellish as you wish. The eagle eyed amongst you will see I used one of my heartfelt blooms from my last stamping school, the colours were perfect!

 

So your homework is to go and create some of your own patterned paper. Why not try some of your Banana frog retro stamps and maybe some of the funky ones with brighter colours to create a completely different look with the same technique? And remember stamps aren't just for ink!! Have fun playing and don’t forget to share your creations with us, we love to see what you create with your Banana frog stamps here at the lilly pad!

Thanks for hopping by, visit soon to be inspired by all the talented froglets and I’ll see you next month with another stamping school. Until then happy crafting!

Love

M x

Comments

[Bev]

Lovely, just lovely Michelle. I love the photo of your nanny too :)

[Audrey]

Luv your use of the pastels. I think I need that Elegant frame!