When I was in Phoenix, I wanted to do a class where we used the Winter Floral background stamp with the Winter Floral stencil and Winter Foliage die from Simon Says Stamp.  This is a holiday stamp but a change of colour scheme is all that is needed to make it work all year round.  My dilemma was how to have everyone in the class working at the same time, using the same stamp/die and stencil.  In preparation,  I made several samples using different techniques to see how I could have everyone doing something different with the same pre-stamped background.  That worked out pretty well, but the wheels fell off the world before I got to do the class.  I have decided that I would post the different techniques here in today’s post.

1. GLITTER PASTE.  Stamp background.  Apply the Layered Winter Floral Stencils and colour with a sponge dauber or blending brush.  Apply iridescent glitter paste to the “petals” stencil and let dry. Add the Thank you sentiment to the matching shadow die.  Add a mat in the same colour as the shadow die-cut and apply to a card base.  Add some Nuvo drops to the flower centres and berries.
2. FLOCKING. Stamp background in black ink.  Apply Thermoweb Transfer Gel duo to the petals through the stencil. Remove stencil promptly and let dry.  Apply Rina K Flock transfer sheet to the petals when the Duo Gel is dry and transparent.  Run the background with the Flock transfer sheet (nice side up) through a laminator or a die cutting machine.  Peel up the transfer sheet revealing flocked flowers.  Add the Winter florals die cut and the Birthday Wishes sentiment and pop up on the card.  Add a black mat and adhere to a card base.  Add some white or iridescent pearls.  This card is 5.5 X 5.5 inches.
3. BLACK/WHITE HEAT EMBOSSING.  Stamp background in black Versafine ink.  Add clear embossing powder and heat set.  Pop up the Winter Floral  die-cut,  cut out of white cardstock on to the cardfront.  Add versamark ink to the sentiment and cover with clear embossing powder and heat set.   Add the sentiment greeting to the circular die cut. Add iridescent gems and black Nuvo drops
4. Stamp background on watercolour cardstock.  Paint the scene using any watercolour media (I used Arteza brush markers).   Pop up the Winter Foliage die-cut,  cut out of white cardstock on to the card front and add the circular sentiment greeting. Spray the entire card front with Sparkle Shimmer Spritz.  Add some white pearls from Studio Katia.
5. Stamp background on Bristol Smooth cardstock.  Use a dauber or Blending brush through the different layers of stencils.  Pop up the Winter Foliage die-cut,  cut out of white cardstock on to the card front and add the circular sentiment greeting. Spray the entire card front with Sparkle Shimmer Spritz. Add some pink gems and green sequins
6. Stamp background on watercolour paper with Versafine black ink.  Cover with clear embossing powder immediately and heat set  Using Nuvo Shimmer Powders, sprinkle tiny amounts of the appropriate colours inside the embossed lines.  Spray generously with water to get the colour “exploding” and moving.  Die cut the Winter Foliage circle from Watercolour cardstock.  Add a small amount of Nuvo Shimmer Powder in any colour and spray with water.  When dry pop up the diecut and add the sentiment as before.  Add sequins that match the Nuvo Shimmer colours on the card front.
7. Stamp the background stamp with Versamark ink on black watercolour cardstock (any black cardstock will work too)  Cover with silver embossing powder and heat set.  Paint the flowers using Altenew Metallic Watercolors.  Cut out the sentiment and shadow from black watercolour cardstock.  Paint the sentiment in Copper metallic ink.  Pop up and apply to the centre of the card. Apply the card front to a 5.5 X 5.5 card base.

So there you are……..seven techniques and none of them looks the least bit Christmasy even though it was intended as a holiday stamp.