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Back to Basic Stamps
With the huge amounts of products at your fingertips for your scrapbooking projects, you can be a bit overwhelmed. Every once in a while, I like to get back to the basics to clear my mind and “start new” again. It allows me to really be creative without the distraction of the current trends. I usually do this by whipping out a piece of cardstock that matches my pictures, grabbing my basic shape stamps and creating my own patterned paper.
By clearing your head of all other products on the shelf, you can spark ideas for future pages easily and without spending a bundle. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Circles. Reach for those circle stamps and create your own background paper for a fun layout. By stamping circles (both hollow and full) in different colors and patterned textures, you can make an interesting and fun pattern that will be easy to use with your pictures.
- Diamonds. Is there a certain argyle or diamond-shaped pattern of paper that you love, but that you use too often? Try recreating it with a diamond-shaped stamp and acrylic paint. You might absolutely love the alternative!
- Corners. Use your foam shapes on the corners your cardstock. Keeping your cardstock simple can really make an impact on your audience. For a little extra pop, try repeating the theme on one of the corners of your picture.
- Letters. For a fun pattern, stamp with foam letter stamps in random succession onto a piece of cardstock. Let some of them run off the page, giving the impression that the pattern continues somewhere else.
- Swirls. The basic swirl shape is all the rage right now. By using it for inspiration you can create a page that is appealing to the eye and unique.
- Themed. Make the perfect themed paper. By using the latest themed foam stamps, like Halloween or Christmas, you can make a great background for your holiday pictures.
Don’t be afraid to use foam stamps from different manufacturers on the same page. With manufacturers like Heidi Swapp, Li’l Davis, Provo Craft and Making Memories, you have so much to choose from. Once you’re comfortable using some of your basic shape stamps, try some of these more advanced techniques:
- Layer. Overlap the stamped images on the background, especially if they’re stamped in different colors of paint. It makes a shabby, yet cool effect.
- Duplicate. Create the same pattern out of stamped shapes on two different colors of cardstock. Then, layer the cardstock in whichever way you choose creating the impression that the patterns aren’t homemade.
- Give and Take. Get a group of your scrapping friends to swap hand-made patterned papers. You each make several sheets of patterned paper out of your foam stamps and then trade with each other. You’ll be amazed how different they’ll all come out!
I hope this will give you some ideas to rejuvenate your love for those basic shape stamps. They are so versatile, but they sometimes get lost in all the other products. It’s always refreshing to start over and go back to the basics.
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