Stamping Technique—String & Block

It’s here—the last day of September! We’ve loved every second of National Stamping Month, and we’re excited to share one last stamping technique with you to commemorate September and usher in October. Using our Nevermore paper packet, our artist created an adorable scrapbook page to complement this precious little puppy dog:

Boo page CTMH

Just look at that face! Isn’t he sweet? Halloween is such a fun time for children, but it’s also fun for adults to dress up their kiddos—or puppies!—in cute costumes. Their personalities really come to life! Scrapbook pages like this remind us to celebrate childhood and enjoy time together with loved ones.

Now, did you spot today’s stamping technique? You can find it by taking a closer look at the Cricut®-cut haunted house. We’re going to tell you how to create that textured look you see on the shape. It’s really simple!

String & Block technique

Start with some twine. Wrap it around a My Acrylix® block a few times but not too many: You don’t want the block to look like a mummy! 🙂 Tie a knot at the top of the block to secure the twine, and there you have it! You’ve created your own unique texture stamp! Now ink the twine with our Black Exclusive Inks stamp pad, and stamp it down onto the haunted house shape. Feel free to alternate horizontal and vertical lines to add even more visual interest.

There is so much you can accomplish using this simple technique! As seen here, it is perfect for giving a rough texture to Cricut® shapes like houses and animals, but it can also be used to invent your own patterned paper. Try spacing out the twine when you wrap it around your block for different looks, and then get to work experimenting! There are SO many places you could take this technique! The sky’s the limit! (but you could probably create some fun sky effects, too!)

Thanks for joining us this month as we’ve shared some stamping ideas to spice up your crafting routine. For more Nevermore inspiration, be sure to search #ctmhnevermore on social media. Once you create your own masterpiece, share it with the world by using the same hashtag. We love seeing what you create!

Recipe
 
12″ x 12″ Boo Page
Make It from Your Heart™ Vol. 1: Pattern 17
D1669 My Acrylix® Tasty Terrors, B1484 My Acrylix® Jennifer’s Hand, X7199B Sangria Paper Packet, 1386 Black Cardstock, X5929 Whisper Cardstock, X5930 Slate Cardstock, X5771 Flaxen Cardstock, Z2105 Black Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad, X7199C Sangria Complements, X7198C Nevermore Complements, Z2013 Sequins Silver Assortment, Z3095 Whisper Thick Twine (for wrapping), Z3169 Cricut® Artbooking Collection

Cricut® Shapes:
Artbooking
1 ½” Shift+Title <U> (p. 54)
5″ Shift+Border <V> (p. 71)
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Stamping Technique: Embossing

National Stamping Month’s been a real treat: From designing the My Acrylix® Hello, Life! stamp sets to looking at all the beautiful artwork you’ve shared on social media, we’ve enjoyed every moment of it! Ready for another great stamping technique to celebrate this special month? We’ve got a great one to share from this spooktacular layout!

Halloween layout CTMH

Did that “BOO” stamp on the right page pop out at you? Well it should have, not because it’s scary but because it’s embossed! For those who don’t know what we mean by embossing, we’ll quickly explain. Embossing means to create a raised design on a surface. This stamping technique gives the stamp a gritty texture that sits on top of the page for added dimension.

Now, how do you emboss? We’ll walk you through what our artist did for this stamp. First, she stamped the “BOO” image onto the page using a VersaMark ink pad. Then she sprinkled Ranger white super fine embossing powder onto the ink, and lightly shook off the extra (the powder will cling to the ink). To set the image, she heated it with a craft heater. Here’s a closer look at the finished product:

Boo embossing CTMH

What’s particularly cool about the embossing on this Halloween layout is that our artist surrounded it with an Eggplant fog to create a ghostly feel. This technique is really easy to do and adds extra charm to the embossing. Using our Eggplant Exclusive Inks™ stamp pad, she simply took a sponge dauber and lightly daubed on and around the embossing. The stamp doesn’t become obscured because the embossing resists the ink. It’s almost like magic!

On the prowl for more artwork featuring our Nevermore paper collection? You’ll find lots more by searching Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest using the hashtag #ctmhnevermore. Also, in case you missed it, check out the fun artwork in this video that came out earlier this month on the My Craft Channel website:

Recipe

12″ x 12″ Halloween Layout
B1503 My Acrylix® Steampunk Scoundrels, B1488 My Acrylix® Pumpkin Chevron, X7198B Nevermore Paper Packet, X5769 Thistle Cardstock, 1386 Black Cardstock, 1385 White Daisy Cardstock, Z3126 Paper Fundamentals Enchantment, Z3128 Paper Fundamentals Basics, Z2648 Sapphire Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad, Z2647 Eggplant Exclusive InksStamp Pad 44751 Archival Black Exclusive Inks Stamp Pad, Z891 VersaMark Ink Pad, Z3083 Nevermore Assortment, Z3166 Fundamental Stickers Basics Pack, Z3104 Fundamental Assortment Black, Z2013 Sequins Silver Assortment, Z2068 Ranger White Super Fine Embossing Powder, Z2462 ShinHan Touch Twin Peony Purple Marker, Z1979 Marvy® Uchida® LePen Journaling Pen, Z3169 Cricut® Artbooking Collection

Cricut® Shape:
Artbooking
2 ½” Shift+Title <I> (p. 55)

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