look beyond the obvious...

with the latest stamp release, 

I enlarged the original

 "hosta" stamp...

I love it because 

it can be used so many ways...

the leaves are easy to cut out & they

 can be combined with so many flowers 

that we have, 

to create lots of combos...

the new large size is in this set...

and if you prefer 

wood mounted, it's here...

the photo below shows the original size on the right & the new on the left...

I  used the whole image for this sample...

today I'll share another way 

to use the same stamp...

I stamped these 2 flowers onto clearly for art, that is covered with newsprint paper...

both were stamped with jet black archival & cut out...

they were both inked with 

orange blossom archival, 

then stamped over with this stamp...

I inked the stamp with orange blossom for a tone on tone effect...

next, I stamped the hosta leaves

 ( I chopped off the flower) 

2 times onto CFA/newsprint...

using jet black...

save the flower!

turn it upside down, ink it with yellow

 & it looks like a BEE!

after the leaves were cut out, 

I inked them with leaf green archival...

the plaid background stamp got inked with watering can archival & I stamped over the leaves...

when in doubt, watering can or tree branch coordinate with just about everything...

both are great for background stamping...

the watering can is much softer than jet black...

save jet black for your main images...

you'll see it makes them pop...

plaid leaves? striped flower?

sure! why not...

there are no rules for art!

the #8 manila tag was cut down to 5 ½ inches...

if you haven't tried this, that ¾ of an inch makes a huge difference in the proportions of the tag...

I am really liking this size...

the background was created with 

the rubbing alcohol/archival ink technique...

I used sky blue & tree branch...

the flourishes were stamped with fern green archival & the blue flourish was stamped with sky blue archival...

I added shading to the edges of the tag with pumice stone distress ink & then edged the tag with the tarnished brass distress paint dabber...

it's a small detail, but it's a nice easy finishing touch for tags & cards...

hmmm...

what else?

oh...I lightly inked the unmounted

script background with tree branch archival & randomly stamped over the tag...

mostly toward the right side...

those little dots are tarnished brass distress paint applied to the spatter stamp that comes in the 

faux graniteware starter set...

and...

it's another way to use that stamp!

I'll also be showing some other ways it can be used for holiday projects...

think snow!

the sentiment was stamped with jet black...

and that row of lines at the bottom was stamped with tree branch...

repeating the colors used in the background

 makes it foolproof...

I heated the leaves & flowers to shape them...

clearly for art pieces 

will maintain their shape...

now those "hosta" leaves can be arranged 

to create a swag...

the flowers get layered together 

with black foam adhesive 

and the layered flower will cover up

 the intersection of the leaves...

 a single gem accents the flower center...

I added black glaze pen dots to the border, then got carried away adding them to the background...

note to self...

somedays you need to know when to quit...

and now the hosta looks like a 

whole new much larger stamp...

 this works with the smaller hosta too...

for smaller projects, used with smaller flowers...

it's super cute...

by combining 2 different flowers, 

you get another NEW unique flower...

the flowers are open designs, 

so that they can be stamped or stenciled

 to change them up even more...

the title of this post is

 the moral of the story today...

pick up your stamps...

turn them sideways & upside down...

look beyond the obvious to get more use from your stamps when you...

make art!

wendy

ps...I hope you'll come see us

 in Madison, Wi this weekend!

we'll have the booth LOADED with cool supplies to make art...

tell me that you are a "blog friend"

and I'll have a little gift for you...

I have a fun make & take planned 

for Friday evening...

you'll get to play with my stamps, stencils, inks, mat minis, distress ink & glitter, my embossing powders and embossing paste...

just what you need 

to get in the holiday mood...