Layered Collage Shells

Before I get to the stamping, I just have to say - how awesome are those Olympic athletes?!! I'm not generally a sports fan, or an athlete myself, but I realize how hard they would have had to have worked day in and day out to be where they are right now. I watched the Women's Marathon last night (never planned to do that in my life!) but the scenery of the city was beautiful and I actually cried when the winner circled the track to win. And Michael Phelps - so incredibly happy for him to have reached a seemingly unreachable place, and that his team mates got to contribute!

Okay, on to the card I made...

It took me till almost now to grow attached to the Stampin' Up! 2008 In-Colors LOL but they've finally grown on me!

This card features a technique I came up with and submitted to Pat and it's in the current Technique Junkie newsletter (bowing humbly here LOL ;o). It's called Layered Collage and you really only need 4-5 stamps and 3 ink colors. It's very simple, and gives a complicated collage look for those who feel challenged but want to expand their style.

Click photo for more detail.

This card is quite large at 6" x 6 3/4" because the collage stamp I started with was already a big one.

I started with a Soft Sky cs, and used River Rock to stamp the Background Text - Medium (A Stamp in the Hand). I overstamped the Parisian Shell (Stampington & Company, generously given to me by my stampin' friend Cheri :o) using Groovy Guava. I stamped the shell (an ancient PSX stamp) and starfish (an even more ancient Comotion stamp!) as shown using Blue Bayou. I wanted the shell skeleton to have some added interest so I used my Signo white gel pen to highlight and my rubber-tipped Colour Shaper to shadow with the blue ink. I roughed up the edges with a Tim Holtz distressing tool and layered it to a Blue Bayou cs panel.

I stamped the quote (and by Nature I'm sure he meant God ;o) by Northwoods Rubber Stamps on a River Rock panel in BB ink. I got out my stamp positioner (which I would definitely take with me to a deserted island, were I able to stamp LOL) and stamped the shell and starfish on the bkgd panel as shown. I layered this panel to a True Thyme cs and set aside.

Well, you know how I hate to break down and use designer paper for anything LOL so for the main background, I used a piece of SU's Whisper White cs and ran my GG pad over the whole thing. I marked it up further with some RR ink straight from the pad, and then used a sponge to edge the whole thing lightly with TT.

Enjoy your Sunday - may it be restful :o)