Christmas Inlay Stamps

Good morning and welcome back to the LDRS Creative Inspiration Blog.  Today I am playing with the new Christmas Inlay Stamp set, which is a new and innovative way to bring multiple colors to simple stamped scenes!  LDRS has introduced two new Inlay stamp sets with their newest release, the Christmas Inlay (which we are playing with today) and the Cozy Days Inlay stamp set.  Both stamp sets work similarly and are a joy to create with.

I am creating this card using the Christmas Inlay stamp set, the Good Cheer Sentiment stamp set, the Stitched Scallop Arch Dies, Iced Tea Hybrid Ink, Coffee Bean Hybrid Ink, Evergreen Hybrid Ink, and Snowy White ink.

I started with a kraft card stock panel.  I usually use two panels.  I'll test stamp on one to try everything out  and condition the stamps, and then do my final stamping on the second.  I do this with each stamp along the way.  For instance, I started stamping the cottage.  I first stamped on the test piece and got it looking how I wanted, and then stamped it on the final panel.  Next, I put the test piece back in my Misti, and moved on to the trees.  I hope this makes sense.

Another tip for stamping on kraft card stock, you can stamp in white ink first if you want a more muted look for your inks.  It really gives the ink a nice look on kraft and adds a foundation for the ink to sit on.  I do the same thing, sometimes, when coloring on craft with colored pencils.  Color the image first with white, and then add color on top.

I stamped the cottage first in Snowy White, then in Iced Tea.  I then added a little Coffee Bean ink around the edges of the stamp for shadowing.  And finally added a little more Snowy White on the roof for a look of snow.  You could also do the white on the roof in heat embossing which would be really pretty.  Sparkle white heat embossed would be beautiful as well.

Next, I moved on to adding the trees.  I wanted the little cottage to be the star of the show, so I didn't add a lot to the trees and just stamped them in Evergreen ink.  I did add a touch of gold ink to the stars on the top of the trees.  I then added the snow flakes in Snowy White, which you could also heat emboss if you wish, and took the sentiment from the Good Cheer Sentiment stamp set.  I stamped it in Raven Ink and heat embossed in clear.

To finish off the card, I die cut the top and middle panel with dies from the Stitched Scallop Arch dies set and popped them up with foam tape.  I added a snowflake ribbon from my stash and put it all on a A2 green, top folding card base.

There are so many cute and innovative ways you could use these inlay stamp sets.  You can add additional color and sparkle after stamping, if you wish.  This little cottage could of had lights in the windows and a snowy roof over the door.  The trees could have had colorful little ornaments sparkling throughout, with dots of ink from colorful glaze pens.  So many possibilities!

I hope you find some time to get crafty today!  Hugs, LeeAnn