Creating A Little Magic with Stamps & Stencils

Wanna see what fun looks like in a glass-topped box? Then scroll with me and check out all the gaiety we captured in a two hour class.

Recognize a color you might also have chosen? See a stencil you're just mad about?

Can you think outside the box your instructor gives you and go with something other than straight lines?

What would a class be at a rubber stamp convention if you weren't given some fabulous stamps to use in your framed collage?

I love it when my students pack bling. My photography leaves a lot to be desired since I was using my cell phone, but trust me, the above masterpiece had several highlights using bling.

I love surprises and walking around the classroom while everyone was hard at work was so inspiring to me. But when they began to come together for the end result, I was in awe of the vision these ladies brought to the table.

I dare say they'll be trying their hands at my techniques from now on, and who knows, they may come up with a little something extra to surprise me when next we meet.

Next time you visit your local stamp store or craft store, walk the aisles and really look at the displays on the shelves. Consider color pairings. Look at obscure shapes. Try to imagine the impossible.

You should always make time for play. And if you've forgotten how, go knock on your neighbor's door and ask if you can borrow their child for a couple of hours. I promise you can put a child in a chair with a pad of paper, a basket of crayons, pencils and watercolors, and they'll show you how to have a good time.

If you're looking for a bit of fun with stamping supplies, follow me into a classroom. We'll play with inks and paints, stamps and stencils, create a little magic, get our fingers inky, and sure enough, we've had quite a lot of fun.

Playing with ink is always fun. Adding a few surprise elements just adds to the excitement.

Learning how to take a lot of bright, vibrant backgrounds and turn them into works of art is sure to make you cheerful.

And the color choices made by a group of women is always a surprise to me. One lady used all pastel colors for a truly unique look while some chose bold colors I myself would've packed. The class description said to bring 3-5 of your favorite dye-based ink colors, so no one could go wrong.

Some followed my example and took their color palettes in at least two, but sometimes three directions. And the results were phenomenal. Others created every piece the same so I'd dig through my personal stash and find a piece that was exactly what they needed.

I'm missing some photos obviously, but I'll tell you one thing I find in every class. We always have fun and we're always pleased as punch with the final product.

And there are always people who truly love color...so much so that their finished art matches their ensemble. Just look at the above photo. The proof is in the pudding.

If you're not having fun in one of my classes, you're doing something wrong. And I haven't seen anyone do anything wrong in my decades of teaching, ever!

There were 27 ladies in my 11am class, filling 3 long tables, and working with products they'd never touched, so we were having lots of fun. The ladies above with their backs to the camera were selecting stamps for the final pieces of their Specimen Box Collages.

I hate to refer to classes as favorites, but my specimen box collages have always been tops on my list. We played with inks and stencils, Ranger's Dabbers & Dimensional Pearls, foam stamps, paint and sponges. I brought about 100 of my favorite stencils and it was interesting to see which ones were used the most.

I knew they'd have the most fun creating the backgrounds but I also knew they'd need an equal amount of time to assemble the finished piece. While they were hard at work, I'd collect products to demo the next step. All heads would look up as I'd show them my gathered supplies and what they'd be doing next. Sure enough, they'd realize the next layer might be even more fun so they'd stop where they were and move ahead with me.

Building the collages are always my favorite...you've created far too many individual pieces to squeeze into your box, so selecting your favorites becomes quite a challenge. But my gals always rise to every challenge, and as you see above, they excelled!

Here's hoping you'll look for me at the next convention coming to your town. I was amazed to find a couple of gals in my classes who were also from NC but had traveled to FL for the convention. Look for a bit of madness in your own backyard, but never rule out a road trip.

More photos still to come from my third class at Stampfest, so do come visit again.