Layering stamps tutorial

The stamp layering trend has been around for a couple of years now, and with the recent influx of tools to help get the perfect placement when stamping, it has never been easier to achieve a layered look! This month Creative Stamping has teamed up with Altenew to provide a gorgeous layering Mistletoe stamp design, and you can probably tell by looking at my cards, that this is my favourite image from the set.

In this feature, I take you through a step-by-step guide on how to achieve a layered look using the jolly Santa image from your free stamp set. I also show you how to mix up the layering effect by adding a heat-embossed image – this gives touch of luxury for the holiday season. You can also stack up your stamped layers on different pieces of vellum to give different shades of the same colour, but here I have used it to create some perspective on a foggy winter’s day.

There are two main ways you can use these layering stamps, either with an acrylic block or a stamping platform. Both give equally good results, but I find when I want that precision, such as adding the coloured areas to the Santa image, a stamping platform is a must! This is also a fantastic tool when you don’t quite have the colour you need in an inkpad. For example, for the Santa’s face on these cards, I mixed Rose Quartz Altenew Ink and Tattered Rose Distress Ink to create a skin tone. The advantage of using a stamping platform instead of an acrylic block is that you can repeatedly and effortlessly stamp in the exact same place as many times as you like. The alternative is using acrylic blocks, which are useful for stamping multiple images in a short space of time. All of the mistletoe and holly images on my cards are stamped this way – I stamped and heat-embossed the outline multiple times first, then stamped next layer, then the next – much like an assembly line!

Whichever way you choose to layer your stamps, you’re sure to get that wow factor of effortless colouring, and this free stamp set is the perfect staring point!