Summer Sunset

It's Heather here with my Pick of the Week for The House That Stamps Built.  Today, I'm going to show you a really easy technique that can stretch the usage of your stamps: turning line images into silhouette images.  All you need for this technique is:

• image
• black ink
• black marker (I usually use a Sharpie)
• paper

Start by stamping your image, then color in your entire image with the black marker (see, I told you it was really easy!).  I really like to do this with images that I will use with sponged backgrounds, specially for night scenes.

 The above lighthouse image is really fabulous, but there is a LOT of detail coloring.  This technique totally eliminates that coloring but still retains the beautiful lines of the image.
     The next image shows a different lighthouse.  I kind of smudged the top of the image when I stamped it, but with this technique, it's not noticable at all.

 The next photo shows how this technique is perfect for hiding incomplete stamping.  I did an awful job getting the center of the palm trees to stamp completely, but once I colored them in, it looks like I stamped perfectly.  Look for the card I made using this panel in our challenge that starts Wednesday.

Here is the card I created using the tall lighthouse:

After stamping and coloring in the image.  I sponged on some inks to create a summery sunset scene.  Makes me feel hot and hazy just looking at it!  I stamped a few birds and added several light gray clouds for some interest.  (you can barely see the clouds, but they are there).  I heat embossed the sentiment on vellum so it wouldn't cover any of the scene.

Here is a card I made a while ago using this technique with the Bar Harbor Light image:

Supplies:

Stamps: "Bar Harbor Light (lg.)", "Cape Hatteras Light", "Large Palm Trees", "Sandcastle" (I only used the birds), "Clouds" and "Birthday"

Dies: MFT "Blueprints 13" and fishtail banner

Challenges:

Crafty Friends #85--happy birthday
Unicorn Challenge--masculine
Card Mania #105--nautical
Love To Craft Challenge Blog #23--anything goes
Dies R Us #98--sunshine or clouds
Stinkin' Inkers--the guys have it
Always Happy Birthday--anything goes with the optional twist: summer birthday
Ribbon Girl--anything goes with the optional twist: summer
Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends #83--anything goes
Crafting by Designs--anything goes
The Paper Shelter #342--Letters and/or numbers (letters in my sentiment)
MFT #388--sketch

Crafty Gals #167--summer colors
Inspiration Destination #152--anything goes with the optional twist: use a real stamp
Cute Card Thursday #53--anything goes
Aud Sentiments #205--anything goes
Cardz TV #51--anything goes
Crazy 4 Challenges #438--masculine cards
Fashionable Stamping #136--seaside