Today is my brother’s birthday, and I wanted to make him something special.  Matt and I love the mountains, we spent most of our down time in the summers in the outdoors together.  So, for him today I broke out my Stampscapes scene building stamps and created this lakeside evening scene.  Stampscapes stamps can be used to build scenes with seemless blending images. 

Creative Tips –

• I stamped out my scene first layering several lakeside tree and rock stamps. 
• To keep the scene matte in nature, I used our Ultrasmooth White cardstock.
• My first two I actually colored over the trees with my Always Artichoke and Garden Green markers, but I didn’t like the result.  The rest of the scene, I continued to use my Basic Black ink pad. 
• For a little focal point at the bottom edge, I stamped the boulders at various angles and a few of the trees on the edge.  I really needed a bigger tree, but didn’t have one.  I wouldn’t use the stamp I used in this one for that again – it’s too small.
• I added a few of the small reeds and used the grass filler for some texture at the bottom. 
• Next I filled in the empty space using my small water texture stamp.  I think I went a bit overboard, but it still works.  Remember, when you want to add one more – stop!
• Once the scene was built I could start coloring.  I used a Colorbox stylus to apply my Stampin’ Up! Classic Inks.
• I began layering a base of Soft Sky in the sky and near the rocks in the water.  Next I used some Pool Party in the lake followed by Tempting Turquoise.
• For a little added color I added Baja Breeze and then Marina Mist to the both the lake and the sky.  My water was pretty much how I wanted it so I moved on to the sky. 
• I tried to keep a few spots off the horizon going upward more white in nature for some contrast.
• To brighten the scene up I added some Pacific Point across and in the middle of the night sky followed by some Not Quite Navy.
• I wanted to have some shadows in the water, so I used the side of the stylus and some Not Quite Navy to the edge of the boulders and the edge of the card. 
• The boulders were filled in with Basic Grey and some Early Espresso was added to the edge of the center bottom for a little earth.
• Midnight Muse gave a finishing touch around the perimeter of the card followed by Basic Grey.
• I stamped the cloud space in Midnight Muse once the card had been completed.
• For some highlighting and detailing, I used a Signo White Gel Pen.  I went over the edges in the water along the rocks after with a paper towel to dull the look a little.
• To help pop the card, I matted it on a 1/16” border of Whisper White and then on a larger piece of Basic Black. 
• The greeting uses the Four You stamp set.  I used a embossing buddy to ensure that I would not have little silver straggler powder on the Basic Black cardstock before embossing the greeting in Silver Embossing Powder.

I love the result.  The Stampin’ Up! inks give just the right depth of color.  Next, I’m going to try some brayering with these scenes.  I can’t wait!

Learn a new technique in the Online Brayer Class

This class is still available at the introductory price – it’s going up next week!  Creative Scenery classes using a brayer have by far been my biggest hit with stampers.  The Brayer has stumped many crafters over the years, well actually more.  Learn how to create gorgeous gradual transitions with 100+ minutes of step by step detailed video instruction teaching you how to master this technique.  The end result – You will feel like an artist.  Best of all, you will look at your stamps in a whole new way, and try things you never would have thought to do before.  Find out more here

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Stamp Sets – Four You (130538c, 130535w), Stampscapes Stamps Ink – Stampin’ Write Markers –Always Artichoke, Garden Green, Classic Ink Pads – Basic Black, Soft Sky, Pool Party, Tempting Turquoise, Marina Mist, Pacific Point, Midnight Muse, Early Espresso, Basic Gray, Retired – Not Quite Navy, Baja Breeze Paper –Whisper White, Basic Black, Versamark Tools – Colorbox Stylus Finishing Touch – Silver Embossing Powder, Signo White Gel Pen