Aloha, all!
My absolute favorite technique is the one that got me hooked on Stampin' Up! in the first place. Back when I attended my first Stampin' Up! workshop, the demonstrator showed us a stamp set that was made for the "Two Step Stampin'" technique. For a while, Stampin' Up! denoted stamp sets that were made with this technique in mind with the logo shown at the right.
In the current Stampin' Up! catalogs, the logo has been replaced with the simple phrase, "TWO STEP."
So what is "Two Step"? And why am I focused on this right now? To answer the second question first, showing off our favorite techniques is the theme for this week's SUO Challenge Blog! As for the first question…
….. the stamped layer on this card is made using the Two Step Technique.
For the set that I used in this card – "Too Kind," "Two Step" denotes an image that you create using exactly two steps. Look at the flowers. There are two different colors in each of them! The stamp set is made up of two different stamps for each flower.
Looking at the stamps in the set, the stamp at the top right is meant to be the image for the larger flower that is stamped first, usually with a light color. Then the stamp just below it is meant to be stamped second, right on top of the first. To do this really well, I use my stamp aligner, Stamp-a-ma-jig.
What I did with my project for today was stamp the back part of both flowers using Pool Party ink, which is a light blue with a turquoise tint. Then I stamped the front part of the stamp using one of Stampin' Up!'s newest colors, Coastal Cabana. I'd always thought of Coastal Cabana as being a light color. But I discovered – through some trial and error, of course! – that it is, indeed, darker than Pool Party.
The bottom line for this project is that the flowers look a lot more artistic than if I'd just stamped the larger one with one color of ink and left it at that.
There are other Two Step themes that focus more on stamping more than one image on top of the other to make a picture. One such stamp set is the fun stamp set, Snow Day in the 2013 Stampin' Up! Holiday Catalog. Don't have one of those catalogs? Well, I can certainly fix that if you'd like to send me an e-mail to ask for one! If you do have a catalog, then you'll find this set on page 25. I already have that set, and I think I'll have to get cracking and have some fun with that little Snow Guy (or is it Snow Gal?)!
Meanwhile, look through your own stash of Stampin' Up! stamp sets to see if you have any Two Step stamps. This would be a perfect way to use a technique and enter it in this week's Stampin' Up! Only Challenge. And if that's not your favorite technique, just make a card or other paper-crafted project using YOUR favorite technique, and enter the challenge with that. We on the Design Team can hardly wait to see it!
Before I sign off for the day, I'll take a moment to let you know what else I did with this card.
Once I saw the stamped image, I decided that it would look great in an oval shape. So out came the Ovals Collection Framelits, and that was that. A couple of more ovals cut from the same set, and one surrounded with the Coastal Cabana 3/8" Ruffle Stretch Trim, made a very nice central feature of this card. Once I added the Polka Dot patterned Crisp Cantaloupe paper from the In Color Paper Stack, the idea of embossing the central element with the Perfect Polka Dots Embossng Folder was not far behind!
I wanted the sentiment for this card to be fairly small so that it wouldn't draw the focus away from the flowers. I decided that the stamp set, Teeny Tiny Wishes held my best chance for finding something small to stamp. It wasn't long before I decided on one of the framelits from the Itty Bitty Banners set. I added a couple of Old Olive Candy Dots to accent the flower stems, and I was done! Definitely a fun crafting afternoon here in Robin's Craft Room!
I hope you have fun with whatever you decide to do next in your own craft room!
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