Two-Tone Stamping for Christmas

One of the prettiest stamping techniques involves using a background and a foreground stamp to create layers of colors and patterns. In the Good Old Days of wood-mounted rubber stamps, this was super tricky because you couldn't see exactly where you were stamping. Since the creation of clear stamps and blocks, though, this technique is easier.

This stamp set from Close To My Heart, Make It A Simple Christmas, is a great example of stamps designed to layer. Each one has a foreground and a background stamp.


For this bookmark, random stamp pine tree branches around the edges. Make sure to stamp some over the edge to look more finished.



Always stamp a lighter color for your background stamp so the darker color will show on top of it. The background stamps will be solid shapes and the foreground stamps will have the detail.

In coordinating colors, stamp lights and bulbs hanging from the branches. With the clear blocks you'll be able to see exactly where your darker foreground stamp will go.

When you're done decorating your tree, add some texture with 3D leaves and holly. Repeat the stamping process on another piece of paper, cut them out and attach to the bookmark with a glue dot. Then stamp your greeting. Finish the bookmark by matting it with one or two coordinating colors and a ribbon at the top.

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