Shadowbox Celebrating Nature with NEW Scrapcosy stamps {by Ann Barnes}

Hi everyone, it is Ann (@aksbarchitect) here with you today.

I am a huge fan of all things Scrapcosy. Whether it is stamps, stencils, or even printed tissue; I am always captivated by her beautiful designs. When I received the newest release, I was instantly enchanted. I am excited to share the shadowbox that I created with these newest designs. The three new stamp sets Scrapcosy Stamp Set 50 (ESC50), Set 51 (ESC51), and Set 52 (ESC52) are gorgeous garden themed, and the three Scrapcosy stencils (PS468, PS469, PS470) coordinate (and layer) beautifully! I had such a blast experimenting with them.

If you're interested in purchasing any of the newest release, find a PaperArtsy Stockist here.

I wanted to create a shadowbox with layers that would draw the eye towards one of the wonderful poems celebrating nature. I love that the stamps and stencils feature similar patterns in varying scale, and I thought it would be fun to incorporate this into my piece. I love how easy it was to reintroduce the same pattern in different mediums and scale to create a unified project.

When I look at the stamp designs they give off a vintage romantic vibe, I wanted to carry that feel into this piece. With this in mind, I chose PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic in Heavy Cream (FF203) and Zucchini (FF119) and paired it with Distress Inks in Tea Dye, Tattered Rose, Peeled Paint and Worn Lipstick.

I had the idea to begin with the largest scaled roses and hopefully incorporate the smaller roses on an interior layer, with the smallest rose stamps to be used surrounding the poem. Not knowing exactly how many large roses I would need, I stamped two full sheets of Bristol paper with Archival ink (Fern Green). I prefer to have too many pieces than not enough.

Once all of the stamped images are dry, I begin inking them with the Distress inks and a water brush. These roses would look beautiful in any color, and I already know that I will be using this image often on cards or in my journal.

I then cut out the flowers using an Exacto knife and cutting mat. This can be a bit time consuming, but it is nice to be able to bend and roll the leaves to give the flowers dimension.

Next I paint the frame with two coats of PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Acrylic (Zucchini FF119), This will be the base color that I will add my stenciling on.

The outside of the frame was stenciled using two different patterns. Since I will be adding the large roses to the outermost edge along the top, I chose the polka dot pattern. This adds a bit of a whimsical feel, while not overshadowing the beautiful roses. The polka dots were stenciled with PaperArtsy Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic (Heavy Cream FF203).

Along the sides of the frame I used the "lattice" pattern stencil, and created a tone on tone effect by mixing Zucchini with Heavy Cream and using that through the stencil. This is easiest to do very light coats of paint through the stencil to avoid seeping, even if it requires you doing an additional light coat.

 

In order to decide which layers would look best to frame the poem, I decided to create that focal point next. Using a piece of parchment cardstock, I first stenciled the smaller polka dot pattern in Tea Dye Distress ink all over the background.

Then I stamped the poem and "One with Nature" using Archival Ink (Fern Green). I also added embossing powder and heat embossed the words to help them stand out. At the upper left and lower right corners, I stamped the smallest roses, and colored them in a similar manner to the largest roses using Distress Ink and a water brush.

Having the focal point complete, allowed me to easily audition different finishes for the layers of matting. The outermost mat was first painted with Heavy Cream Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic. Then I added some random stamping using the script stamp in Tea Dye Distress ink. Lastly, I stenciled the "lattice" design covering the mat with the pattern in Peeled Paint Distress ink. Each of the stencil designs are very easy to shift to create a continuous pattern in large areas if necessary.

Lastly, I stenciled the "lattice" design covering the mat with the pattern in Peeled Paint Distress ink. Each of the stencil designs are very easy to shift to create a continuous pattern in large areas if necessary.

My initial thought was to use the smaller rose stamp design to cover the next layer of matting in the frame. I filled the mat with the rose pattern and was planning to color the flowers and leaves with ink. When I auditioned this layer it was too busy and did not allow the eye to be drawn to the poem, so I had to change course. Thankfully, Zucchini is one of the opaque colors of Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic. I painted over the stamping with two coats.

Upon inspection, I realized that the poem seemed lost within the frame. I decided to bring the lattice pattern back in one more time. PaperArtsy Scrapcosy Stamp Set 50 (ESC50) contains a very small scaled lattice pattern stamp. It was the perfect addition to the interior without being overpowering.

I set up a jig in my stamping platform using a piece of clear acetate to help me align the stamp onto my parchment. I also used some masking to ensure that the stamping would not interfere with the tiny roses.

I love how the final piece turned out! I think this will be the perfect gift for a nature or garden lover. I especially like that the lattice pattern was able to be repeated throughout to add interesting detail without stealing the show. Here are some close ups:

I would love to create a similar shadow box frame with more of an autumnal feel using some of the other flower stamps in the sets. I already know that these floral images and beautiful poetic words will be featured on my handmade cards! If you have not had a chance to check out all of Raquel's beautiful makes with her newest stamp and stencil designs, I highly recommend a visit to the blog featuring this release!

I hope you are inspired to get creative,

Ann

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