The Documented Life Project - Week 20

Week 20 Challenge: Use a Rubber Stamp in a New Way - I wouldn't say this is a new way. But I had fun in the process.

First of all, I carved this circle stamp myself. There is something very personal about creating your own stamps, no matter how imperfect they are. And it is so easy. I applied Ranger archival ink (Jet Black) to it and stamped it on a colourful newsprint page (I know I know, newsprint is my new favourite thing!). Then I cut around it and applied the resulting circles to a colourful page (again, using one of my favourite techniques, a page on which I've rolled my brayer while doing Gelli prints - I'm not re-inventing the wheel here!)

That's it? Says you. But it's pretty, says I.

But that was only my journaling pages. I continued in the same vein for the flap. I know I know, the flap is supposed to be the page where you explore the weekly challenge. But I love my stamped circle so much that I applied it everywhere. My flap is a simple piece of card, gelli printed in plain black and gold on one side, and cyan and gold on the other (with sprayed ink and other detail). On the black and gold side, I glued a piece of newsprint that I love to bits - doodles, paint remnants, Adirondack spray, watercolours, stamped shapes, Distress Stain (tarnished brass), Silks Acrylic Glaze (African Jade and Honey Amber). The whole lot covered in my circles stamp (Ranger Archival Ink in Jet Black). I love it so much I could frame it! But maybe first I should find out how long it will take to deteriorate, as newsprint is not archival.

And then every flap has a reverse, and I can't leave that blank! That side is the cyan and gold one. I applied a stencil (yes, from my favourites in Artistcellar) and sprayed Adirondack ink all over.

Here is how it all looks when put together (and in case you're wondering, yes, I did buy a few more rolls of washi tape from my favourite Irish online arts supplier, Evans, this one in gold

Can't wait to fill those pages. I'd better make sure I get the dates right this time.