Love You Still

Hello, Crafters.

Yesterday I had a very interesting play with the Love You Still Stamp Set!

When I first saw this stamp set, I didn't realise it was a two-step stamp set: I just thought the image would be great for colouring. 

I decided to use this stamp set yesterday with the sole intention of colouring only, which I did and thoroughly enjoyed, but there was something nagging me. 

I decided to stamp the image again, but to colour it using the two-step stamps this time - all ten of them! I used exactly the same colours so that the images could be compared like for like.

My conclusion is that I probably will always colour this image manually, largely because I feel there are ten opportunities to make a mistake with the two step stamping. 

I recognise that I could make a mistake with my manual painting but it's less likely as manual painting is a lot easier than two-step stamping.

The last two photographs show the two-step image on the left and the manual on the right. The first photograph of the two, shows exactly what the two-step image was like once I'd finished.
 
The second photograph shows the same image after I'd coloured in the missing areas on the large flower, and painted the bobble flowers with my Pink Pirouette Marker Pen.

Overall, there isn't a huge difference between the two, although the wooden posts on the two-step image looks very much better than the manual posts. 

I mis-judged the largest flower big time and finished up with some large white areas. I was disappointed that the centre of this large flower was stamped in Fresh Fig at the same time as the four small flowers. 

There are two possible ways round this, and they are to use Daffodil Delight for the small flowers, and the centre of the large flower, or to paint the small flowers the same colour as the large flower. 

Going forward, I think next time I use this stamp set, I'll paint the posts as two-step and the flowers and leaves manually; that way I'll get the best of both worlds!

I used the manual image to create today's card, and made it a 5" x 5" card, because I stamped the sentiment inside the image, and I didn't want to add anything else.

The Love You Still sentiment I used is almost the same as my favourite romantic sentiment, which is "I love you more today than I did yesterday, but not as much as I will tomorrow"! 

My card will make a lovely St Valentine's day card, although I'd like to finish it off by stamping above the sentiment  "Happy Valentine's Day".


Finally, do you recognise the embossing folder I used for the layer beneath the image? It's called Sweetheart, and is the one with the plain heart in middle of the folder, so you can stamp in there! 

I adhered the top layer onto the embossed layer, using four horizontal strips of Dimensional edges. I did this to make sure the centre of the card doesn't dip, and show signs of a flat area in the centre!

I haven't decided what I'll do  with the two-step image, but if I come up with an idea that's very different from today, I'll share it with you.


That's it from me today, so until tomorrow, happy crafting.

JanB.