Fabulous Fungi

Hi, I'm back with the second follow-up post of samples for my new word stamps.  (Once again, the full launch post, in case you missed it, is here at PaperArtsy.)  This time we're hitting EAB04 The Autumn Edition.  Autumn is maybe my favourite crafting season - those incredible colours which take over the trees as well as craft rooms everywhere.  It's the only time of the year when orange starts to appear regularly on my craft mat, though it's rarely called by that name!

And there are so many good autumnal quotes, too... it was tough to whittle it down to the selection on the stamp plate, but I was trying to think how the words would work on projects as well as just how much I loved them.  So here are the first of my Autumn Edition samples... a coaster trio of fabulous fungi (with a bonus ATC into the bargain).






I started with a sheet of A4 cardstock and did some wrinkle-free distressing with various autumnal Distress Inks.  It's a while back now, but I'm guessing Vintage Photo, Rusty Hinge, maybe some Wild Honey and/or Gathered Twigs?













This sheet came into play on some of my other samples too, but at least half of it was available to cover these three beer mats and leave enough over for an ATC.













I used images from the wonderful Scrapcosy plate ESC05 and stamped them in various positions on the coasters, clear-embossing for a little extra oomph.  I then "watercoloured" the images using Fresco paints.














I simply add a dot of paint to my craft mat, spritz with water, and then use a water brush to apply the paint.













This means you get a nice translucent medium - even from the opaque Fresco colours like Chalk and Stone - which you can build up in layers without obscuring the stamp detail too much. 














I'm really pleased with how this turned out as an effect.  I was worried the busy ink splotches of the background would be too overwhelming, but I love how the subtle tinting brings the images to life.











I stamped my chosen quotes on some separate card stock, trying out a few Archival colours to see which would work best.  As you can see, depending on the juiciness of your ink pad, you get different degrees of sharpness and clarity in the stamping.

I believe you can see Sepia, Sienna and Leaf Branch in action here...











Once I'd decided - my trusty Sepia won out - I trimmed the quotes and started to arrange them on the coasters.















I really hadn't planned ahead so it was quite lucky that the positioning worked out okay in the end...














... or maybe it's that with the quotes being of different shapes and sizes, it was always going to be possible to work out a satisfactory arrangement.








I hope you can see what I mean about there being some really good autumn quotes.  It seems it's a season which inspires writers as well as artists.

You can always count on L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables in the middle there for a nice positive slant on the fact that summer is over for another year...







I also used the quote stamps to add a little more detail to those backgrounds again.  I just really like having the thought hovering there too.














I do like the off-green tinting of the leaves just on the turn...















... and the sanded edges revealing a hint of white to reflect the quote panels.








And the overall richness of the final effect...

... seems to me to work really well for this most vivid of seasons.









The ATC is really a very simple affair... the same ESC05 stamp set, this time adding in the lovely sycamore pod and the acorn.















I like that the images have their botanical references attached in the same way as my quotes have their authorial references attached...












It pleases me as a little echo.  It doesn't take much to please my brain!

And rather than keeping the quote "solid", for the ATC I've chopped it up.













That way you can position your phrases to suit both the layout of the image design, and to intensify the phrasing of the thought.








So that's a little taste of autumn for you.  I hope you'll forgive all the photos.  Since all these samples have all gone off to live at PaperArtsy on the display boards, these posts will be my only record of them so I'm indulging myself with plenty of photos.  But it's great to have your company for the ride too.

Next up, we'll start to work through some EAB05 The Winter Edition samples, so do come back soon if you'd like to know the secret of the Frosted Lynne Perrella Woman!   Thanks so much for stopping by, and have a great week.

Fungi are the grand recyclers of the planet and the vanguard species in habitat restoration.
Paul Stamets

Falling in love is like eating mushrooms, you never know if it's the real thing until it's too late.
Bill Balance

EAB04 The Autumn Edition available at Country View Crafts, That's Crafty, The Artistic Stamper and many more...