So You Think You're a Big Shot Stamper?

April Stamp Camp Theme:  "So You Think You're a Big Shot Stamper?" 
(projects with cool techniques involving the Big Shot)

This card reminds me of a pretty prom dress.  It includes the "faux tin" technique--the silver paper you see here was actually blue card stock, that was coated in silver embossing powder, then sent through the Big Shot machine to cut out the flower die (the two smaller flowers were made with a punch).  Then the flower die was sent through the Big Shot one more time to add the texture that made the same background for the white portion of the card.  Fancy schmancy, wouldn't you say?

I saw this technique online--and had to watch a whole tutorial to figure it out!  How did I make the flat strip for the words in what seems to be the middle of the flower design?  Easy!  I put the embossing folder on twice--sideways both times, so I could exclude the last 1 1/4" of the card the first time, and then include only that last 1/2" or so the 2nd time.  Pretty tricky!

The Big Shot's gray texture plates we use usually don't make as pronounced a design as the embossing folders, unless you use this technique:  rub ink (on this card we used Marina Mist blue) all over the gray texture plate before running it through the Big Shot.  The impressed image will appear raised and outstanding.  We added a jumbo wheel design (in dark brown) and a few extra flowers for extra texture.  It's all about the texture for me, baby.  Love that texture.  Or is it--Lovell that texture?  : )

I love this technique--after sending your paper through the Big Shot in this fancy embossing folder, flip it over and brayer ink over the recessed image!  We also made the words here with a Big Shot die--very easy to do if you add adhesive to the back of the letters before you punch them out (probably a lot easier to understand if you see the demonstration...maybe this blog will have tutorials in its future?), then press the letters to the card individually with a stylus or the back of a paint brush, and peel the excess card stock away. 

Here's a closer view so you can see the fancy glittery flower centers, etc.

Here's a pretty card that I created (kind of copied, kind of not) while I was planning for the camp, which was not chosen for the camp.  It includes the "embedded" Big Shot technique. 

The blue circle was adhered to the orange before it was all impressed together with the Big Shot embossing folder.   Pretty cool.

One other design here that didn't make the cut for the camp, but you get to see it as a bonus Big Shot design here!  (Don't you love bonuses?)  Again, I was experimenting with the "embedding" technique, adhering the hearts (all but the front Vanilla heart) before running the green and Vanilla card stock through the Big Shot together. 

This is the inside of the above card.  I think it's a clever, fun saying, and I can't wait to see who I send this card to : ).

I hope you enjoyed seeing what we made at today's Big Shot camp! 


Jenna asks:  What makes you a Big Shot, for real?  What is something else that my stamping friends (YOU) love to do, besides stamping?  What is your number one favorite pastime besides being creative?  (...Mine's playing racquetball!)