The tutorial (and challenge) over at Inspired by Stamping right now is a distress stamping tutorial.

Distress stamping is very easy, so do follow the link to check it out.

I was originally going to make a masculine card for this challenge, since I just go happy mail (my new stamp sets!) from IBS, and they were mostly the new masculine sets. But I wanted to use some nice bright colors, so went for a feminine card.

However, I did use stamps from three IBS masculine sets – Background Basic Lines, Guitars, and Pirates.

The lines across the middle were done from the Background Basic Lines set, splotches in the background from Guitars, and the greeting is from Pirates.  The flowers around the greeting are from Little Flowers set, also from IBS.

Here’s how I made this card:

Using a heat-proof mat, I added some distress stains: Firebrick Red (used very sparingly), Peacock Feathers, and Squeezed Lemonade.  Instead of water, I decided to spritz with Perfect Pearls Interference Red, and you can see the results of that by enlarging the photo. There are lots of glittery red/pink colors in the background.

I pushed white cardstock down into the colors, and swiped it across to get a mix of colors.  I find that if I let the first ‘swipe’ dry, or dry it with a heat gun, the second layer goes on much better.  Adding wet distress stains to another lot of wet stains just muddies the colors.

I also did the same thing with a small piece of cardstock, as I wanted to use that for the greeting. Once dry, I stamped my greeting (from Pirates), and then stamped around it with flowers from the Little Flowers set.

Once I was happy with the colors and had completely dried the card using my heat gun, I added the lines using the Background Basic Lines set, and two distress colors.

Then I ran the bottom half of the cardstock though my Cuttlebug, avoiding the stamped lines.  I embossing folder I used was Tim Holtz Texture Fades – “Bricked”.

After it was embossed, I gently ran my distress sponge – loaded with Peacock Feathers – over it very lightly. All I wanted was for the bricks to be highlighted.  When all this was done, I ran my distress tool around all the edges, making sure I ripped some places, then sponged with Peacock Feathers. (Ensuring all white bits were covered with color.)

I also sponged the edges of the base cardstock, again with Peacock Feathers. (Love that color!)

I felt the left side was a bit bare, so added some colored flowers from my stash. I used colors that matched my background, so they colors would pull together.

Okay, that’s it.  Done.

It’s not a hard or time-consuming card, but you do need to let the layers dry, or if you want it to be quicker, use your heat gun, as I did.

Thanks for looking, and as always, if you want to comment, and the comment box isn’t showing, click the title of this post and it will magically appear!