On my desk this week for WOYWW I 've been having a go at stamp carving for a long term project I'm doing on coral. I usually use lino but decided to give this pink stuff a go - it's Speedball Speedy-Carve block and it's great stuff! It's so easy to use and following Julie Balzaar's advice of using a glass cutting board it made the job a whole lot easier.
I'm also having a bit of an obsession with Peonies at the moment, so following on from my previous blog post I'm adding some more photos of this beautiful flower. Sadly after being messed about by me for the photo session they decided not to open up in their vase but stayed as tight buds for quite a while before dying! They really don't like me!
Lol, I have the kiss of death with house plants, so I understand your peony killing tendencies! They were beautiful though and made gorgeous photos :-)
ReplyDeleteYay to fabric shopping, I bought that blue and white fabric in the furnishing dept of C &H fabrics in Winchester where your mate works, so she can get you some! I bought the fusible fleece in Fabricland. Good luck!
Hugs, LLJ 12 xx
The peonies look beautiful even if they didn't open. I'm going to pin the bottom photo. I love it. Shame they died though.
ReplyDeleteWhat's the significance of using the glass cutting map?
Thanks for visiting and have a lovely week!
Gillian #34
Too bad about your peonies, Diana! Sometimes they don't open but I never know why. But they are lovely even in bud. I love your stamps. My daughter carves her own stamps sometime but I've never attempted it. I think I have to try it out. Yours are beautiful and I can't wait to see what you do with them.
ReplyDeleteI love stamp carving. I use Soft Kut from Dick block- it's thick enough to carve on both sides and holds well to the table.
ReplyDeletethanks for visiting
robyn 13
I have often thought about carving my own stamps but not sure where to start. Thanks for the tip on the speedball block. Those stamps look beautiful. Can't wait to see what you do with them.
ReplyDeleteI'd probably end up taking off a finger.... love the peony buds, shame they didn't open - I love peonies, they are so flamboyant usually, (grin!) Have a wonderful week. Helen 3
ReplyDeleteYour Peonies are so lovely! I wish I could grow them here in Phoenix. I'm really wanting to try the stamp carving, yours look wonderful. Thanks for sharing! #woyww
ReplyDeleteI've been interested in learning about carving stamps for quite a while, so your post is really interesting. I'll have to check out your link.
ReplyDeleteI also love peonies too but sadly all mine have finished flowering now. I'll have to wait until next year to admire them all over again.
Enjoy WOYWW
Neesie #62
The peonies are beautiful. We used to have them in the garden but seem to have lost them all :-( had a very brief try at carving some stamps - not very successful. How does glass mat help? Happy WOYWW Anne x #33
ReplyDeletethe stamp carving looks interesting love the coral one. I had a go with the old lino stuff recently it was tough going, I now have some of the soft stuff so really must give it a go..
ReplyDeletehope you get to see the poppies at the tower, they do look amazing
janet #2
loving the stamp carving, they look great. Peonies, gorgeous one of my favourite flowers.
ReplyDeleteHappy crafting, Angela x #44
Your photos are stunning. If I tried that I'd get a blurred mess. What a bummer they didn't open. I'm in love with your stamps. They turned out really fantastic, do you still have all your fingers?
ReplyDeleteYou can have all of the Peonies obsession that your heart desires, for they are so beautiful and one could take a hundred images of just one of their faces and you could find the charm in every one~
ReplyDeleteThese stamps are super cool and your photos with these wonderful peonies are breathtaking!
ReplyDeleteCheers
Gabriele 29
I think peonies are my most favourite flowers, they are so complex and so simple at the same time. Your pictures are beautiful. Gosh I bet you do see a difference between Lino and this new stuff...Lino is sooooo unforgiving. The glass surface must make it easier, it doesn't absorb your wrist energy like a softer surface.
ReplyDeleteI pinned the bottom picture too (reading that comment reminded me that I even have a pinterest account, not sure why I bother), but it's so gorgeous, even worth having them never open I think!
ReplyDeleteLove your carved stamps, I've often considered trying it but never have - I have so many stamps I never use as it is, but for a special project like you have it's so perfect.
The stamp carving looks most interesting, Diana. Is this new stuff softer than lino? Do you use lino carving tools? I wonder also if you can use them with EZ mount foam? I'd love to give this a go sometime. The results you have got are awesome. Peonies are beautiful, aren't they. I love how the petals in the buds overlap like that, and the outsides are so beautifully striated too.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your lovely comment. It's great to be feeling better. Mum's arm is being dressed every few days and is a bit red and inflamed which makes them think she may not have been taking her antibiotics properly. My hubby has now taken over the job of administering all her pills as she's recently had to go on some extra ones and it's all getting a bit complicated for her. As for the Stanley knife - I just love it! Recently I've more or less stopped using my paper trimmer in favour of the Stanley and my faithful Tim Holtz metal-edged ruler on a cutting mat. I find I am getting more accurate results. I like the weight of the Stanley, and how comfortably it sits in the hand, and I get a lot more purchase on it. I did a more detailed post about the first two Zentangle cards the other day - scroll down and you can see some close up shots of them. The recipient of the Devon Hills one has written to me and is thrilled with it!
Happy belated WOYWW,
Shoshi #72
Temperamental beauties;) Gorgeous in bud though.
ReplyDeleteI have tried carving stamps, the first time I sliced into my finger - so it put me off. I was using hard white tiles of carving material. I think I'd be better and safer with the speedball speedy- carve (love the name!).
Did you buy it online?
Karen x
Thanks for the info about the speedball stuff, Diana - I shall explore this further. As for my Zentangle ATCs, these are on my blog when I first started the album - this is the start:
ReplyDeletehttp://shoshiplatypus.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/new-zentangle-album.html
I started it in December 2012. If you look in my blog archive (LH side bar) you can follow the progress of the album, with detailed shots of most of the cards. I ran out of steam a bit and didn't keep up with photographing them after a while, so my blog isn't up to date really. I haven't made many new ones lately either... Definitely time to get back to this long-term project!!
Shoshi
Ooh, your stamps are so much nicer looking than mine! I really have to work on my stamp-carving skills, but you seem to have either a natural talent or you've been doing it quite a while! I've never worked with lino, either, just the Easy Carve stuff that's a lot like the Staedtler white erasers. Anyway, your stamps look awesome, and I'm looking forward to seeing your coral projects.
ReplyDeleteA shame about the peonies, but at least they look good even when they're closed!