Weigh Anchor

Hi guys,  I don't really have a Valentine's card to show today, but I was having a play with Sam Poole's new stamps again and wanted to show those.  I can't put these down as they are so much fun for inky techniques and grungey playing.  I wanted to make the ship look like it was bursting out of the card here.  Originally I was thinking of making it look like a treasure map using the background map stamp but I couldn't find any paper that I liked to work with it.  So I changed my plans a bit and added the map stamp randomly to the paper I did end up using just to give it a bit more interest.  I cut a square section out of the centre and then tore the edge a bit and rolled it backwards,  I used walnut stain distress ink to age it a bit too.  I stamped the ship using the walnut stain on some neutral cream card and mounted it behind my torn, inked centre section.  I used a bit of antique linen on the piece too before mounting it so it wouldn't be so stark and clean.  I used a tiny bit of white pencil to highlight the sails although it doesn't show up in the pic as well as I would have liked. I stamped the sentiment inside of the rope circle stamp and cut it out.  I overstamped the sentiment with the anchor stamp twice using a clear perfect medium ink to give it a watermark look.  I mounted it using foam in the corner.  I added a small wooden ship's wheel from my craft stash to the upper corner of the focal element.  You know how you pick up these little trinkets and then you find just the right time to use them, I was chuffed that it fit nicely on this card!  Using my scissors I distressed the edges of the plaid paper and inked over it with walnut stain.  I added a metal corner to it and then mounted it on cream and dark brown card that had also been distressed with my scissors (and a few small tears and rolled corners were added to age it also) to give the piece an overall aged and vintage look.  If you like these stamps, don't forget to tune in and watch Sam's shows on the 17th.  You will have to check the schedule on the day for her show times though.  I can't wait for the shows (not just because I get to babysit her daughter Leah either!!) as I know Sam will have some fab demos to show us!  All for now, Sue x