ReverseStamp

SUPPLIES NEEDED:
1. A Reverse (also known as a mirror image stamp) stamp or any medium to large solid stamp (like those from Hot Potatoes). I got mine from Stamp Cabana.
2. White glossy CS
3. Pigment inks - Option pads, cats eyes, or petal points will produce the best results. I used the Arboretum petal points for my card.

INSTRUCTIONS:
     I learned this in one of the first classes I ever took. The teacher was Amy Howell, an amazing artist whose work has often been published in Somerset.
     Just to let you know too - this is not a technique for those who want to keep their petal points or option pads pristine. I have friends who won't even try it for that reason. I have found though that stamping the pad on some a scratch paper a few times will return it to its true color. That said....
     First you want to coat your reverse stamp with a couple of pigment ink colors. I like to swirl these around a little bit so you don't see the outline of the pad. For the leaf cards, I use a combination of terra cotta, topaz, and a little green.
     After you have applied the color, use an uninked stamp to stamp on the reverse stamp. As you lift off the stamp, twist slightly. This will remove the color where you stamped, and you should be able to see the image. I do this a few times to overlap the edge. Now stamp the reverse stamp on the white glossy. You should have a lot of color with a ghost image of whatever you stamped on your reverse stamp.
     If you like, stamp on the glossy again with the same image inked up with pigment ink.
     Let this dry for a little while and then spray with fixative.
     If you look at my card, you will see how I have used this as a part of the total card. I used the same image (Salal branch from Fred Mullett - my all time favorite stamp) and stamped and embossed it in gold. I made two panels by cutting the CS in two and then lining them up and stamping. I did the edges by touching them to my embossing pad and then dipping the edge into gold embossing powder.
     If you have the Itty Bitty stamps from Outliners, these should work great on some of the solid stamps (for instance a heart with little flowers stamped on it).

That's it..very easy really. If you have any questions about this technique, please ask away.