31 Days of Stamping Mixed Media: THE BEGINNING...

Today we begin, dear crafting friends, on a DAILY journey into the world of stamping mixed media.  Huh? you ask.  What? you say!  What on earth does that even MEAN???

Let me explain.  We are a stamping company that obviously LOVES to stamp!  And our friends, customers, visitors, and facebook friends do too!  And we tend to see what we do in single categories such as "I'm a stamper" or "I'm a card-maker", "I make scrapbooks" or "I Art Journal".   So we at Inspired Stamps thought it would be such a great time to mix it up a little bit and see what we could create if we pushed past our self-defined categories and began to see the wealth of creative opportunity lying not only in our tubs, drawers, stacks of papers and desktop trays, but also in ourselves!

This month we will explore what it means to take our stamps and apply them to mixed media.  Now before you click to your next favorite blog in fear that this is something you cannot or will not explore, let me let you in on a little secret....you already do.  Mixed media is simply the use of more than one medium (be it the material going onto your project or the base of your project).  And you do it anytime you add a metal brad to a paper flower, a swirl of glitter glue to a photo frame, or even a photo to a painted scrapbook page.  You are mixing something with something else.  

So let's get started, shall we?

First STEP:  What do you have?
I'm a planner.  Can't help it.  But even if you aren't, this step will help you both in saving you money and in rediscovering that package of stamps you forgot you bought a year ago!  Get your camera and go through your stashes and grab some photos to see what you currently have.  Don't forget places that may not seem very crafty:  magazine basket? recycling bin (bottle caps are very versatile)? office drawer (push pin? paper clips? staples?).
Here's a few photos I took around my studio:

Don't forget to see what surfaces you have, too.  Canvas and Scrapbook or Journal paper is obvious but have you thought about card bases, wooden boxes, and even small pillows or fabric?  What about that old wooden chair you don't use anymore or an old drawer?  Paper plates and paper napkins you have left over from Easter?

So today's task is to gather photos of things you can use in your mixed media (doesn't mean you'll actually use everything, but at least you'll know you've got it for the next time inspiration strikes!).  You don't need a huge stash of anything or to run off and buy more stuff (as much fun as that is!)...use what you have!

Tomorrow we will dig into putting some of these mixed media together with our stamping.  For today, get your stash photographed and be inspired...

Blessings,
Antoinette
www.inspiredstamps.com  (**brand new ART & ART JOURNAL category at the online store!!  Come check it out!**)