Make a template and use it in a stamping aid to create a circular stamped image
This weeks blog will show you how to make a template that can be used in your stamping aid (such as Stamparatus or Misti) to create wreath shaped images using any small stamps you have. All you need is some card and a square die to make the template. I have used an 8 cm square die but you can go bigger or slightly smaller.
I love this floral wreath. It doesn't have to be floral - you can use any small stamps and I will add a photo, at the bottom of this blog of a Christmas card I have made using Stampin Up's Tidings and Trimmings stamp set.
Its quite easy to make the template which can be used again and again.
Follow the below link to find out how the card was made
You will need
- A4 white card
- Square die (I used an 8 cm die but you can go bigger or slightly smaller)
- Pretty Perennial stamp set by Stampin Up (You can use any small stamps)
- Ink pads - red, pink, green and black (I used Stampin up's rose red, melon mambo and mossy meadow and my black ink pad came from The Range)
- Stamping aid (I use Stamparatus by Stampin Up)
- Die cutting machine
- Washi tape
- 5" white square card base
- Peaceful Poppies Designer paper by Stampin Up
- Ruler and pencil
- Glue and double sided foam pads
- Cut a piece of A4 card in half creating two A5 pieces of card (use one and put the other to one side) - use card rather than paper as it needs to be stiffer to create the template
- Use the square 8 cm die to cut a square out of the A5 piece of white card - get it as horizontally central as possible but slightly more towards the top (see photo below). Keep both parts - the square which will be used later and what remains of the A5 piece of white card which will become the template
- On the A5 piece of white card with the square hole in it - put pencil marks half way along the outsides of the square - see photo below (My square is 8 cm, so I put marks at 4 cm along each side)
- Use a ruler to line up the marks on opposite sides of the square and draw a long line through them. Do this for the top and bottom marks and then the same for the left and right marks
- Use the same 8 cm square die and line the corners up with the pencil lines (see below photo) and die cut it out - you may wish to hold it down with a little washi tape to hold it in place whilst you die cut)
- That is your finished template. Put it into your stamping aid - right into the top right hand corner and hold it down with the magnets
- Put the square bit of card you cut out in step 2 into the template as per the below photo - into what I am going to call the square position
- Stamps have a top and bottom - the top has the stamping ridges and the bottom is flat. Put the flower ridge side down onto your square card in the middle of the top as shown in the below photo
Top of stamp has the stamping ridges 
Bottom of the stamp is flat 
- Bring the plastic tab of your stamping aid over the stamp and pick it up - if your square piece of card comes up with the stamp, don't worry just place the card back into the template
- Ink up your stamp with red ink and stamp onto your square card. Do not clean or remove your stamp.
- Turn the square around counter clockwise in your template so it it is in the square position again (and the flower you have just stamped is now on the left). Re-ink the stamp with red ink and re-stamp your image. Do this twice more. You will now have 4 red flowers on your square
- Now put your square piece of card in the template in the diamond position. Clean your stamp and now ink it with the pink ink pad. Stamp the flower again.
Diamond position 
- Move the square counter clockwise 90 degrees so it is in the diamond position again (with your pink stamped flower now on the left). Re-ink your stamp and re-stamp it onto the square. Do this twice more. You will now have 4 red flowers and 4 pink flowers in a circular pattern. Clean your flower stamp and remove it from the stamping aid.
- Put the square back into the template in the square position. Put the small leaf stamp from the set, ridge side down, onto the square coming out from one of the flowers (see the below photo).
- Bring the tab of the stamping aid across to pick up the leaf stamp. Ink the stamp with green ink pad and stamp it onto the square
- Turn your square to the diamond position in the template. Ink the stamp again and stamp onto the square. Keep turning the square around in both the square and diamond positions of the template and inking and stamping the leaves until you get back to the start. You will now have 8 sets of leaves as per the below photo. Clean your leaf stamp and remove it from the stamping aid.
- Remove the square and template from the stamping aid. Re-input the square into the stamping aid and use the magnets to hold it down. Stamp a greeting into the centre.
- Cut a piece of patterned paper to cover the base card. Glue it onto the base card
- Use double sided foam pads to attach your stamped square onto the centre of your base card
Most of this tutorial is making the template but once you've got the template made, it's a doddle next time if you wish to make another card.
Just cut an 8 cm square using your square die and put it into your template as per step 7. You can use any smallish stamp to create your wreath shape. I used Stampin Up's 'Tidings and Trimmings' stamp set to create a Christmas wreath card. I stamped the leaves all the way round, placing my square in the square and diamond positions of the template. But then when I stamped the stars or the berries, I only stamped them in the diamond or square positions on the template.
