Color Layering: similar shades

 Uh-oh...that Baby Bear stamp set AGAIN!?!

Did I mention that I am making a product each day using a stamp set? That Baby Bear stamp set popped back up recently (yes, I'm mostly going in alphabetical order by name of the stamp sets).

Layering stamps are popular. Some layers are very subtle--using the same or similar color family. Other layers are not--stripes on an awning, etc.

I think using the same color family can be tricky, so I thought I'd highlight that.

Baby Bear stamp set: Stampin' Up!

Something I never used to do, but now I often do, is taking notes when I do something out of my norm. Then I rewrite it neatly and keep it with the stamp set/die/whatever. That way I have it ready the next time I tackle it!

You can see my notes in the top right--I write down the color combinations I liked for different color bears for this stamp set--and also a trick for lining up the stamps.

Brown bear, yellow bear

For general use, an all-purpose bear color is good. The brown bear on the left is the same color combination I used a few years ago for the card I first featured on this blog. I really love how fluffy the bear looks!

When I was pregnant, my husband and I chose not to know the genders of our babies. When that's the case, a color such as yellow can work. I did that on the right side. I did use a brown for the final color--maybe that makes it too dark? Or kind of vintage-looking? Hmm...

Pink bear, blue bear

I'm sorry these images are darker than they actually were--the lighting wasn't as good as I'd hoped.

When you do know the baby's gender, it's fun to use pink or blue colors, as I did here. 

It's good to practice the color layering on scrap paper to be sure you like the shades selected. When I first did the blue bear, I selected a darker shade of blue, but it really stood out to the point that the bear didn't have that realistic fluffy look. I ended up restamping on the other side of the paper to get this blue bear.

I definitely recommend using a stamp platform when doing stamp layering! The platform I use is no longer available. I love it, though, because the clear plate (the one that the stamp gets attached to) is removable. This stamp set requires 3 layers for the bear (2 for the bow, which I chose not to do here). I stamped my 1st bear (the basic background shape) in the lightest shade, then I could remove the clear plate, flip it over, and I put the 2nd bear in place & then adhered it to that side of the clear plate--before inking it and stamping. I bought extra clear plates, so I put the 3rd bear (least coverage--use the darkest shade) on it after lining it up. It was easy to do multiple bears that way! 

I definitely recommend that, when doing layering stamps, you make several at a time. I store my extras with the stamp set--much faster than setting everything back up every time I want to use an image made with that set!

That's the end of Baby Bear for awhile. These 4 bears are all extras I made--the original has already gone on a card. Now, if I do want another sweet layering set, Stampin' Up! also did a bunny one that I have...😁