Textured Matchboxes

Hello! 

Kristiina Majuri here today posting as guest designer, and I'd like to show you how I created these matchboxes with texture paste and Rubber Dance stamps. Christmas is coming, and I like to have a batch of decorated matchboxes around, because they are lovely to give as a little present just as themselves or together with candles.

The secret of stamping into texture paste is to let the paste dry a bit and stamp using water (no ink needed).  I really got into this because I have a tub of texture paste that is drying out, and it is perfect for the job, as I didn't have to wait before stamping.  If your paste is fresh, you have to let the surface dry before stamping and experiment with how wet the stamp should be. The stamp needs to be wet, so the paste doesn't stick to it... but not drippy wet, otherwise you'll get a soggy image, I kind of flick the water off.  After stamping, put the stamp in water again, because you really don't want any paste residues drying on the stamp!  If something doesn't work, just use the palette knife to even out the paste, let the surface dry a bit and restamp!

Paint is best added in layers. First a darker layer that you rub into all the texture, then you dry brush lighter or complementing colours. These two have a different bottom layer, both have been dry brushed first with turquoise and then with a transparent metallic.  The method is simple and I think the effect is quite stunning.

Sometimes the contrasts just don't work, but it's always possible to paint over the whole piece and start again.  Here the texture wasn't as strong as I might have wished (top left in the picture with only texture paste) so I decided to paint the flowers, and all of a sudden you can't really tell there was a problem!  Flowers from the Rubber Dance Da Vinci plate.

This stamp is from Rock Carvings.  I added some Crackle Accents to the image.  I think it's quite cool! 

The snowflakes are from Frosty Friends and the flowers from Textured Flowers.  I would love to try this with the new Textured Houses set, they are so cute and are a perfect size!

And still some more Rock Carvings.  They are so cool.  These are based on real images that have been carved into rock thousands of years ago!

I hope you are inspired to search your stash for a jar of texture paste and some deep-etched rubber stamps and give this technique a try.  And if you find your paste is starting to dry out, all the better!  You can try this on any surface that texture paste can be added on, not just boxes and objects, but also cards and journal pages/ journal covers. All the stamps I used can be found in the Rubber Dance webshop, check it out for gorgeous designs and excellent quality! 

Happy crafting!

Kristiina