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Pearl Ex Easel Picture Frame

Mary Shoebridge
Crafty Cruisers
Intermediate Stamping Team Designer

Supplies:

• Sophisticated Flowers (TAC)
• Charcoal Flowers (TAC)
• Copper and Blue Pearl Ex Stamp Pads (Jacquard Products)
• Honeydew Ultimate Metallic Stamp Pad (Tsukineko, Inc.)
• Easel Mat Create-a-Frame (Savage Universal Corporation)
• 4” x 6” photograph (or art print to co-ordinate with mat design and color choices)
• True Blue, Supper Copper, Spring Green Pearl Ex Pigments (Jacquard Products)
• 10/0 Round Paint Brush (Loew-Cornell)
• Hydra Sponge (TAC)
• Paper Towels
• Xacto Knife (for cropping photograph or print)
• Double stick tape (3M) 

Instructions: 

Stamping The Easel Picture Mat 

1.                Remove the easel mat from the protective wrap and take apart. Set aside the easel back. There is no stamping on this part. 

2.                Start stamping the frame with the inner mat. Using a piece of the sponge, pick up some color from the Blue Pearl Ex ink pad.  Sponge around the inner edge of the mat about a ½”.  Also, apply the other colors, copper and honeydew inks to the edge. Set this aside while you stamp the top mat. 

3.                Stamp your design by using images from the Sophisticated Flowers (the leaves, vine and small flower images) and Charcoal Flowers (the zinnia image). Start your stamping by sponging the blue Pearl Ex Ink randomly on the mat. Ink up the zinnia image with the copper Pearl Ex ink and the Honeydew Encore ink. To do this, ink the center of the flower first with the copper color and then the leaves with the honeydew color. Stamp on the mat to form a pattern. Next, ink the Sophisticated Flowers vine image and stamp between the flowers. Add leaves by inking the leaf image with the Honeydew and stamp at the end of the vines. Ink the small flower image with the copper and stamp between the other images. 

4.                Highlight the flowers and vine using the Pearl Ex Pigments (powders). Take a small fine paintbrush apply the color. First, apply the Super Copper color to the large and small flowers. Use a paper towel to wipe the brush, between color applications. Apply the Spring Green to the vine and leaves and brush some blue in the background. Be sure to rub the powder into the metallic ink. A delicate touch works well. Using a small piece of paper towel, carefully dust off any extra powder. The ink should absorb the powder. No heat set is required. When your stamping is completed, assemble the picture mat.  

Assembling the picture mat

1.                Tape together the two mats you have stamped. Tape around the outside and inside
        edges. Tape the bottom mat first and then take the top stamped mat and press on
        the tape. Line it up carefully so the edges meet. Set this aside. 

2.             Now place the easel back in front of you. Crop your photograph to fit in the space provided on the easel back. The photo dimensions are 4” x 6”. The interior mat opening is 3 ½” x 1 ½” x 5 ½”. Take the Xacto knife and trim the photo to fit the slot provided in the easel back. Using the double stick tape, tape the photo to the mat. 

3.                On the easel back, adhere the double stick tape around the outside edge on three sides of the mat. Tape the two sides and the bottom. Leave the top open so you can insert a photograph later if you choose to. Press the stamped mat on top and this completes your stamped mat project. You can now pull the easel stand out and set the frame upright on a table or other surface.

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