Gorgeous Grunge

Ok, right now you may be thinking I have lost my mind and all stamping talent, if you are unfamiliar with or don't like the new "industrial grunge" trend that is popular in fashion, papercrafts, and graphic design right now. But I say, don't knock it 'till you've tried it! These were so FUN to make. I used every stamp in the set on these two cards!

I used just two colors of ink, Smoky Slate and Basic Gray. I could have used only Basic Gray and stamped-off to get the shade variations, but my RSI is acting up and with convention around the corner and swaps to be made, I am trying to save myself as many motions as possible. Never heard of RSI? Repetitive Stamping Injury? Hey, I suffer for my art, what can I say?

Yeah, now you can go ahead and shake your head at me and I will agree with you! You know you're a-d-d-i-c-t-e-d when your stampin' arm is numb from shoulder to fingertips and you're STILL stamping away!

Gorgeous Grunge doesn't have to be quite so messy, though. Here I used the set and mixed it up with some real washi tape in addition to the faux, and added a mat to bring out some color. The saying is from Chalk Talk, a super trendy new set designed to work well with the new chalkboard technique that is all the rage right now. 

Just noticed you can totally see through the washi tape to where I originally stamped the sentiment. LOL!!! It is not noticeable at all in real life. That's kinda funny!

Here's a couple more examples...I used only three of the Gorgeous Grunge stamps and stamped-off so they were lighter and more subtle.

So... a lotta grunge--super fun but not for everyone. A medium grunge--super fun and more appealing to the masses. A little grunge--super fun and a cute accent for all sorts of cards. Whatever level you go for, the theme here is SUPER FUN. Give it a try!

Comments

[Chris R. from Iowa]

I am totally into the grungey look! It really was fun to see the two grays and how they compare. The addition of the red washi tape is a fun touch too. Love the other ones too. Grunge was almost my knickname since I would color so hard I would get crayon stuff on me and then smudge it accidently or chalk from the sidewalk. Hallmark has an ornament coming out this year - PIGPEN - I think I need him since I also hate to clean!

[Jeni Szmyd]

Alright, alright - in two posts, you convinced me. Gorgeous Grunge is going on my next order!! You enabler, you! :) As ever, thanks for the inspiration and your sharing! I could NOT imagine how to use that set, lol