Charity Find recycled!

Hi Folks!  In between helping my friend decorate and doing some art work for her I did manage to get some time off and I did a little piece for myself.  I was browsing through a charity shop and I found this item going for £1.50 and I thought I can do something with that!

As soon as I got home I went to work on it.  I had to cover up the background image (it was of a very bright orange and green plant of some sort) using white tile paint  (two coats) then left to dry overnight.   I then stamped my boxes for my letters and then my letters (from the Letterbox set)and then I placed letterbox masks over the boxes (you get all of these items from Clarity Stamp....just click on the highlighted text for each of them and you will be taken directly to the page that they are displayed on their website....and no I am not on commission, just think that they are such good quality and value for money and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone)
Back to my sign....I then placed the masks of the Jigsaw pieces randomly onto the tile, and using torn copy paper, sponge, Starry Starry Night Whispers ink and Faded Jeans distress ink created a landscape. 

I removed the jigsaw masks one at a time and created a scene using the Cat, Squirrel, Birds and Floral Branch from the Birdhouse set.  I replaced the masks and then did a bit of shading around each piece.  I removed all of the masks and left to dry.   I had to then draw round the jigsaw pieces using Teal Zeal Distress Marker just to give them a bit more definition.
I now have it attached to the wall just outside my crafting area and I am very happy with it (especially as now I don't have to keep picking up my aprons from a chair...usually one that my cats have sat on). 
So not only did my little purchase go to a good cause it put a smile on my face too. xx 

Vintage Clarity Challenge!

Hi Folks!  End of the month again!  Time is just passing too quickly!  So I have been busy helping a friend decorate her new home and she asked me to do a few pieces of art work for her.   So now that the walls are painted I have finally got round to making a start on her art work.  I have managed to finish this one in time to enter it into the Clarity Stamp Challenge for this month. 

The theme for September is Vintage and this piece fits the bill.  This is an Ink on Canvas 5 x 7 inches.

I have used the  Beatrice stamp along with the Wild Rose Clever Corner.  I started this piece by making a mask from post-it notes of the lady and placing it over my stamped image, I also stamped the corner of the wild rose stamp cutting out the rose (two layers of post-it were required...cut once).  Next I shaded the canvas with Plum Adirondack ink using an ink duster to begin with over the corners then using a foam pad to darken them.  I added shading around my mask of the central image being careful not to go near the lines of the framework in the wild rose image.  After removing the masks I used a promarker (Blush) to colour in the exposed arms and face and also to the centre of the flowers.  I then very lightly tinted the petals with Pearlescent Crimson Brilliance ink.  I chose the colours in this piece as they will fit in with my friend's colour scheme and also because the images have a nice serene feel to them.  Pieces two and three coming soon!

Happy crafting everyone x

Lighthouse Birthday Card and Lighthouse painting

Hi Folks!  This project was made for my big brother David who is 70 today.  He has spent a lifetime at sea and now lives looking out at the lighthouse at Newhaven Harbour in Edinburgh.  I decided to give him another lighthouse to look at by making him a card and also doing a painting for him to match. 

The card was made using Clarity Paper (coated) and Clarity Stamps for the trees and the detail in the foreground island. 

I made a mask out of post-it notes for the lighthouse and houses which I then put in place on my paper.

I used a makeup sponge to colour in the sky with Whispers Starry Starry Night ink. I then used torn copy paper to form hills with my sponges and whispers Savoy Green and Memento Olive Grove.

For the front island I partially removed the masks for the lighthouse and houses (I used the masks as I wanted them to stay mainly white except for the shading that I was going to do.) I then coloured in this island using the same colours as above making sure that they were a bit darker. I used a pointillism stamp from Clarity Stamp to give extra detail.

I used Starry Starry Night and Ranger Distress Faded Jeans to colour in the sea.

I stamped my trees with Memento Olive Grove and to add a bit of shading I used a mix of Lettuce and Pesto from my 'Big and Juicy' pad Spice.

Highland Landscape Birthday Card

Hello Folks!  Well since my last blog I have managed to get a few pieces done but I still have lots of Christmas cards to design.  I had a lovely few days visiting relatives in Edinburgh this weekend as it was my brother David's 70th Birthday and also my son George's 36th birthday.  We had a lovely family gathering and then I came back to my little town and I had a few parcels to open....more Clarity Stamps, ink, alcohol inks and my design club letter and stamp from Clarity Stamps.  So I thought I had better get my blog on the go before I get lost in playing with my new stuff!

So first up is the card I made for my son George.  He loves to travel all over Scotland on his bicycle and he does guided treks too, he especially loves to be up in the hills.  So when I got an ATC stamp of a cyclist a while back I knew what I wanted to do with it.  I have had this card made for a few weeks now but couldn't show it as he reads my blog.

To make this card I used Faded Jeans Distress Ink for all the stamping and the shading to make the hills (torn copy paper and makeup sponge).

I made a mask with a post-it note of the upper body of the cyclist so that his face and arm would stay white. 
I stamped on to Clarity Paper (coated).  I just love this paper, it is of excellent quality and once your design is dry polish it with a bit tissue or kitchen roll and the design looks like a print....which is what I did.  I then matted onto white cardstock which was then matted onto a blue textured card that matched the stamping in colour....I used my Perfect Layers Ruler to get my matting right, they are a really great crafting tool.

All the stamps used were of course Clarity Stamps .

My hubby said once the card was finished " it's not snowing so why have you made a winter scene"....my reply..." It's just meant to be blue for a boy and besides there is always snow up Ben Nevis".

To finish off I made the envelope and stamped my name and the cyclist on the inside using Slate Adirondack ink.  (I get a row from my kids if I don't )  My son loved his card especially the cyclist.

P. S. if anyone wishes to know what stamps were used please contact me and I will let them know.