Winter Card Challenge

Hi again Folks!  It seems to have been a busy month for a lot of crafters here in the UK. What with marathon TV appearances, Craft Shows, Craft Classes, competitions and plain old making cards for Christmas! I managed to get to the craft show at the SECC in glasgow last week and had a great day.  I got to meet two of my favourite Crafting Ladies, Barbara Gray (the lady behind and in front of Clarity Stamps who just does everything arty and crafty) and Maria Simms ( Designer, demonstrator, teacher)  They both took time out to talk to me and I got a lovely hug from Maria (she also set me a challenge...more of that in a later blog) and my friend took a picture of me with Barbara (my is she tall...I am only a tiny little thing - well in height I am lol).  So a big thank you to both of them for taking time out (hope your neck is better Barbara)

I started on my Christmas Card orders a few weeks ago (can't post pictures yet) and I still have a few to go before I can even get on with cards for family and friends ( hope I don't run out of steam or ideas).  The following card has not been allocated to anybody yet so I can post about that.  (Please note that I have just finished this card and my glue behind the sentiment hasn't even dried yet, hence you can still see it...I was loosing daylight)  I am going to enter this into the Clarity stamp Challenge 8 Winter.

I have used 4 Clarity Stamps for this card.  Log Cabin, Winter Tree and Mantle (from lesson 21 stamp set),
Small Deer scape and Happy Christmas sentiment.

I began by making a mask from a post-it note for the Log Cabin. Then using Ranger Distress Ink - Faded Jeans and 2nd gen ink I stamped onto Theuva Card from Clarity Stamps.  I placed the mask over the Cabin. My next step was to pick my tree from the set and stamp over the mask so that my first set of trees would be behind the Cabin. I then stamped the Mantles for the trees. Next I stamped the trees that would be in the foreground. I inked the edge of the Deer scape Stamp with Ranger Distress Ink - Chipped Sapphire and placed that onto my winter scene. Then using a torn bit of copy paper and makeup sponge I put in some shading for the snow with the Faded Jeans ink.

Anniversary Card

Hi folks!  For this card I used  a Clarity Stamp that I am quite fond of (I still have to find out her name) and a Clarity Stamp Leafy Swirl stamp.

Using Archival Coffee ink I stamped up the central image, made a mask and covered the lady.  I then stamped the Swirly leaf around the edge.  I used a piece of torn copy paper to give the impression of the lady sitting in the foreground.

I removed the mask and using a makeup sponge put in a bit more shading.  I used Blush Pro Marker for the flesh.

I then cut out a shape (fancy tag from spellbinders) and using a Happy Anniversary stamp form my stash I stamped the tag using the Archival Coffee ink and gave that a bit of shading around the edge.

I mounted the picture using my perfect layers ruler on a dark brown (nearly black) card which I then mounted onto white card.  I mounted the tag using foam tape and then I made an envelope and embellished it using 2nd generation ink (Coffee Archival) and the leafy swirl stamp.

The insert was made using super smooth paper and stamping the Clarity Stamp verse Loved you Yesterday... (its also on the front of the card that I entered in to the clarity stamp challenge shown HERE)

p.s.  I forgot to say that I used Clarity Paper to do the actual stamping on....silly me!

Stamping, Stencilling and Embossing

Hi Folks!  Been a little busy since my last post.  I have been making cards along with doing a little more art work in my friend Linda's house.

The first photo shows the Stamped and Stencilled corner.

As you can see my friend has a thing for butterflies, so I raided my craft stash and came up with this.

I have used a Clarity Stamp Butterfly and Cherry Blossom stamps, Kan Ban Rose Flourish stamp, 3 other Butterflies that I have picked up over the past year from a Car Boot Sale (don't know the makes).

I used part of a Rose stencil from a collection of Brass stencils that I have and I also used a large and small leaf flourish that I made using the Dies I featured in my post Thursday 18th July - More Embellishments in Metal.

I used Plum Archival Ink, Pearlescent Crimson Memento Ink and Twilight Brilliance Ink. 

Very easy to do especially the stencilling using a foam pad.

The second photo shows the Stickers that I made to be placed on a door.

These were made from another Car Boot Sale purchase.  They are patchwork and ideally suited for a little girls room.  They measure about 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 inches.

     

Vintage piece number 3

Hi once again Folks!  Last piece in this little trilogy for my friend and once again using Clarity Stamps.  You can tell they are my favourite of all the stamps out there in the crafting world!

In this last little piece I used the Large Amethyst stamp and Plum Adirondack ink.  I then coloured the image with Promarkers but this time I used them with my Ultra Fine Nibs. 

Using these nibs on stretched canvas gives you the effect of very tiny strokes which gives the impression that you have painted in oils or acrylics which in turn gives your picture a lot more texture.

The colours I used were: Plum and Leaf Green for the
flowers, Maroon for the dress, Gold for the cushion, Spice for the back of the seat and Henna for the arms of the seat.

I used Maroon for her hair touching it here and there with my Blender to give highlights and Blush for the flesh.

I stamped and then cut out a mask to cover the central image and used Pearlescent Crimson - Brilliance ink with my Ink Duster to cover the background.

I stamped Large Ivy in each corner using Pearlescent Crimson - Brilliance ink. Then using a combination of Ink duster and Foam Pad and Plum Adirondack ink I shaded in the corners and edges of the work.

So now that these little pieces are done I can get on with some larger pieces for my friend ( I have a whole wall to cover for her....I think I am going to be busy for a little while).

Hope you are all well and Happy crafting everyone!

Vintage Piece Number two

Hi Folks!  That's me finished with the first lot of artwork for my friends new home.  I have made her three little pieces for her bedroom.  I have already blogged about one of them (Vintage Challenge) and here is the picture of piece two.
The central image is a larger version of 'La Petit Musique' from Clarity Stamp.  I do not know what this one is called as it was an EBAY job lot purchase.  (this version has the added attraction of the birds, plant and moon/sun in the background, I just love it) 
The corner stamp is the Large Art Nouveau Corner from Clarity Stamp. 

I stamped the image onto stretched canvas using Plum Adirondack ink.  Using my promarkers I coloured the image thus:  Blush for the flesh (of course), Maroon for the hair, Plum for the dress and for the Art Nouveau corner.  I used Coral for the foliage and Canary for the birds. I coloured the moon in Rose Pink.  I used my Blender pen around the outside of the moon to give it a bit of a halo effect.

I then covered the image with a mask that I had made and using my ink duster and Plum Adirondack ink shaded the background, putting a bit more at the corners.

I removed the mask and decided to put more colour to the stocking that the lady is wearing to give it a bit more definition and a little bit of shading under her chin and that was that piece finished.

Piece three coming soon. Hugs to all !

Vintage Challenge update!

Hi Folks!  Just a little update, blowing my own trumpet here!  My entry for the Vintage Challenge with Clarity Stamp Challenge Blog for September has been chosen by the lovely Design Team Ladies to be in the TOP 5 Favourites (Thank you VERY VERY  much Ladies)  this is the 2nd time for me and I am obviously really happy about it.  (you can tell by the big grin on my face) (Oh and I got a new Blinkie for my Blog for this).
Congratulations to the Winner #35 Angela Simpson, and congrats to the other ladies who were picked to be in the TOP 5....#9 Linda Barton , #18 Hermina Speksnijder, #37 Julie Wheatman, and #45 Julie Rose  who all made lovely cards.

Good Luck to all in the next challenge WINTER.

Happy Crafting xxx