Trees!!!

Hi Folks!  I hope that you all had a wonderful Christmas.  A quick post from me today (that's if blogger lets me, it has been freezing up on me for days).

This is a picture that I wanted to show you all but couldn't until now as it was a Christmas gift for someone.  With this piece I have used the Gelli Plate to make a reflection...so much easier using the Gelli Plate for this!

I used a sheet of Super smooth Card from Clarity Stamp (for use with the large Gelli Plate).  It is brilliant for stamping and shading.

I stamped my Trees and the Deer onto the Gelli Plate which I had mounted onto the Clarity Mega Mount (fabulous thing). I then used the Gelli Plate like a stamp and stamped onto my card.  I then turned my image around and then this time stamped my Trees and Deer directly onto the card.

I added some 'banking' along the waters edge using my mini Fern and one of the mini Leaves from a remountable set.

I covered the 'land' with copy paper and went to work on the water.  This was done using a Brayer, scrunched up copy paper, two shades of Memento Ink: Nautical Blue and Summer Sky.  The same colours were used with the Brayer (minus the copy paper) for the sky.   I used the Yellow ink from a Big n Juicy Pad - Soothing Sunset with a Stencil Brush. The deer are stamped in Adirondack Black, the Trees and Foliage are stamped in Memento - Olive Grove.  I drew in the small birds in flight with a Black Micron Pen.

I added more foliage to the top and bottom of the picture using Olive Grove again and then with a make-up sponge I added a bit more shading using Memento - Pistachio.

I decided at the last minute to add a bit more shading and foliage to the waters edge with the mini remountable leaf before framing.

All the products that I have used to create this picture, from the Stamps, Card, tools to ink have all been supplied by Clarity Stamp.  If anyone wishes details for anything I have used, leave a comment and I will forward you the details. I usually do a link for each product but as blogger is playing up and it has taken me nearly a week to get this posted I just wanted to keep going before it stalled on me again...apologies!

I hope you like it.  

I am entering this picture into the Clarity Stamp Challenge for December as the challenge is Trees.

Good luck to everyone in all their challenges and I hope that you all have a wonderful 2015.

Hugs to all

Emma xx

I think everyone may get a Jumper for Christmas!!

Hi Folks!  Hope you are all well and have everything in hand for Christmas!  I keep thinking I am sorted but then I get distracted and my schedule goes to pot.  What have I been distracted with......
It's this new stamp set......Christmas Jumper from Clarity Stamp......I can't seem to put it down, having so much fun with it!

Today I was all set to mount some images that I had made and get them posted, I was only having a small coffee break when another idea for the Jumper Set came to me and that was it, back to craft room to Play instead of keeping to the plan!

My idea for the Jumper Set was to make a card look as though the Jumper was gift wrapped!

So I got Shrink Plastic and 3 colours of Archival ink.  Stamped twice for each colour (A4 sheet).  I cut out the jumpers one at a time with a craft knife...now of course you will be saying Duh! does she think were stupid!...NO I do not, I just have a tip to pass on (could have just written Top Tip I here you say).








Before I cut each jumper out, I attached a small bit of masking tape to a corner so that once the jumper is free of the sheet you can pick it up by the tape to move it (just in case ink not dry).  Then if you are doing a batch you can attach your jumpers to a door or wall until you need (or have space to work on them)


I used the mini stamps from the set on some of the jumpers but I also did one with a mini Snowman and one with the NDC stamp for December 2014 STAG.  I did have to mask of the sleeves of the jumper to fit him in.

I did only loose one jumper to the ravages of the heat gun...I just couldn't get it unstuck! and I thought that it was the best one!

After I had shrunk the Jumper using my heat gun I gave it a quick spray of Iridescent Varnish.  I attached the Jumper to a square of Hand made tissue.  (I folded in the corners to put in some creases). I then attached this to a piece of Red Tartan paper (on the underside).  Layered again with White Satin Card and more Red Tartan (Top Tip...put ribbon behind first layer of Red Tartan BEFORE doing the rest of the layers - how do I know that this is important.  lol. The final layer being an 8 x 8 card blank.

To bring a bit of sparkle to the design I added some Gold edged Peel-offs.  I the got a little price tag and stamped a small Snowflake in 3rd generation ink ( Meadow), wrote To: and From: in Poppy Promarker. (I used the pen to colour the white string of the price tag.  I made a bow, curled the papers and attached the embellishments with silicone glue.  By this time the lighting was terrible and the Red is really Red so maybe that was a good thing!

Now all that was left was to make a tiny roll of Sellotape and add to card.  Stamp Inside with my Bespoke Christmas stamps.  Put away the envelope that came with the card (as I need to make a box for it now). Make Box. Take photos. Do Blog Post.

   

DONE!

All the stamps used are from Clarity Stamp Ltd.

The NDC stamp is from Clarity Stamp too.  It is the free stamp for this month for New-Design-Club Members.  http://www.claritystamp.co.uk/New-Design-Club

I hope you like this.  Please feel free to leave a comment, I read and appreciate everyone of them and I do my utmost to respond as soon as I am able.

Christmas hugs to all

Emma x

Winter Warmers Galore!

Hi again Folks!  So as I have been busy what with Christmas shopping, Cleaning House, Wrapping Presents etc.   I decided to have a break and catch up on some of my favourite crafters and their Blogs! The first one that I caught up with was Barbara Gray.  (Sorry ladies I didn't get around to looking at anyone else's yet...I got distracted).

Lo and Behold Barbara had Posted about The Christmas Jumper Set!  But not only that....Barbara had done her YouTube video that she does every Tuesday.  So being a fan I checked it out....I felt so silly.

I fiddled about with Post-it Notes for my Jumpers in my two previous posts and then I saw what Barbara did and I am glad that no-one was around to hear what I said to myself!!!!

You have a choice now! You can either read on or you can go to Barbara's Blog by clicking on  LINK or you can go direct to YouTube and search for Claritystamp Christmas Jumper and all will become clear.

So for this post I am going to copy what Barbara Gray did for her YouTube Tuesday!

This time I have stamped onto two different materials, a cotton and a webbing and backed with double sided sticky sheets.  Now just to show you that I am obviously not firing on all cylinders the photo on the left is a bit squint! Reason...I stamped this one out then attached it to the double sided sheet. Much better to attach your material to the sticky sheet first!  Never mind, I did manage to salvage it.  (I have taped them down to stop them slipping around)

What Barbara did instead of messing about with Post-it notes making makeshift masks, was to cut up the Jumper Mask into its parts to isolate them.  These masks that are produced by Clarity Stamp are tacky so that they will stick to any surface.  (they need a little bit of de-tacking before first use but after that you are sailing as they do not tear your project and can be used time and time again)

outer part

inner part

in bits!

Now why didn't I think of that!

Simples!!











So I set about stamping in my pattern.  (I did make a mini post -it note mask for the stag....Barbara did this too).  I then proceeded to follow her example.








Now I am not going to show you the finished card as yet because I will be posting it out to someone for this Christmas but below is what came about by me watching Barbara Gray.

I decided to do two jumpers as you can see and I will be following Barbara's example and mount them on card and then onto Hessian.

colours used

If you look at my post of the 10th December Winter Warmer you will get the details of the Christmas Jumper set or you can go from the link of Barbara's Blog (even better as she has reduced the price of them).  Remember  The Jumper itself can be stamped with any small stamp not just the Christmas stamps.

And I have one more bit of advice...when stamping onto material, check the grain.  The reason my first one went squint was because I didn't check which way the weave was going.

If I had only thought about it a bit I could have had the effect of knitted rows!

Give this a go.  I think it is very effective.  Thank you very much Barbara Gray for sharing.

Hugs to all.

Emma xx

Another Winter Warmer!

Hi Folks!  Well time is certainly running fast this year, it's nearly over and I still haven't finished all my Christmas cards!
I have another Christmas Jumper card to show you.  I am even more happier with this one!

Right here we go, this is how I made it!

I stamped the Jumper onto Cream Satin Card with Denim Adirondack Ink and then sprinkled on Clear Embossing Powder and Heat Set from underneath.
I then placed my own Circle Mask onto the Card and then on top of that I placed the Jumper Mask (outer piece).
I covered up the arms with post-it notes and started building up my pattern.  I moved the notes and covered up the body to get the stamping on the sleeves.  I then removed the outer mask and replaced it with the inner part for the actual Jumper.




I stamped the Forest Ridge into place.  I then dabbed some Denim onto my Clarity Blending Mat and using a make-up sponge put in a little shading around the Jumper - pulling the ink from the mask onto the card.  I used the sponge to build up a bit shading for the sky and shading for the snow.  




Before removing the Jumper Mask, I used my Clarity Stencil brush to go around the Circle lightly.  I then took a White Pilot Pen to put in a bit of snow here and there.

I removed the Circle Stencil and Jumper Mask then proceeded to layer up using Clarity Blue Pearl Paper (7" x 7") and a patterned paper from my stash.  Now I have only used ONE piece of the Blue Pearl Paper.  Because I use the Perfect Layers Rulers I was able to cut very precisely to achieve this.

I used the Christmas Greetings from my Bespoke Set of Christmas Stamps and made a little tag which I attached to the first two layers with a blue and white Twine.  (I shaded the tag a little with some of the ink that was left on the Blending Mat).  

So that is another one off my list!

I hope you like it!

Hugs 

Emma x

Winter Warmer!

Hi Folks!  Well I don't know about where you all live but the weather is atrocious down my way.  Very Cold, wet and very very windy!  So here is a lovely Christmas Jumper to keep you warm!

This picture  shows the stamps that I used making this card. This is the first time that I have used the Jumper Stamp set and my Personalised Dickens Script Stamps from Clarity Stamp and I have to say I am really chuffed with both sets.There is a lot more to both sets so follow the links for more details and to see the full sets. The Holly Wrap stamp is from Clarity Stamp too.  

This picture shows all the bits that I used along with the stamps to make the card.  So what do we have...
Cable Knit Stencil, Own Circle Stencil,
Big n Juicy Red ink pad, Adirondack - Meadow, Promarker - Poppy, Stencil Brush,
Perfect Layers Ruler, Double sided Tape, Masking Tape, Craft knife, scissors.
Copy paper and Theuva Card.




Step 1 )  Attach Circle Stencil to Theuva Card (cut into a square) with masking tape. Ink up Jumper with the Red ink and stamp into circle.  Cover Jumper with Mask.

Step 2) Attach Cable knit Stencil over the top. Dust lightly with the Adirondack and stencil brush.  Remove Cable knit stencil.

Step 3)  Remove the Jumper Mask and using Meadow, stamp in the pattern on the Jumper.  Then take a Poppy Promarker (with a fine nib) and colour in the jumper.

Step 4)  Remove the circle stencil and stamp pattern around the outer edge. Then stamp in the Holly Wrap stamp.

Step 5)  Mat and layer onto red card.  Stick image to backing card / paper with the double sided tape then use the perfect layers ruler and craft knife to get a perfect border.  Then attach to a Blank Card with strong double sided tape.

(To get a perfect match in the colours of red I used the chisel end of my poppy promarker on thin card before layering)

Step 6)  Using the lovely bespoke Dickens Script stamp message on insert (or if making a few of the same it might be quicker to just stamp the greeting directly onto the card)

Step 7)  Photograph work but try not to wait until it is too dark or the lights have fused (again!) in craft room.  Have a quick break and onto the next card!

I hope you like this, please feel free to leave a comment.

Hugs to all!

Emma x

More Fairies!!!

Hi Folks!  Hope you are all well out there.  I have two more Fairy cards to show and they will be my last for the year.
So lets get right down to it!  Here are the two cards.  I have mixed things up a bit with using stamps from my stash.  I have used a Papermania Fairy along with a Rubber mounted Christmas Cheer Stamp and the little Robin is from Clarity Stamp for the first card and I used two freebies from a craft mag along with a lovely Frame stamp from Clarity Stamp for the second card.

I stamped the Red Fairy and Heat embossed using Fine Detail Gold Powder onto Theuva Card, then stamped her onto a Post-it Note to make a mask which I covered her with. I placed my own Circle Stencil onto the Card and Stamped the Bauble Garland (which has the words too) in Adirondack Meadow.  I coloured the baubles with a Red Poppy ProMarker and a Gold Gel Pen.

I used a Clarity Stencil Brush and the Meadow ink to dust around the circle and then removed the Stencil.

I began to colour the red fairy using Red Poppy, Blush, Caramel, Fern Green ProMarkers and a little bit of Gold Gel Pen.  Once I was happy with her shading I stamped the Robin into place and coloured him in too with the ProMarkers.

I ran my Gold Gel Pen around the circle (very slowly and carefully...didn't need it to go wrong at this stage).  I then layered and matted the card using double sided tape, Perfect Layers Ruler, Craft Knife.
(I coloured the red backing paper with the Poppy ProMarker.)

For the Gold Fairy I stamped and heat set with detail Gold embossing Powder.  (don't forget to use talcum powder to reduce static) and then I stamped the lovely Frame with the Detail Gold too.

I made a mask for my fairy, put a post-it along one edge of the frame and then stamped in the Christmas tree.  I used a make-up sponge to put in a little bit of shading within the tree and I highlighted bits of it with my gold Gel Pen.

I used Promarkers -Lemon, Blush, Cardinal Red and Marsh Green along with my Gold Gel Pen and a White Pilot pen (for the dots on the Parcel)

I used Cardinal Red, Marsh Green again with my Gold Gel Pen to colour in the Frame.  I put in a bit of shading for the background and gave a bit of a shadow using a Cool Grey 1 Promarker. I then layered the image onto Green Dotty paper from my stash and mounted this onto a Blank Card.  I decided to finish it off by adding a little bit more sparkle by using clear gold edged Peel Offs.

So that's it for the Fairies, fun to do but now I have to get on with making my own Christmas Cards...way behind but will post some soon.   (have one to post in the morning)

Take care all

Big Hugs

Emma x

Travel

Hi Folks!  Hope you have all had a wonderful week!  I have been busy finishing off the orders for Christmas cards, hopefully now I can get on with my own Christmas cards and also the ones my husband needs for his work!  But I was required to take a little break from them as I had a friend who required a birthday card for a cyclist...

I decided to use my mini cyclist as I have two sizes of this stamp.  It is from Clarity Stamp (in fact so are the trees)  I will list them all at the end.

I stamped the cyclists in Archival - Potting Soil and used my ProMarkers to colour them in a bit (yeah  I actually got some of the tips to work) I then made some masks with Post-it Notes and covered the boys up.

I used Adirondack - Meadow to stamp the trees, shade all the little lumps and bumps in the ground (always was bumpy when I cycled)  I also added a bit of the Potting Soil too.  I used a make-up sponge for the bumps and then I used a Stencil Brush with Memento - Summer Sky for the sky!

I drew a fine line with a ProMarker around the edge of the image  and then trimmed it back a bit before mounting onto a blank card with double sided tape.

This reminds me of when my husband Alex used to take the Kids out when they were younger!

So all that is left is to add the Happy Birthday tag and it will be ready  to go.

Stamps used:
Cyclist
Forest Ridge
Tree   used at front and for foliage
Tree   used among the cyclists

I am off for a cuppa now but I will submit this into the Clarity Stamp Challenge for November which is Travel.  It is the preferred method  of transport for our family!

Happy Crafting Everyone!

Emma x

http://claritystampchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/challenge-21.html

Fly Away Dreams

Hi Folks!  Yesterday Barbara Gray posted on her Blog about a lovely new Leafy Stencil and it reminded me that I hadn't posted about a card that I had made a few weeks ago for a young chap that was moving on to pastures new.  So I thought that I had better get on and do it before I forget again!!

So Blue for a boy ... I stamped the boy with the birds in Archival - Cornflower Blue on Clarity Coated A5 Card.  Then sprinkled with clear embossing powder and heat set from underneath.  I had used a spellbinders die to cut out the shape first.

Next step was to put in a moon mask and then create some sky and a bit of a landscape with the copy paper.  Brayer used for the Sky and Make-up sponges for the landscape shading.  Added a flock of birds and then I set about adding the lovely  Maple Leaf and did a bit of secondary stamping.  I love the effect the wet ink has on this type of card with the leaves...you get shading without even trying!  I then stamped the sentiment and embossed it as with the boy.

Now just a little reminder when using coated card stock to let your ink dry  completely unless you are embossing it as the ink will stay wet for a while...you can hurry it along a bit by using your heat gun.  And if you are using embossing powders, brush a bit of talcum powder over your work first...great for getting rid of static!

This was actually a last minute card and I was not quite sure of where I was heading.  But mounting this piece on a blank card just didn't look right so I decided to add a rectangular backing sheet. I once again used the Maple Leaf stamp on Theuva Card to create a border and then attached it together with double sided tape and then mounted it onto a blank white card.

I also stamped the Maple Leaf inside the card too but unfortunately I can't let you see it as it was immediately taken from me and promptly some very rude words were written in it. ( all in jest I am told )

I love using just one colour of ink and achieving as many shades as possible out of it.  The shading is dependant on which type of card or paper you use too.  Coated Card will give you a darker / stronger image, whereas Plain card or Theuva Card will give you a softer image.

The young chap loved his card and confessed that he thought he would end up with a very bright pink girly card...I told him I had that one in reserve!

Happy Crafting everyone !

Emma x

Make a Wish

Hi Folks!  I have a lovely little card for you today...it took me a while (well all day yesterday as my ultra fine nibs on my ProMarkers wouldn't work...they all seemed to have dried up)

So for this 8 x 8 card I was asked to use an image of a Fairy, I chose one from the Papermania Enchanted range. I knew that she was going to sit nicely into the Clarity Stamp Naked Tree Stencil.
I stamped her using Archival - Potting Soil. I made a mask for her using a Post-it note. which I then put in place.

I attached my Stencil onto Theuva Card.  As usual my copy paper torn for hills I laid this over the stencil and using Clarity Stencil Brushes I blended in  Memento - Summer Sky and Distress Ink - Stormy Sky.  I then took a make-up sponge and brought in the ink laying on the stencil to make it darker at the edges.  I then proceed to colour in the background in my usual manner with the copy paper this time using just the make-up sponges.  I started with Distress Ink - Shabby Shutters, then Bundled Sage then I lightly added some Adirondack - Meadow.  I then removed the stencil.

I took a Promarker - Caramel (trying to use my ultra fine nib) to draw along the edges of the white tree and then coloured it in.  I then took one of the remountable leaves, Bundled Sage and Adirondack Meadow and added them to the tree.  

I must point out at this stage that I had made a paper mask of the stencil so that I could protect the outer area (keeping the leaves only in the circle.)

I removed the mask from the Fairy and set about her with my ProMarkers (Nibs still not working but I tried to use them as best I could...angry now and hands shaking).  Inks used  Plum, Moss Green, Blush and Putty.   So I spent the next hour going through all my nibs seeing which worked and which did not...not happy as selling point that they won't dry out, such a shame as they are really really great for detail work.

So back to the card...I put in some foliage using some of the remountable leaves and some shading. Moss Green ProMarker around the circle.  A little bit of shading under the Fairy's foot. I also put some foliage around the outer white circle allowing the foliage this time to creep into the main image

I added Make A Wish in Adirondack Wild Plum 

I took Adirondack Meadow around the edge of my card once I had trimmed it.  I layered this onto another piece of white card and then a lovely green dotty paper.  All perfectly spaced due to the Perfect Layers rulers and attached to an 8 x 8 card.  

Finished card

I am quite happy with the result, I hope you like it too.  I really wanted to show this one off to show that you don't have to just use stencil paste and that you can change the stencil by simply  stamping some leaves.


Hugs to all.

Emma xx

Christmas Cards with Clarity Stamp Club November Stamp

Hi Folks!  Just thought that I would share a couple of Christmas cards that I have made with the New Designs Clarity Stamp Club members stamp that came on Friday. (can't link it for you as yet as it is not available on the Clarity web site until next month) I had a little play as soon as I got the stamp, unfortunately I then had a load of visitors (welcome) and I had only managed to get two cards done. Since then I have been inundated with more mundane things like housework and family lol.

So the first card I did was a play on the sample sheet that came with the stamp.  I used a Clarity Stencil Winter Tree and obviously the Car Stamp, Theuva Card which I had cut to a square.  I had my stash of torn copy paper at the ready along with a makeup sponge, Adirondack Ink: Eggplant, a mask for the car and the headlamp ( post it notes), glue pen, Glamour Dust Glitter and a Stencil Brush

I stamped the car first, placed my masks and then fixed the stencil in place. Using the torn copy paper I shaded in the sky and very lightly shaded the edges of the tree. I then shaded in the tyre tracks forming a bend with the copy paper.
I used a Stencil Brush to lightly go around the inside edge of the stencil, just picking up the ink that was laying on it from doing the sky.
I used my glue pen to and some Glamour Dust to add starlight to the sky and to put some snow on the tree. Then before mounting onto white card I gave a little bit of shading around the edge of the image.
So just before taking this photo on Friday morning one of the lights in my craft room decided to blow so there is a bit more shadow from me that I would have liked to avoid but it was not to be...hey ho!

So the next card that I managed to make I decided to make a circular stencil from Stencil Plastic as I didn't have one.
You need to be patient and have a steady hand this out with a craft knife...don't think I did too badly!

So once again using the Adirondack Ink: Eggplant, Lone Spruce, Forest Ridge, Club Stamp and the small Star. Embossing Ink and Clear Embossing Powder.  Satin Card, Glue Pen, White Flocking.  Clarity Stamp Blending Mat
White Blank Square Card, double sided tape, all from my stash.








So from the images below you can see the stages that I followed.  That Ink on my stencil came in handy!

After doing all the stamping I added a little mask for the headlamp again and added very light shading to show it up  (albeit not very well in this photo) I added some shading for the roadway using my ClarityStamp Blending mat. 

My next step was to cover my image with the INNIE of my stencil to protect it.  I used a makeup sponge to colour the outside of the circle...I love colouring Satin Card as the ink spreads and blends really well and your image still has a sheen when dry.  Now when it came to shading the roadway that is out off the stencil I once again used the edge of the blending mat.

I removed the Innie of the stencil and then stamped the Lone Spruce.  I then used my glue pen to make falling snow around the outside of the circle and I added  snow to the trees with the white flocking.  Then all that was left was to go around the outside edge of the whole image with my ink pad and mount it onto a blank card.  

Can you spot the light from the headlamp?

 I love being a member of the Clarity Stamp Club that much that I didn't hesitate to join the Stencil Club when they started it this year....I'm a Gold Member!  That means that I get a free stencil and free stamp each month along with design sheets for each one, a newsletter written by Barbara Gray, half price members sale, 10 per cent discount and free postage on purchases over £10.00   Not bad at all!

But what I love most about Clarity Stamp is that their product shows quality!  You tell me what other stamp out there on the market that you can take an Iron to  when using fusible fibres and it doesn't melt the stamp.  The Stencils can go through an embossing machine and they don't crack.  And last but not least...Barbara Gray, The Design Team and the Team at Clarity Stamp HQ are all so very generous with their time, help and advice.

So what's next....a little play with the new stencil!


Happy Crafting everyone.

Hugs

Emma xx