Clarity Stamp Challenge 25: Anything But A Card

Clarity Stamp Challenge

Design Team Sample for March

Anything But A Card!

Hi Folks! 1st March today.  Time for another Claritystamp Challenge.
This month the topic is Anything But a Card
As long as any stamping is done by using Clarity Stamps Only.

For my design piece I decided to share a project that I have made for myself.

I am going on a hike up Ben Nevis at the end of May and I know I am going to be surrounded by some breathtaking scenery and I would quite like to capture some of it on paper!

So I have made myself an A4 Art Travelling Book...What is that you ask?...

Well let me explain!
(Lots of pictures in this post!!!)

It has 3 hard outer Covers

Which I have decorated with Grunge Paste,  Acrylic Paint, Gilding Wax

Stamping, Stencilling

and  a few other bits n bobs

Why 3 Covers?

Well I needed a back to my book and I needed a front for my book

Which I have attached together using a Zutter Binder and Owire

What's the third one for?

(dragging this out)

Well the third Cover is to hold the things I will need to take with me when I go Up North!

Which I put together using a very practical bit of kit from my crafty stash!

Want to see?

After putting two of the boards through the Zutter Binder then the Inner Pages to create the holes required for binding later, I began to decorate.

Back Cover and Top Cover (Upside Down)

I have stencilled Grunge Paste directly onto the Boards.  But before I did that I attached a piece of NON-SLIP MATTING using BOOKBINDING GLUE.  When dry I then applied GRUNGE PASTE over the top.  I left a gap between the Boards so that I had a wide enough flexible HINGE.   I thought it was quite ingenious myself.  The MATTING only cost £2.00 and it is huge so I can use it for a lot more things, like stopping my pencils and pens from rolling off my work desk!

Want to see the Inside?

I think we should continue with the Outer Covers!
But before that a picture of SOME of the items I used to make the book

9 x 11 TRELLIS, 9 x 11 LEAFY SWIRL, 7 x 7 FLOWER POWER, 7 x 7 MAPLE LEAVES, GRUNGE PASTE, SYSTEM 3 ACRYLICS, ARCHIVAL INK, SPREADER, ADIRONDACK INKS are just some of the items used sourced from CLARITYSTAMP

Other items used were sourced from Drawright in Ayr and The Works

Top Cover

I'm  pleased with the CHAINMAIL effect of the Matting mixed with Grunge Paste and Acrylics.

For this I used the Maple Leaf and the Flower Power Stencils and Grunge Paste.  I then added a few layers of Acrylic paint - Gold, Bronze, Blue, Green and Black ( I wiped most of the Black off before it had dried)  I attached a selection of wooden frames, words and shapes (The Works). I added more Black Paint, wiped more off and then set to with my GILDING WAX - Golden Light, Deep Red Then buffed it all up using some kitchen roll.

I like to add a CLASP to close the books I make and I do this by finding a bit of old Jewellery (Charity Shop) that I can alter or simply take apart.  I measured to make sure the chain would reach the OWIRE ok and that I had enough to leave a bit hanging.  The rest of the chain is hidden behind my Initial (a Metal disk from an Alphabet Set - Drawright) As the Wooden Frame had a recess, I simply placed the excess chain into it and added some Grunge Paste - not too much, just enough to make it set the chain in place.  I left this to dry and added more Grunge Paste then placed my copper disk on top and ...Squished!  I used a small glue spreader to remove some of the excess and flatten the rest.  Once Dry I had to add more of the Acrylic paint and Gilding Wax.

NEXT!

Middle Cover

I have used the same treatment as the top.  Using the TRELLIS STENCIL along with the LEAFY SWIRL stamp (Cobalt Archival Ink).  I applied the stamp before I added BLACK ACRYLIC.  I used MOD PODGE to attach  a couple of Die Cut Swirls (made from the inner foil lid of a coffee can) and a Sizzix Strip Die.  This is where the Sharpie Bronze and Gold Pens came in handy to colour the Foil. More Black Acrylic, more wet wipes...definitely cuppa time now.  I had a bit of bother getting the colour to stay on the foil until I used a Sharpie pen, I was then able to add more colour with the acrylics and waxes.  (if I had sanded the foil a little bit I wouldn't have had any bother).

Back Cover

Same treatment with the LEAFY SWIRL and MAPLE LEAVES stencils with Grunge Paste, Acrylic Paint, Gilding Waxes.  I thought at first I had gone too far with the red wax at the top but I am liking it now.

So now we get to the inside (yup there's more!)

 Middle Cover and the Back Cover before binding.

I cut down a couple of 12 x 12 papers, put them through the binder to make the holes and used MOD PODGE to attach to the Boards. I used a scraper working from the middle outwards to smooth it all out.  I didn't do anything else to the Back Cover but I did add a little artwork to the Middle and Top Covers.

Inside Middle Cover

I created a mountainous landscape using a CLARITY STENCIL BRUSH, Makeup Sponge, my own Mountain Stencil (made from thick acetate) and Adirondack - Eggplant, Black, Pesto and Butterscotch Inks to create the brooding hills and skyline. I used Dovecraft - White Pigment Ink to create the snow capped mountain.  I added two lonely trees SMALL LARCH and PINE TREE  (I have added the link for the Pine Tree from the Scotland Set but the one I used here was from the mini collections - ATC Stamps).

Inside Top Cover

For this I used a Layer of CRAFT FOAM. 

(paper would have just shown where the elastic is fixed) 

I have stamped the LARGE and SMALL LEAFY SWIRL in Archival - Cobalt.  I attached two pieces of 2cm Elastic to the corners of the bare board. I then attached 1cm thick Elastic Strips through the FOAM and then coated the Board with BOOKBINDING GLUE and attached the FOAM and left to set. I then made a little Clear Plastic Pouch (salvaged from a bag)and attached to the board with Red Double Sided Tape.

This way I can take with me Water colouring Pencils, brushes and also Chalk, Graphite, Charcoal, Drawing Pencils, rubber, Pencil Sharpener in the other tin.  I can also interchange what kind of pencils or Pens to take with me, or even a small tin of paints.  I am quite pleased with the options that I have given myself...it will probably take me longer to decide what I take in this than what I take in my rucksack!

Once all the Covers were decorated I put my mix of different types of paper along with the boards and Owire through the Zutter Binder  to finish.

There you have it, one Art Travelling Book just for me!

Just a few more pics...I promise

My favourite bit

and there is one more!!!

I also managed to get a couple of background sheets to use at a later date.

These were simply made by taping a bit paper OVER the stencil and brushing all the excess acrylic paint from my brush as I went along.

Phew! I do hope you have managed to stay with me till the end!

Let me know what you think!

Happy Crafting!!

And to those of you out there entering the Claritystamp Challenge

(£50.00 Clarity Stamp Voucher to the Winner chosen at Random)

I wish you all the best of luck xx

Hope to see all your lovely artwork on the Blog

http://claritystampchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/

P.S.  I just wanted to add that One of  the bare Covers was taken from a set of blanks I got at a craft show  (everything is a pound stall)  It is the ones that just have the two holes punched already, best bit is that  they come with A4 paper and the two metal rings...bargain.  I hid the holes with the grunge paste. You do NOT have to have a Binding Machine to make a book.

New Year, New Beginning!

Hi Folks!  As the title says New Year, New Beginning and it is for me!  I will end this month in a New Home with a New Craft Room and now a friend has just had a New Baby!

My card is for the New Baby and I will be entering this card into the Clarity Stamp Challenge which the theme this month is NEW.  And here is the finished card. (my ramblings on how I made it will come after the main picture)

Step one was of course to figure out what I wanted to do and then gather all my bits together.  I got my piece of Clarity Coated Card and dusted it with Talcum Powder.  Stamped the ' it's a boy' onto the card using Memento Paris Dusk ink and sprinkled Clear Embossing Powder and of course then heated this from underneath.  I also made a mask from a Post-it Note for this stamp.

I then stamped my Blue Leafy Swirl in Paris Dusk and gave it the same treatment as the sentiment.  I stamped the Swirl again in Memento Summer Sky.

You will have noticed (if you are paying attention) that the embossing is not completely covering the swirl and the sentiment.  The reason? Although ink stays wet longer on Coated Card stock, you really need to use an embossing ink.  But as I was going for the effect of dew drops on fresh leaves this suited me fine.  I did blow quite a bit of the embossing powder away before heat setting it.

I took a tree from the set of 3 repositional trees and stamped a ridge line just with the very tip of the tall thin one in Memento Pistachio.  I tore a piece of copy paper to make my hills using Pistachio again.  I used the Lone Pine stamp from the ATC starter set, either side of the picture and my Mini Spruce Tree for the rest. I took the long stamp from the Trees and their Mantles, fixed it to my ruler and stamped along the bottom.  I then added a bit more shading to the foreground with Memento Olive.



I took a Blue Distress Marker to the edge of my picture and then matted this onto White Super Smooth paper.  Then matted this onto a textured Blue Card which I then matted onto a White Base card.  I used my Perfect Layers Rulers that I got from Joanna Sheen (and they are perfect) to do my layers.

The final stages were to form my Banner.  I used 15 Pricing  Labels (I know, I know...I could have used my small tag stamps from Clarity Stamp but I was in a rush and didn't have time to cut them out.  They stamp out the same size as these by the way).

I Stamped my letters using the Letterbox Set  from In the Classroom with Barbara Gray.  I then alternated the shading on each one. Pistachio and Paris Dusk.  I then fixed them onto my card using small Foam Pads and Double Sided  Tape, alternating which tag got raised and which tag lay flat.  I then threaded the Blue Striped Twine through each tag and left the ends hanging...I was going to have stamped a Swallow to hold the twine at each end but I hadn't left myself much room, next time!

Oh! and why a Blue Leafy Swirl?  Everyone knows that boys are found under Blue Bushes and girls are found under Pink Bushes!!!!!

Happy crafting everyone!

xxx

20 minute cards

Hello Everyone!   Hope you have all survived you Christmas festivities.  I had a very quiet day.  Not complaining it was nice just me and the hubby, unfortunately he is off work with an injured back, he is usually working Christmas Day as he is a chef.

sledging

So now that all those Christmas Cards
have been sent I can now do a few posts on them.  The first is going to be of a couple of little cards that only took me about 20 minutes to complete for both of them.

I used two ATC blank cards to make these.  I began with making the background using copy paper, makeup sponge and Faded Jeans Distress Ink.

I have used Clarity Stamps for the images, only using The Faded Jeans distress ink.


I have used ATC or Mini stamps Lone Spruce, the children Sledging, The Snowflake corner and the Happy Christmas to make the top card.

I have used the same masking techniques as in the first card and the same ink.  I used the Small Larch, Reindeer, the Star of Bethlehem and the Snowflake Corner

I also used leaf stamp for the bottom and side of this card from a remountable leaf set for the Naked trees of Africa.

On both cards I used 2nd generation inking ( stamping onto copy paper before stamping onto card).

I mounted the main images onto a small card and then stamped directly onto the card.  I added Holographic Peel-offs to the edges of the main image just to give it a bit of a sparkle.

I really do have to get myself a photo booth as by the time that I had gotten around to taking photos the light had gone and the pictures are not that great so I do apologise for this.  The 2nd generation inking gives the cards a faded look which I like but they are not as faded as they look in the photos.

I shall post another Christmas Card tomorrow.

Hugs

Emma x



competition entries:

http://feelingcraftychallenge.blogspot.co.uk/
http://www.kis-challenge.blogspot.ca/
http://4kraftygirlzchallenges.blogspot.co.uk/
http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge2.blogspot.co.uk/

Hi Folks!  Still making Christmas cards!  So last post I passed on my tip for making a fringe for the end of a paper scarf using thread.  At the time I had not fully made up the card...I was trying to get a production line going but not succeeding.  But I have finally got that batch of cards finished and mailed, so now I can take a little time out for blogging!

So to recap, after building up my image (Forever Friends Teddy). I cut off the paper fringe and added the blue thread and left it to dry.

So while the glue was drying I cut out two layers.  One was a blue striped backing paper, the other was a piece of hammered card from my stash and I began building up a background scene using Copy Paper, Ink duster, Memento Summer Sky ink pad, and a moon mask.  Once I had built up the colour to the shade I wanted, I began to stamp up some plant life.

I of course reached for my favourite stamps which are of course Clarity Stamps.  They have quite an extensive range of stamps and are of the very best quality.  Part of their range is the Mini stamps which are great for doing mini landscapes or for even using them as a seal with wax on the back of an envelope.

I used two Clarity Stamps both from a Leaf set for the Naked trees of Africa.  I stamped them using Distress Ink - faded Jeans.  I layered my two pieces onto white card, put in my insert and then added my topper.









I then used a glue pen to add some Glamour dust to highlight the scene.






I have made two sizes of this card.  I have also matted one onto plain smooth white card and the other larger one onto White Pearlescent card.  The blue background paper was cut out using a Spellbinder and a Nellie Snellen Die.



















So over the next few days I will post the last of the other cards I have made for Christmas that I actually remembered to take photos of to share with you all.

Hugs to all

Emma xxx

  

Effects With Ink Dusters

Hi, today I will show you some results that can be achieved using Ink Dusters.  I like to use them a lot.  I find them easy to handle (and they make me feel as though I am painting).  I first saw them being used on Create and Craft TV and then last year at the Christmas fair at the SSEC in Glasgow I saw them being demonstrated. I was quite impressed that they can be used on any medium, from copy paper to wood. Very impressed with the sample cards.  The rule is to let the brush get comfortable in your hand (they are double ended) dab onto your ink (any kind can be used - bonus!) then dab a bit onto scrap paper before applying to your medium (card, paper etc.).

pic 1

Apply ink lightly, re-apply to the depth of colour you want. You can use small or long strokes or even use in a circular motion. To give a darker look to a particular area pinch the bristles a bit (once you have inked +dabbed) then apply, or of course use a darker ink. When doing landscapes, tape your work to a piece of copy paper using low tack tape.  Turn your work  to portrait then start using your ink dusters to apply ink, it is easier to apply ink this way if you are using long strokes. Then if you want to apply the ink in a circular motion turn your work to landscape. (remember to turn your work not yourself when applying ink to corners or edges).  In pic 1, I have cut out these shapes using spellbinders dies.  I kept the dies on the card while going over them with the ink dusters.  I used SUPER SMOOTH CARD.

pic2

In pic 2, I stamped my images first then I covered the kissing couple (from Clarity Stamp) with a heart mask before shading with my ink duster.  I shaded the corners first and then starting on the heart mask I came off it with my brush, turning my work while doing so.
I used an ATC card and also mini Cherry Blossom from Clarity Stamp.

pic3

                                                                                                In pic 3, I stamped out my image, Boy Fishing and Small Landscape, put in a moon mask, then I shaded in the sky starting at the corners and working in. As you work in the ink gets lighter and this helps blend it all.  I repeated the process for the foreground.  I had used THEUVA CARD for this project. You can see that I have taken the ink all the way to the edges and this has given it more definition.

pic 4

In pic 4, I have used the ink duster to shade the background using a Stencil that I had made and also to shade in the main image. The background is just plain old COPY PAPER
All the stamps used were Clarity Stamps.

You can also use over heat embossed images without causing any damage.  And when you are finished you can leave the brushes to dry (the ink won't transfer) or you can give them a rinse out in water..

Now I must get on with my Christmas cards...getting behind a bit.   Crafty hugs to all! x

Birdhouse ATC Card

Hi Folks. Hope you are all well and busy crafting away.

My latest card creation for all to see was made using the items opposite.  (I left out the Versamark pen from the photo oops!). Sea foam White Embossing Powder, Stencil Tape, Post-it note masks, Heat Gun, Ink Duster, makeup sponge, copy paper (torn in half to make hills) 3 ATC's from the set I got from Clarity Stamp  I used Pitch Black Adirondack and Archival Brilliance Pearlescent Crimson ink.


I used the complete set of stamps from Lesson 18 - Birdhouse set from Clarity Stamp (I was determined to use every stamp).

The picture is of my sample sheet for my records as the full set comes with the Bird table already mounted while the other stamps in the set are re-mountable.

I keep my Clarity Stamps on sheets of acetate once I take a sample print then store them in A4 poly pockets in a large binder

I keep all my other clear stamps in A5 pockets and binders






So what did I do.......