A little bit of Parchment Craft along with Clarity Stamp

Hi Folks! Hope you are all having lovely weather and enjoying yourselves.  I have been busy with cardmaking and a little bit of grungy playing ( that's for another day)  but I have also overdone it a bit on the training for Ben Nevis and managed to mess up a bone in my foot (I am ok but did have to finally give in to painkillers which I hate to take)  So while I was sitting resting my foot (it is hard to sit with your foot up above your pelvis without restraints lol) I decided to have a play with my parchment.  Barbara Gray featured the Floral Corner Set on Create and Craft TV at the beginning of the month and as I already had it I was quite chuffed.  I made two cards both quite different but for this blog post I will share the parchment one and maybe pop a picture on the end of the other card!

On Copy paper. I drew a 6 x 6 square with an inner 1/2 inch border in Black Pen.  I stamped in Cobalt Archival Floral Corner and Flower from Clarity Stamp.

I traced a small flower and a couple of leaves using a Blue Micron Pen in one corner. I then drew in a leafy branch. I drew in a few Half Moons around one corner and then changing to a Black Micron Pen I added dots around the outer edge.

Simple, Blue = Embossing, Black = Piercing

Tools:
Lightbox, Embossing Mat, Pricking Mat, Fine Ball Tool, Medium Ball Tool, One Needle and a Two Needle Tool. Tumble Dryer Sheet. Tape, Parchment Grid, Parchment Scissors. White Pergamano Pen, Parchment and a selection of Blue Spectrum Noir Pencils.

I traced the design onto Parchment with the Pergamano Pen. When it came to tracing the outer edge I just moved my Parchment along the design I had drawn. I smooched the back of the Parchment with the Tumble Dryer Sheet. I used a Fine Ball Tool to Emboss.  I then shaded in the flowers etc with the SN Pencils.  I then went back over the Embossing with the Ball Tools to whiten the outlines and to the tips of the Flowers and Leaves.
I turned the Design over and with my Finest Ball Tool, scribed the sentiment, smooched again, with Medium Ball Tool Embossed from the back, coloured the letters then back in again with a Fine Ball Tool to Whiten the outline and shade in the tops of the letters. 

Next step piercing.  I placed Piercing Mat on Lightbox, then Parchment Grid, Pattern, Parchment. I pierced the 8 Corner Holes, removed the Pattern and got on with Piercing using the Corner Holes to guide me onto straight lines. I pierced every 2nd hole apart from the corners where I have a run of 3 consecutive holes on the Inner line and a run of 4 on the Outer line. I shallow pierced, removed Parchment from Grid and then went back and re-pierced deeper with my One Needle Tool.

Next Step Cutting. Using a Two Needle Tool I pierced around all the inner gaps between the Flowers and Leaves, then I cut using Pergamano Scissors.

Next Step Outer Edge.  With my Piercing Mat on my lightbox and Two Needle Tool I pierced around each Scallop and then went back around with my Pergamano Scissors to cut out.  (I couldn't resist a peek at the edge while I was doing it).  I Traced, Coloured, Embossed a separate Single Flower and attached over the one already within the design with Pergamano Glue.

I coloured a piece of Super Smooth (7 x 7) with Denim Adirondack Ink and a Clarity Stencil Brush. Double Sided Tape on the back and mounted onto an 8 x 8 Card Blank to which I then attached the finished  Piece with Pergamano Glue.

Just a few more pics to see the details a bit better (I am not the best photographer)

I decided the next day that the card needed something else and added some flat backed pearls to the opposite corners.  Sorry no full picture as my camera died on me and the card has now been sold...think I will do another one as I did enjoy making this one!

Final Picture!!

The other Card

I think I may be back in my Blue Phase!!

I hope that you enjoyed reading my step by step (I really hope you understand it too).  I have enjoyed sharing it with you all and would very much welcome your feedback.

I'm off to Edinburgh for the Ross Papercraft Show at Meadowbank on Saturday.  Determined to spend my husbands hard earned cash and get in a visit to my Daughter.  

Have a good weekend and Crafty Hugs to All !!!

p.s.  I would like to point out that the Calligraphy Work on my Parchment Design was from a template that I had in my stash. At the time of publishing this post I was not aware that it was in fact a piece of Calligraphy by the wonderful, talented Anne Quinn.  I would just like to give her the credit due for its design.  Click on her name and check out her site where you can see her work and learn more about her.
Thank you.
Emma xx

Clarity Stamp Challenge April 2015

Clarity Stamp Challenge  26 

The theme of this months challenge is
WEE FOLK

Clarity Stamp has brought out 4 sets of Wee Folk stamps recently and Barbara Gray has very kindly given us ladies on the Challenge Design Team two of the Fairy Wee Folk Sets.  (Perfect Timing Barbara and thank you very much indeed) As soon as I had the stamps in my hand my first thought that came to mind was fairies at the bottom of the garden and the old photos that were taken by Elsie Wright and her cousin in 1917.  

So I decided to create a scene of my own using the FILM STRIP STENCIL and the Fairies to represent the photos.

Tree Branch,  

Word Chain #5, 

Fairies, Mushroom from Wee Folk #3, 

Flowers from Wee Folk # 4

The first thing  was to make a mask of the FILM STRIP.  I did this by inking up the STENCIL with Coffee Archival Ink Pad and a BRAYER, then putting it through an embossing machine, transferring the ink and the outline to a piece of paper. I cut out the holes for the sprockets with my craft knife before cutting around the outside of the mask.

inked stencil

stencil mask

I re-inked the STENCIL and placed it centred on an A4 sheet of  Super Smooth paper and put this through my BigShot. I cleaned the stencil using Nail Polish Remover.  I taped the FILM STRIP MASK over this 1st PRINT.  I re-inked the STENCIL again, placed it ink down OVER the MASK at an angle, Placed a piece of copy paper over the top and used a BRAYER to roll over adding pressure, thus transferring the ink to the 2nd PRINT.  I then repeated the process once again, leaving the FILM STRIP MASK in place and turning the actual STENCIL to a different angle to get a 3rd PRINT

The reason behind this - when you put the stencil through an embosser, it leaves the outline marks that you want,..but if you move it and put it back through the machine you would now have more outline marks but these would be crossing over what you have already embossed and that would ruin any scene that you want to create as you would end up with scored lines everywhere which would show up when stamping or brushing with ink.

Keeping the FILM STRIP MASK in place I set about stamping in my WEE FOLK.  As you can see from the picture I also made masks for them too. I used MOONLIGHT WHITE - ARCHIVAL BRILLIANCE INK to stamp my FAIRIES into place. (unfortunately the flash on my camera prevents you seeing the detail in the fairy wings). I lifted the FILM STRIP MASK, covered the FAIRIES with the post-it note MASKS, then taped the FILM STRIP MASK back in place over the center piece of FILM STRIP.

I used COFFEE ARCHIVAL INK, 1st and 2nd gen. Along with OLD PAPER and ANTIQUE LINEN - DISTRESS INKS to stamp the FLOWERS, TREE BRANCH and MUSHROOM also for the shading to give the 'aged' look.  I used more post-it notes to protect the other pieces of the  FILM STRIP.  I also made sure to stamp through the sprocket holes so that I would get the layered look.

All I did to create the 'photo's was just to simply move the STENCIL to the strip I was working on and protect the edges with the post-it notes and cover the next layer with a mask.

Once I had finished stamping and shading I then darkened the edges of each strip by using the edges of the Post-it notes either side of the straight lines and using a makeup sponge and the Coffee Archival I just dabbed until I got the effect I wanted.  (I used large Post-it notes from WH Smiths)

I used SLATE - ADIRONDACK to add shadow around the each of the FILM STRIPS. I also re-used the post-it notes once again to mask the strips so that I could stamp in the TREE BRANCH and the WORD STAMPS in the background.  Finally I used a CLARITY STENCIL BRUSH and COFFEE - ARCHIVAL INK to give a light shading to the background.

This piece will now be fixed onto the inside cover of an art journal that I have been asked to make for a Children's Illustrator. Mmmm, I think I will use the ELVES for the inside back cover!

Well I hope that you like it and that it gives you a little bit of inspiration. I also hope that it encourages you to take part in the Clarity Stamp Challenge this month too.  Pop in and check out all the lovely designs from the other ladies on the Design Team.

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

Challenge 26

Wee Folk

Stamping and stencilling must be with Clarity Stamps and Stencils

£50 Clarity Stamp gift voucher for the Winner

Best of luck to everyone

Happy Crafting

Emma xxx

Birthday Thoughts with Distress Re-Inkers

Hi Folks!  Hope you are all well out there in craftland!  Our house has been hit with illness over the past few weeks (not me...touching wood)  Hopefully everyone is on the mend and I can get back in to my craft room without feeling guilty!  I did manage to get a couple of cards done, a start on another art book for an illustrator, along with a training hike for my climb up Ben Nevis so not too bad.

Today I have a simple birthday card to show you all.  I chose an 8 x 8 card blank, an 8 x 8 embossing folder, Embossalicious - Chantilly Frame. Creative Expressions Die by Sue Wilson from the Italian collection - Umbria.

I began this card by playing about with my Distress Re-Inkers and a laminating sheet.  I laid my chosen colours down onto one side of the sheet.  I opened and closed it a few times pulling away from different corners and let it air dry for a few minutes.  I then added more colours. This time I left the colours to pool into circles and let it dry .  I then put the sheet through the laminator.

While the sheet was drying I put a piece of white card through my BigShot Pro, trimmed the embossed card back a bit and then used two Sharpie pens (Red and Wine) to get the colouring along the edge that I wanted.  I then attached a strip of Wine Organza (Poundland - 15 strips, 5 different shades in lots of colour ranges and guess what...only a POUND)  Needless to say I have a few of them now.  As you can see I gathered the ribbon in the middle with double sided tape.  I then attached this to my Base Card.

My next step was to attach a double sided sticky sheet (I used two of ClarityStamp sheets - bit left over to use for something else) to a piece of 7 x 7 Gelli Card ( I love this card, it is so white and so smooth, great for stamping and inking).  I then put this through my BigShot Pro.

Now a Top Tip #1 coming up!!! 

Remember with Clarity Double Sided Sheets the orange covering is slightly stronger than the  side with the writing.  So if you have problems cutting intricate designs with your Dies, then take the Orange side off to attach to your card and not the other way around as this will make life easier.

Top Tip #2 coming up!!!

Remember to pay attention to what side you place your card down on your Die or you will end up with the Sticky on the wrong side.  You want the Sticky to be on the Back once it has been cut out, hence the reason I now have a Gilded Frame - which I can use for another project but not what I wanted for this card. 

What I wanted was to have the sticky on the back, the lovely curved edges to the front as my next step was to attach this to the Laminating Sheet.  Which is what I did second time around!  I cut around the outside of the Frame so that none of the Laminating Sheet was showing. I just love the stained glass effect that this creates.

I stamped the sentiment using Brilliance Ink - Pearlescent Crimson.  The sentiment itself is actually two stamps.  The outer circle - Thinking of You, originally had a daisy in the middle but I cut that out and the inner circle On Your Birthday - is one from a sheet of A5 Grey Rubber Stamps that I picked up from ebay a while ago and had never used before.  I knew these would go great together and it was a bonus that they fitted. 

I attached Double sided Foam Tape to the back of the Frame, before attaching it over the Ribbon.

Another Tip!!

If you do not have any double sided sheets you can use a strong glue like BookBinding Glue to stick the Laminating Sheet to the Frame.  You would need to leave this to thoroughly dry before attempting to cut around the Frame.

Well I hope you like this little number and I have another card that I posted on FB a few days ago that I would like to share - a little bit of Grunge Paste fun.

So till then

Happy Crafting Everyone!!!

Emma xx

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.