Clarity Challenge June 2016 - Masculine

A little bit late this month with my challenge entry as those who know me will know I like to do a steam train theme for my Dad, but as I couldn't do anything like this using Clarity products for Father's Day I decided to get ahead and do the birthday card for my Partner's birthday next year. I started by embossing the bulrush stencil onto a piece of stencil card and then overlaid this with the tree stencil before colouring using the following Distress inks: Tea Dye; Vintage Photo; Ground Espresso; Old Paper; Shabby Shutters; Cracked Pistachio; Weathered Wood;and Salty Ocean

I then stamped the Fisherman in Black Soot Distress Ink, prior to cutting it out.

The background was created by using Tea Dye and Old Paper distress inks and stamping with the journalling set in second and third generation Vintage Photo. I stamped the reeds along the bottom in Shabby Shutters in first and second generation and added the swallow in the top right hand corner using weathered wood and black soot.

I mounted the main image on a piece of matt gold adorable scorable and went round the edge of the card in copper gilding wax before mounting on an 8x8" card blank. I finished by stamping the Happy Birthday sentiment in the top left hand corner.

Thank you for reading!

Clarity Challenge May 2016 - Anything Goes

I decided to go down the Groovi route for the challenge this month and the finished project will also be the Birthday card for my Mum later this month. I used the Banner Groovi Border Plate and the following Groovi plates:

I started with by using the butterfly and then took the square nesting plate before adapting the banner for the Mum sentiment.

The main design was the poppies, after which I decided to change the border by using the square nesting plates to make small squares.

To give the banner the texture of a ribbon I used the diagonal Groovi grid before starting on the white work.

Using the Tombow colouring pencils I added some colour.

The background was created by blending Butterscotch, Lettuce and Red Pepper Adirondack inks on watercolour card before spritzing with water.

I mounted it on the background using a box technique before matting onto black card.

Thanks for reading.

The Art of Masking

Well I have finally managed to get time to put my entry together for the Clarity Stamp Challenge. This month the theme was all about masking, so I decided to use the Blue Tit stamp and the Picture Framer Stencil. I stamped the large Blue Tit in Denim Adirondack and then masked the image before drawing round the inside of the Oval from the Picture Framer Stencil.

I then stamped the two small Blue Tits and masked the before stamping the Bird Feeder. I created a mask for the Bird Feeder and masked all the border elements of the stencil.

Taking a blending tool and Mustard Seed Distress Ink I started creating the background, before adding Cracked Pistachio and Mermaid Lagoon, which I blended together and spritzed with water. Taking an element of the journalling stamp set and second generation Ground espresso I randomly stamped within the Oval section.

I then inserted the inner oval for the stencil and removed the tape from the flowers. Taking a stencil brush and Mustard Seed I then coloured the flowers. I created some shade with Carved Pumpkin and using a cotton bud and Ground Espresso I stippled through to create the stamens. To give the artwork texture I took some Imagination Crafts Inca Gold and rubbed it into the border.

After removing the stencil I replaced the Oval Inner and using Mermaid Lagoon created some shadow before removing all the masks and colouring the Blue Tits and Bird Feeder with the Tombow colouring pencils and drawing a chain to connect the Bird Feeder to the border. I finished the card by matting onto a piece of black card before mounting onto Kraft card.

All About the Girls - Clarity Stamp Challenge March 2016

Well I have to admit I didn't know where to start with this challenge, but after Kim Shaw throwing down the gauntlet and looking at some of the other entries I decided to enter the card I have made to celebrate my Grandma's 94th birthday. I decided to make a card using the Groovi system and used multiple plates and borders in my design.

I started by putting the banner on and the top left hand corner. I rotated the lace corner border plate to mirror the design in the right hand corner.

I then used the circle plate before adding the square to make a border and added the trellis to the section below the banner.

The main focal point for the design was the Art Nouveau Poppies.

I personalised the design with "Grandma" and after reviewing the design I felt that something was needed in the space between the Art Nouveau Poppies and the square border so I decided to do some pin pricks. Now I do not possess the Groovi grids (yet) so I adapted by using the dots from one of the border plates and measuring using the square nesting dies. I then pierced these dots with a needle.

The design was completed with white work before adding colour using the Tombow colouring pencils and making the pierced holes bigger using the small Groovi tool.

The finished design was then mounted on a piece of coloured card before mounting on a 6x6" card blank.

Thank you for reading my blog.

Say it with Flowers

New year, new beginnings and a new challenge from Clarity. I started with a shaving foam background I had done on some watercolour card last year.

Using Orange Blossom Archival I stamped the Thank You sentiment in the top left hand corner.

Keeping with the Orange Blossom Archival I then stamped two roses in the bottom right had corner.

After masking the two roses I stamped the leaves using Meadow Adirondack.

The third rose was created with white and green Angelina Fibres, which I then mounted with the two stamped roses in the bottom right hand corner.

I then coloured the two roses using Marigold and Sunflower Cosmic Shimmer Acrylic Drawing Inks. The Thank You sentiment was coloured using Tombow Irojiten Vol. 3 colouring pencils (D-2 Chestnut Brown, D-3 Autumn Leaf and D-4 Maple Sugar). I then used OR1 from the Spectrum Noir pens to edge the card before mounting on some brown co-ordinations card stockand added some Candi to the corners.

Shaped Card - What a challenge?

This months Clarity Challenge was to create a shaped card. Decisions, decisions, what shape should I do? A rocker card or a diamond spring card, so I decided to have a go at both and then see which one I was most happy with. Only problem with this is I am happy with both as they are each so different. After looking at the other great entries I have decided to blog about the rocker card.

The first stage was to cut the various elements to make the card.

Using Sepia Archival and blending tool I created the backgrounds and stamped the poppy on the middle section.

Change of mind at this point as the section stamped with the poppy appeared to stark so I redid this with a Sepia background and then stamped the poppy which was then coloured with Spectrum Noir pencils. Liquid pearls and glossy accents finished this section. The wee folk were stamped in each of the small quarter sections using black archival. Using second generation ink I used a small floral stamp to create the background and then using a Tattered Lace alphabet die I added the word Remembrance. To finish the card I added some ribbon which I coloured with some Sepia Archival to match the rest of the card.

August Clarity Challenge

Well I have finally got up the courage to enter the Clarity Stamp Challenge. This month the challenge is based on the game of Tic-Tac-Toe. I decided to use the horizontal line, Stencil, Stamp and Grunge Paste. I started by putting grunge paste through the Cracked Box Frame Stencil. Whilst waiting for the Grunge Paste to dry I stamped up a small square of card with the following stamps NDC 102 (Alice), NDC 87 (Pine Forest) and the flowers from the Remountable Home Clear Stamp Set. I used the following Adirondack colours, Espresso, Meadow, Denim, Wild Plum, Butterscotch and Sunset Orange. I started by stamping Alice in Espresso and then masked before stamping the Pine Forest in Meadow. I then added the moon mask and using the cloud mask created the sky with a stencil brush loaded with Denim. The mask was then removed and the sun coloured with Butterscotch and highlighted with Sunset Orange. The meadow area was created using a stencil brush loaded with Meadow. Shadows were then added to the Pine Forest using a cotton bud and Meadow. At this point I removed the Alice mask and stamped the flowers along the bottom in Wild Plum using first, second and third generation. Alice was coloured using the Spectrum Noir pencils. Once completed I ran a black Spectrum Noir pen around the edge. To finish the design I replaced the stencil and using stencil brushes loaded with Denim, Meadow and Wild Plum I inked the grunge paste. In order to create some interest I then rubbed over the grunge paste with some silver Metallic Wax Polish. After trimming the card I then went round the edge with a black Spectrum Noir pen before mounting on a card blank.