Catching up a bit

Good morning all, I hope you have a good weekend,


I am home again after spending a lovely few days in Kent.  I went to the Clarity retreats in Crowborough, which are brilliant - lovely projects and a fun and friendly atmosphere.  Barbara, Paul Church, Jayne and the Clarity team work hard to make it all run smoothly.  There is always a lovely atmosphere.
We have been asked not to show what we did until all the workshops are over, so today's cards are the one we did at the last Claritystampers East workshops.
I know we are still having summer, but as card-makers, we have to start thinking about Christmas cards if we are going to make some to sell or even just to get ahead for making them for friends and family - one of the ladies who came on Sunday said she had already got all her cards done for this year!

The first card is actually more green/grey but for some reason, it doesn't show up here.  We did the background first - using Fresco finish chalk acrylic paints and sweeping it on the card with a stencil brush, I start with pale colours and add darker as I go.  If you add too much dark, you can just go over the top with a bit more light.
Wash your brush quickly after use and the paint will come out easily.
Once the back ground is dry (it doesn't take long, the paint is quick drying!) use an archival inkpad to stamp over the top.  Stamps are from Christmas Wee Folk 7 and the Christmas word chain 14 I also added some shadow under the folk and trees.  The final touch is to add some white dots with a white pen.

The second card is done with inks - I used adirondack Denim and Eggplant.  I tore a mask using the base of the Clarity blending mat as a guide.  I brushed denim ink at the top of the card, then move the mask and add a layer of eggplant.
Stamp the Merry Christmas from the Merry Christmas sentiment set  in place, then add the Santa Sleigh and Reindeer from the Christmas Wee Folk 8 set.
I added lots of trees in eggplant at the bottom of the card.
I coloured in the Merry Christmas with matching Spectrum Noir pencils with glitter over the top, and added touches of glitter on the sleigh and reindeer.
The other card we did was the parchment one I showed you in my last blog.
I am off to do some gardening and enjoy being in the sunshine.
Take care,
Janet xx