Above and Beyond!

Good evening,

I've just realised that I haven't blogged the cards from the last Claritystampers East workshops,  I had been asked to do some cards for men, so this is what I came up with.....


We used the clockwork stencil and the filigraphy balloon for this one.  Tape the stencil in place on the card, then blend distress or artistry inks through.  I used brown, blue and a touch of red and green for this (it does look a bit brighter in real life!)
Remove the stencil and add a bit more ink to take away the starkness
Blend more ink round the edges of the card, then add a few brads
Stamp the balloon on the card and also on a spare piece of card.  Colour the one on the spare piece and just cut out the balloon and layer over the stamped image on the card.


                                    For the second card, I did one which is very similar to one I'd made previously.
Using one of the landscape masks, mask off the top part of the card then add lots of black ink to the exposed part of the card.  Remove the mask, then stamp both balloons in place.
Add some clouds by doing the old torn paper trick                                       Stamp the large balloon onto a spare piece of white card, then colour in and cut out the balloon and layer over the stamped image on the card.          
Stamps used:
Filigraphy Hot Air Balloon set        
Line Sentiments 1 

Landscape Masks  
Clockwork stencil      

Finally, a word about the events in London this afternoon:  I have no idea what motivates people to do some things, all I can do is express my condolences to the families and friends of the people who were killed and to wish the injured a full and speedy recovery!

Thank you for visiting
Janet xx                    

A Vase of Flowers

Good morning,

I am back home after spending a lovely weekend with my sister.  We had intended to get out but it was not nice weather, it was blowing a gale most of the time, so we stayed in and got crafty!  My sister doesn't really make many cards, but she has bought a few bits over the years.  We decided to try a few different ideas and she was very pleased with the results.  See her blog Patchwork Allsorts for the cards, you will also see some lovely sewing projects, that is her forte!

I am catching up with blogging again, these cards are the ones we did at the Diva Red workshop, sadly Moira was not well, so it was just me and all the lovely ladies.

This was our first card, we made the background by scoring lines diagonally across the card to make a diamond pattern.
On the debossed side, stamp the solid image from the bouquet set in archival, then drag a distress ink colour across the card.  You should colour the card, but leave the white debossed pattern.
The topper is made by stamping the urn on some lovely Clarity patterned paper, then cut out.  Stamp the line image from the bouquet set onto some spare card, colour and cut out.  arrange them on another piece of card.  Stamp the greeting and cut out
add some gems in the centre of the flowers.

Bouquet set
Urn
The Best Wishes is an old stamp, but there is a similar one in this Christmas set (if you cut out the rest of the greeting!)

The second card we did is mostly done with Tim Holtz dies.  I don't use many dies, but I love these ones.  I managed to sneak in the same Clarity greeting!

Thanks for visiting,
Janet xx

Water and Sunshine

Hello all,

We have had a bit of excitement in the village!  I got home from work a few days ago and Simon said that there had been lots of police activity around a house very close to us.. We have just seen that they found a cannabis factory there!  Just goes to show that you have no idea what is going on almost under your nose.

Today's card is one I did for the Diva Red workshop last time (I seem to be very behind with my blogging!)                                                                                                                                                        

The background was done on  watercolour paper.  Add some colour (green and yellow in this case)by blending distress inks, then using a darker green, stamp one of the grasses randomly over the card and spritz with water, so the image blurs and just leaves some patches of colour, stamp gain while the paper is still damp, but don't spritz, so the image remains a bit sharper, then wait for it to almost dry and stamp the image again.  Mount on to a dark green backing card.

For the main image, stamp and blend ink round the edges

This card is one I made for my Kenyan friend, Robin for his birthday.  It took ages to get there! but he got it in the end!