Wee Trees and Grasses

Good afternoon,

I have to say, this is not my most favourite time of year, I really don't like it being dark and dismal. Cold bright days I can cope with but not dreary overcast ones.  Still, it will soon be the longest night, then the days will start getting longer again, which always cheers me up!

I have two cards to blog today, both using the wonderful new wee trees and grasses stamp sets - you can never have too many tree and grasses stamps in my opinion!

I decided to do a pink and grey colour scheme for this one, so I masked off a strip across the card, then stamped a selection of the trees in various pinks and greys to make the background.
I reversed the masking and brushed a little pink ink across, then stamped the trees in a dark grey.
Remove the mask, ink round the edges, ten mat onto dark grey and white card.












The next one is pretty much the same as the card in my previous post.  I actually did this one first, and liked the design - so I repeated it for a workshop.
The background is done by squishing ink on a glass mat, spritzing, then picking up the colour onto card.  I always try and get a darker and lighter version with the same inks, so I can stamp on one and use the other for a background.
I cut a one inch srtip of the lighter card and stamped one of the grasses across it in a pale colour, then cut a wider strip and inked the black across the bottom, then cut it into squares and stamped the birds and grasses inplace.  Ink round with black, mat onto black and stick together.
Don't forget that the very lovely Paul Church is on Hochanda on Sunday 13th with three Clarity shows and some lovely stamps and srencils.
Take care and thanks very much for dropping in
Janet xxx

Diva Red Saturday

Good morning! 


Another weekend closer to Christmas and I've still got lots to do....but not today!  I have samples to make for next Sunday's shows with Paul Church, they're going to be good, so remember to tune in.
Don't forget Barbara is on TV today too Hochanda at 14:00-6:00, Clarity with Barbara is back on the first Sunday of the month.


Yesterday was the last of the Diva Red workshops this year - this is a small and very friendly group of ladies, we get together on the first Saturday of the month for lots of craftiness.  Moira and I have been doing this for many years and some of the ladies have been coming along ever since we started, so it's more like a group of friends meeting for a chat, as well as making some cards.


These are my two projects...

 

This is actually the card we did in the afternoon, The background is made by squishing some inks onto a glass mat, then spritzing with water and picking up the colour with the card.  I did two pieces of card, so one is darker and one is lighter.  On the darker piece (which will be the backing piece) is stamped some snowflakes with distress ink while the background was still wet, so they go all nice and smudgy.  When all the card is dry, I cut the three squares and did the little scenes and also cut a background 1 inch strip to go behind them.  Ink all the edges , mat onto black card and there you have it!

For the other card, we decorated an A4 piece of card which can then be cut up to make several cards.  Everything was done with Fresco finish Chalk Acrylic paints....

Start by brayering a pale colour over the whole sheet, then add different colours with a baby wipe or damp kitchen roll  (it looked a right mess at this point and the ladies weren't at all convinced!!)

Once that is dry, add a pale translucent colour over the whole sheet to mute everything down, then stamp the snowflake and bauble images on in paint.  Let them dry, then add the words across the whole lot in 'snowflake'

Let it all dry, then cut up to use on your cards.

I used one square and die cut a poinsettia  - leaving enough to make at least two more cards.

A bit messy, but great fun to do!

Stamps used all from Claritystamp Ltd..

Away in a Manger

Wee Folk 7

Snowflake

Different snowflake

The bauble is an old stamp and I'm not sure if it is still available (sorry!)

Thanks very much for visiting - I'm off to make samples, hope you enjoy your day.

Janet xxx

Claritystamper weekends

Good evening,

The last two weekends were taken up with the last Claritystampers East workshops for this year.  I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the lovely ladies who have joined in over the last two or three years, depending on whether you come to Bawburgh or Great Blakenham.  I never tire of seeing how varied the results are, given that everyone starts with the same set of instructions and it fascinates me how using different colour schemes or change in position of the images can make such a big difference to the result. 
These projects are a case in point, we did a canvas picture this time and there were some absolutely brilliant works of art produced and all very different  Everyone started with the same techniques and stencil, and every one looked completely different.

This is my version...using a 6x6 canvas board, fresco finish chalk acrylic paints and the  Filigraphy Flower stencil

 Start by brayering a pale colour all over the canvas as a base, then brayer the other colours over the top, sometimes adding a heavier layer and sometimes using a very light touch so you just get a hint of colour.  Leave to dry, then put the stencil in place and add grunge paste through it.  Leave to dry - ideal time for coffee and cake!!
Once dry, add place the stencil back over the image and sponge some paint through to colour the flower.
Add a few decorative dots if you fancy.

Another version of the same thing..

As we were being messy, we got out the gelli plates, some Festive Stencils and Wee folk stamps and made a card. 






If you live in the Norfolk/Suffolk area and would like to join us, please use the contact link on the page to get in touch for more details.  Keep an eye on the Claritystampers East pages on the blog, I will post the 2016 dates very soon.

Thanks vey much for visiting,
Janet xxx

Starry tree

Hello folks and happy Thursday to you.

Today's cards are the last of my samples for Barbara's show.  I used two stencils for this, the Christmas Tree and Starry background from the festive set of stencils for the first card, and the holly background from the same set.  

 The first card is done by using the inner part of the stencil and adding ink to it, then spritzing and picking up the ink on watercolour card.  I used the same colours of ink on my craft mat and spritzed, then pick up the colour to create a more solid background.
I also splattered some ink on the tree image too.
Once everything was dry, I put the other part of the stencil over the image, then put the starry background over that and sponged some ink through, I also added some glitter glue with the stencil in place, so it was just on the stars.
I used the same ink to sponge through the stars onto the background piece, then added the main image to one side.





For the second card, I added some background colour to a piece of card, then used grunge paste through the Holly background.  Once it was dry, I added more ink and red glitter on the berries and added the words on a separate piece of card.

Thanks very much for visiting
Janet xxx

Watercolour tree

Good morning all,

Thursday again, yay!  My day off work.  I'm off to have my hair cut soon, but time for a quick blog before I go.  This card is one I did at the Diva Red workshop I do with Moira.  I used the Spruce Tree stencil, the children from the Wee Folk set 8 and the lovely Merry Christmas, all from Claritystamp Ltd

We started with the tree, squish a few co;lours of ink on the inner part of the stencil, then spritz with water to mix the colours a bit, make sure you have a clean background, the place watercolour card over the stencil and pick up the print, leave to dry.  While it was drying, I flicked some ink over it too.
Once dry, put the outer part of the stencil over the image and stamp the stars from the Santa and Star Corner set through the stencil.
Stamp the children and message in place
Add a touch of glitter to the stars

Have a great day!
Thanks for dropping by
Janet xx

A simple stencil

Good morning to you!

I hope your Sunday is going well.  I am relaxing a bit after having done the Claritystampers East workshop yesterday.  It was a lovely day with lots of lovely ladies, but I will post more about that after next Sunday when I've done the workshop at Great Blakenham too.

Don't forget that Paul Church is on Hochanda next Sunday with three Clarity shows - obviously I can't give too much away, but let's just say there will be colour bursting going on!

My sample today is done with one of the fab Festive Stencil Set apertures and the words from the Christmas Word Chains 13 and 14

I attached the stencil to my card then added shades of yellow by brushing and sponging ink through the aperture. I used a black pen to trace round the edge of the image too
I wanted to add the lines across the centre of the image, so I found a part of the stencil which had the right curve and used that to draw two lines across.
I used a zentangle pattern to fill in the lines

To finish off, I drew two squares round the edge of the card and used the same pattern to fill in.

Stamp the lovely Christmas greeting in place and add a bit of yellow round the edges, then mat and layer.

I added a touch of glitter glue round the base of the bell.
Thank you for visiting
Love Janet xx

Vintage Snowman Bauble

Hello folks,

I thought I had better start with a sample from the last TV show before the next one comes round!  Talking of which, Maria is on Hochanda on Wednesday with an extra couple of Clarity shows ...should be good.  I will be at work, so will record it and watch later.

There was a lovely set of aperture stencils on the last show the Festive Stencil Set - really useful set

 I also used the Wee Folk set 7

I started by stamping the snowman in a brown archival ink and masking him.  Using the outer part of the stencil, I brushed some brown distress ink through the aperture, then stamped the line of trees in place and added some 'snow'
I removed the mask then squished some versa mark through the aperture (clean the stencil first!!) remove the stencil and add glittery embossing powder and heat to give a glittery/glaze finish.
I trimmed the edges of the card, then added some brown ink.
I covered the bauble with the inny part of the stencil, then splattered a bit of ink.
The final touch was the fine lines drawn round the edge.



Thanks for visiting
Janet xxx