Spot the tree

Hello folks and happy Thursday!

Thank you for popping by on this lovely sunny day (well, it is here!)

Today's card is one I did for the Sundae Club I go to once a month.  We are a small group of friends who have been meeting for many years to chat, eat cake and make an odd card or two in the process.

This was my offering....

It couldn't be simpler...stamp the tree in place and add the star over the top, then add loads of dots!  They are great fun to do and it is very easy to get carried away - expect to see lots of dots on my future cards!!
All you do is dip the end of a ball tool into a tiny bit of Fresca finish chalk paint and dot it on the card.  You will get different sized dots depending on the size of your ball (...no jokes please!)  I am sure other paints will work too, but I haven't tried any yet.
The background is a lovely paper I found while having a bit of a clear out of my crafty stash - I matched the colour of the dots to the paper.
I used stamps from the Christmas Trees and Stars unmounted stamp set form Clarity

Thanks for visiting
Janet xxx

Random Groovi

Hello folks,
Another week just flown by - they definitely are getting quicker!  I have had a very nice week to myself - it has been lovely to not have to go to work, so I've got lots of spring cleaning done (I know it's a bit late in the year - but better late than never, as they say!) and I've got some samples done for the next Clarity show coming up on Hochanda at the end of the month.  Just don't ask if my craft stuff is all neat and tidy...
Today's card is a sample I did for the last show, just using the Groovi Square nested frames and borders sets 1 & 2

This was one of those where I had a rough idea of what I wanted to do, but it was pretty much made up as I went along.
I started by doing the outside double square to make a frame then filled it with the scallop from the border plate, I added a row of dots round the inside.
I added a double square in the centre, then filled that with the ribbon pattern.
I added another square at an angle in the centre of that then used the leaft border to fill in the spaces.
I was left with the centre square empty, so I had a bit of a think, then decided to add a Zentangle pattern called Rick's Paradox.  I used the lines from the square to build the pattern.
Then I embossed it all - my favourite bit, I enjoy the way it all slowly builds up.
I used a piece of brusho'd card as a background and attached it with brads.  I have to confess, I was rather pleased with the result.
As I have said before, I am not a parchment expert, but I have been picking up tips, the two most useful are: 1.don't overwork the parchment, do some embossing, then leave it to rest and go over it again and 2. use really light strokes.
Thanks for visiting, I hope you have a good weekend and for those of you going to the Clarity open days near Catterick I hope you have a fab time (of course you will!)
Janet xx

Crafty weekend

Good morning and happy Monday!

I am not normally much of a fan of Mondays as it usually means back to work after a much too short weekend, but I am having a day off today, so this is a good Monday for me!  I thought I would do my blog first, then I have lots of jobs planned.....  Also, my stamps have arrived for the next Clarity TV show on Hochanda, so I will get started on making samples.  That was exciting! The move to the new channel, I like the relaxed style they have there, so it should be good, once they have chased out a few gremlins!  Barbara will be on the last Sunday of each month 2-4pm .
There are also the Clarity Open Days coming up at the weekend in Colburn, near Catterick - tickets are still available from Claritystamp
It was the Diva Red workshop on Saturday, fortunately it passed without incident - no medical emergencies this time, all the mica safely out of the way!
These are the two cards I did....

We did this one in the afternoon, I am getting a bit braver with my parching, so as well as colouring and embossing the lovely tree, this time I also pricked through all the little circles and I used the borders to edge it (I cut out with scissors - I know that proper parchers do a pricked edge!) and added a greeting - once you get used to the idea that everything is back to front, it gets easier!
I also added a little bit of extra detail to the star - just because I could!
Items used:
Groovi plate Christmas tree
Groovi border plates 1& 2 set
Groovi border plate Alphabet

This card is actually one I did at another workshop a while ago, but I rather like it, so I thought I would repeat it at Diva Red.  The trick is to stamp the baubles first, then mask and stencil the background pine leaves in place.  I used three different greens to do the stencilling and moved the stencil slightly each time.
The baubles are coloured with promarkers and Moira added glossy accents over the top of hers, which is lovely, so I may well do that too.
Items used:
Remountable Christmas bauble rounds
International Christmas words
Pine needle stencil

We made two other lovely cards, which were Moira's design, but one of them I haven't quite finished yet, so will post later the other is one that needs to be photographed, not scanned, so I can't show that one - it is fab though!

Thanks very much for taking the time to join me
Janet xx

Blues and twos

Hello everyone,

Thank you for dropping in.  Sorry I haven't been here for a while, but I have a bit of time off work now, so I will do some catching up.

We were at the Claritystampers East Bawburgh workshop last Saturday and we got off to a better start this time as someone did turn up to let us in!  The day was not free from excitement though!  One of the cards involved using Perfect Pearls and I had forgotten that Moira is allergic to mica (she forgot too and did begin using it) and a few minutes after we started, she started getting hot and bothered, a bit itchy and turned a rather bright shade of red!  One of the ladies at the class dashed home to get some antihistamine cream, which helped considerably, we cleaned up Moira's workspace, she stopped using the powder and all was well.  This serves as a bit of a warning though - people can react to anything and mica is in a lot of products, not just in the crafty world!  Moira now has antihistamine in her craft box!


On to the cards.....

Let's get the mica ones done first - we used the lovely Window Stamps, they come in several designs, I chose Madonna and the Shepherds for mine.  so what you do is stamp the image on one side of a double-sided adhesive sheet, then stick that side to some card.  Using a craft knife, score through the cover on the other side of the adhesive sheet, following the lines of the stamp.
Then one bit at a time, take off the cover and add Perfect Pearls to the adhesive (run off to get antihistamines if required!).  Once the whole piece is finished, cut out, then 'polish' lightly with a soft tissue to remove any loose powder, add a sheet of acetate over the top - it may not stick immediately but after a day or two, it will be properly stuck.
The background is a piece of card with juniper and denim ink brayered in diagonal corners.

I seem to have cut the end off this picture, but the card had a black border all round - honest!
For this card, we masked off a strip across the centre of the card, then stamped the small baubles  in place.  Cut out masks to cover them, then add juniper ink with a stencil brush, I also added some denim round the edges of the images with a sponge.
On a separate pice of card, stamp the large Santa bauble (I used the same design - others are available!)colour in all the images, then add a clear glaze over the top of the large bauble, I used glossy accents and sprinkled some crystal glitter over it.  This does take a while to dry, so leave it out of the way so you don't keep prodding it.  (Only one got left on a windowsill!)
Once dry, cut out and add to the card.

In the afternoon, we relaxed and got groovi with Sylvia Marshall's lovely Christmas tree design, mounted onto a brush background - sorry, it doesn't show up very well in the picture.
Check out Claritystamp.co.uk for the full range of Groovi products.

Thanks for visiting,, I hope to see you again soon,

Janet xx

Birds

Hi folks,

I am getting a bit behind with blogging, so I have got three cards, all featuring birds today.

The first two are done with the fab Wise Old Owl set.

   

 The background for this one is done with brushos,  I used a brown one (sorry, can't remember which one!) and sprinkled very lightly onto card, then spritzed.  I used one piece to stamp the owls on and one pice as the background.  I did add some colour to the owls with pencils.  In the set, there are also little spectacles, a morter board and a monacle - so ideal for graduation cards!

The second card is a very simple design. Stamp the owls in place, then mask and place the arch stencil over the top put a moon/sun mask in place, then add colour - blue at the top and green at the bottom.  Draw round the stencil with a black pen.

Remove the mask, then colour the owls.
The arch stencil comes from a set of fantastic aperture shapes, they are really useful
Stencil Framer Shapes set 1










The last card is another simple one, this time with the lovely goose from the Goose set I stamped him in place, then used another framer stencil, this time from set 2.  I think this has to be my favourite shape from both sets. I love the deckle edge!
I drew round the stencil with pencil, then all the colour and shading is done with pencil and blending with a paper stump - I find this a very relaxing thing to do.  I was originally going to keep just to black/grey, but decided to add blue to the sky.
I added extra pecil round the edge of the frame and blended that too, to make it a bot more smudgy.

Thanks for visiting today, I hope you have a great Sunday.
Janet xxx

Color burst for Christmas

Hello everyone,

I hope you are having a great weekend - it would be nice if they were three days long wouldn't it?

Today's card is one I did for the last Clarity show, I am a long way behind with blogging it!

It seemed strange without Clarity on the TV last month didn't it, but Dave's health must come first!

I made the background with color burst - have you tried these yet?  They are little pots of granulated pigment powder.  I light;y spritzed some watercolour paper, then added the tiniest amount of powder and spritzed some more - the colours just burst into life!

If the colour looks a bit intense, you can blot with some paper towel (just make sure Kirsty Goodwill isn't looking, she shouts 'don't you dare blot that!!' at you)
Once it is all dry, select a bit you like, then stamp on it!  I used black archival for Santa and the Reindeer and green archival for the trees - all stamps from the new Christmas Wee Folk sets 7 & 8.
I added the reins with a black pen.

I am having a quick break from making sample cards for some upcoming new sets of stamps, but I need to get back to it now....
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Take care,
Janet xx

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