Rise and Shine

We're on a roll now, I'm in practice for the new year...

If you haven't read my previous blog posts, my new years resolution is to blog more.  I've got so much artwork in the archives that I'd love to share it with you and hopefully give you some inspiration for your projects.

I had great fun with this next project and it was definitely a case of needing to wash my hands afterwards, although even the Imperial Leather didn't move all of the ink!

The new cottage scene stencil is A4 in size and comes in two parts so that you can use either the 'inner' or 'outer' part.  You can see some more examples using this stencil in this post on the Clarity blog.  You don't have to use the whole of the stencil, you can use a small section of it to create your scene which makes it versatile indeed.

Materials used:

Stencil - cottage scene

Stencil - sunshine (7"x7")

Stamp - weather vane set

Stamp - lupin (new design club stamp)

Adirondack ink - lemonade, sunshine yellow,

caramel, lettuce & stonewashed

As always, hope you enjoy my inspiration.




xx Happy crafting and glittery hugs xx

Chrysanthemum

Welcome to Sunday crafters!

I hope you're all safe after the horrendous weather this week in the UK.  Watching the news reports it must be horrendous for some people facing Christmas with the aftermath of a flooded home, it doesn't even bear thinking about does it?  My heart goes out to them.

On a lighter note I've got a card for you today that was shown on C&C to promote one of the new stamp and stencil sets from Clarity.  I chose to try the technique that Barbara herself discovered, which has brought a new use for a stencil.  If you want a step-by-step on how this technique is done please pop over to Barbara's blog.

Materials used:

Stencil - chrysanthemum (7"x7")

Angelina film and fibre

Archival ink - black

Stamp - small chrysanthemum

Coloured with promarkers

Stamp - letterbox sentiments

The trick with using fibres is to ensure that you have a really hot iron, a travel iron is perfect.  Another tip is to remember to cover the film and fibres with a sheet of wax or greaseproof paper so that the iron doesn't stick to them as it's a fairly lengthy job trying to get it off the iron.  I know because I've done it!!!

xx Happy crafting and glittery hugs xx

Oriental Scene

Welcome to December, where did the year go eh?

I think I already have my new years resolution which is to blog more frequently. Now this may involve learning how to do it in my sleep but I will find a way to show you more of my Clarity artwork as there is so much in the archive not yet shown.  So watch this space....

As you all know by now the first of the month is when we launch a new challenge over at the Clarity challenge blog and the theme for December is "SCENE BUILDING".

Here's my inspiration for the challenge:

Materials used:

Stamp - cherry blossom branch

Stamp - Asia set

Stamp - pagoda

Stamp - tree (from winter wonderland set)

Coloured with promarkers

Distress ink - bundled sage

Adirondack ink - stonewashed & sunshine yellow

Liquid pearls - lemon yellow

A top tip for those of you out there that have just gone "I can't do that".  Take a piece of copy paper, look at your Clarity stamps, stencils and masks and start playing.  Here are a few points that may help you:

• for sky either use the cloud mask or make your own out of a piece of copy paper
• for hills either use the landscape mask or tear a piece of copy paper
• bushes, grass, fence posts etc can all be made out of a tree stamp (very versatile)
• if you only want to use part of a stamp use clever masking

I hope these few tips help you and I look forward to seeing your artwork in the challenge this month.

xx Happy crafting and glittery seasonal hugs xx

Filigraphy Framer

Welcome to Sunday crafters and I'm having a really lazy one today as I'm still in my onesie!

I thought I'd better blog another one of my projects from the last Clarity show before the next Clarity weekend is upon us.  The design team have already got their goodie packs to create artwork to inspire you so don't forget to tune in on Saturday 30th November for In The Classroom show and Sunday 1st December for the Stamping with Clarity shows.

Here's my artwork:

Materials used:

Stamp - filigraphy framer

Stamp - filigraphy shapes

Coloured with promarkers

The shapes all fit into the centre of the framer so you can choose which one you use and as you can see the framer fits nicely around itself creating an eye catching and interesting picture to colour.

Thanks for popping by today and hope you liked my project.  See you next time!

xx Happy crafting and glittery hugs xx

What can you see in the stencil?

Good morning crafters and welcome to a new day.  Will it be a crafty one for you?

My card today was created using the lone tree stencil from lesson 22 which we saw in this weekends "In the Classroom" show.

(click on the picture to take you to the Clarity website)

I wanted to try something different with the stencil and found that if you turned it on it's side that there were two yacht sails and the water.  It did take a bit of masking to get the different colours on the sails and also to get the hull and mast of the yacht in the correct place, but thanks to the wonder of post it notes it didn't hold me back!

Materials used:

Stencil - lone tree (7"x7")

Adirondack inks - red pepper, sunshine yellow,

sunset orange, pool, citrus & stonewashed

Stamp - birds in flight

Glamour dust - crystal

I hope you have fun playing with your stencil, I wonder how many other things can be seen and created using it?  Please post your pictures on the Clarity fan page as we'd love to see them!

xx Happy crafting and glittery hugs xx

Christmas Bauble

It's all go for me this weekend, starting with the new Clarity Stamp challenge today, then we have Barbara Gray "In the Classroom" tomorrow and again with the Clarity shows on Sunday.  Whilst all of this is going on I will be with my bezzie Hazel at a workshop in Coventry all weekend with the lovely Clare Charvill making something wonderful with Graphic 45 papers and products.

Who said craft was meant to be a hobby, it's more like a full time job these days!!!

Back to the challenge and I think this one is going to be a popular one with you all.  Remember only Clarity stamps and products can be used though.

I decided to create a Christmas bauble, but the other design teams members have loads more inspiration on the challenge blog.

Materials used:

Nestability - scalloped square

Stamps - Twas the night

Coloured with promarkers

Gilding flakes - pirate treasure

Distress ink - antique linen

Stamp - scroll from birdcage set

Krylon gold leaf pen

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you've enjoyed my project for today.

xx Happy crafting and glittery hugs xx