Sunday 31 March 2019

Weaving A Background using a Stamp

Rather than cut the frame off this background stamp from Tina's Geo Layering Rectangles (part of the current ODS on Hochanda), I decided to use the stamp to create a woven background effect.

Saturday 30 March 2019

ATCoins in a Wall Hanging

I had fun using ATCoins in a new way for me.  By adding ribbon and pairing coins back to back, I created a decorative wall hanging.  The new circle layering stamps designed by Tina Cox for Claritystamp are just the right size for using on ATCoins.

Friday 29 March 2019

A Combination of Distress Oxide Sprays, Distress Resist and Stencils

This is the first of the samples that I made using stencils designed by Leonie Pujol for Claritystamp.  Even though the new circus stencils are 9" in diameter, small areas can be picked out and used in combination with previous releases.  I had another play with my Distress Oxide sprays too!

Thursday 28 March 2019

Wednesday 27 March 2019

WOYWW 512: Fitting a Quart into a Pint Pot

I must admit to feeling very tired this week.  I have been burning the candle at both ends for the last week trying to fit everything in.   I can finally ease off a little as the inspection at school is over, my samples are all posted, data is nearly all entered (to be finished at school this afternoon) and instead I can look forward to a day crafting with Eva tomorrow.  Today is her birthday so I'd like to wish her many happy returns!
My desk today shows the background that I created in my leather bound journal while at the JJAMMMA (Junk Journals and Mindful Mixed Media Art) meet up last Thursday in Stockport.  I got some inks out while considering where to go next, but must admit that it doesn't look any different this morning.
The crocheted flower was a gift from my Great Niece at the family meal we went to over the weekend.  She is only 7 but has developed quite a passion for crocheting and using up all sorts of odds and ends of wool. 
#2 son, who flies back to his girlfriend on Saturday, took pity on me at the weekend and dragged me out of the house.  I thought we were just going for a short drive: nearly two hours later we arrived at this amazing waterfall in Wales (don't ask me where lol), where we enjoyed the view for 20 minutes before heading home again.  It was good to spend some time with him away from school work.
Please head over to Julia at The Stamping Ground to visit more desks.  I have just confirmed that I will be attending the 10th anniversary crop on 1st June and I would love to meet as many as possible face to face.

Tuesday 26 March 2019

Working on Tags to try out Techniques

I often use tags to work on if I am trying out a new product or technique.  When I want to try out different colour combinations for example.  These are some of my favourites over the last few years.  This tag provided me with practice achieving a reflection by using a gel plate and stamps (see HERE for step by step).

Sunday 24 March 2019

Bunny Canvas

This is the last sample that I made for the Claritystamp show at the NEC where the Earth Has Music 3 way overlay stamps were introduced.  I worked on a canvas board for a change, but I'm not entirely sure of the finished piece.  I love the autumn colours, but I am not certain about the layout.  Opinions and advice gratefully received.

Saturday 23 March 2019

Stencil Play Using Scraps and Distress Resist Spray

This is the last sample that I made for Barbara Gray's show at the NEC, where she introduced the new Town and Hills stencils.  I used the Distress Resist spray for the first time with a piece of copy paper that had been used to clean up my brayer from a previous project (see HERE).  A scrap of gel print from the same project also came in useful to add a sentiment to the card.  I was really happy with how the card turned out, despite being the product of scraps and left overs.

Friday 22 March 2019

Thursday 21 March 2019

Experiment with Distress Oxide Sprays and Distress Archival Inks on a Tag

I often use a tag to try out new products and techniques.  As one of the prompts on this month's challenge over on Tag It Tuesday is 'Use Spray Inks', I decided to try out a couple of the new Distress Oxide sprays.  Each month there are four prompts and at least two have to be used.  The additional prompts this month were 'Put a leaf on it', 'Draw, paint or write using your non dominant hand' and 'Green'.  I used all four prompts.

Wednesday 20 March 2019

WOYWW 511: On My Lonesome

Welcome to yet another Wednesday sharing my desk with fellow fans of What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday (WOYWW).  Julia has been keeping deskers from all around the world in order for nearly 10 years.  New deskers are welcome at any time, so please join us over on The Stamping Ground where Mr Linky is waiting for you.
I thought I'd take a photo from a slightly different angle this week.  As you can see, there was no action taking place on the other side of the desk as Eva was not able to come and craft with me yesterday.  For once I did actually have something on my desk which I can share, as I am between samples at the moment.  I thought it was about time that I tried out some of the new Distress Oxide sprays so grabbed a tag and made a start.
This is how it finished up.  I'll be sharing the step by step tomorrow, so please feel free to pop back if you want to see how it came together.  I'll be popping in to visit desks this evening after work.  Tomorrow I am heading up to Stockport for a get together with Lou Withers and other crafty friends at Hobbycraft.  It is December since we last managed to coordinate our calendars, so I am really looking forward to it.  Happy WOYWW.

Sunday 17 March 2019

Saturday 16 March 2019

Making Patchwork From A Stamp: Clean and Simple Birthday Card



This is the first of my samples for the new 3 way overlay stamps being launched on Hochanda at 12pm today (live from the NEC).  The matching stencils and dies are already available.

Friday 15 March 2019

Masking, Stamping and Colouring through a Stencil

My second sample for the Clarity stencils which were introduced yesterday live from the NEC on Hochanda.  This time I used the technique of masking off areas and colouring using stencil brushes, as well as over stamping some areas.  This would make the perfect wedding card.

Thursday 14 March 2019

Using a Stencil with Brushos and Heat Embossing to make a Scene

This is the first of my samples that I am sharing for the new Clarity stencils.  They will be launched live from the NEC at 12pm today (GMT) on Hochanda.  I had great fun playing with them and trying out some new techniques.  This is the first time that I have used Brushos with a stencil, but it certainly won't be the last.

Wednesday 13 March 2019

WOYWW 510: Blog Ranking Shenanigans

Hello and welcome to my latest contribution to What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday (WOYWW), the weekly desk link up hosted by Julia for nearly 10 years over on The Stamping Ground.  Please do pop across to see desks in various stages of tidiness from all around the world.
A wide view of my desk today (or rather yesterday) as I was working on a new card.  I had just started creating the background to sit behind the die cut aperture in the front of the card.  In the background you can see my laptop and my bit box is on the floor, peeping out from under the table.
There has been a whole load of shenanigans going on with the craft blog rankings this week.  I haven't been too badly affected, as apart for copying last Tuesday's numbers into Wednesday, moving Wednesday's numbers into Thursday and combining Thursday's and Friday's stats into one I haven't noticed much of a difference with my order in the rankings.  However, I notice that Shaz Silverwolf's blog has plummeted down the blog rankings and Barbara Gray apparently lost all her stats for the last 12 months and has had to work her way back up from near the bottom of the list.  I hope they get everything sorted for those badly affected soon.
The other side of the desk finally saw some action yesterday as Eva and I finally managed a crafty day together.  She was working on birthday cards for her family.
Talking of birthdays, a certain award winning crafty blogger is celebrating a big birthday today (not much fun when you are spending the day setting up at the NEC).  Here's the card which I sent to her: it went down really well.
#2 son arrived safely at the weekend.  He brought some gifts for us from his girlfriend.  A lovely brooch which is worn in March to celebrate the coming of Spring in Romania. It came in a beautiful gift envelope which is sure to find its way onto an art journal page this month.
Happy WOYWW everyone, I shall be round to visit after work this evening.

Monday 11 March 2019

Blending a Background round a Napkin Image: Art Journal Calendar Page

Having not worked on an art journal page for my 2019 journal following the prompts on Nina Ribena's Art Journal Friends and More for ages, I then finish two in one day.  I now only have one more page using February's prompt 'Follow Your Heart' to complete.  This is my calendar page for February using the relevant verse from the poem by Sara Coleridge.

Sunday 10 March 2019

Follow Your HeArt: A Journal Page with a Patchwork Background

It is quite a while since I joined in with Nina Ribena's Art Journal Prompts and More.  In fact I am still catching up with February's pages and prompts.  The global prompt for February was 'Follow Your Heart' and this page is one that uses up some scraps.  I can never bear to throw away any of my scraps of Clarity designer papers, so decided to create a patchwork background using small pieces of paper left over from other projects.

Saturday 9 March 2019

Mini Gel Plate Background on a Get Well Soon Card


This is my final sample for the new Garden sets of stamps and masks by Barbara Gray and Claritystamp.  I used the Rose Wall set for this card and tried something different in the background.

Wednesday 6 March 2019

WOYWW 509: Secrets, Secrets

Welcome to the weekly desk share, linking up with head desker Julia over on the Stamping Ground, to join in with What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday.  As you can see from the number at the top of the post, this weekly link up is approaching its 10th anniversary.
I can't show a great deal of what I'm up to at the moment as usual.  However the Country Animals Montage stencil has been around for a year so is not really a secret.  As you can see, I had masked off one animal that I wanted to use and had my Dreamweaver embossing paste out.  More than that will have to wait until March 16th.
Here are my favourite samples from each of the Clarity shows that I have been involved in so far since January 2019.  I am having a blast!






Sadly, there is nothing to show on the other side of the desk again this week, as Eva and I have still not managed to get together in the shed since half term.  However, #2 son is flying in from Romania for three weeks on Saturday, so we haven't had to wait too long to catch up with him.  #1 son and his girlfriend have just purchased a house and I am hoping to have time to go along with hubby and give them a hand with the decorating on Sunday. 

Tuesday 5 March 2019

HeArty Canvas Using Pebeo Fantasy Paints

This is a canvas which I made with one of Leonie's new frameless stencils (Arty Hearts).  I built up texture using modelling creme and also played with some of the Pebeo Fantasy paints over the mixed media board hearts.

Monday 4 March 2019

Sunday 3 March 2019

New Baby Reflection Card

Here is one of my samples for the new Garden Stamps and stencils from Barbara Gray and Claritystamp.  There are four sets in total and I have mixed and matched two of them for this new baby card.  I used a gel press plate to create the reflection.

Friday 1 March 2019

Alcohol Ink Gel print Using a Stencil Journal Page


This is the first of the samples that I created for the new Arty stencils set, designed by Leonie Pujol for Claritystamp.  They were such fun to play with and you can see Leonie's shows on Hochanda today at 10am and 3pm.