Ocean Swirls Wedding Card

The Clarity Mixed Impressions Texture stamps can be used layered up, on their own as a background or through stencils to create hundreds of different backgrounds.  Here I made a wedding card.

Ocean Swirls Birthday Card

Because the Clarity Mixed Impressions Texture stamps already have layers within them, they work particularly well with Distress Oxides to create extra background interest.  This is the technique I used for the background to this birthday card, using the Ocean Swirls set.

Quarantine Quickies #67 & #68: Nest Egg / Lift Off

The latest offerings of quarantine quickie pages in my tag journal (second of three book rings).  I am still having lots of fun interpreting the daily prompts over on Mission Inspiration.

Let the Sun Shine In: Matching Stamps to Backgrounds

This is one of those occasions when the stamps and the background card were the perfect combination.

Pop Up Birthday Card: Ocean Swirls Texture Stamps

I do like stamps which can be used as a background to other images or sentiments.  These new Ocean Swirls Mixed Impressions texture stamps from Claritystamp fit the bill perfectly.  I decided to combine them with a die which I recently acquired.

Quarantine Quickies #65 & #66: Red Herring / Treasure Chest

One of the favourite things I find about making these pages for my tag journal (following the prompts over on Mission Inspiration) is working out which stamps, stencils, masks and dies I can use from my extensive Claritystamp collection.  It is very rare that I have to use additional items to fulfil a prompt. 

WOYWW 577: 30th Wedding Anniversary

Good morning and welcome to my weekly peek inside the shed and a look at what's on my desk.  I join in with What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday (WOYWW) each week and link up with Julia and crafters from all over the world via the Stamping Ground.

As you can see from the photo (which was taken yesterday morning), I have made a few more tags since you saw the one I was working on last week.  So many in fact that I have had to start a third book ring, as I am up to #74 on the list of Quarantine Quickie prompts.  The prompts will finish at #100 so I shall fill the third book ring before I am finished.  In the background you can see one reason why there is no current project to show you - a parcel of nine samples ready to send off for Clarity shows at the beginning of July.

It was also our 30th wedding anniversary yesterday, which is another reason why there wasn't anything else to show.  Happy 17th anniversary to Caro as well, as we share the same date.  I will be back working in school rather than home this week and for the remaining three weeks of term on a Wednesday, Thursday and Friday so my posts will have to be prepared in advance again.  Happy WOYWW and a shout out to Y7 and Y8 not back in school.  I will have to visit at the weekend, although I shall try and make it over to you in an evening if I am not too tired.
P.S. On a more positive front, looks like Eva and I will be able to resume our Tuesday get-togethers (social distancing rules permitting) in the new academic year as our timetables will once again permit it!

Geisha SHAC Doodle Cards: Two Projects, One Stamp Set

When I first saw these stamps the first thing that went through my head was this famous song from The Mikado by Gilbert and Sullivan.  Luckily the masks that come with the stamps made it an easy job.

Quarantine Quickies #63 & #64: Rat Race / Square Peg

Morning.  Did you enjoy the virtual Clarity open days over the weekend.  Lots of fun, ideas and give-aways.  For these tags following the Quarantine Quickie prompts over on Mission Inspiration, I decided to use some left over shaving foam backgrounds that I came across recently when looking for something else lol.

Quarantine Quickies #61 & #62: Night Owl / Tall Story

The latest two pages in my Quarantine Quickie tag journal following the daily prompts over on Mission Inspiration.  Here are #61 and #62.

Quarantine Quickies #59 & #60: Go Nuts / Lip Service

The latest pages of my Quarantine Quickie tag journal following the prompts over on Mission Inspiration.  Here are #59 and #60.

Quarantine Quickies #57 & #58: Rock Bottom / Grey Day

Still working my way through the Quarantine Quickie prompts over on Mission Inspiration.  Here are #57 and #58 from my tag journal.

Quarantine Quickies #55 & #56: Fish Out of Water / High Flyer

No trouble coming up with ideas for these tags following the Quarantine Quickie prompts over on Mission Inspiration.  Here are #55 and #56 in my tag journal.

WOYWW 576: Getting Back To Normal?

Morning and welcome to the weekly desk share with WOYWW (What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday).  For more details and desks please visit Julia at the Stamping Ground.

As you can see, my desk actually saw some crafty action yesterday afternoon, as I worked on another tag for my Quarantine Quickie journal.  I am now up to 65 including this one, but still plenty of prompts to work on.  LLJ may have noticed that Tom and Peter are back.  I decided to find room for them on the new drawers.

The finished tag.  I did some more projects as well, but they are top secret until next month, so I can't share those.  From next Wednesday I will be back in school all three days I work until the school holidays.  I have been asked to swap to Wednesday, Thursday, Friday until then as it cuts down the chance of transmission, rather than working alternate days.  Happy WOYWW everyone and a shout out to Y7 and Y8 as usual!

A Clean and Simple Sympathy Card using the Alphabet Jungle Stamp Stamps

Unfortunately, we all need a sympathy card at times.  These stamp outlines work well in combination with the wee Foliage stamps from Claritystamp, to make a clean and simple small card.

Quarantine Quickies #53 & #54: Dark Horse / A Feather in your Cap

The latest instalment of my Quarantine Quickie tags following the prompts over on Mission Inspiration.

Quarantine Quickies #51 & #52: Go Bananas / Hot Potato

I really struggled with these prompts to start with and had to think outside the box. I was happy with my interpretation in the end though. Here are my latest Quarantine Quickie tag pages following the prompts over on Mission Inspiration.

Ideas for The Earth Has Music and Be Still and Listen Three Way Overlay Stamps

I thought I'd share some ideas for using the three way overlay stamps from Claritystamp called The Earth has Music and Be Still and Listen, which are a combination of images and words.  There are matching stencils and dies available too.

Creating a Scene within a Stamp for a Birthday Card

The Alphabet Jungle Stamp stamps lend themselves to creating scenes within the stamp shapes.  Here I used the largest stamp to create a scene for a birthday card.

Quarantine Quickies #49 & #50: Bucket List / Word of Mouth

I must admit that initially I struggled for ideas for these two pages in my tag book (following the prompts over on Mission Inspiration).  Once I got started though, the pages came together quickly.

WOYWW 575: Waiting for the New Rota

I thought I'd follow Julia's example and try out a new font for my latest desk sharing post for WOYWW.  She is, after all, the queen of desks and we join her each Wednesday at the Stamping Ground to share our latest desk views.

So here's my latest desk shot.  I must admit that I have been doing a lot of work online over the  last week, as reports are due today and with over 150 to write, I have been spreading them out.  As a result, I am sharing my second tag journal following the Quarantine Quickie prompts on the Mission Inspiration Facebook page.  I have made 56/64 of the prompts into tag pages at the moment and have eight of them still to share on my blog.  Eagle eyed readers will have spotted that Tom and Peter have been replaced with my new Deflecto Washi tape storage drawers.  I now have all my Washi tape and Tim Holtz designer tape in one place with a little space to spare.
Thanks for all the well wishes about school last week.  I enjoyed the three days that I was in and it was cool to see a few more Y7 and Y8 pupils (children of key workers) that I had not seen before half term.  We are currently waiting for the new staff rota to come out, as there will be an additional Y6 hub starting next Monday to go with the three already in school plus the KS2 and KS3 key worker hubs.  In the mean time I am working from home this week and possibly next.  A shout out to Y7 and Y8 pupils and I will be round to visit desks when I have double checked all my reports.  Stay safe and Happy WOYWW  everyone.

Wedding Card using the Alphabet Jungle Stamp Stamps and Masks

The alphabet Jungle Stamp stamps and masks lend themselves to any occasion.  For my second sample, I made a wedding themed card.

Quarantine Quickies #47 & #48: The Big Apple / Brain Storm

Two more of my tag journal pages following the prompts over on Mission Inspiration.  The idea for the second tag was inspired by a page by Barbara Breeden Workman.

A Retirement Card using the Alphabet Jungle Stamp Stamps

The Alphabet Jungle Stamp stamps are brilliant for creating scenes or adding pictures inside the stamps.  For my first sample with the stamps, I used the alphabet jungle stamp behind the stamps to create a Retirement panel card.

White Gel Pen Highlighted Stamping on Designer Card

I decided to try a new technique with this lovely poetry frame stamp set from Clarity.  Instead of adding and colouring the stamps on a white background, I used a colourful background and a white gel pen to remove colour from the stamped images.

Quarantine Quickies #45 & #46: Baby Blues / Seventh Heaven

I like the large eyes on the Dee's Friends stamps from Claritystamp, so chose one to represent Baby Blues.  In French, if you are in the seventh heaven you are said to be 'aux anges' so an angel seemed a fitting representation of that prompt.  Following the Quarantine Quickie prompts over on Mission Inspiration.

Birdhouse Garland: A Colourful SHAC Doodle Card

The stamps are so pretty in this set that I let them do all the work and just enjoyed deciding where to place them and colouring them. 

WOYWW 574: Back to School we Go

Welcome to the weekly desk share with WOYWW (What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday) and my weekly shout out to Y7 and Y8 who are mostly not yet back in school.

I was in school on Monday and yesterday and will be in again today, so there is not much crafting going on. I have been trying to relax before work by making swatches for my latest bargain, the full set of 120 Albrecht Duerer watercolour pencils from Faber-Castell.  Craft Stash had a one day 30% off code if you spent more than £40 and as the full set of Polychromos were out of stock I went with these instead, as they were also on my wish list.

Some of you will have already seen the other new crafty arrival on my desk this week.  I can't wait to get reports out of the way so I can have a proper play.  I will be pre ordering the new June Distress colour from Art from the Heart as well.

This memory also popped up on my FB time line this week.  A happy reminder of last year's crop but a sad reminder that we should have been meeting up again next Saturday. Sorry I will have little time for visiting desks today, as I have been rather tired on arrival back home from school.  I will try and visit you all via Julia's Stamping Ground between samples tomorrow.  Stay safe and happy WOYWW.

Quarantine Quickies #43 & #44: I'm All Ears / Life Study

I have actually completed 10 further pages of Quarantine Quickies following the prompts over on Mission Inspiration, but this is as far as I have got with sharing them on the blog #43 and #44.  I decided to go with a play on words for the first prompt.

A Clean and Simple Fairy Card with Butterfly Frame

Once again the smaller stamps in this stamp set are perfect to decorate a frame for the main images.