Chessboard Card: Let's Break Some Rules

The Clarity chessboard stencil is perfect to go with the new Chess Silhouette stamps.

Masculine Chess Themed Card

I adore the new grungy grid stamps from Claritystamp.  I used kraft card to create a masculine chess themed card.

Oxide Spray Background Thank You Card

I used the bonus die for Clarity Club members who paid for 2021 up front to create this Thank You card with a Distress Oxide spray background.

Flower Pots Thank You Card

I really like the flower pots which are part of the Clarity New Design Club January 2021 aperture die.  I decided to use them on their own to create this Thank You card.

Modifying the Size of Die Cuts

 I used dies to create die cuts in different sizes to the die itself to create this DL Butterfly card.

WOYWW 613: Heading for Normality?

 Well another Wednesday is here in the blink of an eye so I add my contribution to the weekly get together with Julia and fellow deskers at Stamping Ground for WOYWW.

There has been a change to my desk this week as my new Washi drawers finally arrived.  I decided not to give Tom and Peter nose bleeds by stacking them on the first two and instead added them to the side.  It has given me a perch for my pen storage and I can therefore access my Ecoline and Kuretake brush pens a lot more easily now.

Thank you for all the suggestions last week for an extra prompt.  Lynne suggested drawing potbanks so I went with the word local and added the canal too.

All my drawings from the last couple of weeks have been collected together in yesterday's post (see HERE if interested).  I have continued into March with the daily drawings too - now using the #inktober2016 prompts for this month.

I must admit that I am rather looking forward to teaching face to face again next week.  All the KS3 pupils will be tested on Monday and then spend the morning in forms once the results are in, so with twice weekly testing, mask wearing at all times and the fact that my first vaccination was three weeks ago today, I am less worried than I was in September.

STay safe everyone and happy WOYWW.  I'll be round to visit after work or tomorrow morning.

Daily Drawings Catch Up: Inktober 2017 Part 2

And so February is at an end and I am still working on a simple drawing each day in my Daler Rowney cartridge paper sketch book.  I have now finished working through the prompts for inktober 2017 and have found a new set of daily drawing prompts to see me through March.

A quick and easy response to day 17 although the neck of the swan really should be a little longer.

White Embossing against a Colourful Background

White embossing looks great against a colourful backkground as well as kraft card.  Here I used one of the Clarity Amazonia designer cards.

Butterfly Rose Sympathy Card

Sadly, sympathy cards are ever more in demand.  This butterfly stamp set designed by Cherry Green provides a beautiful image for such a card.

Bubbles and Butterflies

I enjoyed mixing some of the Cherry Green butterfly stamps with the Jo's Bubbles stencil from Claritystamp to create this card.

Fusible Film Butterfly Wings

This new butterfly stamp set designed by Cherry Green for Claritystamp was crying out for some fusible film.

Tiled Stencil Background

A card for any occasion with a change of sentiment.

WOYWW 612: Prompt Needed

 Is it really a week since our last get together over on Stamping Ground with WOYWW?  It was so good to see all the photos and read the memories of Shaz.  I even saw video footage of the first WOYWW crop over on Facebook thanks to Doug sharing (before my time).

My desk this morning resumes some sort of normality as I prepare for my daily drawing and my first day of teaching after half term.  Only another week of online teaching to do after this one, as schools are back with face to face lessons on 8th March.  

I do need your help though, dear deskers.  I have found sufficient prompts to keep me going to the end of the year with a daily drawing.  However, I will be one prompt short at the end of #inktober2017 to the start of March's daily drawing prompts.  Please could you give me suggestions.  I will share the prompts I have completed over the years so far, as well as my March prompts so duplication can be avoided.

I will be following the #inktober2016 prompts during March.

Thank you in advance for your help.  I am sharing the remaining inktober2017 drawings on my blog next Tuesday if you are interested and you haven't already seen them on Facebook.

A Birthday Card using Mandala Stamps

I have decided to make full use of my Clarity New Design Club memberships this year.  Here is a birthday card made with the January stamps.

New Baby Card

At the time that this card was made for a colleague on maternity leave, the gender of the baby was unknown, hence the neutral colour palette.

Silhouette Art Journal Page

I am keeping up with the monthly missions over on Mission Inspiration as you can see.  The theme for this month is Silhouette.  The suggested colours are Royal Blue, Salmon Pink and Steel Grey and the techniques, in no particular order are Ink, Tissue Paper, Circles, Numbers and Make marks.

No Rain, No Flowers: A Tag

I had fun with the February prompts over on Tag It Tuesday.  The colours this month are red and orange and the four techniques are add thread or other fibres, use a quote found on interest or Facebook (see HERE), add a flower, drawn, painted, or collaged and use Washi tape.  I used all six promts and this is the result.

Clean and Simple Colourful Panel Card

I have made panel cards aplenty but never against a stencilled background like this.  I love the contrast with the colourful stamping.

Bright Birthday Card for a Little Girl

I chose to colour this lovely image of a girl splashing in puddles, which is part of the Linda Williams' Seasonal Children stamp collection, in Distress glaze.

WOYWW 611: RIP

Welcome to the weekly desk share with WOYWW courtesy of Julia keeper of links at Stamping Ground.  This week we mourn the loss of one of the stalwarts of our group: Shaz (Silverwolf) Brooks.

I spent some time the other day, having heard the sad news of her passing, looking through my stash of WOYWW ATCs from crops and swaps.  Even though I only met Shaz and her husband Doug a handful of times, to read her blog was to know her.  Enabler, generous sharer of techniques, crafty research and online bargains, Shaz could always be relied on to tell it how it is.  LLJ and Julia have summed up Shaz so much better than I can on their blogs this week and her husband Doug has also made a moving tribute to his soulmate on Shaz's blog.  It is well worth a visit for tips, techniques and crafty product reviews.

I will leave you with some photos of various meetings with Shaz and Doug (Doug was invariably behind the camera).

Our first meet up at Port Sunlight with Lynne, Chris and Neet in front.

WOYWW crop in 2018.

The last time we met at the WOYWW crop in 2019.

Rest In Peace Shaz.

Daily Drawings Catch Up: Inktober 2017 Part 1

 Over half way through February and I am still on track with my plan of keeping up with a daily drawing.  I only joined in with #inktober for the first time in 2018, so thought I'd go back and work on the prompts from #inktober2017.  Here is the first half.

My first thought for the prompt.  I followed a tutorial online (see HERE).

Quick and Easy Child's Card

I have had great fun making children's cards with the Linda's seasonal children stamp sets from Clarity.

Stamped and Stencilled Art Journal Background: Walking the Dog

The larger Doodle Round Leaf stencil and coordinating stamps made the perfect background for this journal page featuring a magazine clipping of a dog walker.

A Splash of Colour using Distress Glaze

I used a Distress Glaze to provide a pop of colour on this largely monochrome children's card.

Fun Children's Card: Ay Up Duck

I used some of the smaller stamps which come with the Spring Boy set designed by Linda Williams for Clarity to create a fun card suitable for all ages.

Heart Doodle Card:SWALK

With Valentines Day around the corner I thould I would share this dramatic romantic card.

WOYWW 610: V Day

 As usual on a Wednesday, joining in with WOYWW (What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday?) with Julia and the gang at Stamping Ground.  Please do pop over to find out more.  I am sure we are all thinking of Shaz (Silverwolf) and her amazing husband Doug.  Keeping them both in my prayers.

My desk doesn't change much from week to week as I have to keep it clear when working from home. My daily drawing sketchbook is usually to hand and I have started work on a new tag, but that won't be worked on today as it is a teaching day.  I do have a new Deflecto washi tape drawer unit on order so I am hoping that Tom and Peter don't mind heights lol.  I am off later this morning to get my first vaccination which I didn't find out about until the weekend.  The school were offered 13 slots for people administering the lateral flow tests and those who are vulnerable or who have vulnerable family.  As I have asthma I was offered a slot and therefore jumped at the chance.  Luckily this morning there are no live lessons so I won't miss anything - I have already uploaded independent tasks for the pupils which are marked as they work their way through.  I should be back in plenty of time to teach the live lessons this afternoon.

Here are the latest daily drawings (up to yesterday),  Does anyone spot the TV show reference on day 9?

I'll be round to visit later or tomorrow (vaccine side effects permitting).  Stay safe and happy WOYWW everyone.

A Quick Kraft and White Poetry Card

I love the combination of white embossing and kraft card.  Here I used the technique to create a clean and simple card showcasing a poem.

Linda's Autumn Boy

I combined one of the stamp sets in the new Linda's Children collection with the corresponding Entwined Wreath to create this Autumn card.

Triple Layered Wedding Card

I do love this triple layer stacking technique.  It works equally as well using a stencil.

What Were Victorian Women Thinking?: A Tag

I haven't participated in Tag Tuesday for a while.  The current prompt is use a photo or part of one.  I also feel this tag meets the Mid Month Mini Mission prompt for January over on Mission Inspiration: Secret.

Overspill Topper Anniversary Card

I used a technique that I haven't for a while on this anniversary card.  Allowing the stamping to overspill the topper onto the front of the card.