Star of Wonder

Hi everyone,
Hope you are all well and keeping warm and cosy in this really cold spell we are having.
My warming potions during this cold weather are Latte's and Hot Chocolate.
Today's post is to enter the Pan Pastels Challenge No 48, the theme being a Song or Carol Title.
I made this card a while back for a challenge that Clarity Stamps had running and as it was so appropriate I thought I would share it again here.

It was kept quite simple and the colour theme was gold, black and white.
Stamps used -  All Clarity - Yule Goat, Star of Wonder Carol and Straw Star.
The Yule Goat stamp is rather cute and unusual, I was so pleased the way it was enhanced when I embossed using  the Shabby White Stampendous Fran-tage embossing enamel. It gave it such a realistic texture and was just an idea I had to see how it would turn out.
The Star of Wonder Carol was stamped and embossed in gold and I used one of the Straw Stars in the centre.
The stamped images were mounted as tags then matted and layered on to the card.
Hope you like this Festive image and thank you for popping by.
Keep warm and cosy xKx

Oriental Sample Cards from Clarity TV Shows Dec 2nd

Good evening,
These are the last of the card samples I made for the weekends shows and are my personal favourites.
The first design uses The Pagoda, Geisha and Water Lilly along with the Cherry Blossom which I already had and a foliage stamp for adding some detail and grounding.

I used the linen textured card again for these two samples and the background of this was coloured and blended using Pans Turquoise and Orange, making sure to add a mask for the "Sun" first.
Once the background was created I removed the "Sun" mask and coloured the sun, leaving a white outer rim, this can also be created by rubbing out the colour around the edge of the sun.
The "Hazy" effect and water were created by rubbing away some of the colour too.
I then stamped the images, added Glamour Dust to the water, gems to the Cherry Blossom and a touch of white also to this and the Lilly using a White Pilot marker pen.
Matted and layered onto co-ordinating card stock and the finishing touch with the opened out raffia ribbon and bow.

This last sample uses the Chinese Lanterns, Best Wishes and Flourish from the set.
I coloured the textured card stock again using one of my favourite combinations of Pans, Magenta and Hansa Yellow Shade, I adore these colours together! The colour blend in the centre is gorgeous.
The flourish is stamped in a row so that the lanterns can "hang" from it and the Best Wishes added above with the contrasting gems.
A piece of raffia contrasts along the bottom and the real WOW factor is when the Glossy Accents are added over the lanterns to really make them "pop" out.
Again matting and layering onto co ordinating card stock and then onto the card.
That's all for now folks, thanks so much for looking at my designs,
Take care & keep warm! xKx

More Clarity TV samples...

So I have just been to get my Christmas tree and it's now secured in its base, watered ready to decorate.
It was mighty chilly out there choosing it and I was pleased to get back in the warm and make a hot chocolate with marshmallows!
The next cards I have for you are using the Wall Flower Collection, La Dame and the Paris Skyline Mask.
This one uses the large La Dame Aux Camellias, the small Yesterday Verse and the Camellia stamp.

I used a Scallop style card for this design as I thought it fitted the elegant style.
This was a very simple and quick card to make, simply using the Pan Pastels Ultramarine Blue Tint and Magenta to colour the background of a piece of textured linen card, this brings a different look and is quite interesting to use. The colours look nice blended together where the two meet.
I stamped the images onto the background and used one of my flowers in complementing colours with a gemstone in the centre. The organza ribbon, again in complementing colours was added down the centre and then the whole thing matted and layered onto the card before adding the gems around the outside.

Next I used the Paris Skyline Mask.

Again a very simple design, I positioned the negative section of the Paris Skyline Mask onto textured linen card and coloured with the Pan Pastels Phthalo Blue.
To create the "moon" I cut the circle out from a punch on a post it note which could then be held in place over the Eiffel Tower after removing the negative mask shape.
Covering my coloured in Skyline area with the positive section of the Paris Skyline Mask and with the moon mask in place I then coloured the upper area with Pans Magenta. Being careful to blend and soften the colour nearer the Skyline. I kept the colour stronger at the top of the card and blended to a paler shade as it reached the Skyline.
The May all your Dreams phrase was then stamped and a heart gem added along with some Glamour Dust "Stars"
The textured card was then matted and layered on black card stock before attaching to the finished card.

The last card I have to show you in this colour scheme is made using the Wall flower Set.

Again I use a scallop shape card for this design, this time I coloured onto smooth card with Pans Violet and Magenta, blending where the two colours meet to give me the background.
I stamped the Flower Corners in Versamark and coloured with the same colour Pan as I had used in that section of the card.
The dots were added using a Pilot Marker or Posca Pen, it's a bit fiddly but I really like the finish and it makes the whole thing "ping" out.
The single flowers were stamped in the same way, colouring the background with the Pan colour first and then using Versamark, I then cut out the images and used an embossing tool to create shape before attaching with self adhesive pads.
Contrasting gems add the finishing touch along with the white spots on the centre flower.
Thanks again for looking xKx

Clarity Samples using the stamps from the TV Shows 2nd Dec

I've been excited about blogging these samples as they were all made using Pan Pastels and they are the first cards I made after attending Eileen Godwin's fabby Pan Pastel Class the day before!


The first thing I did was to limit my colour palette for these designs.
For the first of the seven designs I made I used red, white and black.

Using the "Thanks Set" I simply coloured the background with the Pans Permanent Red and then stamped the wording and the balloons in Ranger Black Archivale.
I made a mask for the balloon and this allowed me to darken the colour of the balloons inside.
The spots were added using a white Pilot Marker or Posca Pen.
I added dimension which unfortunately doesn't show well in this picture but I really like the effect, it was simply to go over the balloons with "Glossy Accents" which gives the amazing glaze and dimension making the balloons look very real!
The red panel was then layered onto black before mounting onto the card and I used some Washi Tape, along the opening edge and finished with the Gingham Ribbon.

This next sample uses the "Music Notes Set"

  I coloured the background the same as before and stamped the Best Wishes Corner.

The two images were stamped and cut out before mounting with adhesive pads, I also used an embossing tool to give the images some "dimension" and coloured the rose and bow with a red promarker and again added the Glossy Accents.

The flowers I make using my Silhouette Cameo, layer 3 sizes and glue a gemstone in the centre.

Again mounted onto a black panel and then the card.

I'll be back later with the rest of the designs, thanks again for stopping by, warm wishes xKx

Winter Scene Clock

Hi everyone,
How are your Christmas preparations coming along?...
The time is whizzing by now and I haven't had many moments to spare since my last posting, I was at two market events at the weekend.
Saturday was extremely busy with visitors buying their Christmas gifts and Sunday was a wonderful atmosphere all be it exceptionally cold, the wonderful log fires and spiced apple drink given to the stall holders were a real treat though.
Anyhow I have something to share with you that I have made and am entering into the Pan Pastel UK Challenge Blog "Gift Tim

I have used a Printer Tray Style Clock from Tando Creative and the approx size is 205mm diam.
Firstly I painted all the chipboard parts with Adirondack Acrylic Paint Dabber in Aqua, I usually do a couple of coats, it dries very quick.
I then cut card shapes roughly for each of the sections, planning out the finished design before hand and how I wanted the overall appearance.
The Clarity Snowscape Scene worked perfectly across the top 3 sections, and I think I will use this technique on other makes!
Each section was coloured using Pan Pastels, a mix of Ultramarine Blue Tint, Violet and Phthalo Blue, creating the "snowy hills" as I went along.
I used a Versamark Ink pad to stamp the main images, Deer, Stag, Trees and Snowflakes, all of which are from the Clarity Stamps "Winter Wonderland Lesson 14 Kit"
I then added the colour Phthalo Blue to all the images also using the Violet and Ultramarine Blue Tint or the centre Snowflakes.
Once I was happy with the positioning of everything I glued all the pieces in place.
When dry I then added the background "snow" on the images with a Pilot White marker or Posca pen and the "glittery ice and snow" is my favourite Glossy Accents and Glamour Dust.
The clock numbers were created from the Clarity Stamps Numbers Set, again colouring the oval shapes with the pans and this time using versamark and Personal Impressions Pearl Violet embossing Powder to stamp the outer oval shape and the numbers.
These were then attached with self adhesive pads.
I really enjoyed creating this "Winter Scene" and hope you like it too.
Thanks so much for popping by, sending festive warmth and hugs xKx