Male birthday card using Clarity Deerscape and Tree

Good afternoon,
What another stunning day outside, I'm having a good start to the week and hope yours is going well too.
I had got a bit behind with my making since the arrival of Frasier but now things are settling down a bit I am pleased to say I'm catching up and enjoying my crafting time.
I used the Clarity Deerscape and tree stamps along with the quote and best wishes greeting.
The panel was coloured and blended with Pan Patels
I think this offers a simple but striking effect xKx

Time to play with the Gelli Plate...

"Under the sea"
I've already had a little play with my latest craft room edition but the first results are under wraps until 1st March when all will be revealed in my Challenge sample make for the Clarity Design Blog!
I had to practise a bit to get the hang of it and get to grips with what I was trying to achieve.
Really anything goes with this technique but you can be more specific if you think about a design and do a bit of forward planning.
I'm a bit of a perfectionist so this type of "freedom" is a challenge for me!
Anyhow this is an idea I created using the plate, I wanted to achieve an under the sea background.
I used a mix of paints I had to hand, some acrylics and some tester pots of emulsion, which is water based so a good alternative to acrylic.
Because I wanted a particular effect I applied the paint colours in an order, the green and rusty orange at the base then the darker blue working up to the lighter blue colour.
I was careful to blend the lighter colour first with my brayer, working down to the darker shades.
The smaller type bubble wrap gave the illusion of water bubbles and helped blend the colours together a bit more.
A non pointed plastic tool was used to create the coral at the bottom of the seabed.
Using a Rainbow ink pad I then stamped the Clarity Fish, also the ovals from the Numeral Set and the lower case letters from the Letter Set for "under the sea".
Glossy accents glaze over the letter bubbles and a few bubbles around the fish.
I'm looking forward to having much more fun with the Gelli Plate!...xKx

Rose Tag

Another evening post from me with a quick make I did yesterday as an RSVP to an invitation, I decided a tag would do the job nicely.
Tag cut from linen textured card, coloured with pink and red Pan Pastels.
The Clarity Rose was stamped and white dots and faux stitching added with a white pen.
Finished with gems, ribbons and bakers twine, hope you're enjoying your Mon eve, thanks for popping by xKx

Last post of the weekend

A very quick and simple design using turquoise Pan Pastel blended on a linen textured card base.
Then stamping the Clarity flowers from the Bunny set in Broken China distress ink over the Pan Pastel background.
I then over stamped the Bunnies from the set in black Versafine ink and added the butterflies punched from white shimmer paper and some glamour dust sparkle on the background and the bunnies tails.
Layered on to contrasting cards with some gems and ribbon bow.
That draws my blogging to a close for this weekend and I wish you a peaceful and good nights sleep in readiness to start a fresh week tomorrow xKx

It's the weekend again and...

***Less than 2 weeks until the 1st challenge starts on the new Clarity Challenge Design Blog***

I quite like to sit and blog while having my first cup of tea of the day, it gives me chance to reflect and I find it a pleasant way to ease into the weekend. It's all quiet and peaceful, no radio or TV or daily bustle going on yet and Frasier is napping, so here we go.

I wanted to use the lovely Clarity rose stamp and verse  again but keep it really simple to show off its beauty. It is another very versatile stamp as I have tried to show in my previous brooch design where it's been découpage and layered.
I wanted to try and create a sort of photo print background so firstly I stamped the rose in 2nd generation London Fog Momento ink all over the white background card.
The rose and quote were stamped in Worn Lipstick distress ink and the rose then coloured with Cocktail Pink Pro-marker. Mounted on to a salmon pink pearlescent card with some ribbon and gems and a scallop square card base.
This was another sample I made for the Feb TV shows, I have two more still to share which will complete my Feb samples.
Hope you're enjoying your weekend so far... xKx

Rose brooch on a gift tag

Now for something different, I wanted to decoupage this lovely rose so I decided to do this but made with film and fibre.
I made several roses in this way and used them to make the layers for decoupage and once complete I added some glamour dust on the edges to give a frosty effect and then mounted on a brooch back.
I thought a nice way to give this as a gift would be to attach it to a matching tag.
The tag was coloured using distress ink, Worn Lipstick, and the roses stamped with 2nd generation ink. I then sprinkled some irridescent embossing powder over the whole of the tag and heated to set, this gave a gorgeous shimmer. The quote was stamped and mounted using foam pads, mixed threads finish off the completed tag. Makes a rather nice gift I think....xKx

A place to sit and gaze

I used the Quirky Hedge to create an arbour and the Wrought Iron Bench fitted in so well.
I really like the Wrought Iron sets of stamps they are some of my favourites.
Moments of inspiration flick like a switch with me sometimes and the Verdigris embossing powder I have gave me the wrought iron effect I desired. It has great texture like iron work and is a soft green colour. Clarity birds completed the picture for me.

Love and hugs xKx

Stained Glass Window

While Frasier sleeps I can post! Cuppa tea in bed looking out the window at a very ominous grey sky that looks full of dreaded white stuff again!

Hope you have some nice things ahead to fill your weekend with.

We're still settling in with Frasier so not too sure where mines headed yet but, some crafting is essential!

Still using the Funky Trees, I got a bit obsessed with this set as you can probably tell!

I had the idea that I wanted to create a type of stained glass window effect.

So for this I did the opposite to the Quirky and Elegant design and embossed in black.

Same technique completely different look!

All colouring done using Pro markers, design mounted onto black Clarity card, again pretty simple layout but achieved the effect I was heading for.

Thanks again for your interest xKx

Quirky and Elegant

Another posting while time permits!
Using the Quirky Trees set again and one of the cottages, the images were stamped and embossed with white embossing powder. The background was kept simple blending Broken China distress ink with the aid of the Splodge Mat, because the images are embossed any ink simply wipes away. I used Pro-markers with nibs to colour in pastel colours.
Finishing touches were die-cuts to which I added distress inks, punched butterflies and Perfect Pearls.

 Karen xXx

Exciting news at the start of February...

Good Morning! :-)

It's turned very chilly again now, bitter in fact and threat of snow again here in Kent.

I'm compiling this post at 07.30 while adapting to a completely new routine in our household.

It's a bit of an essay but please "bare with" while I update recent events.

Our new arrival Frasier, has been with us now for a week.

He's an 18 week old pedigree Beagle pup with a lot to explore and learn.

He's settled in well, it's a learning curve for us all, as Lupin was 3 when we re-homed her, we are getting into a routine and making good progress daily. 

So I am snatching my crafty moments as and when until he settles and we've established those all important boundaries.

The weekend was hectic as I was also visiting mum in hospital as she recovers from her broken hip.

The weekend's highlight though was the fabulous Clarity Stamp TV shows! So much to cram into a few hours and such lovely new stamp sets and demo's from the ever wonderful and inspiring Barbara Gray.

Apart from having my samples shown on the TV shows, along with those of other very talented DT members, there was some very exciting news!

The launch of the Clarity Stamp challenge blog, the Design Team members for the blog are a fellow group of crafty friends who between them have an array of crafting talent. They have been bought together for this team and will bring some of the most exquisite and quality craft makes to inspire all Clarity fans. The challenges are open to everyone and its going to be great fun for both new and experienced crafters to share so why not pop over and join in the first challenge which starts on March 1st, here is the link -
claritystampchallenge.blogspot.co.uk

I was very honoured to be asked to join the DT for this challenge blog, so all in all lots of exciting things happening!!!

So I will leave you for now and share this sample of mine with you that I know Barbara had a chuckle about when she saw so much shrink plastic on one card.

I made it using the new Quirky Trees and Cottages sets plus the bench and tree from the Wrought Iron sets and a Clarity Butterfly, it certainly seemed to create interest.

Thanks so much for popping by, hope you're having a good week so far xKx

Previous crafting highlights and achievements

A few of my previous crafting highlights prior to joining the Clarity Design Team and establishing my clock fanbase.
My handmade clocks now have the endorsement of the wonderful and super talented Barbara Gray, what nicer credit could there be.

A nice feature on one of my cards by Jean Hardy -
Crafty Individuals



 Almost time for summer challenge
One of the winning entries (Crafty Individuals)

       

Clocks on Lavinia Stamps Gallery

"Star Gazing" - Link here

"Fairy Washing Line" - Link here

"Witches Brew" - Link here