New blog challenge with Sweet Lilac Flowers

Good evening,
I have my DT inspiration to share with you for the new challenge over at Sweet Lilac Flowers Blog where the next theme is Vintage.
I created the tag background with distress stains, Forest Moss, picked Raspberry, Frayed Burlap and Seedless Preserves.
The stamp is Artistic Stamper from the Tic Tock Butterflies sheet, stamped in black Versafine and clear embossed.
I coloured the cream Sweet Lilac Flowers with the same distress stains as the backgrounds and used
Ranger black enamel accents for the centres.
Seam binding coloured with distress stains and a ring reinforcer on the punched hole complete this tag.
Please join us over at the blog -
Sweet Lilac Flowers Blog
I hope you like the inspiration, I wish you a good week, thanks for popping by...xKx

Christmas Trees

Today I'm revisiting some samples made for Clarity Take 2 with Maria Simms.
For the first design I made a distressed background using distress inkpads, Antique Linen, Old Paper and Tea Dye.
I stamped the images with Black Archival and then using masks I randomly sponged some pearlescent and gold embossing paste over the design.
I coloured the Carol Music with Rec Distress Ink Pens and glazed with Glossy Accents.
A couple of gems, ribbon and layering and job done.
The second card uses linen texture cardstock with a background covering of pan pastel, Magenta Shade then the trees and stars stamped in a mix of Purple Twilight and Eggplant Adirondacks.
Dots of Star Dust Stickles, gems, ribbon and layering and another finished card.
I hope you like these two very different styles and apologies for the very poor images, in my haste to post them off I hadn't checked the quality of the photo's!
Whatever you're doing I hope you have a good weekend and I'll try and blog some more this weekend too...xKx

Oh, the sight of Duck and Drake...

I don't think I'm alone when it comes to struggling with male themed cards.
So having just recently purchased some of the new Metallic Pan Pastels I decided to have a play and try a design for my Father in Laws birthday.
I used a dark blue card and embossed it with the Clarity 7 x 7 Treescape stencil.
I then used Permanent Red Pans and a mixture of  Bronze, Copper, Rich Copper and Pewter Metallic colours over the design to try and accentuate the embossing.
The thing that has really impressed me with the Metallic colours is the effect when used with a Versamark pad as I've done with the Ducks and the Quote.
 I then drew lines around the edges with a ruler and Versamark pen to give the gilded finish there too.
A quick spray of fixative seals the product.
A bit of layering up and some dots of Enamel Accents and job done!
I'm rather liking these and think a few more male cards will be created with them.
Hope you like this idea, I'm happy with the result.

Craft Stamper October edition - Alice in Wonderland Clock

This is the design I created using an MDF teapot clock face featuring all Clarity Stamps and I'm absolutely thrilled that it is featured in the latest edition of Craft Stamper magazine.

Clarity Stamp New Challenge - Vintage

It's all go this weekend, The Classroom Show yesterday, today's shows and the start of a brand new blog challenge over on the Clarity Stamp Challenge Blog, No 7 already!
The entries each month just keep getting better and better, such a high standard and very inventive ideas.
I have to say I was a bit stumped with the theme of Vintage for this month and consequently time was pressing on to come up with something.
So I decided to use this hanging Bird Cage from
Candy Box Crafts which I've had for a while and really wanted to come up with a twist on the usual vintage style colouring.
Firstly I used a piece of sponge to paint the front of the cage with a pastel pink emulsion paint from a tester pot I had.
I really like using Ranger distress embossing powders so I used this in Tattered Rose with the Clarity Stamps small Leafy Swirl stamp on top of the painted cage.
I had already decided to use the NDC Lovebirds stamp and the large Butterfly and thought the Bird does not Sing and part of the Butterfly Montage stamps would work well too.
The images were all stamped using distress inks and embossed again with the distress powder.
It doesn't show up too well in the photo but the powder gives a lovely vintage feel and texture and it gives a random finish hence the distress.
I mounted the birds and butterfly onto torn paper which I coloured and distressed.
The images were layered with foam pads.
I've also used die cut leaves, Sweet Lilac Paper Flowers, lace and twisted torn paper all of which have been coloured and distressed.
The flower and leaf cluster on the bottom also as a selection of stamens attached and the feather has had a touch of distress ink.
I wanted this cage to look like it had been tucked away in an attic and perhaps the lace and
embellishments were remnants or keepsakes from memorable things.
I was really happy with the way this turned out and the vintage colour and feel it has to it.
Well I hope you enjoy the shows today and all the inspiration the design team have come up with and I hope this will inspire you to take part in the Clarity Challenge.
I'll take some close up images of this and post them later so you can see in more detail.