In The Bleak Midwinter

I've neglected my blogging so apologies for that, I just don't know where the time goes!
It's nearly Clarity weekend again and I still need to blog my last two cards from this month and the mid month samples I made for Maria, so I better get a wiggle on!
These last two cards were super quick and easy and I chose to use some previously made Gelli backgrounds which I thought worked quite well.
Both were stamped in Cobalt Blue Archival with a bit of ribbon and a few gems added.
With the square card I gold embossed the Carol Music at the top of the aperture section and then blended the snowy hills and sky with a pale moon.
I then stamped all the main trees into position and added the two faded trees in the background.
I particularly like the way the Gelli background colours worked with these stamps and the Cobalt Blue.

I'll be back soon with the mid-month collection!...xx

While Shepherds Watched

Morning everyone,
Here are two cards I made for the August Clarity shows with Barbara, I was looking through some Gelli backgrounds I'd made when I was practising a while back and thought the colours would work well.
I was really inspired using these stamps and backgrounds together.
The first card I masked off the moon and created the background scene with the Clarity Hills and Mountains Mask and part of the London Skyline which I hoped might resemble Bethlehem in the background?!..
Inks used were Adirondack Stonewashed and Willow, which I'm a bit addicted too since using the combination at Cowden.
I used a touch of Scattered Straw Distress Ink for the moon.
The Star was stamped and gold embossed and then the figures stamped with black Archival.

The next card I used the die cut layers, I stamped the Carol Music in position first and the created the bright moon with Butterscotch Adirondack.

Again the star was gold embossed and I added some white pen light shafts.
Using black Archival I stamped the characters and then added a partial colour line around to create a glow using Mustard Seed Distress Marker which was also used to colour the Carol Music.
Both these were very simple and straightforward but I was really pleased with the effect.
I hope you feel inspired....xKx

Clarity Christmas samples

This months samples from C&C with Barbara, I will be blogging about them during the month.
All but one using Gelli plate backgrounds that I'd created while playing , they became my inspiration for these cards.
An overview for you in the meantime...xKx

Missing Piece of My Heart

Hi De Hi Bloggers,
I've scheduled this post to share while I am taking a bit of a break and playing "catch up" with my ever growing "To Do" list! Lol
I'm not sure how that will will work as I know I'll have a back log of  messages and emails to respond to upon my return.
In theory it was a good idea at the time, anyhow this is my make.
It uses the Jigsaw set from the recent Lesson 20 preview of In The Classroom with Barbara Gray.
The two piece stamp set, complete puzzle and single puzzle piece also comes with a mask set of all the pieces which makes it so versatile and pretty fun to use too!
I knew I wanted to create this "idea" and just had to think through how I was going to achieve the desired effect.
I set about practising on scrap paper first.
There may well be other ways of doing this but in the end this is how I did it.
I stamped the complete Jigsaw piece and then masked off the " missing piece" I could then stamp the heart and when the mask was removed "Et voila" you have a missing piece.
The tricky part was to create the correct image in the missing piece.
I stamped the missing puzzle piece onto a piece of card and cut it out.
Then I masked off all the pieces except for the missing piece and in the place of the missing piece I placed my cut out puzzle piece.
This meant that when I stamped the heart in position it would give me the section I needed on my missing piece.
The Letterbox Kit came into play for the wording and I matted and layered the puzzle, coloured with Promarkers.
The missing piece is layered using foam pads and I added a red gem for a bit of romantic interest.
If you are interested in seeing this done in stages in a tutorial let me know and I'll do one.
I hope you like it and that you find some inspiration for using this set...xKx

Christmas Carollers

I needed to catch up with blogging and as it's so hot today I've found a cool spot in my living room with the back doors open to sit and do just this.
It was a bit hectic earlier this week as I had to complete my Clarity samples for this weekends TV shows.
They went off in the post yesterday and I have 3 more from the July shows still to share.
I kept them quite simple and used a large circle die cut for the first two, the first using it to create an aperture and the second for an embossed circle.
For the cream linen card I used an Archival ink pad in plum, cut around the stamped images and attached them with foam pads.
I used a stencil to emboss the cut out circle from the aperture and stuck this behind adding gems and ribbon bows to finish.
The second circle design I blended an ink background on the inner circle and stamped with black Archival for nice crisp images.
Then around the outer embossed circles I added two colours of liquid pearls.
The last card uses a circle effect created by masking giving a large moon or street lamp glow effect.
I blended the ink background using the peacock feathers distress ink pad and an ink duster.
I had the idea of creating a group of carollers for this DL card so I stamped the main image and then used second generation ink for the other two sets.
Liquid pearls again for the moon/lamp glow and ribbons/bows to finish.
Well that's my lot for the July Christmas samples, I hope you can pop over and look at the August designs that I'll be sharing.
Thank you again for reading....xKx

Contrasting Holly Trees and News!...

Hi De Hi Bloggers,
I still have a few makes from the Clarity C&C July shows to share.
For this I sponged some ink randomly over a piece of card to give a mottled effect then stamped the holly tree in black with a touch of red promarker to the berries. Cut out leaving and edge around the stamped image.
The white tree is stamped and embossed in white, green promarker and red gems, this one I cut to the embossed edge.
Once mounted I added the the candi and faux stitching around the trees and the card edging, simples!
Hope you like it!

Oh and the news!...
I am happy to announce that I will be hosting a crafty session here in Kent, near where I live in Swanley.
"Workshops in Time" and altered art projects with the clock lady
The first date I have to offer is Sunday 6th Oct 10am - 4pm
Lovely venue with great light
Refreshments available all day
Disabled access
Good parking facilities
If you would like to join us for a very informal day of crafty fun, mixed abilities then please email for further info
craftyk@hotmail.co.uk
Limited spaces for the first date

Overview of this months samples for Christmas 2013

This morning I showed a preview of one of the Christmas tags here it is in full.

I used bit and bobs from my stash to create this and I stamped the image onto an old book page.

I was trying to create a vintage feel by using the different elements to give interest and reproducing the idea of using what's to hand to make Christmas decorations.

I hope you like it, I'll be sharing the rest in more detail over the next couple of weeks...xKx

A Clarity weekend lies ahead...

I thought I'd share this with you just ahead of the Classroom show with Barbara tomorrow.
I've used the birdhouse and picket fence kit layered onto a gellied MDF base.
The idea was adapted from techniques we used at Cowden in May, using the combination of Willow and Stonewashed Adirondack inkpads blended through stencils/masks.
I adore this colour combo, it's so subtle.
The items for the lesson tomorrow look fab so I hope you can join in and get messy!...xKx

Laminated Lily

I absolutely love the Wrought Iron Dog and created this little scene with him and Lily, perhaps walking through the park.
After layering up the the laminated card onto shimmery purple card I added the white punched butterflies as a contrast to the vibrant colour.
Here are two photo's I added the bubbles to the second photo using photo editing for a bit of fun, I thought they were a nice addition...xKx

Laminated clock

I just love the laminating technique we learnt at Cowden and that Barbara demo'd on C&C and
have lots of ideas in the pipeline for clocks using this since trying this first one out as a tester.
It simply uses the Wrought Iron Kite stamp for the design which fitted perfectly for the clock face.
Hope you like it...xKx

All that Jazz!

How cool are these stamps!
Good idea for Father's Day if you're still needing inspiration...
I decided to keep simple in monochrome for these as time was pressing on to complete my monthly samples.
The first sample uses the image stamped three times in a row and I mounted onto black card which I had embossed with diagonal lines using my Hougie board.
Unfortunately this doesn't really show in the photo, I finished with three silver card candy.
The second card shows the diagonal embossing much clearer and I liked the effect it gave with these stamps.
All very simple and nice and quick.
Hope you like them and I'll be back later to share some more...xKx

Dolls House

I can't believe it's Wed already, where does the time go!
So it's about time I started blogging my Clarity samples for this months and as there was a huge buzz around the dolls house I thought I'd start with that.
Thank you all so much for the lovely feedback and messages after the TV shows, I really appreciate it.
I will warn you this is a bit of a long post but please bare with me if you can...
So the Dolls House, I was so thrilled when this set of miniature stamps arrived I can't tell you, it was as if Barbara had climbed into my head and read my thoughts!
For me they are just perfect because years ago when my daughter was growing up I use to make 3D picture/shadow boxes.
They were very popular for a while and I had many bespoke orders for them, so around and about people may still have them tucked away somewhere.
I know my nieces adored theirs and I had the best time making them.
The original idea for the shadow boxes came when we took my then young daughter on holiday to the Isle of Wight. I never go anywhere without hunting out crafts or handmade items.
I came across these glass framed shadow type boxes with 3 shelves, they had little items inside like cushions, teddies, little wooden toys etc.
So needless to say as soon as I got back home I was on the make!
I adapted them to my own style and started making my own miniatures from things I had in my craft stash.
I always try and make my own things wherever possible.
I used Dolls House magazines and books for further inspiration, they give good tips on how to make things yourself.
Anyhow I made and sold a few and then was requested to make some more personalised designs, for
christenings and special birthdays which included, a garden and wait for it, a pub! This was a request for someone who was owned his own pub as a special birthday keepsake.
Well I do like a challenge!
I have photo's stashed away somewhere and, I will try and upload them for you.
I also know I still have a haberdashery shop window in my loft so I will post pictures of that.
So that's the story behind the Dolls House and I have been asked more recently if I would go back to this type of thing so this make is my updated version of my old craft.
Barbara asked me to add the link for the actual house frame on her Facebook page so that is there for you.
Now the frame is actually quite deep so the first thing I did was to bring each compartment forward by making a false box base for each section.
I could then decorate each one individually and glue into the frame once finished.
The hardest part as with the clocks is the composition and deciding what to put in each
"compartment" so I decided I needed a little story to help me picture the house in my head.
The story behind this design is that Lily is upstairs getting ready and Douglas is "clock" watching
with the beautiful dog downstairs...
The roof space was always going to be the attic and the rest followed in from there.
My only reservations with this were if the stamped images would do the job of replacing the
miniatures I use to use.
Due to their size I cut some of them after stamping with leaving a "frame" around the edge.
I used some papers I have had in my stash for a long time and sorted out a selection that would work together a bit like decorating your house!
I used the papers for the rooms and to stamp the images on to, which worked quite well for this.
Now the most important thing is something my dear Dad, bless him, taught me years ago and that is you can create an illusion of something that often works as well as if not better than the real thing, I have used this theory and it has worked for me very well during my crafting times.
So I worked out where I wanted my Clarity miniatures, the cushions are from the haberdashery set
edged with mini ric-rac.
I then turned to my boxes of ribbon trimmings, buttons, beads etc for adding finish touches of
inspiration.
I used lace, buttons, gems, cut bead from the lengths of mini beading you can buy, some Prima flowers and
the clock face was in a little set that was free in a magazine.
So you can create an illusion of pretty things by adding unusual buttons, gems and bows also by make beads look like pretty perfume bottles.
The vase on the table is actually the large Clarity vase cut down as I don't have a mini one.
You can see I've edged the house unit with mini ric-rac and ribbon and that's about it, if there is anything else you want to know about this project please don't hesitate to contact me.
I'll leave you with the images...xKx

June TV Samples with Clarity Stamps

Good afternoon,
Hope the start to your week is good.
I have been busy planning projects this morning, a few things in the pipeline...
This is the showcase of my samples from the weekends shows and I will be blogging fully during this month.
Thank you for all the lovely feedback and comments regarding my samples, I'm delighted if they inspire you further.
I'll leave you with a montage of my samples and hope you have a good week ahead xKx

The Hares and The Toadstool, Lesson 17 Kit

I think I went a bit Gelli mad with my samples!
I loved playing and creating backgrounds and then matching the stamps to use with them.
Hopefully if you haven't got yourself a Gelli plate yet you will soon be inspired to do so and become as addicted as the rest of the Clarity enthusiasts are.
I particularly like this set of stamps too...xKx

The Foxes are out and about...

Tonight I thought I'd share this card with the Foxes and Tree Stump, I love the Tree Stump, it has so many possibilities.
I had been playing with the Gelli plate and thought this background would add an eerie twist to these stamps.
I knew I wanted to have the Fox on the Tree Stump and thought the positioning of the other Fox would give the illusion of it walking through the shape and was pleased with how this worked.
The Foxes and Tree Stump were stamped and masked and then I added the background scene.
I have one more sample from May to share and some that were one for the Germany shows before I move on to the June designs.
Thanks for reading...xKx

Funky Flamingos

What a gloomy day out there!
So here are the Flamingos strutting their stuff!
Many thanks for all the messages and good wishes for my daughters birthday yesterday.
It was lovely of you all to send good wishes and we had a really enjoyable day.
I thought I'd post this colourful make to brighten up the gloomy day outside.
Simply stamped with the addition of a Gelli plate background and die cuts.
Thanks for popping by....xKx

Friends

Good Morning,
Apologies for my absence in blog land recently, it's been so hectic!
I've neglected to finish blogging my Clarity samples from the beginning of May so thats my mission for the next couple of days just before the June samples are due!
So what's been happening...
I've been playing with the new MDF clocks and making new clocks, which were taken with me to a wonderful craft retreat at Cowden with Barbara Gray, Clarity Stamps and the most special group of friends and crafting buddies you could wish to meet.
So I was busy preparing my clocks for the occasion as the ladies all seem to love them and I like to share how they've "grown" and developed.
We had the best time, full on crafting sessions with Barbara and Paul Church, supported by the
wonderful Dave, Barbara's other half, Jane who works tirelessly ensuring we have delicious lunches and the rest of the supporting Clarity Team, "Huge Thanks again" to everyone involved.
Then when the crafting day is done we eat more, drink and socialise until the wee small hours!
All in all superb fun, lasting memories and great crafting techniques that continue to inspire.
Ok, so then after Cowden it was head down preparing my samples for June TV this weekend and sorting things for my lovely daughters birthday today.
I thought it would be apt then to share "Friends" Lily, Rosie and Annabel for this post from the samples I made for May, using a background created with the Gelli plate.
Thanks so much for reading, I have a lot of blogging to catch up on in the next few days, so I'll be back soon....xKx

Umbrella!

Good morning one and all,
I can't believe it's been a week since the Clarity TV shows, it was my intention to have blogged more during the week but time has flown once again!
So Sunday mornin in bed with a cuppa brings me back to blog land and I'm pleased to see the sun streaming through again while it lasts.
It's still very breezy too after the windy week so I can't see me having the sunbed in the garden like I did on bank holiday Monday.
We had rain yesterday and much more last night which is very apt for my umbrella posting.
This was super quick and easy and seemed to be well received according to my feedback and messages, thank you.
It's funny how sometimes the simplest of designs catch the eye the most.
For this I literally made splats with distress stains, peacock feathers and scattered straw, on my base card and stamped the umbrellas.
I used contrasting liquid pearls on the umbrellas and added dew drops to the splats and a gold ribbon bow on the side of the card.
This card was fun and brightens up the subject matter of rain and umbrellas, fun and job done!
I hope you have an enjoyable Sunday whatever you're up to.
Me, I'm finishing off a clock that has really caught my inspiration and will be an example of how to use the clock bases from the kits.
I'll be sharing once I'm done, thanks for popping by xKx

Samples made for for May Clarity TV shows

A preview of my samples which I will blog fully in due course and details about "Clocks"

Foxgloves on Gelli Plate background

A bit of a late posting from me but I thought I'd make a start on sharing my samples from the Clarity TV shows at the weekend.
I used a Gelli Plate background that I'd already created while experimenting for my other sample cards.
So the background was already done!
To this I stamped in versamark the foxgloves and embossed with white embossing powder.
I then blended distress inks, picked raspberry and a little seedless preserves, over the embossing and some of the background.
A lace and ribbon bow, hat pins and ribbon trim finished the design before matting and layering on to card that I coloured the edges of in the same two colour ways.
It was a good way of including the shocking pink ribbon I have had in my stash for ages, bought cheaply and never thought I'd use!
Thanks so much for popping by and I'll bid you goodnight now for tonight xK