Welcome to my blog

I hope you enjoy reading my posts, and please leave me a comment. I always enjoy reading them, and will try to visit you in return.

For security reasons for me and for you, I would appreciate it if you would leave your name on your comments.

You are welcome to copy any of my designs, as long as you do not take credit for them yourself. I am very happy for you to sell them. If I have used anyone else's design, I always try to give credit where it is due. If I have missed anything, please let me know and I will put things right.


This is intended to be mainly about my crafting stories, as a personal record of what I do. However, I interpret crafting quite widely, not just paper crafting but other things too. I have a butterfly mind and like to change from one thing to another depending on what I feel like on a given day - knitting, crochet, cross-stitch, cards, baking and several others, including my favourite right now, parchment, both traditional skills and Groovi, very relaxing and calming to do.

I have decided to put some structure into my blog so that each day will have something of a theme.
Monday- for Mindfulness; Tuesday - Tidy Up Day; Wednesday - What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday; Thursday - Technique and Tips; Friday - Finish Off Day; Saturday - Start Something New; Sunday - Anything Goes
These themes are not hard and fast and will be changed if I feel the need.

Tuesday, 30 June 2015

Clarity Stamp Challenge for June 2015 - Boys, Boys, Boys

Once again, I am late putting my entry in for this month's Claritystamp challenge, which was Boys, Boys, Boys.  I put the blame fair and square on Barbara Gray.  Since taking delivery of the new Groovi Plate system, I have not wanted to put it down.  Parchment has taken over my life again.

Fortunately, my class on a Friday used the Clarity Sport set and I just took the brief a bit further. I did do the cut out of the central O (you would have been proud of me, Maria) and used my blade to do it.  Then I masked off that bit while I did the landscape with torn paper and the Clarity mat.  The sky was the Clarity cloud mask.  The whole aim was a misty, faded view, with the stamped images done in second generation ink.

I did darken up the sky and grass in the centre O around the cyclist.  The large Sport was heat embossed in a distress type powder, which does not really show very well.


In additon to the normal Friday class, I went down to the class on Saturday morning at Pink Tulip Creations where we did two cards, as you can see below.  Because we were using Brushos for the second card, and could not all do that at the same time, the two cards were running at the same time.  The first one was using the Stampendous Ranunculus, which I think is very like the Charles Rennie Mackintosh rose as you can see in this illustration.
Most people painted their flowers, but I decided to play with the blendable pencils.  I used the Derwent as I have a small set that fits in my bag and will do most things.    Unwittingly, I matched the colours to the top I was wearing, although the others thought it was deliberate.  








The Brushos were really a taster session for those that have never used them, but it was a very effective technique, much better than this photo shows.  We punched large circles out of the dried off Brusho sheet and then stamped the heads of this Lavinia stamp onto the circles with Archival, and then glittered the open tips of the flowers.  The whole thing was stamped onto the main card and the
flower circles glued on top.

This card is so much more pretty in real life as the sparkle just does not show here.





7 comments:

crafty said...

Nice card good luck clarity challenge x

Angela said...

You've created a lovely scene using the sport stamp and sportsmen Maggie. Thank you for entering the Clarity challenge this month. Good luck! x

Unknown said...

Glad you managed to get your entry in on time and join us again for this months challenge Maggie. I love the soft, subtle colours you've used, combined with the strong, sporty masculine theme. Great work. Xxx

Emma Burns said...

Fabulous artwork Maggie. Best of luck in the challenge Hugs xx

Lynne Bishop said...

Lovely card for the Clarity challenge Maggie. Your scene building is wonderful. Sorry I am so late looking at your entry, we have been away and no internet. Good Luck. xx Ps your other cards are fabulous as well.

Shaz in Oz.CalligraphyCards said...

Hullo Maggie a lovely collection of cards, well done!!!

Love to see it all, the Brushos was interesting, they are everywhere at the moment. But are expensive Downunder and don't think I use what I do have enough.
Beautifully done on both flower cards too as well as the delicate tones in Sport card.
Shaz in Oz.x

{Shaz in Oz – Calligraphy Cards}

Shaz in Oz.CalligraphyCards said...

Oh Maggie all lovley as said at WOYWW but had to pop back,
Shaz in Oz,x