Another "boys, boys, boys" project

Hello to you all.  Here as promised is another project I made for this months Claritystamp challenge theme;  in fact this was my original idea using Paperartsy Fresco Finish Acrylics and Crackle Glaze as taught by the inspirational Maria Simms.  I wanted to make a keepsake gift ready for my youngest grandson's second birthday and decided on this doorhanger.

 

Ingredients

MDF doorhanger

Paperartsy fresco finish paints

Paperartsy crackle glaze and satin glaze

Black archival ink

Butterscotch adirondack ink

Mermaid lagoon distress ink

Mixture of green distress and adirondack ink pads

Shrink plastic

Stamps used:  journalling set, wee folk boys, boy and birds, remountable patterns, bubbles, word chains.

 

First job was to give the doorhanger an undercoat of white paint, then I roughly sponged in some sky and painted in the hills. 

 

 

Then I scraped on a very thin layer of crackle glaze, let it dry, and overpainted with a thick layer of cream paint.  now I just had to wait for the magic to happen.  Although its only subtle, this meant that you can see the different colours through the crackle.  

 

 

Now I started to build up the scene using inks and stamping in some texture and details using the fresco finish paints, masking off each section in turn, and then stamping the silhouettes in black archival.

 

 

 

I gently brushed some yellow for the sun, and then very lightly stamped in some bubbles for interest.

 

 

Now for this side, I stamped in the lovely boy and birds.

 

 

I created a similar scene on the other side of the doorhanger, but used different wee folk.

 

I coated the whole piece in satin glaze to protect it.  The finishing touch was to stamp out some appropriate words in black archival onto shrink plastic and stick them into place on each side of the door hanger.

 

 

Well I hope you like it, and maybe it will give you a few more ideas for what you might like to create for this months challenge. 

 

Don't forget to join in, the winner of the £50 Clarity voucher is chosen at random, so this month it could be you.

 

Pop on over to the challenge blog for more inspiration from the rest of the design team.  Hope you will be watching Barbara on the telly with us tomorrow morning.  See you there!  Till next time.  Xxx

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One for the boys...

Hello again.  Thanks to all of you who entered last months Clarity challenge on the theme of "clocks."  This has proved to be quite a tough theme:  maybe a reflection of what a struggle it is for many of us to find enough time for crafting.  This month, we are tackling another theme which can sometimes be difficult:  creating a piece of art for the men in our lives.

Ingredients
Black archival ink pad
Black micron pen
Clear embossing powder
Theuva card
Black card for matting and layering
Jazz man stamp, music stamp set and wordpress stamp set

As I kept it simple this month, I thought I would share with you a bit more of how I go about designing a project from the start.

First, I very often start by stamping out the design roughly onto copy paper.  I might do this several times, until I feel confident and happy with the layout.

Next, I cut Theuva card to size, and dusted with talc.  I then stamped jazz man and clear embossed him.

Of course, with a design so simple, there's no place to hide.  Here are some of the rejects...

Too timid when drawing in the lines.  Tried thicker lines, but didn't like them.

Tried drawing the lines before stamping jazzman.  I concentrated so hard on trying to put his feet in the right place, I cut off his cane.  Barbara:  0   Bin:  2

I drew the lines first again, and disaster!  Can you spot it? 

I realised I had to be brave and stamp jazz man first, and then draw in the lines.  Yay, success at last!  Then I stamped in "Happy Birthday" using both upper and lower case letters from the wordpress set randomly through the stave.

Next job was to add in the notes until I was happy with the balance of the design.

All that was left to do now was to mat onto a piece of black card and the card blank.

I hope you like the finished card.  I'm really looking forward to seeing the projects you come up with for the men in your life;  be it a husband father, son, grandson...  Its up to you.  I have another "boys, boys, boys" project that I've made for one of my grandsons, which I'll blog later in the month.  Don't forget, the winner of the £50 Claritystamp voucher is chosen completely at random, so what have you got to lose?  Go on, give it a go.  If you need more inspiration, pop over to: http://claritystampchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/

You'll find the links there to the blogs of all my talented design teamies.  Till next time.  Xxx