Extreme masking!!!

Hello there!  The start of another month (and, yes, its April already), means its time for a new theme over on the Claritystamp challenge blog.  Click here to pop over and see some wonderful projects to inspire you from the rest of my talented teamies.  This month, we're doing something a bit different, and asking you to showcase your grasp of a fundamental stamping technique:  masking.  So please make sure your project involves masking, to avoid being disqualified and missing out on the chance to win a £50 Clarity voucher.

 

So let's get started.  There's lots of masking in this one.

 

I've planned to make a gatefold card using the NDC acorn stamp.  Cut a piece of 7" x 7" stencil card to make 2 pieces, each 3.5" x 7".  Then I started by stamping the first part of my sentiment into place with black archival using the woodpress set.  This was then masked off  (good news;  the masks are included with this set). 

 

 

 Then I stamped the acorn into place using potting soil archival.

 

 

When you remove the masks, you can clearly see how the acorns are sitting behind the letter boxes.

 

 

Repeat the same steps for the other side of the gatefold:  boxes and letters first, and cover with masks.

 

 

 On this side, I stamped the oak tree from and an old classroom set:  trees and their mantles.

 

 

Remove the masks again. 

 

 

I completed my sentiment on the main piece (7" x 7" stencil card) and masked  off again.

 

 

Before starting on this panel, I had to stamp the acorn on to a couple of post its and cut out the masks.  This was a bit fiddly because the stamp is quite intricate, but it'll be worth it.  So, working from the centre outwards, start stamping the acorn sprig, covering up and moving the masks as necessaryas you go along. 

 

Just keep going... 

 

At this stage, I added a frame with low tack tape, and yes...  still kept going!

 

 

Once the masking tape is removed, you can see how I let some acorns and leaves overlap into the frame.

 

 

Its time now to add some colour.  I decided to go with three of last year's new distress colours:  twisted citron, carved pumpkin and wilted violet. 

 

I inked up and stamped the mantle with twisted citron.  Then I scribbled onto the stamp with carved pumpkin and wilted violet distress markers and lightly spritzed with water.  This gives a fab variegated effect without going muddy.

 

 

That's it for the stamping now. 

 

I just need my spectrum noir pencils, choosing colours to match the inkpads I've chosen.

 

 

Having coloured in the acorn sprig on the front panel, I coloured in the background on this main piece.  This really makes the acorn sprigs pop. 

 

 

And here's the finished card.  I hope you like it. 

 

 

I'm looking forward to seeing loads of fabulous entries again this month, even if it does make it very difficult to pick a top 5. 

 

And don't forget to tune into Barbara Gray on Hochanda on Sunday and Monday.  She has some absolutely fabulous stamps to show you.  You are going to love 'em!  Till next time.  Xxx   

A brilliant work of art?

Hello again.  Here I am again with another of my samples from the last Claritystamp shows on Hochanda.

 

I started this one with a piece of stencil card, and brushed and blended distress inks in mermaid lagoon, twisted citron and wilted violet.  

 

 

Now I splattered on some water and blotted with kitchen roll to lift the ink.

  

 

I splattered on distress sprays in the same colours diluted with a little water in the same way. 

 

 

At this point my hands looked like this!!!!!  Maybe next time I should think about using gloves.

 

 

 Using the same colours, I stamped the easel from the brilliant work of art set randomly over the background.

 

 

I also stamped the paint tube randomly over the background, but this time using the distress stains.  This gives a looser, less perfect image.

 

 

Stamp on "You are a brilliant work of art" in black archival in the middle of the card.

  

 

 I took 3 jigsaw pieces and decided where I wanted to place them.

 

 

 I applied colour to the jigsaw pieces with a make up sponge, using the colours of the background as a guide. 

 

I also stamped the sentiment onto a piece of copy paper.  I traced round the jigsaw pieces and used this as a guide to stamp on the sentiment so it would line up perfectly.

 

I embossed the pieces using versamark and detail clear powder.  I repeated this stage 3 times for a smooth glossy finish. 

 

I edged the piece with a ruler and a black sharpie pen and matted on to a card blank.  Finally, I glued the jigsaw pieces into position.

 

 

I hope you like the finished card, and that it gives you another idea for when you don't want to use the whole jigsaw. 

 

Don't forget that Barbara Gray will be back on Hochanda tomorrow and Monday.  I can't wait...  its going to be Groovi!  Till next time.  Xxx  

Ssssssssh.... don't tell my mum!

Hello again.  Well this year is really flying by;  I can't believe its 1st March already.  You know what that means:  its time for a new theme over at the Claritystamp challenge blog.  This month, its all about the girls.

 

I decided to use the card I've made for my mum for Mother's Day;  its only a few days away, so I don't think she'll see this before then.  So if you are reading this mum, stop now! 

 

I stamped the hen into place using black archival, and once dry, covered it with a mask. 

 

 

Then I put the daffodil frame stencil in place as shown.

 

 

I cut out a copy mask to cover the outer part of the frame to make sure I didn't get any ink in these sections at this stage.

 

I then blended in picked raspberry distress ink at the bottom of the oval,  mermaid lagoon at the top, and mustard seed in the middle using the Clarity stencil brushes.  Then I sprinkled on a little water and blotted with kitchen roll to lift the ink.

 

 

Next, I covered up the central oval with the innie part of the stencil and covered the join with masking tape.

 

 

I brushed and blended the same colours through the flowers and the frame, I made the colour a bit more intense here.  Then I added my sentiment using black archival and the wordpress kit. 

 

 

I stamped this little chick onto shrink plastic with black archival and coloured with distress markers.  It never ceases to amaze me how much the image shrinks without losing any detail.

 

 

You can see here that I've used spectrum noir pencils in the same colours for the hen,   I've also started to add some shading to the border with grey pencils.

 

 

I trimmed the artwork back and edged it with a ruler and a black sharpie pen. 

 

All that was left to do now was to decide on the position of the little chicks...

 

 

or...

 

 

or???

 

 

I finally decided on this. 

 

 

I hope you like my fun and funky Mothers Day card.  I'm pretty sure it will make my mum smile. 

 

Now its over to you...  I'm looking forward to seeing what you'll make.  Don't forget, the winner is chosen at random, so it doesn't matter if you're a beginner or a seasoned stamper;  everyone's in with an equal chance to win that £50 Clarity voucher.  So go on, give it a go.  Till next time.  Xxx