Chocolate Baroque Challenge January 2017

Chocolate BaroqueChallenge

January 2017

‘Floral Flutterby’

Hello and welcome once more to The Making Lady's blog. 

As we are approaching St Valentine's Day, I decided to incorporate the beautiful palette with a 'love' themed card, not only that, there's not a single 3D element in sight!!! The biggest challenge was to select the stamps to use and on looking through my selection of CB stamps, I settled on the floral butterfly, something I've wished to use for some time. The entire image is created by stamping and masking, with a bit of shading to create the illusion of an 'add-on' butterfly. 

My special Christmas present was a complete set of Polychromos and boy! did I have fun exploring. I laid down the base with Inktense pencils, taking colour straight from the pencil tip with a damp paintbrush (No 6) then added the Polychromos over. 

The sentiment is repeated stamping of Love from the Mackintosh 'With Love' phrase.

Top Tip - I found it easier to ink the words, cover up 'With' with a piece of Scotch Magic Tape, stamp 'Love,' remove the tape and repeat to suit. (I used a new piece of tape each time to prevent smudging.)

Materials:-

·         Stamps:- Chocolate Baroque Tangled Garden set – floral butterfly; Sunny Sunflowers set – large leaf and small leaf; Mackintosh Sentiments – ‘With Love’

·         Cardstock:- White card 8ins x 8ins

·         Inkpads:- Archival Black

·         Colouring medium:- Derwent Inktense Pencils; Faber Castell  Polychromos

·         Misc:- Micron Pen – 005; Self-adhesive gems – 2mm black oil-slick; sticky notes; scrap card; black Sharpie.

Instructions:-

1.       Fold a piece of 8ins x 8ins card in half and draw half a heart shape against the fold. Cut out the centre and set aside. The square with the heart centre is required for this card.

2.       Place the heart square over another 8ins x 8ins square and tape down around the edges with low tack masking tape.

3.       Using Archival Black, ink the butterfly stamp and stamp in the centre of the heart aperture.

4.       Re-ink stamp and stamp onto large sticky notes. Cut out and reserve to use as a mask. Place over stamped image.

5.       Ink the large leaf from the set, stamp a number of images on sticky notes and cut out. Stamp a leaf on the edge of the butterfly, mask then re-ink and stamp again. Repeat until there is a leafy border around the perimeter of the butterfly.

6.       Repeat (5) with a smaller leaf from and stamp and mask as before, whilst so doing, creating a heart shape.

7.       Using a light, dilute pink from the Inktense box, paint in the exposed, un-inked heart shape.

8.       Remove heart aperture.

9.       Colour butterfly using deep pink from the Inktense set in a variety of colour strengths.

10.   Colour the inner, larger leaves with a darker green Inktense and the outer, smaller leaves with a softer, lighter green.

11.   Continue colouring these images with Polychromos.

12.   Doodle a border around the heart’s perimeter with a fine black pen.

13.   Trim card to suit and edge with a black Sharpie pen and mount onto an 8ins x 8ins card blank.

14.   Stamp ‘Love’ repeatedly along a strip of card. Edge with Sharpie and attach below the image.

 The photos are taken on three different backgrounds - you can decide which one you prefer! Meantime, thank you for reading my blog; I do hope you will visit again. 

Best wishes,

Shelagh

'The Making Lady.'

Chocolate Baroque Challenge December 2016

Chocolate Baroque Challenge 

December 2016

'Rennie's Rose'

This month's colour palette more than suggested 'Valentine' to me and although my finished project is not at all how I envisaged it at the outset, I think it reflects the essence of St Valentine's Day. The instructions and materials are listed below. Happy browsing!!! 

Materials:-

• Stamps:- Chocolate Baroque 'Punky Hearts;' 'Mackintosh Beauty;' Mackintosh Windows'
• Cardstock:- White 
• Inkpads:- Archival Black; Distress Inks - Twisted Citron, Mowed Lawn, Antique Linen, Picked Raspberry, Worn Lipstick
• Misc:- Faber Castell Polychromo Colouring Pencils, Derwent Inktense Pencils, Glue Pen, Alcohol Markers, Clear Glitter, sticky notes.

Instructions:-

1. Using black Archival, stamp the 'wavy' leaf from the Punky Hearts set eight times. Sweep over Twisted Citron followed by Mowed Lawn using blending foam pads, leaving some areas lighter than others. Cut out and edge with a dark grey marker. 
2. Draw a template of a heart on a folded sheet of card and cut out. Draw around this twice on a piece of white card and cut out. Set aside.
3. Cut a heart out from the centre of the template and draw around this in the centre of on of the reserved hearts. Cut out centre to leave a heart frame.
4. Using Archival black, stamp the garland from the Mackintosh Beauty set onto sticky notes and cut out three masks. (Cut all three out at once to save time.)
5. Again using Archival black and beginning at the lower point of the heart frame, stamp and mask the garland, working around the perimeter. (I worked from side to side to achieve a sense of symmetry.) Colour leaves, flowers and berries using Inktense pencils to introduce each colour (from the CB palette) and add depth using Polychromos. Outline inside and outside border with a dark grey alcohol marker. Blend over Antique Linen. Apply glue pen to the outer leaves only and sprinkle over glitter. Set aside.
6. Stamp leaves and berries from the same garland repeatedly over the solid heart and colour in as before. Lightly blend over Antique Linen.
7. Stamp the lady from Mackintosh Windows twice using Archival black onto white card. Colour the faces using a very pale pink alcohol marker, the eyes and lips with Polychromos. the hair was coloured first with Inktense and as before depth created with Polychromos as were the large flowers.
8. Cut out face from one image and attach onto the other to create some depth. 
9. Glue onto main heart to suit the attach frame using foam pads.
10. Stamp large rose from the Mackintosh Beauty set (I stamped and coloured six but only used three) and colour using Picked Raspberry. Add glitter to highlight areas. 
11. Glue onto to heart frame using foam pads.
12. Run double sided tape around the reverse perimeter of the heart shape to hold the leaves. Attach to suit.
13. Finish off by attaching a loop to the reverse.
14. (To create a tidy back, I cut out another heart and attached it to the main heart to cover all the 'workings.')

Et voila! - Rennie's Rose!

Thank you for reading this post.

Happy crafting!

Shelagh

'The Making Lady'

Indigoblu Challenge December 2016 Snow

Indigoblu Challenge - 'Snow'

December 2016

'Snowballs'

This is my contribution to the latest Indigoblu challenge. A number of stamps appropriate to the theme I had actually used in previous but recent challenges therefore it was back to the drawing board and thinking cap on! I wanted to create something a bit different thus did a bit of research through 'word association' and one of the links I thought of was 'Snowball.' How to make them - please follow the instructions below!


Materials:-

• Stamps:- Indigoblu Snowflakes A6; Snow Globe A6
• Cardstock:- White pearlescent; parchment
• Inkpads:- Versamark
• Misc:- Silver holographic embossing powder; alphabet dies; deckle circle dies; double sided sticky sheets (A4 size cut down - origin unknown); talcum powder

Instructions:-

1. Mask off the base and writing on 'snow globe' stamp with low-tack masking tape. Ink with Versamark, remove masking tape and stamp onto parchment sheets. Repeat four times, allowing enough space to leave a border when die-cutting. (I used two A4 sheets and stamped three images on one and two on the other. 
2. Sprinkle over silver embossing powder and heat-set.
3. Select one image and stamp the same snow globe image again, but around the gap to create the illusion of a circle. Emboss as before.
4. Apply double-sided sticky sheet to the reverse of each stamped image and die-cut with a deckle circle - NOT the largest!
5. Die-cut five circles from pearlescent card using the largest deckle die.
6. Peel off the backing sheet and apply 'snowballs centrally to each die-cut card circle. Dust edges with talc to remove any tackiness. 
7. Using Versamark, stamp the Snowflakes stamp onto a piece of white pearlescent card, heat emboss with silver embossing powder and die-cut the letters 'S,' 'N,' 'O' and 'W.'
8. Attach with foam pads to snowballs.
9. Using double sided tape, attach a double length of metallic string to join each snowball, ensuring the loop is at the top.

Et voila! - a cascade of snowballs!

Thank you for reading my blog. Happy crafting!!

Best wishes,

Shelagh
'The Making Lady'

Clarity Challenge 47 Animal Kingdom

Clarity Challenge 47 

January 2017

Animal Kingdom

The 'Hi' Life - Example 1

It's quite hard to believe I'm about to enter my third year as part of the Clarity Challenge Design Team. It seems a long time ago that on Hogmanay 2014, I was scrabbling around, trying to post on my blog whilst the whole concept was not something I was particularly 'au fait' with. 

Time has evaporated even more rapidly as the year draws to a close and this month - always busy at the best of times - is certainly no exception, so for this month there will be no step by step photos only instructions. I had decided to make two variations on a theme but in the wee small hours of one morning between Christmas and New Year, I came up with an idea that begged to be realised, hence the third example. 

To crown all, my blog was nearly complete about an hour ago when the system decide to negate any written work, so once more into the breach . . . .

As for the time constraint, you see, I'm in the throes of making decor for my mum's birthday on 4th, when she reaches the grand age of 90 and as I write, the birthday mementos and card are still incomplete! Much to do before Wednesday!

Looking forward to your brilliant art work over this next year.  

Wishing one and all a happy, healthy and crafty 2017. 

Shelagh

'The Making Lady'

The 'Hi' Life - Example 1

Materials for Examples 1 and 2:-

• Stamps:- Clarity Safari Animals, Alphabet Word Chains
• Stencil:- Clarity Giraffe Spots
• Cardstock:- White 7 ins x 7 ins; 1 x DL card blank; 1 x 6 ins x 6 ins card blank; bronze, gold pearlescent; 
• Inkpads:- Distress Mustard Seed, Vintage Photo; Archival Sepia, Black
• Misc:- Micron Pen, Square Die, Faber Castell Polychromos, Black Alcohol Marker, Low-tack masking tape, Gel Press (mine is the original Gelli Plate and wil be referred to as such)

Instructions:-

1. Using low-tack tape, mask off a border around the DL card. 
2. Using a square die of comparable size to the giraffe stamp, cut an aperture in the card front. Using the square remnant as a guide, mask off a comparable area in the card interior. Set aside.
3. Apply Mustard Seed over Gelli and brayer for an even coverage. Place Giraffe stencil over and blot with copy paper.
4. Apply Walnut Stain over stencil and brayer as before. Carefully remove stencil. 
5. Place card blank over, protecting lower area and inside with large sticky notes and smooth to transfer ink.
6. With Sepia, stamp giraffe image on inside of card and on a sticky note; cut this out and apply to stamped image. (N.B. If you have the Clarity mask to hand, then this is a time saver but I didn't thus made my own.)
7. Colour with Polychromos to suit.
8. Clean Gelli with water and kitchen roll and repeat 3 and 4 to obtain pattern on inside and lower square on DL card.
9. Edge with Micron pen.
10. Stamp 'Hi' to suit.

Et voila!! - the first example is complete!

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

The 'Hi' Life - Example 2

Materials:-

• As above

Instructions:-

1. Apply Mustard Seed to Gelli and brayer over. 
2. Place giraffe stencil on Gelli and blot with a sheet of 7 ins x 7 ins card. Reserve for background.
3. Aply Walnut Stain to Gelli; brayer then remove stencil. 
4. Stamp giraffe on lower left hand side on a new sheet of 7 x 7 card. Apply mask to image.
5. Place this card over the inked Gelli and smooth to transfer print.
6. Remove mask. Colour giraffe family with Polychromos. 
7. Outline the dark spots with a Micron pen.
8. Trim and stamp 'Hi' to suit. Outline with black alcohol marker.
9. Attach to reserved pale giraffe print.
10. Layer onto bronze then gold pearlescent followed by 6 x 6 card blank.

And now the second example is finished.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

'Top Dog'

Materials:-

• Stamps:- Clarity NDC Dog; Alphabet Word Chain
• Cardstock:- White, 8 ins x 8 ins card blank
• Inkpads:- Distress Twisted Citron, Peacock Feathers, Squeezed Lemonade, Fossilized Amber; Archival Black
• Stencils:- Clarity Dotty Wave, Sam's Eggs, Double Bubble
• Misc:- Sticky Labels, Polychromos, Uniball White pen, blending foam spots

Instructions:-

1. Stamp Dog six times on labels; colour five in varying shades of grey and one in golden browns. Cut around outline and set aside.
2. Attach Double Bubble stencil onto a sheet of 7 ins x 7 ins card and blend over Twisted Citron in one corner, shading into Peacock Feathers on the diagonally opposite corner.
3. Offset the stencil slightly and blend lightly original colours before adding smidgen Squeezed Lemonade.
4. Replace this stencil with Dotty Wave and blend over Squeezed Lemonade.  
5. Replace this stencil with Sam's Eggs and blend lightly over Fossilized Amber.
6. Attach the dogs in pyramid form and add detail with toning Polychromos in the gaps.
7. Stamp sentiment to suit - my whole idea came from the phrase 'Top Dog' hence its inclusion here.

And there we have it, my final example of 2016, although all three really are the first for 2017. 

Please hop over to the Clarity website for all necessary information. 

Meantime - very much in haste on Hogmanay - I've a pie to make now!!!

 . . . and a 'guid' new year to "ane an' a'"

Shelagh

'The Making Lady'

Chocolate Baroque November 2016 Challenge

Chocolate Baroque

November 2016 Challenge

Glowing Colours

'Glowing Colours'

 This is my entry for the Chocolate Baroque November challenge and included a bit of 'crafty' recycling. More will be explained!

 I wished to keep an ethereal quality to the candle holder but was a bit perplexed as the quality of tissue paper I had at hand - recycled from a shoe box and ironed smooth - was not the best and I knew it wouldn't survive the application of white paint via brayer. Anyway, managed to overcome this and as you can see, the butterfly wings have retained the desired translucence.

Materials:-

• Stamps:- Chocolate Baroque - A Year of Stamping Issue 9 small; Issue April large and small; Tangled Garden
• Ink Pads:- Archival - Sepia; Distress - Twisted Citron; Mustard Seed, Fired Brick
• Paper etc:- Firm Acetate (recycled packaging); Tissue - recycled from shoe-box; kraft card - circle die-cut from scrap; white card - small circle die-cut from scrap; cream copy paper
• Miscellaneous:- Pebeo White Poster marker; double-sided sticky sheet; Faber Castell Polychromos; glue pen; Glamour Dust - gold

Instructions:-

For the cylinder and decoration:-

1. Cut acetate into a rectangle approximately 20cm x 10cm - whatever the recycled packing allows. Form into a cylinder and join sides with red liner tape.
2. Stamp small YoS9 - four times, YoS large - once and YoS small twice onto a sheet of tissue using Sepia Archival. (My tissue has one side dull, one side shiny; I stamped on the dull and inked the shiny.)
3. Dab white paint from the poster marker evenly onto the reverse side from the stamped images. Allow to dry. 
4. Attach double-sided sticky sheets over this whitened image. (Mine were 2 A4 sheets from my stash which I cut roughly to fit.) Turn to the stamped images and gently smooth the tissue into its sticky base.Gently lay down base colours using Polychromos; I began with mid yellow for the poppy heads then onto the green background and finally the butterfly in light orange. I then went on to add colour depth to each colour set.
5. Once satisfied with the colours, I cut three areas out, peeled off the backing and applied each to the acetate cylinder. I also cut out an area to fill a gap in the acetate. 
6. At this stage I cut around the images so there was no hard acetate line. 
7. Die-cut a kraft circle and a smaller white circle and blend over sections of Twisted Citron, Fired Brick and Mustard Seed. (I blended all three together with the Mustard Seed.)
8. Attach cylinder to base using a fine line of wet glue and allow to dry and set. 
9. Next step was to color and cut out one butterfly from the large stamped image and two from two of the small stamped images. ad glue pen dots and lines and sprinkle over gold Glamour Dust.
10. For these, I did not want a sticky reverse side, so I brushed it with cornflour (from the kitchen cupboard) then added a tiny spot of wet glue to the centre, leaving the wings to float free.

 For the flowers:-

1. Using Archival Sepia, stamp plain flower from the Tangled set onto cream copy paper (I actually stamped twelve as my first flower required three images for each.)
2. Blend Mustard Seed - for speed I inked them straight from a mini pad- over six flower shapes, concentrating on the central flower shape. Cut out and shade with orange and red Polychromos. 
3. As shown below, cut out the centre (it should be coloured but I photographed a couple of spares.) Roll the outside 'frill' around a cocktail stick and glue on a second frill. Continue to roll around and when happy with shape, apply wet glue to base to keep inner spiral in place. Repeat twice more.
4. For the small flowers, I tore the left-over centre circles into spirals and glued them either to the base or into the centre of the flowers. 

And there it is - 'Glowing Colours'  -my entry for the penultimate CB challenge of the year!

Hope the explanation is as clear as the photographs! (The last pair below are not so hot - they're mine but I wanted to show the large butterfly!) 

My resident photographer makes a great job every time. Thank you, Mike!

Best wishes and

Merry Christmas!!!

Shelagh

'The Making Lady.'

Indigoblu Challenge - Glisten and Sparkle

Indigoblu Challenge

November 2016

'Glisten and Sparkle'

'Shining Light!'

' Shining Light!'

My entry for Indigoblu challenge 'Glisten and Sparkle' is a Christmas votive. I tried a new technique and as the explanation unfolds, you will understand why I had to adapt my original* idea. My next task will be to try this technique with Indigoblu white GeeSso Good and Indigoblu Artist's Acrylic paint in Snow White. (Order will be placed in early January!!!)

Please note that I move between Imperial and Metric measurement to suit my cause!!!

Materials:- 

• Stamps:- Indigoblu Snow Globe Set
• Inks:- Pebeo large white marker pen; Archival Cornflower Blue
• Paper/Card:- A5 parchment - white; A4 Silver-Grey pearlescent card
• Miscellaneous:- Square die of side around 2ins and die-cutting machine; Red Liner Tape; Glamour Dust - Clear; Glue Pen; LED light

Instructions:- 

Windows

1. Score A5 parchment at 2 and a half inch intervals on both long and short side to create six squares. Fix parchment perimeter onto a board/mat with low-tack masking tape.
2. Using the buildings stamp from the Snow Globe set, dab on white paint from marker. (Stamp a trial image on scrap paper to check the paint consistency.) When satisfied with coverage, repeat on five parchment squares and allow to dry. Clean stamp with water and kitchen roll.(This takes only a few seconds.) N.B. Do not be alarmed if the parchment 'bows' - it does not like water but I resolved this and will explain further on in the instructions.*
3. Using Cornflower Archival, ink the same stamp and over-stamp each white image allowing a white shadow to be seen. 
4. Add glitter to the wet ink and allow to dry.
5. Add dots from the glue pen to suggest snow and add glitter as before.
6. Cut along score lines.

Frame:-

1. Score silver-grey A4 sheet at 2 and a half inch intervals to form a grid with three rows of three squares (nine squares altogether.).
2. Select a centre square so that it has a square attached to each side. Remove each corner from the grid but allow an extra 0.5cm at the right hand side of each square - apart from the central one - for a tab.
3. Using a suitably sized square die, align centrally and cut out the centre from all five joined squares. 
4. Add narrow red liner tape to the perimeter of each square frame.
5. Add each stamped parchment square to each frame to suit, ensuring the buildings are facing up as the cube base is actually the top in this instance.
6. Run a narrow line of tape down each tab and fold up to make a cube.
7. Place over LED candle** . . . . . .
   

  . . . . . .et voila! A sparkly, shining light!

*I made this first of all in parchment alone and the paint buckled the paper thus back to the drawing board - or indeed -  scoring board and came up with a simple frame-work to support the parchment. 

**I constructed a base for the cube by making a 'lid' in reverse - slightly smaller than the cube so it fits inside. To make LED holder, I scored a 10cm length of corresponding card - 3cm wide - at each half centimetre. I cut into these scores to Icm deep, formed into a circle and fasted with red liner tape. I glued this to the top of the 'lid,' added the LED light and inserted into the open base of the cube.

Hope this explanation is clear enough to follow!

Merry Christmas!

Shelagh 'The Making Lady'

Clarity Challenge 46 Reminder

Clarity Challenge 46 Reminder

Carol Singing and Christmas Joy!

 Front

Reverse

This card was made for a special person and it comprises three identical die-cut double sided Centura Pearl panels using Create-a-Card Accordion dies decorated with the Clarity 'Jayne's Poinsettia,' 'Jayne's Holly and Ivy' stamps back and front and the Clarity ribbon 'Merry Christmas;' each layer was coloured using Faber Castell Polychromos oh and a bit of decoupage for good measure.  

Merry Christmas to one and all! See you next year when more Clarity Challenges await!

Shelagh

'The Making Lady.'

Clarity Challenge 46 Carol Singing and Christmas Joy . . . Peace!

Clarity Challenge 46

Carol Singing and Christmas Joy!

Example1

Example 2

Example 3

Another example for Clarity's 46th challenge.

These cards were designed and made for my mum to send to her friends and family, so armed with two Distress inks, oval stencil and Gel Press (mine is the original old and well used  Gelli Plate), I ventured forth to create a batch of backgrounds - two for each ink application. 

Materials:-

·         Stamps:- Clarity Dove of Peace set

·         Gel Press 6insx6ins (mine is the original 6 x 6 Gelli plate), Clarity 7 x 7 Mega-mount

·         Stencil:- Clarity Framer Shapes Stencil Set One – Oval

·         Cardstock:- Clarity Stencil card; 7 x 7 card blanks

·         Ink Pads:- Distress Stormy Sky, Dusty Concord; Versafine Onyx Black

·         Miscellaneous:- Faber Castel Polychromos, Alcohol Pen; blank newsprint/copy paper

Instructions:-

For Background:-

1.       Place Gel Press onto Mega-mount, daub with mini Stormy Sky and Dusty Concord.

2.       Scrunch paper and dab all over inked press to remove ink. (I use blank Newsprint as I like the mottled/dappled effect it produces.)

3.       Place the Oval stencil over, place a sheet of stencil card onto this, smooth over with hand and remove card. Voila! Print Number One! Now remove stencil and clean on kitchen roll.

4.       Place second sheet of stencil card over Gel Press, smooth and peel off to reveal Print Number Two. For Card front:-

5.       Select print of choice. (For this example, tear paper into a hilly landscape. Apply to inked Gel Press once stencil has been put in place and ‘pull’ a print. Cut to size.)

6.       Ink Dove stamp with Onyx Black and stamp on background.

7.       Ink Peace stamp and stamp beneath Dove image.

8.       Colour Dove with Polychromos.

9.       Trim to suit and edge with an alcohol marker.

10.   Cut a card blank to fit and trim off some of the top layer.

11.   Stamp the ‘Olive Branch’ to suit down the margin and colour to blend with the main image.

12.   Attach the Dove topper to the card.


. . . . And here we have my second project for the 46th Clarity Challenge. 


Join the challenge by posting from the link at claritystampchallenge.blogspot.co.uk or email claritystampchallenge@hotmail.com

Looking forward to seeing your 'Makes.'


Best wishes,

Shelagh

The Making Lady.

Clarity Challenge 46 Carol Singing and Christmas Joy December 2016

Clarity Challenge 46

Carol Singing and Christmas Joy!

Hello, good day and welcome! Another year NEARLY over and a new one just about to begin, as I slightly paraphrase John and Yoko! Last Clarity Challenge for 2016!

This month's challenge simply reflects the joy I had in creating a special card for my mum. It has to be 1) easily seen; 2) sit up on the mantle piece without falling down the back - as some of my other fancy fold cards have threatened to do; 3) be colourful and joyful and 4) a bit of a centre piece! With this in mind, I combined both parchment and stamping then threw in some die-cutting for the card base. I did have to be a bit 'creative' when stamping 'Mum' but it worked in the end.

Apologies for not showing a complete 'step by step' but as is almost the norm for me, my inspiration is there, but I have no conviction the idea will work until the project is complete!

What I have found out though, is that Faber Castell 'Albrecht Durer' water-colour pencils work nicely on the reverse of small areas of parchment if blended with a fine, almost-dry paint brush. (I used a size 3 sable mix which can be rolled into a very fine point.)

Materials:-

·         Stamps:- Clarity ‘Merry Christmas,’ Jayne’s Holy and Ivy set (holly leaves and berries)

·         Ink Pads:- Versafine Onyx Black

·         Groovi:-  Jayne’s Holly and Ivy plate (small holly leaf from holly corner), Jayne’s Poinsettia plate, Spring Swirl plate, Nested Circles

·         Dies:- Fancy circles, plain circles

·         Card:- Double-sided Pearlescent

·         Clarity parchment:- white, red, green

·         Miscellaneous:- Faber Castell Polychromos, Faber Castell Albrecht Durer Water Colour pencils, Micron pen - fine

Instructions:-

1.       Fold an A4 piece of pearlescent card and cut a 14cm circular card blank using a plain die.

2.       Open and cut out a central circle using a 12.5cm die on one side only to create a top frame. Score and fold along mid-point.

3.       With a fancy circle die, die-cut two 15cm circles from same pearlescent cardstock as previous and cut a central circle from one using the 12.5cm die. Attach the complete circle to the bottom of the card base and the fancy frame to the top frame.

4.       Cut a 14cm fancy circle, again from pearlescent. Stamp large Merry Christmas onto this circle, heat-set and draw oblique lines with Micron pen. Colour the areas red and green, time about.

5.       For ‘Mum’ – ink the ‘M’ from ‘Merry’ and cover the rest either with sticky notes or low tack tape. Stamp below ‘Christmas.’

For the ‘u’ ink top of ‘y’ from ‘Merry,’ cover the rest with clean sticky notes or low tack tape and stamp as near to ‘M’ as possible.

For the ‘m,’ ink the ‘M’ in ‘Christmas,’ again covering surrounding letters with stickies or low tack. Stamp next to ‘u.’

6.       As before, draw oblique lines with a Micron pen and colour.

7.       Stamp holly leaves and berries; colour with Polychromos; decoupage and layer with foam pads. Set aside. (Card stopper.)

Poinsettia

8.       Emboss all the layered poinsettia components from Poinsettia plate – four in total – on red parchment, pierce with a two needle tool and cut to produce a picot edge.

9.       Emboss largest image on green; pierce and picot as above.

10.   Shape each layer slightly and fix all together with a brad of choice.

Circlets:-

11.   On white parchment, emboss largest and third largest rings. Using a variety of small holly leaves from Holly and Ivy plate, emboss a design around this circlet. Emboss berries to suit.  On this same side of parchment, lightly colour with water colour pencils. Taking a fine, almost dry paintbrush, work the colour to the edge of each leaf and berry. Pierce and picot inside and outside of circles.

12.   On another sheet of white parchment, emboss largest and fourth largest circles. Emboss a pattern from the Spring Swirl plate around ring and colour with lighter green water colour pencils using technique as previously explained.

13.   Pierce and picot inside and outside circles.

To construct:-

14.   Attach wider circlet to top frame; add holly circlet.

15.   Attach poinsettia to suit.

16.   Attach decoupaged holly for back-stop but check card opens and sits correctly.

17.   Add tiny dots using the Micron pen around the circumference of each fancy circle to suit.

(Throughout I used pieces of Craft Dots for the parchment work and wet glue for the card.)
Et voila! A little bit of Christmas joy for my beloved mum!

To join in Clarity Challenge 46 - last for 2016 - you may do so from the link on claritystampchallenge.blogspot.co.uk or email your themed project to claritystampchallenge@hotmail.com Why not have a go? Nothing ventured, nothing gained as the old proverb goes AND you may just gain a £50 voucher to spend on the Clarity website. Hope to see you soon.
Best wishes,
Shelagh