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

Indigoblu Challenge October 2016

Indigoblu Challenge

October 2016

'One Stamp, One Colour!'

Hi and hello from shelaghscraftyconcepts.blogspot.co.uk

I was very pleased to have been chosen as one of last month's 'Top Three' so many thanks to the Design Team. Although a lifelong 'monochrome' fanatic (my wardrobe largely comprises black and white,) I have taken a different path and used Sepia tones as detailed below. 

*Above is my contribution to the 'Monochrome' challenge using Indigoblu A6 'Stylised Flowers' and Ranger Distress 'Tea Dye' although the background was made on the Gelli plate using Mini Distress Antique Linen and Old Paper.

*For the background, the Gelli was inked with Old Paper and Antique Linen then blotted with a piece of newsprint paper in places (I prefer it as it is more absorbent than copy paper) before placing over a piece of white 7ins x 7ins card, smoothing over the back of this, then peeling off to reveal a mottled background. the card was trimmed to remove the white edges.

*The Flower stamp was then inked up with Tea Dye and stamped onto the prepared background once, twice and a third time BUT without re-inking. 

Second example ONLY using Tea Dye

*The central flower was inked and stamped around the edge of the second card, again without re-inking apart from at each corner. Each piece of card was edged with an alcohol marker, gems added then the smaller mounted on top of the larger piece. 

*Attach to card blanks.

Et voila! . . . . . and here we have 'One Stamp, One Colour!'

Chocolate Baroque Challenge October 2016

Chocolate Baroque Challenge 

October 2016

'Taking the Plunge'

 Hello and thank you for popping in. It was such a thrill to be chosen as last month's winner. Lucky me - particularly as it was a very late effort compared to usual!
Above is my entry for this month's Chocolate Baroque Challenge. 
*The stamp sets used were from two different sets of Chocolate Baroque Oriental clear stamps which I have had for some time and I felt they fitted the colour scheme nicely! 
*The inked background was done on a Gelli plate which was firstly daubed with Mini Ranger Distress 'Mermaid Lagoon,'Peacock Feathers' and 'Twisted Citron - in that order and top to bottom;' a piece of scrunched-up newsprint paper was then dabbed over this to create a background texture. A 'sticky-note' circle was placed as a moon mask then a print was 'pulled' onto a piece of 7ins x 7ins white card. 
*The stamped images were arranged and stamped accordingly using Versafine Onyx Black then coloured with Faber Castell Polychromo pencils before a moon was added using a foam blending spot and Distress 'Fossilised Amber.' I added a scribbly border with a Micron pen and finished off by edging the card with an alcohol marker before adding Mr Frog to the bottom right-hand corner.
No 3D additions this month - well - there's a first!!!

Et voila! - and here we have 'Taking the Plunge!'

Clarity Challenge 45 November 2016 'Blast from the Past'

Clarity Challenge 45

November 2016

Blast from the Past

'Boys, Boys, Boys!'  June 2015

Hello everyone - here are the photos for my next blog which was originally meant as my mid-month post and designed as a request for a friend's son. Explanation will follow later as there are quite a few measurements to list, particularly for the football pitch. Meantime - watch this space!!!

Back soon!!!

The Football Pitch:-

1. On scrap card/paper draw a rectangle 8 inches by 5 and 1/2 inches. 

2. Measure and mark 1 and 3/8 inches from each corner of a short side.

3. Measure and mark 1 and 3/8 inches vertically and join together to form the penalty box. 

4. Repeat on other short side.

5. Place A5 parchment over the card and trace the drawn lines. 

6. To form the centre circle and penalty arcs, place the Nested Groovi circle in the centre of the parchment and trace the circle FIVE from the centre. Use the same circle to create the penalty arcs.(N.B. I turned the Circles plate wrong side up to prevent puncturing the parchment.)

7. Using this parchment sheet as a template, place it under the Groovi Plate Mate, insert the Nested Squares and emboss the football pitch on A5 sheet of green parchment. Set aside.

For the Football Net:-

1. Secure an A4 sheet of white parchment over the Plate Mate and the Netting plate and emboss to cover an area large enough to cover the football pitch with an extra margin around the edges.

2. Place the Straight Piercing Grid into the Plate Mate. Using the Clarity single needle tool, pierce each corner of each embossed square as shown above. 

3. Using the Twin Needle tool, pierce along each embossed line as shown both above and below. 

4. Cut into each square to create a picot edge on each side of each square. 

To form the card:-

1. Create a tent-shaped card with mountain fold at the front and an aperture in the centre - the aperture being large enough to expose the football pitch. 

2. Attach the net over the football pitch (I used narrow red liner tape) and in turn, attach this to the reverse of the card aperture.

3. Stamp the football repeatedly to make a three borders, single footballs to decorate the top and colour with Polychromos. Cut out and attach to cards. 

4. Stamp and cut out football images and attach to suit. 

As this card was a request from friends for their son, there is a personal message on the reverse. The subject matter was also requested, as were the team colours.

Thank you for looking!!

Remember the Clarity Challenge!

Clarity Challenge 45 November 2016 'Blast from the Past'

Clarity Challenge 45 November 2016

Blast from the Past

 Bingo July 2015 – straight line using stamps, stencils, grunge paste

‘Noteworthy’

Hello and welcome once again to the Clarity Challenge. In this one 'Blast from the Past,' you have the freedom of choice to revisit a theme from times past. My first choice is a great favourite of mine - 'Bingo' from July 2015 where from a selection of nine items, a choice of straight line, diagonal, four corners or full house from the following items :-

FLOWERS           GILDING FLAKES           SHRINK PLASTIC

                               STENCIL                    STAMP                   GRUNGE PASTE

                          PERFECT PEARLS        DIES                     GLITTER

The first time round, it had to be a 'Full House' 

'Medusa' from July 2015

but this time I was a bit more circumspect and opted for the middle line - Stencil, Stamp and Grunge Paste. 

'Noteworthy' November 2016

Every year I make little Christmas gifts for my mum's many carers and attendants and this year's offering is the 'Noteworthy' note book; below you'll find details of how I went about making them. 

Now it's over to you and your creative mind!

Looking forward to your projects over the next thirty days!

Best wishes,

Shelagh

'The Making Lady.'

Materials:-

·         Stamps :- Clarity - Wee Folk 3 Fairies, NDC Unicorn

·         Stencils :- Clarity - Oriental Lattice, NDC Twin Trees, Wild Grasses1

·         Cardstock :- Double sided pearlescent card, black matte, Clarity white 7x7 stencil card

·         Inkpads :- Ranger Distress Hickory Smoke, Evergreen Bough, Squeezed Lemonade, Black Soot, Iced Spruce, Old Paper, Ground Espresso; Staz-on Black

·         Mask :- Clarity moon

·         Miscellaneous :- Matte varnish, Spectrum Noir Sparkle pen – clear, Polychromo pencils, modelling paste, silver gilding wax, Goosebumps – sparkling, Alcohol pen, Silver pen, red liner double-side sticky tape.

Instructions :-

Notebook Cover

1.       Cut pearlescent card to measure 8.5 ins x 6 ins .and score at 4ins and 4.5ins along the long side. Round the corners if desired.

2.       Tape Oriental Lattice stencil over this and blend Hickory Smoke all over, moving stencil to fit the pattern and fill the card. Blend some Evergreen Bough around the edge followed by a light dusting of Black Soot.

3.       Turn over and repeat (2) with Hickory Smoke and Iced Spruce.

4.       Spray each side with matte varnish allowing each to dry in between – this seals the ink on the pearlescent card.

Outside Decoration

1.       Cut white stencil card to 3.25 ins x 5.25 ins, secure tree ‘outie’ stencil over to suit and blend over Iced Spruce.

2.       Remove stencil and place moon mask to suit. Tape over tree ‘innie’ and sweep Squeezed Lemonade around circumference.

3.       Stamp fairy onto bough with Staz-on Black and Unicorn in bottom right corner.

4.       Shade with Polychromos and add Sparkle.

5.       Edge with toning alcohol pen, mount onto silver edged card and attach to front cover.

Inside Cover

1.       Cut a strip of card 5 ins x 0.5 ins and score at 2ins, 2.5ins, 3ins. Apply double-sided red liner tape to areas 0-2ins and 3-5ins. Fold to make an inverted ‘V’ at the scores and attach over middle folds of inside cover. (This is the pen holder.)

This is not the actual but a trial with paste and glitter.

2.       Tape Wild Grasses stencil over 3.5 ins x 5.5 ins matte black card. Spread over modelling paste, remove stencil and wash immediately and set card aside to dry.

3.       When dry, apply black gesso and leave to dry again.

4.       Spray over Goosebumps and allow to dry.

5.       Replace stencil and dab over silver gilding paste. (I like Pebeo – it is easy to apply.)

6.       Edge card with silver pen and attach to inside front cover.

7.       Edge another piece of black 3.5ins x 5.5ins and attach notepad 

Et voila - 'Noteworthy!'

To join the Clarity Challenge this month :- 
1.choose a theme from the past, 
2. create a project using Clarity stamps, stencils or Groovi plates, 
3. photograph project 
4. either upload to own blog and link to Clarity Challenge or email to claritystampchallenge@hotmail.com
. . . . And that's it! You may be the lucky recipient of the randomly awarded £50 Clarity voucher.
Best wishes,
Shelagh
P.S.
Hope to see you soon. I'm off to complete my mid-month example. Now I wonder which 'Blast from the Past' I've chosen for it? I'l give you a clue - it was one I had real difficulty with!!!!
shelaghscraftyconcepts.blogspot.co.uk