Friday 1 April 2016

Claritystamp - Technique Challenge - Masking


After all those fluorescent colours last month I thought I would go more subdued for this month's masking challenge. I bought these lacy swallow stamps a few weeks ago in the Design Club sale and have been dying to try them out.

Ink:       Adirondack Peach Bellini and Stonewashed, Archival Black
Other:    6 x 6 Gelli Plate and mount, Clarity Stencil card, Spectrum Noir Pencils

  • Make some masks for the swallows by stamping them on a post-it note and cutting out. I didn't worry too much about the little curves at the front of their wings as I knew I could fill any little gaps with the pencils afterwards.
  • Maybe these stamps needs a proper Clarity stamp. Are you listening Barbara.  I did have a quick look and couldn't find them on the website.
  • Move the masks around on the card until you are happy with your composition.
  • Stamp the birds onto your card with Archival black ink and then cover with their masks.


  • Put the Gelli-plate on it's mount. Ink up the Gelli plate with some Peach Bellini and lightly brayer. I wasn't aiming for smooth here.  Take off some colour with a scrunched up sheet of copier paper. Using the Gelli-plate mount, place down onto card and take a print.
  • Without cleaning the plate add some Stonewashed at the top and bottom. and repeat the above step.  
  • Remove the masks.


  • Go around the edges of the birds with blue and peach pencils.  This makes the stamps stand out more.  Add a bit of shading to the birds.
  • I also deepened some of the blue and peach  splodges in the background with some pencil work.
  • I debated whether to colour in the birds but decided I liked them as they were.
  • Stamp the sentiment

  • Finally, trim, mount on blue card and then onto a card blank.
A fairly simple card that didn't take long to make. I don't think I have used stamp masks with the Gelli before as I usually have a Gelli background session with no cards in mind and then browse through them when I need a background for a card. Definitely worth doing though as you end up with a lovely smooth card.

Hope this has given you some inspiration for this month's Claritystamp challenge.  Looking forward to seeing all your entries.

Lesley x





12 comments:

  1. Beautiful card I do love these stamps. Xx

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  2. Your background is super and sets off the stamps wonderfully, love it.

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  3. great card - loving the background oh and you have just given me an idea - thank you - i hope it works ;) x

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  4. Oh my , my wish list keeps growing . Beautiful Card . Jan

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  5. Hi Lesley,
    I only bought these stamps recently and haven't had much of a play but you have certainly given me lots of ideas to ponder over. Thank you. ;~}

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  6. Hi Lesley,
    I only bought these stamps recently and haven't had much of a play but you have certainly given me lots of ideas to ponder over. Thank you. ;~}

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  7. Thanks everyone. First time out for me with these stamps and I'm loving them. x

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  8. Love your background the colour combination just makes it lacey birds beautiful xx

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  9. Love this card's simple composition and subtle colour combo. It really shows off the intricate stamps beautifully. Xxx

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  10. Hi Lesley, I love the subdued colours you have used on your card and leaving the birds white allows them to stand out and show off the intricacy of the stamp x

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  11. Hiya Lesley. I agree with the girls. A beautiful card and what a lovely background. Xx

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  12. Truly beautiful Lesley. Love the colours you've combined, a perfect background for the lovely swallows xxx

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