Claritystamp Challenge - In the Garden #2

Another example card for this month's Claritystamp Challenge 'In the Garden'.  I had a special 'Summer' birthday this year as my December 23rd birthday was eclipsed last year by the birth of my granddaughter on Christmas Eve.  So this card is for all those born in Winter who would love to have a Summer birthday. 

Stamps: Claritystamp Branch from Fly Away set,  Skipping, NDC#21 Tree, NDC#? Summer, Happy Birthday 
Inks:      Archival black, Brushos
Other:    Masking Gum, black pen, colouring pencils, gold pen

• Using black Archival ink, stamp the branch, this will later become a tree.
• Stamp the children separately from the dog.  I did this by using masking tape on the bit I didn't want to stamp, inking up and then removing the tape before stamping. 
• Tear a strip of copier paper and use this and the tree stamp at different angles to make the distant trees and bushes.
• If you look closely you will see where I have drawn the trunk in lightly with pencil to help me position the other stamps.

• Add dots of masking gum by putting some on a paintbrush and then gently flicking.  Larger dots at the front.  Let this dry while you are washing your paintbrush out.
• Mix up a small amount of blue and green Brushos by adding water to the granuals.
• Dampen the card above the bushes line and then drop in some blue at the top and let it merge down the card. Dry with a heatgun if you are impatient. 
• Dampen the grass area and drop in the green, more at the bottom this time. Wait for it to dry or use a heatgun.

• Sprinkle on some green and yellow Brushos where you want leaves and then very lightly spritz with water.
• Use a brush to move some of the ink around until you are happy with the effect.
• Remove the masking gum.

• Finishing touches. With a black pen add the tree truck, some extra branches on the tree and some grass under the dog and children.
• Use colouring pencils add further shading and some blades of grass at the front.  Add yellow in the centre of the daisies and some colouring on the children.
• Stamp 'Summer' and 'Birthday, colour in with gold pen.  (I have cut my 'Happy Birthday' stamp into separate words.)
• Trim, edge with a black Sharpie pen and then mount on yellow card before putting onto a blank card.

Hope you like this and it inspires you to have a go at the Challenge.  There are so many different Claritystamp stamps that could be used for this theme.

Lesley x

Claritystamp Challenge - In the Garden

Sorry that I did not get time to produce a card for the last challenge.  Our house move went well and we have settled in now.  The new craft room, in an outbuilding, is all set up and neat and tidy.  The trouble is I don't know where anything is anymore!  Managed to get an afternoon on my own last week and made this card, my first since moving in early July.

Stamps: Claritystamp NDC#101 Agapanthus, Large Dragonfly

Inks:      Alcohol inks, Black Archival

Other:    Claritystamp Card

• I started out wanting to have a play with some alcohol inks and the Clarity coated white card but I could not find where I had put my inks.  I did, however, find some previous examples, so decided to use one of these.  The ink has been dripped onto an applicator and them randomly dotted over the card.  Alcohol inks work so well on the Clarity card.
  
• Stamp the Agapanthus over the splodges of colour using an Archival black ink.  It is better to use second generation ink on Clarity card as otherwise it can slip. I forgot this and my first stamp, at the bottom, was blurry. I also dropped the ink pad onto the card which you can also see.  Never mind, it will be cut off later.

• Colour in the flowers using water-based pens. I used two colours to match the background.

• Stamp the dragonfly onto a piece of the alcohol inked background paper and cut out the wings.
• Stamp the dragonfly again onto a square piece of card.

• Trim the background and edge this and the Dragonfly with a Sharpie pen.
• Attach the second pair of wings and shape to add dimension.

• Finally mount onto a blank card.
• Tried this way first .....

• ... but decided I liked it better like this.

A simple design, but it got me back into the swing of things after a few weeks crafting break.  Looking forward to seeing all your entries.

Lesley x