Grace and the Wallfower.

Grace and the Wallfower.

Happy Sunday!
What a difference a little sunshine makes!
I had forgotten how good warm sun feels on the skin. 
So forgive me for blogging so late today, but we had such a pleasant, relaxed day with our friends yesterday, I’m afraid our daily blog got neglected.
However! 
I was thinking about my little girl, Grace, when I woke up.
Little girl? I think not! She is a very beautiful, accomplished young lady now, and many of you know her.
Lives in New York, which is rather a long way away 
to pop in for a cuppa, but hey! C’est la vie.
So I decided to blog about her and her name. Even if she is not here in person, I can indulge myself, and spend some time enjoying her – even in her absence! I did a piece of art on TV recently, which said GRACE on it, so I dug it out for you today.
Ironically, I used the lovely Wallflower Stamp in conjunction. If you have ever met Grace, you will agree she is anything but the proverbial Wallflower!

If she’s a Wallflower, then there’s NO HOPE for the rest of us!!

So let’s take a look at the artwork.
Almost as pretty as Gracie. 
But not quite!
Let’s see. What did I use?
Not that much actually.
So you start with a piece of plain cream or white card, 
about 2″ x 6″ – depending on which word you want to frame.
I did the frame first, and added Grace afterwards, but you can tackle it from the other end, too!
Stamp two wallflowers about an inch apart, add Detail Clear Embossing Powder and emboss with your Heatgun. 
Cover them up with the Clarity ready-cut masks, and then stamp the third flower in the middle.
The next step is important. Remove the masks either side BEFORE you add the embossing powder. 
Otherwise you will get powder on the masks and they will lose their tack, and you will be frustrated!
This is how you bunch the wallflowers together without overlapping them.

Just keep working your way around the edges, leaving a 1 inch gap, to fill with another background flower.

 When you have gone right round the card, add the centrepiece.
I used the Letterbox and added GRACE.
Actually, without wanting to tease you, I really do want to share a new, very comprehensive collection of Word Stamps with you. The first set is being launched next Sunday Morning by myself on Telly. Hope you can join us!
I have spent much time designing these personally, and am very happy with the way they have come out. They are called 
CLARITY WORD CHAINS. 
And every single card, every piece of art I have made recently, I want to add them! 
You will understand when you see them in action. They just fit.
The Letterbox kit is fantastic, because you can write ANY word or name, but the Word Chains are brilliant for Arty cards, and Journalling and Scrapbooking and Gelliplate work and and …

But I digress…
See the gaps in the corners? We are going to colour in the background, so that is fine.

See how I have coloured in the whole background, 
bar the Letterboxes, with Ivory and Blush? 
They come from the Skintones Promarkers.

I used fine nibs to get into the flowers.

To be honest, the GRACE plaque would do very nicely alone, simply mounted on a matching card, don’t you think?
But I want to go on with the large Wallflower Corner. 
Mel drew it, and it is a masterpiece.
So I used a standard long pre-scored card, stamped the corner in the righthand corner in Black Archival, dusted it with Detail Clear Embossing Powder and heat-embossed it.

Drag the chisel end of a Peach Promarker around the edges.

Colour in, one flower at a time…
Cut a slit about quarter of an inch away from the flowers.
From here to here!
This will make a wonderful pouch for Grace to slip into.
You could even mirror the corner on the other side and colour in. 
I will get to it before her birthday!
There. 
If you like the Wallflower set, I did another blog with them a while ago.  I used The same Black Archival embossed base, but look how different when you change the colour palette and paint with Perfect Pearls (Mica Powders)

Superb Mother’s Day OR Father’s Day Book Mark gifts.

But now I must go. 
Laura, Dave’s lovely daughter, has invited us for Sunday Lunch. And she only lives an hour away!
In my rush to get out in the sun yesterday, I completely forgot
I made this deal last week:
Blog Candy Time!
Leave an uplifting comment today, tomorrow and Friday,
and on Saturday we will pick a random winner to receive:

A box of crafting Goodies hand-picked by myself! 

So the winner is……
Hilary Thorogood.
If you email me your Address, I will get it organised
xx

But before I dash off for lunch, lucky lady that I am,
let’s have a Sunday Blog Sale.

Buy the Large Wallflower Claritystamp, 
get the Set of 3 Flowerstamps FREE.

Buy the Letterbox Kit
Get the matching Numberkit FREE

And don’t worry about the website. If you order either the Large Wallflower or the Letterbox Kit, I will tell the guys at work to include the Freebies. 

That’s a pretty big deal. But heyho. 
My ride – my rules!
Sometimes, just sometimes, 
I like being the Boss.

I think I had better say that this offer is only valid until Midnight Monday 24th Feb 2014, or Janice at the office will be on my case!

much love,

57 thoughts on “Grace and the Wallfower.

  1. Love the flowers and the colours, I am sure Grace will love it too. Have recently acquired the letterbox kit so really must get it out to play! Looking forward to the shows at the weekend. Have a good day. x

  2. I really liked this when you showed it on TV so it's nice to have a step by step. Ooooo liking the sound of the Clarity word chains, will be tuning in to see them. The letterbox kit is something that has been tempting me for a while now so to get the numbers for free is a real bonus. Thank you! Have a lovely relaxing lunch. XX

  3. Well worth waiting for today, Barbara, and well done to Hilary for her win. I do like this set of stamps, and they seem to have so many ways of using them. Looking forward to see the new stuff next week, although I may be watching through my fingers in case my fingers stray to the computer. I am waiting for the NEC. I know I will want them all. xx Maggie

  4. Gorgeous girl on a brilliant blog!!! Oh Barbara you've let the cat out again….and I will add I love the word chains too!!! Just wait til everyone sees them…the website will explode! In fact I wouldn't be surprised if you're home early on Sunday because all the new stamps are just fab!!!
    Have a lovely lunch with Laura. Love and hugs

  5. Hi Barbara. Your Grace is a stunner! So pretty, and just looking at her pics show that she is no wallflower : ) I love the name tag card tutorial today. Really looking forward to next Sunday and the big reveal! Have a great family lunch. Take care.

  6. Happy Sunday to you Barb – I loved this when you did it on the TV and am glad you blogged it – however – I must not be tempted by your brilliant offer – saving myself for next Sunday when you get those 'garden birds' etc out!!! LOL!! I am sure I can adapt my marigold stamps to this technique xx Did Grace get that part she auditioned for that you spoke of?
    Lunch with Dave's daughter – lovely – sounds like you have had a wonderful weekend – just what the DR ordered!!

  7. It's hard Barbara isn't it when our daughters are so far away but as you say that's the way it is and so long as they are well and happy that's all I ask for as a Mum.
    I love your card I might use that idea to make my daughter Ruth's birthday card if you don't mind that is. Enjoy your lunch you lucky lady
    Jackie x

  8. Hi Barb,
    This is lovely, I'm sure that Grace will love it too. Looking forward to next weekend to see the new stamps and the word chains sound fabulous. I love the letterbox kit but sometimes it is just too big, so the smaller words that you did were fab but still could do with smaller letters as well – hint hint! The deals that you have offered us today are brilliant – I'm really tempted by the wallflowers, but trying to hang out till next weekend! Congratulations to Hilary too. Love Alison xx

  9. Afternoon Barbara,
    What a fantastic idea as it is a lovely keepsake and again you tempt me with another fantastic offer. I just received my poppies and the BOGOF card, and I promised myself that's it for a while but the flowers are such a bargain and I regret not getting the miller house and free mice so I can't not buy them.
    Have a nice day!
    Lorna D

  10. Lovely design and easily adapted. Sure Grace will love it too. I was so pleased to see that your blog didn't appear until later today because it meant that you were having such a lovely time with your friends. Well done you for switching off. Glad you had a good time yesterday. Enjoy lunch with Dave at Laura's. xx PS Can't wait to see these new word stamps…you sure do know how to tease!

  11. Lovely tutorial, watched you do this on C&C, liked it then so pleased to have a step by step. I have mastered the technique with the promarker and am masking stamps off well so beginning to absorb all your teaching. Congratulations Hilary on your win. Enjoy your lunch with Laura, nice to be spoilt. Beautiful pictures of Grace, sure she will love her gift. Lynne xx

  12. What a fantastic card, I am sure Grace will love this! I am already looking forward to the shows next Sunday and thankfully I get paid this week so I can see some money being spent, but I am going to have to be strict and have a budget as I hope to go to the NEC in March!

  13. The corner stamp is sat out on my top at the moment as I'm dying to just stamp it and colour in if nothing else! My middle name is Grace – I was a Monday's child too but I don't think that's how it came about for me. Didn't like it when I was little but now I love the name and would be happy to have it as my first name – Jacqueline was always so long to write on the top of exercise books!

    I remember the pocket from before and it's a lovely idea.

    Well done Hilary on the blog candy! I don't need to take advantage of the offers as I think I have everything that's on offer today 🙂

    Hope you've enjoyed lunch!

  14. Great blog Barbara, bit what's all this about word chains then ?? I can see we will all need to be quick put of our stalls next weekend or they will be gone ! Of what Jane is saying is right ! You and your team do have all this teasing lark off to a t it has to be said !! x

  15. Word chains? Oh my more Clarity stamps that I am going to want/need I would hazard a guess oh well you only live once! Beautiful piece of art work, those flowers are so pretty and this is perfectly spring like. TFS, have a great day too x

  16. Hello Barb, ooh excited I am about the word chains! Great blog today, and love the inspiration for the cards with the corners or pouch. Great offers for the stamps. Grace is gorgeous, but then so is her mother! Well do Hilary, enjoy the crafty goodies. Bx

  17. Beautiful card I have the letter box kit it is brilliant to use looking forward to you showing us the word chains. Cannot wait for the lessons to start .xxx

  18. Beautiful card for a beautiful young lady. It's awful when your daughters live so far away. Mine only live 200 and 300 miles from us, but not being to phone and say I'll meet you in town for a quick lunch or worse not be able to babysit in an emergency without the 4/5 hour train ride is soul destroying. Yep, I'm certainly with you on that 'empty' feeling. I'm really looking forward to the word chains 'cos I love the letter and number box kits and most of I would be lost without the bendy sentiment stamps.

  19. Lovely card and a beautiful daughter, it's must be hard when she is so far away. Can't wait for the "word chains", I have the letterbox and number set, they are fab. Hope your lunch was relaxing. Congrats to Hillary, hope you enjoy your goodies. Thanks Jx

  20. What a lovely blog today Your daughter is beautiful and I know from experience that ache and longing when they go away. I do miss being close to my daughter, being there for her when needed and company when not and she's only 300 miles away. I can't imagine really, how it must feel for a daughter to be in a different continent and time zone!
    As usual you are being generous to us. Thank you for sharing.
    love Jan x

  21. Oh goody goody was going to order the letterbox and numbers kit this week now I get the offer so have just placed my order along with other numerous items. Will be watching for the delivery man in about 10days time, I get really excited not knowing if parcels are delivered by carrier or post office here in Spain.

  22. Like mother, like daughter…… She is surely a very beautiful young lady. Your card for her birthday is very nice, and I really love the colours. The effect is very different from the bookmark you've created a while ago. Thanks for sharing.
    Laurence xx

  23. What a lovely blog today, family is just so important. I think the name cards would be great as door plaques for kids' rooms. Think I'll have a tinker & make one for my little fella

  24. Lovely card and tutorial today, as usual and Oh My! what a stunner your Grace is…………… I'm going to resist the offer too as I know I will want the words next weekend. Looking forward to the programme – will the FaceBook group be chatting I wonder? that's fun too…x

  25. Hi Barbara,

    WOW! Your Daughter is stunning, not a wallflower at all!!! I would hate my kids living that far away and never knowing when you're going to see them, must be hard? My Daughter lives in Cornwall and that's far enough!

    Love the card and stamps, especially love the corner stamp, beautiful. Sadly I am out of pocket at the moment so cannot take you up on the offer.

    Love & Hugs

    Jacquie J xxx
    http://jewelscardcraft.blogspot.co.uk/

  26. What a beautiful young lady Grace is, you must be so proud of her. Love today's tutorial Barbara and now I can't wait to see these word chains. Thanks for the offers, I'm off to take a peek. Pat x

  27. I remember your daughter on Create and craft-Hope I m right! What a great opportunity for her being over there.Absolutely love what you've made.I just can't get enough of stamping.Thanks for sharing with us.Hugs Debbie x

  28. A beautiful card for a beautiful girl! I'm just back from a lovely weekend Clarity retreat with Pauline Stephens in Perth, so feeling very inspired, and looking very inky, but alas have no more money in my purse to spend on your great offers! Susan x

  29. Gorgeous artwork. I thought maybe I would have a go using the same technique but on plywood. Not sure if the promarkers would bleed but I have successfully used mica powders before. That you for the inspiration. X

  30. First of all, well done to Hilary, I'm wel jel 😀 Stunning photos of Grace and a fantastic tutorial and cracking offers, which to go for??? Thank you for your generosity xx

  31. I met Grace when she was working with you at the Birmingham NEC one year, she has a lovely personality to suit her lovely looks, you have created something beautiful there. Love this card, and bookmark, and seeing as I'm in bed at the mo, I will order the wallflower corner in the morning. X

  32. Have only just caught up with your blog this morning and luckily for me in time too for your fabulous offer as I have been hankering after these stamps since your demonstrations on TV and blog, thank you for your inspiration

    Jane x

  33. Hi Barbara I can sympathise with you as I also have a beautiful daughter who lives a long way away mine is in Turkey and I also have two beautiful grandchildren there.and I miss them all very much. Technology has moved on since they went there and I-phones and Skype are wonderful but the only complaint I have is that you can't give a hug on Skype. I am looking forward to making the girls cards with their names on as on your demo, they are both avid readers so perhaps making a bookmark would be a good idea. Many thanks for your never ending inspiration
    Maggie J x

  34. Hi Barbara love this idea with the wallflower.I have this stamp and you have inspired me to have a go with this idea. Thanks so much for the letterbox kit offer. This has been on my wish list for ages and this has prompted me to buy it today.I am a bit behihn with my blogging as I have been unwell but ok now .By the way Grace is a beautiful lady and she is so lucky to have a Mum like you .XX

  35. Love this corner stamp, its got a real William Morris feel to it. Its amazing how these young girls turn into beautiful young ladies when us poor old Mums blink! well thats how it seemed to me. Fantastic offer on the stamps off to the web site Jane x

  36. What lovely flowers and the Letterbox set is just great. Thank you for these great offers Barbara, in fact I have ordered the letters with the free numbers. I was a bit close to the wire but it was about five minutes to midnight so hope it will be ok. Your daughter is absolutely lovely and so is her name. I know what you mean about seeing them when they are so far away. Our son is in Australia so we don't get to see him very often. In fact he has just been to see us whilst on an extended holiday which was great, and I am always sad when he leaves, but he is happy there so that is the main thing. I look forward to trying a similar technique when I get my lovely stamps. Thank you for your great tutorials. x

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