Thursday Blue – Your Move next…

Thursday Blue – Your Move next…

Comments 66 Comments

Hi there!
Happy May Day!
Thanks for stopping by.
Thursday’s blog is something blue isn’t it.
So let’s take a look at another one of the very clever Wheelie Stencils: The Chess Pieces
Chess. Great game. 
I just had to have a play…..
Here are the ingredients:
E-Bosser 
Lay out the chess pieces, large to the front, small to the back.

Run the stack through the embossing machine.
This is optional; I found it just helped establish positioning.

Dust the card with Slate
and Stormy Sky.
Now we’ll use the Wheelie to shade in.
This could take a while, so get comfortable….

Use a make-up sponge to add shade. 
Decide where the light is coming from, and shade accordingly.
one chess piece at a time…

Simply dial in the piece on your Wheelie, and shade.
Now here’s the cool bit. 
Check out the King here. See how I have added shadow on the ridges, too? That’s done using a Post-It mask, 
and moving it up the chess piece.
And what’s more, these pieces are all embossed, 
so it feels good, too.
All the large pieces are black/blue,

 and all the small pieces are Old Paper.

Now for the chessboard.
This is ART, not a photo, 
so it doesn’t matter if the squares are rectangles.
That’s my theory – and I’m sticking to it!

Draw pencil lines left to right, in-between the pieces. 
Don’t draw across them!

Now draw vertical lines in perspective, 
like so…
I used low-tack masking tape to isolate areas, 

and the stencil chess pieces to mask off the pieces, too!

Start at the front and work your way to the back.

Now at this point, you may be thinking, 
“way too complicated.”
And to be frank, at this point I was wondering 
what had possessed me!

‘round about here, I was getting really twitchy,

 but at about the halfway mark, determination kicked in.
I know how Sir Edmund Hillary must have felt.

I wonder if he worked out a short cut…

Snip. Squared it up. 
Not impressed. After all that work….
Time to get radical.

Out with the blending tool. Round the edges.

Distressed look required. To go with my face!
Out with the Journalling set.
And then, very quickly,  it started to come together.

and I was much relieved…

 Added a dark blue line with my ruler around the edge, 
flicked some water at it for good measure,
and mounted the artwork on white.

My Dad would like this card. 

and here’s the bit I trimmed off.
Great ATC 

or card-topper.
And in the end, I had spent a delightful hour being creative,
miles away from reality.
AND 
had made a great birthday card for my Dad next week. 
much love,

66 thoughts on “Thursday Blue – Your Move next…”

  3. Wow! Wheelie impressive but think I might start with the ATC card. Its great that the wheelie stencil includes different sized chess pieces to allow perspective work. Have a good day xx

    Reply

  5. Hello Barb, wow this card is amazing, I am sure your Dad is going to be thrilled with it. love the way you have taken the time to do the chess board, and the distressed look (can't imagine you with a distressed look on your face) really brings it all together. I must admit to being scared of flicking water at my cards in case I do too much. Have a fab day. Bx

    Reply

  13. Wow Barbara that's beautiful! And method in your madness!! cos now you have a fab card ready for next week! have a great day….hope the packing is going well ready for your trip! X

    Reply

  16. Another great card. No doubt your Dad will love it, as would my hubby. I really didn't want to see a demo with this stencil as I have been buying too many things and have been trying hard to resist it. :-). x

    Reply

  18. Amazing! love it and I guess the process is what you love as do I and if it works thats an added bonus (for me anyway) I love the smoky look of those chess pieces, my wheelies have just arrived although the chess pieces wern t among them …..not yet anyway x

    Reply

  19. Absolutely brilliant!! A work of art if ever there was. Don't think I would have been brave enough to add the grunge look at the end, but it really took the card up another notch. Bet your dad will treasure it.

    Reply

  20. Great effective card. I probably wouldn't get the perspective bit looking as good as yours, any tips? My dad plays chess so this would be ideal for his birthday/fathers day card in June. Plenty of time to practice! I love my journaling set, you can really add subtle details or use them as focal points. Always reach for them when I make a card that just needs a little something. XX

    Reply

  23. Hi Barbara ,i cannot catch up u have some wonderful stamps/masks i need them am away at Knedworth hall for weekend so will have to catch up when i get back ,now can i sneak laptop in van xxx

    Reply

  27. Beautiful & very clever, but what I like most is that there is no pretence with you…. you start out on a project here & we're along for the ride regardless of where it's going. You feel it's a little off course & we continue to observe while you work your magic & suddenly with no GPS assistance you're where you wanted to be & the artwork looks amazing. Things don't always go to plan in our little craft universes but you teach us to hang on in there & navigate forward.

    Reply

  28. A great card Barbara. Thanks for sharing all your hints and tips when as a crafter we feel things are not going as planned. You've taught us perseverance and to look at other craft bits and bobs we have to create something wonderful. I'm sure your Dad will love it. xx

    Reply

  29. Did you say you spent an hour on this? It would take me a week & I doubt if I would end up with anything as beautiful as this. Your Dad will be over the moon with such a lovely work of art. Pat x

    Reply

  30. Hi Barb,
    This is absolutely fabulous and I'm sure your Dad will love the finished card. I certainly wouldn't have the patience to do all of the shading and I could guarantee that I'd get the perspective all wrong! It would also be Sod's law that nearing the end I'd colour in the wrong square and ruin it all! Can you tell I have no faith in myself lol! Anyway, love it. Thanks for sharing and for the step by steps. Love Alison xxx

    Reply

  32. What a fabulous piece of art work – your dad is gonna love it I'm sure. Thanks for a very detailed step by step but I know my limits – and one of them is my patience so will leave all this clever stuff to you.lol
    Beryl xx

    Reply

  35. Wow, Barbara really love this card, my obsession with your products is that I must have it, my hubby has commented that the bank account knows this only too well and selling his body at 65 to fund this has little return. Ha Ha.

    Reply

  37. Hello Barbara. That is really impressive. Top marks for sticking with it as the result is spectacular. I don't even like chess but feel sure you're Dad will love it. xx Margaret Col.

    Reply

  38. Fantastic card Barbara, I have a brother who is a chess 'nut'. Not quite so sure about the coffee mug ring, but I really like the rest. I've just ordered the airbrush gadget currently on C&C and I'm hoping I'll be able to get results like yours, once I've practised. I'm not that good with a brayer and sponges.

    Reply

  45. I love the chess pieces and they could be used in many a card or journal piece. This card is gorgeous and I hope your Dad likes it x

    I received my grunge alphabet stencil today woo hoo x
    Denise x

    Reply

  47. Sorry, hit post too soon. Meant to say, I knew it would make a good Alice background 🙂 love your blog Barbara and think we share the same sense of humour :-))) Maddy x

    Reply

  52. Bit late today just got back from seeing my brother who has had a new hip. Doing well pleased to say. This is a fantastic card not sure I would have the patience for all those lines but having read your later blog I know I don't need to. Thanks you think of everything. Would have been ideal for my grandson's birthday this Sunday. He will be 8 and plays chess. Something I can't do.
    So many great stencils just love them. My dear hubby just smiles now each time another Clarity parcel arrives. Lynne xx

    Reply

  54. Wow, Wow Wow!!! Absolutely love this piece, but your patience is amazing!!!! I can't believe you created this in an hour – I think this would have taken me all day (and then some). Fabulous card, I'm sure your dad will love it. Jean.x

    Reply

  55. very striking. you have the patience of a saint! i think i would have lost the will long before it was over. but boy was it worth it. i don't understand chess but i would love that. actually just the atc would do me just fine….. hugs xx

    Reply

  59. I had not ordered this Wheelie stencil as I could not see how I would use it, but having seen what you have done today and the new background stencil, you have changed my mind yet again. Great perspective. xx Maggie

    Reply

  60. Hi Barbara. An hour! I would be still at it this time next week if I started it now. Love how it all came together…don't give up too soon is the lesson there isn't it. Take care.

    Reply

  61. This is such a fantastic card Barbara. I absolutely love it, especially how you've used the journaling stamps to add texture. Like Margaret, you've made me think that I must have this stencil as well as the new chessboard. Xxx

    Reply

  62. Didn't manage to pop in yesterday, so only see that today….But seen the other post first….. I will rather use the stencil, but think you're very patient, I would have probably throw it away after 10 min….Lol!!!! And the small bit you cut, would do a perfect bookmark. xx

    Reply

  63. This is just fantastic Barbara, and how patient are you to do all that masking off, but so worthwhile as the end result is wonderful. I love the extra background texture with the journalling set too. I'm sure your Dad will be bowled over by this, and you should be knighted Barbara, ha, ha, excuse the pun, I couldn't resist it! x

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *