Ceramic Houses

Ceramic Houses

Hello there!
Thanks for stopping by.
Back to work today? 
I’ve got loads to do, but I am still officially on holiday!
So set to just do the absolute necessary, 
and leave the rest to the Team.
While we’re having a break from YouTube Tuesday 
until next week,
Here’s a neat piece of artwork I rustled up yesterday.
It was raining cats and dogs in Kent, and I did enjoy holing up in my new art-room – even though it’s still a shambles! 
There is progress….
YAY! A wall with a door! There is a plan here you know!
Anyway, all in good time. 
So what shall we call this space?
The Loft? The art-studio? The art-room?
Any ideas?
So let’s get arty.
Get out the fabulous 7″ x 7″ Town Stencil

First I cut the frame off my stencil at the top. 
You don’t have to do this; I just did.

Then I laid it on a piece of 7″ x 7″ white Gelli Card which 
I had already spritzed with Distress Re-inkers.
Available individually, 
and as a complete collection for a very good price.

Dragged Grunge Paste through the middle area with a spreader, 
in one sweep.

Allow to dry.
In the meantime, wash the stencil in warm soapy water.

Time to colour in the houses, so tape up the sides.

Use what you have, stencil brushes, make-up sponges,
to colour in the texture paste.
I used
Chipped Sapphire – my new favourite blue,

When you lift off the stencil, this is what it looks like. 
Wipe the stencil clean, and put back.

Now comes a new idea. Well for me anyway!
Dab the Versamark ink pad through the stencil,
 directly onto the dried Grunge Paste.

Remove the stencil, 
and sprinkle Clear Embossing Powder over the houses.

Remove excess powder, and of course, 
the embossing powder will stick to the sticky Grunge Paste!

Use a heat gun to heat set the powder.
Set your heat-tool to slow heat, heat from on top, 
 and gradually work your way up the houses. 

Look. It’s like ceramic!

 So we have a glazed partial tiled effect. 

 Trim the card a little.

Mount on white card. I used Permanent spray mount. 
Really fast and efficient.

For those tactile crafters among us, this artwork 
really feels good, too.

Looks like glass.

Hope you like it. Very easy.

I want to have another go, and do it on white card. 
Then add the background afterwards, with spritzers and brushes.
We should be able to wipe the glazed part clean 
if we use dye-based inks.

And the BLOGSALE continues…

Spritzer Bottles. Pack of 5  reduced from £5 to £4

Town Stencil reduced from £5 to £4
Slate Adirondack reduced from £4.50 to £4
Stream Adirondack reduced from £4.50 to £4

BLOG CANDY WINNER
The lucky winner of the tin of Spectrum Noir pencils is…
SAINTLY LISA!!
(email me barbara@claritystamp.co.uk 
and tell me your address and which tin you would like Lisa!)

Leave a lovely message for me on this dreary day, 
and tomorrow a lucky winner will receive
a cheery Clarity Apron

much love,

PS Did you know we have raised over £1,400 
for the MND fund thus far. 
Oh. And it’s Dave’s turn today! So keep checking in! Hahahahahahahahahaha

77 thoughts on “Ceramic Houses

  1. I love the houses stencil must try this today as crafting well making sympathy cards as list my cousin couple days ago been puting if the cards have good day will look out for daves ice challenge lots ice and very slowly and enjoy it barbara xxx

  2. Loved today's blog will certainly be giving this a try! Your studio looks lovely and I love the money plant, hope you will be very happy playing in your new room x

  3. Hi Barb, love this idea, where do you get them all from? I think it should be called the art room, because that is certainly what you create. Well done on the money raised, and congrats to Lisa on winning the pencils. Wish it was not so dull today, but hey ho, the plants need water too. Bx

  4. What a great effect Barbara, really looks like ceramic and so tactile….
    A brilliant amount of money raised and I am so looking forward to Dave doing his bit today…..will you be pouring the water I wonder….and will you do it as slowly as he did??? …oh such fun and for such a great cause…..hugs…Jo. XX

  5. Hi Barbara. This is gorgeous, what a beautiful finish, it really does look like a ceramic tile.
    I think you should call your art room "Barbs Belfry" or just "The Belfry" because sometimes when you try a new technique you think it is a really BATTY idea! Yes, I know my mind works in a strange way : )
    Good to see the £'s are still rising. Looking forward to seeing Dave get drenched : ) Enjoy yourself today. Take care.

    1. Haha, Mrs B – love that idea! 'Barb's gone Bats in the Belfry!' lol Glad I'm not the only one with strange mental workings 🙂
      Re: Dave's challenge: Remember Barbara – 'revenge is a dish best served cold' – in this case, the icier the better and oh so slowly…..! You should sell tickets – you'd raise a small fortune! lol xxx

  6. I love this technique and it looks so good with the town stencil. Lovely, lovely, lovely mmmmmm. Terrific fundraising, it keeps going & will do much good. The art room is fantastic and you must be thrilled to have such a great space at home. Thanks for all the excellent teaching and inspiration – your stamps are 'Clarity' your instruction so clear and makes it so easy to follow are clarity itself!

  7. Fab project today Barb as the houses stencil is one of my favourites. Looking forward to seeing Dave do his challenge today and your face as you slowly pour the ice mu ha mu ha…. Now is this post going to work today…… Vx

    1. Ta da…..it must have thought I was rambling too much last night…. Anyway a thought for today inspired by an art journal page I saw. "Be kind to unkind people" …… Vx

  8. I am sitting here relaxing as I have a day off today. This is such a fantastic technique and your blog has certainly given me an idea for a project to do today.

  9. I love the look of Grunge Paste with this stencil. But the addition of embossing powder does indeed give it a ceramic look. I would never have thought of embossing onto Grunge Paste but that is definitely something I will be inspired to try soon. The finished effect is lovely. Congratulations to Lisa on winning the pencils. Looking forward to Dave completing his challenge. I hope the ice bucket is poured very slowly! 🙂 x

  10. Morning Barbara – yes, back at work today unfortunately, but…….it pays for the crafty goodies! This is one of my favourite stencils – it's well loved & much used. This is a great effect too. When I tried this I used the larger embossing crystals for a really thick effect. As you say, it is very tactile.
    My Cousin in America has a craft room and we call it "The Woman Cave" – that'll be the name for mine whenever it gets built – hopefully very soon as my stuff is taking over the kitchen!!
    Make sure you have loads of ice stocked up ready for Dave…….I will log on today to your Just Giving page and leave a donation – fantastic cause & well done to everyone 🙂
    Have a great day – looks like ideal crafting weather again today!….. Take care Carole x

  11. Oooh, this really is great Barbara! So tactile indeed. I do like the suggestion of Barb's Belfry.

    Well done on the ice bucket challenge – I felt for you. Off to Just giving now as well 🙂

    Hugs, Di xx

  12. Well done Lisa!

    Another great effect – it looks as if the moon (or sun – only in Scotland today I think) is shining on the part of the building. Something else to try.

    I got challenged at last minute yesterday so did it – always said I wouldn't but I think a miserable Bank Holiday got everyone on the go. I'd already donated to Barbara's page though!

    Back to work today…..xx

  13. Absolutely fantastic, I love it. Got to try this. I reckon if we could hear that laugh might be a bit wicked. So will you be pouring the water over Dave. Pay back time I reckon. xx

  14. Had to go and try this straight away, and I just love the effect!

    I am not doing the Ice Bucket challenge on medical grounds (my husband would NOT be amused if I made myself ill!) but am doing the Thankfullness one instead – every day for 5 days I have to list 3 things for which I can be grateful. Lovely challenge and very uplifting.
    xx

  15. Hallo Barb,
    diese Technik muß ich doch glatt auch mal ausprobiere. Allerdings mit einer anderen Schablone.Bei uns regnet es hier auch nur…also perfekt zum basteln.

    gglg von Nicole aus Deutschland

  16. Hello Barbara,

    What a beautiful technique and I love the card. There are lots of ideas whirling round in my head as to what my other stencils would look like.

    Good luck with Dave's challenge! I would love to win an apron.

    Love, Roz.x

  17. Hi Barb,
    Fantastic technique, it looks like a Victorian tile, clever you.
    Now for a name for the Making Room (that's what my granddaughter's call my room), well as it's going to be the "Art of the House" (get it – art – heart), how about – no it's no use, I'm still trying to come up with a Unicorn joke!!
    But wait – what about "Lofty Ideas"?
    Congratulations Saintly Lisa (I'm genuflecting as I type this) ha ha
    Looking forward to Dave's trial by ice water – remember v e r y s l o w l y. Enjoy!! xx

  18. I love the houses card! I need some grunge paste, but I think I might be able to make myself some, I might consult Pinterest to see if there is a recipe out there, rather than waiting for the post to bring me some. Good for Dave, I'll come back later and see how he coped with you dousing him (do it very slowly, LOL).

  19. Hi Barb,
    I love this stencil. I bought it because my hubbie's favourite Christmas card that I made him years ago was a rooftop scene with Santa on one of them. I thought I might try to replicate it ! I love the idea of embossing the grunge paste – will definitely be trying that. Your new space is beginning to take shape and will be fabulous when finished. What about Barb's Crafty Retreat? Everyone seems to enjoy the ones you organise so this could be your very own. Looking forward to seeing Dave do the challenge – if you are doing the pouring, just remember lots of ice ( at least 3 bags!) and poured very, very, very slowly!!! Would love to win the apron because with all these new ideas you keep throwing at us, I am getting messier and messier!! Love Alison xxxx

  20. Love this glazed effect, Barb & would LURVE a Clarity apron for all those mucky jobs – i.e. shaving foam backgrounds 🙂 Going on from the Belfry suggestion, how about "Barb's Bat Cave"? Or really simple – the Art Loft.

    Hope your neck's ok after your ice "treatment"? Still, all in a good cause, eh?

    Liz M xxx

  21. Where has my comment gone? Don't have a clue, so here we are again. Great technic, really looks like glass.
    So it's "revenge" time for you??????? Go as slowly as you can. Can't wait to see his face after the other day….. Enjoy being the other side of the bucket, Barbabra. And well done for the money you've raised.
    Laurence xx

  22. Can't beat A Good bit of GP it's so versatile. Love your card and love this stencil had to put it to the back of my
    Pile to give it a little rest. How about calling your Art room "The Hub"? Isn't the Hub where all ideas are originated? Xxx Bring it on Dave!!!

  23. Love this technique, so effective. I have bought 2 if these so I can doctor one of them but still have nt had a chance to play. Will have a go when I get back from holiday. Your art room is looking great, such a lovely space. X x x

  24. Lovely ideas again Barb. The rain has stopped now, just a few spits. All of the birds have come back to the seeders and the surprise (stray seed) sunflower is opening and smiling at the world. If we didn't have rain, we wouldn't have the beauty that follows. Have a great day x

  25. Just got back from a wet walk with the dog. So time to sit down with a coffee and catch up with the blog. Love these houses with the paste and embossing, like you said they look like tiles. Such a good effect. I think your room is looking good, how about 'The White Room' as its name. XX

  26. Really looking forward to getting this stencil and trying out this technique. I know this is one of Sam Crowe's favorite stencils, and I have to agree with her. Looking forward to seeing you all at Catterick, counting down the days xx

  27. Super technique; thanks for sharing and I love the partial use of the stencil. It makes it more versatile. Oh, just realised, what a double pun!
    For your lovely new space I thought of Clarityatily ( from atelier) but a bit of a mouthful, especially after an ice-dousing. Studio sounds really apt and professional. Well done to you both with the fund raising. x

  28. Hi Barbara,
    WOW love this look its so different.
    I keep trying the grunge paste but haven't managed to get it right with one swipe so I will try again and emboss it this might look better for me.
    Thank you for the inspiration.
    Lorna D

  29. Another fab effect – really like this one, although as I don't have that stencil or the grunge paste I might have to have a go with what I have to hand!!! Hope you enjoy pouring the ice bucket over Dave's head – although with your poorly neck, maybe you should do the video and get him to do it himself!!! Great that you and the team have raised so much money for a worthy cause. Now a name for your new loft – What about "Barb's Art Space" – you definitely create pieces of art and we all need time and space to let our ideas take shape :o) Susan x

  30. Hi Barbara loving today's picture with grunge paste and embossing it looks amazing. Must get some of this paste to try cos it looks fab and great fun too. Now for the name, I do like barbs batty belfry that works but clearly clarity cave would also work well. It is a lovely space though and have you got a good view from the window? Haha poor Dave I bet he thought he would get away with this! Now how about putting some jugs of water in the fridge so they are nice and cold along with the two or was it three bags of ice? And slowly does it lol and enjoy yourself 🙂 Have a good evening love Diane G xxx

  31. Oh, poor Dave! The lucky people did this earlier on, while the weather was still warm! But, well done for raising that amount.

    I love the technique you've showed us today and am thinking, now, about how to add this to my Christmas cards. Will manage it for some, I know. Thank you. Jan

  32. Good Evening Barbara!!

    Needed to come home and read something nice after a fairly awful day at work – so how nice to come home to this and wow how clever is that technique!!!! Hmm…mind is racing now on what other stencils that will look good with!!!
    Your space is taking shape nicely – am intrigued by the little room bit at the end…but will have to be patient for when you do the 'big reveal'!!! Name for said space…hmmm need to think about that one a bit I think!!!
    Any way – now to wait for Daves Ice Bucket Challenge video – do hope you get your own back with the slow pour!!! And what an absolutely fantastic amount it has raised starting with Grace nominating you – damned excellent!!!!
    As ever – Much Love
    Kim

  33. A great amount of money raised Barbara, and now Dave will be doing his bit I'm sure it will add to the money in the pot. Hope you are going to pour extremely slowly hahaha. This stencil technique is great and I love the ceramic look. The blue of that sky is gorgeous. How about calling your new room Barb's Arty Attic. x

  34. Such a gorgeous creation and well done on agreeing to do the ice bucket challenge! You should christen your craft room – maybe Barbara's Creative Space! You have lovely light in there and you know you'll get there eventually. Don't over do it but enjoy your break and thank you for sharing your beautiful art with us Karen x

  35. Ooh Barbara what a great technique. More to go on my wish list! As for your awful weather I think that is perfect for Dave's turn! I'll try to send our Sun back down to you once dave has suffered enough (with you as judge of course) The sum you have raised so far is incredible. Will endeavour to add to it when I can. Hubby had a scare a while back and for a while MND was feared. I 'met' many lovely people with MND online who couldn't have helped us more. We will always think of them as we are grateful that so far all signs are that he has a benign condition.
    Hugs (and I do hope you enjoyed your turn as much as Dave enjoyed his on Sunday!)

  36. What a great idea! Looks amazing. You are so inspirational in the way you always look for new ways to use craft products. Also Intrigued by the door in the wall in your studio……will it lead to a kitchen so you can make yourself a cuppa as you craft? And wash your stencils of course 🙂 Fantastic news about the money raised for ALS and MND. Hope Dave got to do his challenge today. See you tomorrow xx

  37. loving the look of embossing over grunge paste. truly looks like glass. who knows where this will lead now?
    great work on the fundraising side of things. what a lovely sum of money! hugs xx

  38. Absolutely love the effect, looks ceramic wow! Must say your 'loft/artroom' is looking gorgeous even though not finished. So much light coming in it's awesome. Well done on the amount of money raised, you must feel so proud and everyone donating are so generous x

  39. Like the look of your new artroom – wish we had as much space! Before my daughter and I took up stamping, we used to do a lot of amateur film-making (still do a little) and we used our loft-space as a video-editing room – it is just a small area boarded out with conti-board and a small skylight window fitted – so we fancifully styled ourselves "Skylight Studios" – happy to share that name with you if you like it.

    We don't venture up there now, as the access is via a rickety loft-ladder and we're getting past it! And there wouldn't be room for all our craft stuff! xx

  40. A place for clarity!! Clarity Castle? Clearly Clarity? A brush with Clarity? Actually, that last one is what you should call your workshops!!
    Loving the sale, and the promise of blog candy – so good for the diet!!
    I might try this technique with the clarity heart stencil and see what that looks like. I imagine I could make it quite romantic-looking!
    Alana x

  41. lovely card as usual, had never thought of embossing powder over the grunge paste, but love the tile effect, will be giving this a go. Crafting is getting messier every day so a lovely Clarity apron would be so useful and much appreciated. Remember to pour slowly when Dave does his challenge and good luck to him!

  42. I love this – adding the clear embossing over the paste gives an amazing finish. Thanks to your step by step instructions I believe that I could have a go at making something similar. THANK YOU for the inspiration and of course the free lessons you give. I'd love to win one of your aprons – I really need one with the mess I make but i'd be honoured to wear it too

  43. Love the artwork today Barbara…
    The art gallary your new room could be called as you could put some off your artwork you do on the wall…
    Happy crafting and have a lovely day … x

  44. LOve it love it – bought this stencil to make a card for friend who works in the planning office – he has the card pinned up on his wall at work but had forgotten i had it – I love this technique and was just thinking i need to make my daughter a new home card for the weekend and this is perfect – Thank you again for amazing inspiration jx

  45. Oh Forgot my name suggestion – Aladdins cave – "a barbara can dab 'ere " – Sure it will be full of treasure ,you will be spending a thousand and one nights in there while needind to keep out those 40 thieves and ali barbara can have a secret password –

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