One can, but Toucan even better.

One can, but Toucan even better.

Hello there!
Thanks for stopping by. 
Wednesday’s blog is something new,
so here’s a new super Toucan stamp from the weekend, 
and ….
Here’s my stash of cling film Claritycard which I made using Eggplant Adirondack and Peach Bellini Adirondack mostly….

Pick one and stamp the lovely Toucans in Black Adirondack.
At the bottom of this post, I will insert the Clarity YouTube I did a while back on the clingfilm technique – just in case you aren’t familiar with it.

 Allow to dry or heat emboss with detail clear embossing powder.
Then cover with the very very useful Toucan Mask.

Enter the large Gelli Plate 8″ x 10″
Really easy for loading colours bleeds  on your card.
It’s ideal if you place your Gelli Plate on the MegaMount to fit.
Here’s how:
Brayer Squeezed Lemonade Distress Pad yellow up one edge of the Gelli Plate.

Lay the card on the Gelli and the yellow will transfer.

Do the same with Ripe Persimmon

Dab the orange area with screwed up copy paper.

Here’s where the Gelli on the Mega Mount comes into play. 
Flip the Gelli plate on the mount so that you can see where you are lowering the pattern onto the artwork.
Brilliant for scrapbooking and journaling. 

Time to add a few leaves.
Ink, blot, blot.
I have used the same Persimmon colour, which is perfect, and Mowed Lawn, a super Green.
Somebody said yesterday how lovely and kooky the names of these pads are. I agree. They are really accurate, too.

 Stamp both sizes of the cheeseplant leaves
in the two different colours. 

Out with the Eggplant Adirondack.
We need some eggplant cheeseplants 
to balance out the cling film corner….

And now to colour in the Toucans!
Promarkers at the ready…
Better check what colours they are:
AMAZING. Absolutely, irrefutably unbelievable….
I wonder whether in the Toucan World, they have particularly gorgeous toucans. You know, like we have Beyoncé and Beckham, do you think they have celebrity toucans? So say one may be sitting on a perch minding his own business, and all the others suddenly start screeching “Oh my God!” (in Toucanspeak, of course) “Look who’s over there!!”

Ah well. That’s a questions we may well never be able to answer.

So while I am colouring in my two beauties, 
I am deciding who they are, 
whether they’ve got kids,
and if they are still happy together.

Well, the truth is, they have been together since they met, 
which is many years ago.
Toucans mate for life, you see.
They love each other very much, and they look after each other.
So the expression stamp Together
Together 
we
can
handle
anything
is actually very appropriate.

In fact, we humans could learn quite a lot from the way these beautiful birds behave towards one another.
When was the last time you heard about a Toucan invasion, or a Toucan referendum, or a Toucan massacre?
They live for 20 years on average, and their biggest enemy?
Yep, you guessed it: humans.
Let me add a little cleverness….

See what I’ve done?

Throw a shadow underneath the letters with a Promarker and its add on fine nib.

Mmm.. Purple or Orange? Orange or Purple?
You decide.
Lots of love,

68 thoughts on “One can, but Toucan even better.

  1. Oooo Purple for me. Lovely artwork, I've only just learnt the clingfilm technique, lots of inky fun, looks great when you add a touch of mica powder as well. Amazing picture of all the Toucans, so colourful. Think I'll be re-writing my shopping list for sunday again lol. Have a good day x

  2. Hmmm well it's a womans perogrative to change her mind and I'm now going for both, thin purple border then a wider orange border (love my perfect layer tools) 🙂

  3. Lovely card Barbara, I hadn't realised Toucans were so colourful in real life and such a variation in colours too. For the background I'm liking the orange but think I might also try a layer of purple as well, if toucan have two layers 🙂
    Jane x

  4. The toucans are attractive, but I was more attracted to the blue tits and feeder set, so I'm hoping they are on their way to me. I've been feeding all year round now for 14 years, and all the local fledglings get taught how to feed from it. ( even the sparrows).
    (ps. I don't have my personalised Christmas stamp yet, are they going out?)

  5. Hello Barb, absolutely wonderful artwork, love the colours of the Toucans, and that background is astounding. I think I like the orange because it is vibrant. Thank you for sharing the photos and details/facts about Toucans, very interesting. Have a great day. Bx

  6. Definitely orange. It looks happier with the purple in the background and brings out the sunshine around the birds. The purple mat seems to me to be fighting with the oranges – just a feeling! Love the birds, although a nice glass of dark stuff with a thick white layer on top would go with them too. Wish I could join you up at Catterick – maybe another year. Have a blast up north. xxx Maggie

    1. PS with the great Clarity vision through, I have done something similar with the words before by overstamping with the second colour but deliberately slightly below and sideways. I used to do it on the computer, but with Clarity, there is no need to the digital route. It is so effective with that shadow. xx Maggie

  7. Wow – orange for me! I have the hymn "All things bright and beautiful" going round in my head now I've seen this tutorial – what fabulous birds. I so agree with you about the ink pad names – often think that would be a great job to have, naming paint and ink colours!! Thanks for giving me a cheery start to my day, Susan x

  8. Good morning Barbara,

    absolutely fantastic again!!! I love the toucan stamp and the exotic leaves too. The background is fabulous.

    May I have a request? I know you showed it on TV but I forget how to do the clingfilm technique. I remember you spritzed a little water on the clingfilm… before do you brayer the colours on a blending mat??? Then going with the watered clingfilm into the colours and then screw it lightly on to the card? Is that right? Can you show this technique one time again?
    Or if anybody else know this technique let me know please.

    By the way the purple fits better to me because the whole artwork is mostly pastel-coloured.

    Best wishes
    Rolf x

    1. Hi Barbara
      Could I second that please. I think I did it all as you did ( followed the utube dem) but mine looked as it I had moles trying to get in from behind! I think I must have either not moved the colour round enough or something but the lovely marbled effect did not happen! Any tips would be welcome x

  9. Whoops missed the mask when I ordered the stamp from the shop. Toucan ha! ha! I was pleased to see you repeated the ink and crumbled paper on the gelli plate you did on the show – thanks. Me I vote for orange.

  10. Great stamp and love those toucans what amazing birds, not sure I had appreciated the variety. On my list for next week! Love the background need help ( see message above with Rolf) I have mastered shaving foam now! Love the orange I think but both work well. Enjoy Catterick at the weekend. X

  11. I love these stamps, so versatile. Great card, I'd go for orange if it was for someone close as it looks warmer and purple if it was for someone I knew less well as it's a little cooler. Amazing how different the cards look with the different backgrounds. Anyways looks like my Ally Pally trip is going to need a little more funding! Wish I could join you in Catterick but i'll be at my third of the 4 weddings in 4 weeks! This afternoon I will be clearing a little space in my mind and sitting at my craft table, inkpad in hand for the first time in weeks! Might just try playing with my wonderful new NDC stencil and stamps. Might even get up the nerve to submit to the Challenge 🙂

  12. Hallo liebe Barbara,

    ich bin wieder total begeistert wie wundervoll du die beiden Tukane gestaltet hast.
    Der Effekt mit dem zerknüllten Papier ist so genial. Ich liebe auch die Promarker weil man mit der ganz feinen Spitze so wunderbarcolorieren kann.
    Wie immer alles passt perfekt zusammen. Vielen lieben Dank für die vielen Inspirationen. Ganz liebe Grüße Silvi

  13. Hi Barbara purple for me I think, but then again the orange looks good too. I'm sat here chuckling to myself about a David Beckham of the toucan world- what a thought! They are beautiful though aren't they. Love this technique and haven't had a play with the cling film background for ages so I must revisit. Haven't had a cheese plant in the house for years, mine was called George and was huge!! My mum thought it gathered dust and was disappointed it didn't leave home with me!!! Have a great day love Diane xxx

  14. Good morning,
    I love these two birds,,they are fantastic! We are in New Mexico, wish you were here too. Off to Old Town! Fantastic cards. Love the colors. Purple is my choice,

  15. Hallo Barbara,
    vor ein paar Tagen habe ich raus gefunden , dass ich den englischen Blog auch in deutscher sprache lesen kann. Hatte mich echt gefreut, manchmal ist die Übersetzung aber wirklich komisch. Dann sind nur ganz viele ????????? Fragezeichen . Ich vermisse so sehr den deutschen Blog, wirst du den wieder weiterführen??? Ich und ganz viele deutsche Bastler/innen würden sich mit mir freuen. Ich mag die Vögel auch. Alles Liebe <3 <3 <3 wünscht dir Heike

  16. I am normally a purple lover, but I think the orange really compliments the toucans, and makes them "pop", so perhaps a compromise of matting and layering with both colours 🙂

    Mags

  17. Lovely, the backgrounds look really textured with the gelli plate. I am looking forward to playing with inks to make a few backgrounds. I also want to have a go at the cherry blossom demo you did on Sunday. XX

  18. I "felt in love" with that stamp when I saw it on TV last Sunday, and the Art work you've just shared make me love it even more….. And the sentiment is perfect, specificly with the addition…..
    Laurence xx

  19. Hi Barbara. Playing catch as hubby has finally had the op on his broken hand and is now home and starting the long road of recovery (he has only been waiting since March!)
    Monday and yesterday cards and video were beautiful and todays blog is brilliant. I love the Toucan stamps and all that you have done with them. Thanks for the info on them too, I never realised that they could have such a variety of colours, simply beautiful. Great tip on shading the words too. Take care.

    1. Hi again Barbara.
      Firstly, I forgot to say that I am really torn between the purple and orange so might have to go with some others that have said use both : )
      Also want to add that I wasn't having a pop at our NHS.
      We are so lucky that it works so well(except care of the elderly)
      I meant that it has been a long wait for him sat at home not having been able to work since beginning of Feb, and now facing at least 6 months but more likely up to a years recovery before he can work again. Just wanted to clarify my last message. Blame the lack of sleep, oh no can't do that, I am a long term insomniac, I know blame the weather, oh no can't do that, it is a beautiful hot summery day here, OK so blame …………me for being such an airhead : )
      Take care x

  20. Hi Barbara, love this one andyou have given me some ideas for my cling film pieces that I did from the YouTube last time. Might try some more, as it is such good fun.
    As for colour, for me (unusually) I'd say orange, tho I love all things purple so most unlike me!

  21. Oh Barbara you made me really giggle with this blog post….it's like being in your head and looking at your thoughts! Fab! I do like the finished result a lot and will be having a go at this. I must admit it makes such a difference what you put it on so I would have 2 layers….1st one orange 2nd purple…a bit psychedelic but hey I like colour!
    Love and hugs as always xxx

  22. Good Evening Barbara

    Purple for me!!! Red is normally my fav colour – but these days do find myself in the purple zone a lot!!!

    I love the Toucans and the leaves, memories of a giant cheese plant that my Nan had growing in the living room when I was a kid – ah good memories.

    I think we can learn a lot from animals around us – did you know that pigeons are the same – yes the common old pigeon – this year a pigeon couple sat in an old nest outside my office window in the tree – almost in touching distance – watched them keep one egg warm for what seemed like for ever and then one day there was the baby! Within a few short days the baby was almost as big as the parents – not noisy at all – and bit by bit the parents left it a little longer each day when they went searching for food – til one day all three disappeared! Then a few weeks later the adults came back! – this time there were two eggs – very very sadly they abandoned the nest – the two tiny eggs are still in the nest – I think because it was two neither were viable – so very very sad but nonetheless very interesting to observe – one pigeon did come back and sat in the branch above the eggs – which then made me think that the other pigeon had been killed and that was why the nest was abandoned – the other went looking for its mate??? Whatever the reason it was fascinating though sad.
    My club stamp and stencil came today – sat with my coffee and read your newsletter – so off to the States!!! to do C&C there – how wonderful – but I do hope that doesn't mean we will see less of you on our C&C – I would be heartbroken!!!!

    Have you bought that pushbike yet?

    Much Love

    Kim xx

  23. Hi Barb,
    Love these two birds. They are such beautiful birds in real life and your rendition is very good, really like the cling film background – need to have a go at this. I like both the purple and the orange, but it could also be tempted to go with a green the same colour as the mowed lawn. Looking forward to seeing you on Saturday ( that's if I don't get lost!!) love Alison xx

  24. I think i will have to buy these toucans as they are rather nice and the colours used can be so bright.
    for a background i'm quite liking the orange as the whole picture pops. the purple seems to wash the colours out a bit. i'm wondering if a darker aubergine might not be a better colour to hekp images pop…….. hugs xx

  25. Hello Barb. Love the toucans and their genuine togetherness. I can feel the excitement building through my computer screen. Think the top of the A1 is just a bit far but I am sure you will all have a fantastic time. Not sure I'll be able to get to Ally Pally this year as it's the day after my youngest's 18th birthday party and I might be serving bacon butties and coffee all morning. Oh well. There's always another year. xx Margaret Col.

  26. Rather late today been bit hectic in the Bishop household. First I had to go on mercy mission and collect granddaughter from school. Not well again. Just hoping she does not start like last year when she was hardly at school. Seemed brighter by time her mum arrived to take her home. Then our son has had offer accepted on a house. Very exciting for him as he has been back with us for a year, I am going to miss him though, we have never been on our own so a first for us as well. Anyway very colourful card, I particularly like the background and I think should be purple for mount. Learnt a lot from that blog as well so thanks Barbara. xx

  27. Given my hair is ultra violet purple I would say i have a penchant for that so will pick purple 😉
    Love the artwork and the video of the cling film trick is fab, will definitely give that a go

    Thanks Barbara x

  28. Well I would say where has today gone but I would mean yesterday – been chasing my own tail feeling I am getting no where quick BUT spending a bit extra time catching up today will mean I am one step tomorrow (today doh !)
    I have to say I love the Toucans BUT your magpies are still my firm favourites !
    I think both mounts are great but the Orange just adds a little something more in my humble opinion.
    Roll on Friday night as I have no work and intend to play with my craft stash – I think you have inspired a back ground making session.
    Thank-you for all you teach us xxx

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