Oh Joy!

Oh Joy!

Hello there.
Thanks for stopping in today!
Blimey – you certainly dropped in yesterday with a bang!!!
The special offer on the ink pads with the free brushes went berserk!!! We have promised to run it till Sunday, but we may have to change some of the original colours down the road….
We will contact you if the need arises.
But Thursday’s blog is always blue, so here’s one of the loveliest Christmas sets we have ever designed; 
hope you get as much joy from it as I do.
For JOY + the little stamps,
Dust a piece of Theuva Card with talc.
Beautiful card for stamping on. AND it’s in our sale!

Stamp the large Joy Framer into the Cobalt and Black Archivals,
then onto the card, then sprinkle quickly with Clear Detail Powder.

Heat emboss from underneath on high heat 
with your dual heat gun.

Stamp Joy onto a sheet of copy paper and cut out the centre.

Hold in place with masking tape at the back.
The one we sell is pretty mellow, and won’t tear the card.

I decided to break the mould 
and use a little crescent moon for a change.
There’s one in the Moons mask set.

Tumbled Glass and Chipped Sapphire with a make-up sponge.
Easy street…

If you remove the mask and sweep the make-up sponge through the white moon, you get a cool moonshadow.

Add the little branch from the left and right with a Black Archival whilst the Framer mask is still in place.

Add the birds from the little set too. These are delightful. 
Notice that I checked them on the scrap first!

Remove the mask and perch another little bird on the Y.

I love this!
Time to trim back a little.

Now for the edges. Let try something a little different and funky.
Use our ruler with the steel inlay and a black Micron Pen.
Run a line around the edge, about a quarter inch in.

Run another line around, an eighth of an inch in.

Go all round the edges with the pen, making little boxes.

Now colour in every other box with a distress pen.
Have you got these yet?

I had a 50/50 chance of getting the right number of boxes…
Did I get it right?
Story of my life!

Found a blue Gelli Plate paper in my stash for the backdrop.

This is where the ruler with the grids and steel inlay comes in handy.

You can see exactly how deep you want the edging to be, 
without ending up embedded in the ruler.

See?

Then, when you layer this piece up on white, 
I think it looks delightful.
Christmassy?
Maybe.

Blue?
For sure!

We’re off to sunny Spain tomorrow,
to visit my dear friend Jane.

So I shall endeavour to blog as we move around.

One day at a time xxxx

Lots of love,

45 thoughts on “Oh Joy!

  1. Wonderful blog, fab card. Thanks for the inspiration. Please say hi to Jane from all of us and let her know we think she is amazing. Hope you & Dave get some rest and relaxation too.xxx

  2. Lovely card once again! I am looking forward to hearing about your trip to Spain. I am seriously thinking about yesterday's blog offer. I need to check the bank balance as there is a huge Clarity wish list at the moment!!
    Enjoy Spain!!

  3. Oh Barb! I love this, such a great idea, don't have the Joy stamp, but have Peace – let me see what I come up with. I took up the blog offer with an addition! My pressie to myself. Have a great time in Spain and give Jane a gentle hug from everyone that follows her amazing blog (as a result of you Barb). She is simply amazing and a constant source of reminders of how strong we can be. Take care. Bx

  4. I was one of the ones who jumped for the brushes off – you cannot have too many brushes, after all. I hope you have a good break in Spain. Please give Jane a gentle hug and tell her I hope her journey is easy. She is such an inspiration to us all for her dignity and honesty. xxx Maggie

  5. Hi Barbara, this artwork looks amazing, just perfect, even if your 50/50 chance of getting the right number of squares didn't quite happen!!!! I know that one and I'm sure everyone else on here does too!!!! I try to tell myself it's handmade, so can never be perfect, and no one expects perfect from handmade – now if only I could get my brain to believe this….!!!!!

    Been doing the second part of my first ever piece of artwork this afternoon. Scary, but I think it's going ok. You'd think I was trying to paint masterpieces not just simple basic stamp and inky stuff!!!! Had a nice wee happy accident though, now to try to replicate it on the other 3 pieces!!! I thought I'd make enough so that if I manage to make it look ok I can put them in wee frames and give my first piece of artwork to each of the people that have been good to me. The first one went a bit wrong, managed to wash off ink by over spritzing!!! Ah well, that can be my one, I'll try darkening the ink again when it's dry, (if I bin and start again it won't be my first piece of artwork, but maybe I'll need to!)!!!!

    Hope you and Dave have a brilliant holiday and you manage to recharge your batteries. Don't worry about us if you miss blogging, We'll still be here when you get back (I may even have my artwork pieces finished by then!!!!)

    Love Brenda xx

  6. Love the blue card have a wonderful time in Spain recharge your battery lots of TLC, also give our love to Janre and her family hope your visit goes well I'm sure she will be thrilled to see you lots love and hugs around xxx

  7. Hi Barb,
    Love today's card. The Joy set is fantastic and as I have this, I might just try and replicate! Hope you have a fabulous time in Spain and come back nice and relaxed with batteries fully charged. Love Alisonxx

  8. Beautiful card Barbara. I have my Joy on my desk waiting for a Bunny to be put in it for some Charity cards, well about 20 bunnies to be honest!!! So I will try a bit of that edging in different colours to make them look different, thanks for the help!!!! I will be thinking about you while you are away, its great that you and Jane have this chance. xx

  9. Beautiful card again Barbara. Hope you have a fantastic time in Spain. I have been following Jane's journey on her blog, what an inspiration. I know she is looking forward to seeing you both and that the time together will be bitter sweet. Will be thinking of you. God bless. x

  10. Hallo liebe Barbara,

    was für eine wundervolle Technik und Gestaltung. Ich staune immer wieder auf was für wunderbare Ideen du kommst. Ich werde dich zwar vermissen, aber ich wünsche dir und deinen Lieben von Herzen einen wunderschönen Urlaub. Gute Erholung und viele neue kreative Ideen. Die wirst du im Urlaub ganz sicher sammeln können. Genieße die Zeit und komm gut erholt zurück. Ganz liebe Grüße Silvi

  11. What a beautiful card Barbara.

    Enjoy Spain and meeting your friend Jane. Have a break and perhaps forget about the blog? We all enjoy it every day but will look forward to it if it returned after a short intermission. You deserve a rest.

    Ruth

  12. Another great project and love the little border too! Hope the trip to Spain gives you some relaxation and quality time for you and Dave. My thoughts and prayers are with Jane and her family, and I'm sure your visit will lift her spirits. Susan x

  13. Hi Barb,
    This is lovely. I'm another one who would end up with a box too few, or too many.

    Have a lovely time with Jane. I am sure you will lift her spirits, and not just the gin!!! xx

  14. Hi Barbara oh I love pictures in the o. This is beautiful and the edging is fab. Oh dear that brush offer is very tempting!!!! Might have to investigate after all (so much for being good!). Have a fabulous break in Spain, lots of rest and relaxation and quality time with Dave. I hope Jane has got the kettle on ready for you, I too follow her amazing blog and she is such a wonderful corragious lady, enjoy spending time together. Please give her a gentle hug from all of us. Safe journey and take care. Love Diane xxxx

  15. Smashing card! Thanks for reminding me about the ruler – am now laughing at myself for struggling with this the other day – I'd forgotten about the ruler!!

    Been for a spa day today which has been lovely. Just sat by a pool (and swimming in it of course!), reading, then lunch then an hours massage and a relax in the quiet room and then hubby came to fetch us as we (there were 3 of us) too relaxed to drive home!

    Have a rest in Spain Barbara xxxx

  16. Another lovely card today. Thank you.
    Have a lovely break in Spain and let Jane know how much support she has had, and continues to have, from us all. Take care, Jan x

  17. Beautiful. I have not got the Joy stamp but have got Noel so could try something similar. Enjoy your break in Spain , I have followed Jane's blog and she is one amazing lady and I am sure she will enjoy your company. Have a good rest both of you. xx

  18. I love these stamps and have just finished off 18 christmas cards with them. None as good as this one but I am pleased with them. Of course i took advantage of the brushes offer, I absolutely love them and now I have stopped looking at them and started using them i love them even more. I don't mind if the colours of inks change.

    Enjoy your holiday.

  19. I love this scene and the blue background you have used is just perfect too. Do have a wonderful break in Spain, and I'm sure the visit with Jane will be enjoyed immensely by both of you. Do just relax and enjoy it and try not to think too much about the blog or the business, just let go of it for a bit. x

  20. Beautiful Barbara. There is a feeling of serenity about this piece.

    Have a lovely time in Spain. Please let Jane know of the support she has from everyone who reads her blog. try and find time to rest up too. xx

  21. Hi Barb, am catching up on Thursdays blog on Friday – oops!!!
    I was never much of a blue person – but since getting in to this crafting lark have found myself loving other colours – other than my favourite red – blue being one of them – and other images that I never used to give a second glance to!
    This is lovely – have fun in the sun xx
    Love Kim

  22. Hi Barbara. Fabulous, I love it. Whoops, I thought you were already in Spain! Oh well, have a wonderful time relaxing. Please give Jane a hug from me. I have never met her but she is a very special lady. Take care.

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