The Lone Cypress. A Beautiful Stamp.

The Lone Cypress. A Beautiful Stamp.

Hi there!
Thanks for stopping by.
Greetings from a hotel room in L.A. 
Thought that, it being Monday, and Monday’s blog is always Flowers and Trees, I’d revisit the Fantastic Stamp I used here at the Live Launch. The Lone Cypress is one of a collection of three superb stamps and stencils, which can stand alone perfectly, but go together beautifully, if you make sets of notelets to sell, for example.
This is the Lone Cypress.
Here’s the Napa Valley,
And here is Carmel.
Now just because I gave these images names of places in California, I have to add that I can see these stampscapes in lots of places! 
So let’s take a look at an old trick which creates a brilliant backfround for any silhouette image.
Brayer some colours onto A5 Clarity card. The coated stock. Butterscotch first,
Then Stonewashed,
Then Stream Adirondack.
Next spritz a piece of clingfilm with water and lay it down on the inky card.
Then scrunch it up to make creases and rivers.
Pat it down and then leave it to dry completely.
This is the hardest part – leaving it alone until it’s totally dry!
When you peel away the clinfilm, you will be astounded by the patterns.
Buff or polish the card with a dry paper towel. High gloss now, right?
Now we have a superb background for any one of these 3 stampscapes.
I will go with the Lone Cypress. Stamp it into place using a Black Archival ink pad.
Blot it well and make sure it’s dry, 
before you start adding colour with the Distress pens.
Next, position the stencil over the image and use either pens or a make up sponge and ink to ground the floating image.
Outline these boxes with a black Micron pen.
So here’s the one I have done here on the coffee table in the hotel room (yikes!), and the one I did on the TV. Never any 2 the same. I like that.
Trim back the artwork so that the Lone Cypress sits well, and then mount on a second piece of lighter clingfilm card. I have a whole stash!
See how the Claritycard buffs to a high gloss? But always do the polishing BEFORE you use a Micron pen; it may smear.
That’s it folks! Hope you enjoy trying this one, and that you love these designs as much as I do. 
Honestly, they are pretty superb!
One more show to record tomorrow, then we’re off to New Mexico for a break. 
Albuquerque here we come! 
Like LA. LOVE New Mexico.
Much love,
Barb xxxx

46 thoughts on “The Lone Cypress. A Beautiful Stamp.

  1. I really like this stamp and I fancy making a really good mess playing with the cling film. Tomorrow, after Tai Chi, super wet mess here I come. So glad you're taking a rest have a great holiday.

  2. Really enjoyed both your shows and like all your stamps, especially the 50s ladies and US locations.

    Hope you both have a great time in New Mexico, as you work really hard and deserve a hard earned break.

  3. Really like this stamp, for several reasons. Have a wonderful time in NM, just thinking about the colours of the rocks and the formations, and all the quirky galleries and such is making me all swoony now ~ and forgetting all about the hoolie hooling about outside 🙂

  4. Hi Barbara, you really must be psychic!!!!! At last I managed to watch your second show online this afternoon, guess there were too many people watching online previously and me having dinosaur broadband speeds here!!!! Anyway I loooooved this card and this demo and was going to ask if you'd mind doing a demo of it on here for us! And you just have 🙂 Happy bunny here:). I was thinking these backgrounds would be great for UK coastal scenes too, well we can always pretend we get sun and seas that colour here!!!!

    Hope you enjoy your well earned break. I would love to see some photos if you wish to post some for us 🙂 And bring back some warm sun with you, I'll even settle for just some calm weather!!!!!
    Love Brenda xx

    Hope you enjoy

    1. Can you tell me where you found the online demo as I have been looking but can't find it! Very wet and windy down here in Kent, weather forecast doesn't look promising for the next few days either 🙁 very wet walks with the dog!

    2. Hi Donna, if you go to createandcraft.com, and when the window comes up click to stay on the USA website. Scroll down a wee bit on the home page and you'll see Barbara and Clarity world tv launch. Click on that and the demo will start. Hope that helps, enjoy :). Yeah, the wind's been so scary up here (I'm in Midlothian) and now we're in for more stormy weather and snow in the next couple of days, just as long as my food shopping get's delivered! Fortunately cats don't need walkies!!!! And Daisy isn't keen on going out even in the summer!!! Brenda xx

    3. It's all changed. I was going to watch the show again, and I've just spent ages trying to find somewhere on the USA website that they haven't removed it from! If you go to programme guide and yesterday's date, then you can watch the show by clicking on it there. Seems C&C USA is just like C&C UK! I was supposed to be trying to catch up on some to do stuff that's been waiting ages, instead I've used up what little energy I had today on this and now not even well enough to sit and watch the show! Ah well

    4. Thanks Brenda I will have a look, thought it must be me not looking carefully! First mistake was looking on the UK site! I will try and find it later when I have a moment. Hope you have rested and feel a bit better. Xx

  5. Fab artwork, I love this technique, must get some more glossy card and have a session making backgrounds. Enjoy tomorrow and have a lovely break in New Mexico xx

  6. Hi Barbara hope you have managed to keep the coffee table clean! This stamp is lovely and could be a tree on a windswept coast in this country (especially at the moment!). I haven't played with cling film and ink for ages! Hope all goes well for you tomorrow and you and Dave have a fantastic holiday, you both deserve a treat. Take care love Diane xxx

  7. Hi Barbara
    I love the cling film effect it always makes a great background and a great background is a great place to start,I have be listening to you Barbara.I'm very thankful for all your knowledge you share with us.Your new stamps and stencils are great.
    Enjoy your break and relax.

  8. I loves this demo too – Jane / Barb. it makes a great background, like you say the stamp doesn't need much more! I have seen the Lone Cuprus Tree many moons ago! xx Hope all goes well tomorrow when wil that show air??? Have a great holiday. xxx Sam

  9. Hi Barbara, these are great stamps – and I've ordered them – actually they were a pressie from my Dad! I love this cling film technique though I've not used it for a while – you've given me a nudge to create some funky backgrounds. Hope the recording goes well tomorrow and you and Dave have a fabulous time in Mew Mexico. xx

  10. Loved this one as it reminded me of a jacaranda tree in Russell New Zealand, so how right you are that it could be anywhere !
    So very pleased you are fitting in a break whilst out there, so very well deserved
    Much love
    kim xx

  11. Hi Barb,
    These were my favourite items from your shows, I love them. Great for those pesky male cards too. Really enjoyed the demo on the show so pleased that you've done the step by step here. Hope tomorrow goes well – sure it will, and then enjoy your break in New Mexico. You and Dave certainly deserve it. Love Alison xxx

  12. Hi Barbara I loved this when you did the show thank you for blogging it as its so good to have step by step instruction the stamps are beautiful on my wish list even though I've never been to America I can look and lose myself in these stamps enjoy yourself in Mexico .xxx

  13. Wonderful Barbara! I now neeeed those stamps! Say hello to New Mexico for me and two things to do in Santa Fe as am sure you'll be there for at least one of your days. Find Guadalupe Stamps (Dyan knows it well!) as it's a great shop, and also pop into St Francis Cathedral not far from La Fonda which will affirm how much he's still revered in NM and around the world. Above all – have a lovely time!

    Hugs

    Di xx

  14. Hello Barbara and Dave. These are a lovely set of stamps. The Nappa Valley stamp is very similar to what I see out my back door… Minus the lovely sunshine of course, but I do have my imagination! Hope both of you enjoy your break, well deserved and probably needed. Hugs. Emma x

  15. Great stamp, great technique, and great card! Good luck with the recording tomorrow. I'm not sure if i'm coming or going with all these shows! I really don't know how you pack it all in! Enjoy your break.

  16. Hello Barb, these new stamps are wonderful, love the scenic feel, and as you have shown you can do so much with them. Have a great today with the recording, and enjoy your break. You and Dave certainly deserve some down time. Take care. Bx

  17. Hi Barbara. It's great to see this lovely stamp again, and the cling film technique background makes a perfect sea doesn't it. I love the colours you chose too. Have a great time on the show today and then settle down to some serious relaxing in New Mexico : ) Take care.

  18. How did o miss this yesterday it was a lively demo and stamps are on the wanted list have a fantastic time in New Mexico and a well earn't break lots love joy xx

  19. Lovely card and colours! Haven't tried the clingfilm technique yet so will look forward to it one day! Enjoy the rest of your time there and especially the break! x

  20. Hi Barbara, this is the first time I have been to your blog. I'm in the US and so thrilled to have found you on our new Create and Craft. I am searching all your you tubes, etc. everything I can find to learn from you. You are so talented. I hope you will be back to us many times. There are so many of your products that I want, its hard to know where to begin, but please, please have them available on our c&c. Have been trying to find your coated cardstock there but doesn't show anything when I put in the code. Since you don't ship paper to the US please keep a supply of this along with more of your stamps, masks, tools available to us. It is so nice to see things here that we could only wish for before. I will be watching your blog from now on and any of your videos I can find. Just loved watching you live and explaining why you do things as you demonstrate. I wish you had brought the gelli plates too, now that I know what they are and also lots more of the coated paper.
    By the way you are one brilliant woman inventing the clear stamps. They are the only kind I buy. With rubber stamps I feel like I am flying blind wondering if its going to be in the right place. So thank you, thankyou, thankyou from a 75 yr old fan that loves to craft.

    1. Oh, and have a wonderful break in New Mexico – recharge those batteries, and let me know where I can get some that deliver such amazing ideas and keep you going for so long!!! Susan x

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