Two Trees only…

Two Trees only…

Hi there.
Thanks for popping in.
Get the kettle on –
It’s been one of those days!
And it ain’t over yet…
So let’s just go up on the forest, and calm it Kermit!
Whilst endeavouring to clean up the pit which is my artroom today, I came across a scrap I used on  US TV last week whilst showing the difference between 
Archival Potting Soil – a permanent ink pad,
 and Espresso Adirondack – a dye-based ink pad.
Here we can see 1st, 2nd and 3rd generation inks at work, using one of the trees from the Meadowdance set.
Remember the super deal on that set from Saturday?
Let me gently remind you….
buy the stampset below,
and we will give you the Shape Stencils set worth £12
FREE
Anyway, using the tall tree,
stamp from one side of a piece of Gelli Card to the other 
with the two ink pads, blotting as you go.
With a Black Micron Pen, link the trees.
I found the easiest way was to start with the dark ones, 
joining them up with a squiggle line.
Then go to the next lighter trees and join them up.
Finally the lightest pair, linking them into the land lines too.

Add some shadow to the trees with the pen on one side…

Now tear a hill out of a sheet of copy paper 
by using the side of the blending mat,
and stamp the sides of the two trees here and there 
along the hill mask, to create a hedgerow.

Cool.
I love it when it works, don’t you?

More hedgery required at the front, too.
Just use the sides of the trees, blotting as you go, 
and alternating the ink pads too, for various shades of brown.

I used Cloudy Blue Adirondack 
to create a vignette around the edge with the mini blending tool.
Notice I am sitting on the blending mat with the card to do this.
Well, not literally.
That would be ridiculous.

Add a little crescent moon from the Moons masks
and dust over it with a Stencil brush loaded with Cloudy Blue.
Add a little shade with some Spectrum Noir Pencils in the pleats of the hills you have drawn;
I used a light brown and grey.

Subtle.
Load a make up sponge with Cloudy Blue 
and sweep in from the sides, 
to create a moon shadow and a little more movement in the sky.

Go round the edges again with the mini blending tool 
Note to self:
That’s a great colour combination: Cloudy Blue and Latte. 
We also have a great offer on the Mini Blending Tools
Buy the Blending tools and the refills,
and we will give you an A4 Blending Mat worth £8.99
absolutely FREE.

Titivate with a little more pencil work in the grooves and pleats of the hills.
A third super deal:
All 5 time of pencils AND educational DVDs 
(rrp £129.92. £76)

That’ll do.
So there we are.
Two trees and a couple of different brown ink pads.
Hope you like today’s blog offering.
Leave an uplifting comment below and let me know whether the artwork reminds you of a certain place.
For me, it’s the Ashdown Forest, nearby, where we often walk.
It has majestic rows of tall trees just like this…
much love,

52 thoughts on “Two Trees only…

  1. Oh boy Barbara this is gorgeous I love the scene you have created. You are such a talented lady. Have a lovely sit down with a nice cup of tea you deserve it. Shame Poldark has finished it might still be on iplayer. Hugs Jackie

  2. Hi Barbara, clearly something in the air today, pretty rubbish day all round I reckon! For me your art is making me want to get in my car and drive to the forest and hide away….. Good news is I can do it for real on Friday for a weekend away at Thorpe Forest near Thetford …. Three nights in a log cabin, hot tub on the deck….and watch the tress and lie back and enjoy nothing but the forest noises and smells and hope to catch a glimpse of a deer or two.
    Thank you Barbara x Clarity to the rescue with you at the helm!
    Much love
    Kim xx

  3. Superb! Loving the colour shades too. This reminds me of my local Woods and also the wood surrounding Ayr Gorge…all up and down!! I like nothing better than to go for a ramble and a bit of a climb in the woods. Great exercise and I can also collect weeds for my baby tortoises!
    Thank you for sharing.
    Hugs Emma x

  4. Hi Barbara, this is beautiful, thank you. It always amazes me what you produce from a piece of scrap that most of us would throw away, what am I saying, we have boxes of the stuff with no idea ever of what to do with any of it!!! Sorry you're having a bad day, keep thinking of the lovely weekend you had, that might help. Nope, sorry can't find any pictures in the dusty archives of my head that this reminds me off. I think we have different kinds of trees up here, or none depending how far north you go!!! Big bear hug from me, love Brenda xx

  5. I love it, so simple and so effective. Really atmospheric.

    I cheered myself up today by leaving work early and making a few cards for my blog (myworldofcraft.blogspot.com). Very satisfying, I just wish I time to CASE more, blend more challenges and keep coming up with my own original artwork.

    One day at a time. Great principle for life

    Claire 🙂

  6. Barbara , this is so lovely.
    You are very talented and your art work inspires … this scene does not remind me of a particular place it just reminds me of the beauty of trees.
    Thanks for the tutorial ….so very helpful,
    XxxxRuth

  7. gorgeous work barb – even more glad I got that offer now – fabulous – another one to try – can you sell time to play too???? Hugs rachel xx

  8. Hi Barbara This is beautiful, reminds me of the New Forest on a misty morning, or dusk with the of chance of seeing a deer. Add a bit of purple for when the Heather starts to come out and Bobs your Uncle! I made my order today so might be able to play soon. Oh I had to chuckle at the thought of you sitting on the blending mat! Don't get ink on your bottom! Ha ha. I hope tomorrow is a better day.
    Love Diane xxx

  9. Lovely colours in this piece Barbara! I'll try to keep this scene in my head tomorrow when I fly to London for the day for my friend's funeral – it looks like such a peaceful place. Hope tomorrow is better for you, Susan x

    1. Thank you Brenda – I think of you often when I'm out and about, and wonder if there is any way I could help you at all? I am so impressed that you now comment every day on here, when not so long ago you were scared to even make a comment – that is such an amazing achievement. Susan x

  10. I love this colour combo. I can imagine myself up in Scotland again. If I walk up to the trees I can look down and see the loch. It's a bit chilly though. I must remember my hat and scarf next time. Thanks for another inspiring card idea and jogging my memory of a lovely day out. x

  11. Hi Barbara for having such a bad day you can create such a beautiful piece of art work I have lost myself in this art work stunning place to be crafting hugs xxx

  12. Hi Barbara
    Lovely artwork today and how nice to see brown being used to such great effect. It looks so classy with the blue. Those trees are very versatile. My bespoke stamp arrived today so I will be using it tomorrow to finish some cards.
    Hugs from Chris X

  13. This is really beautiful and lovely to see the way it evolved. It looks so peaceful and has rather a misty feel. We used to go to the Ashdown Forest occasionally when we lived in the area, now we go into the Quantock Hills and you see these sort of trees silhouetted against the sky, but although there are plenty of deer you are more likely to see wild ponies. Hope tomorrow is a better day for you. x

  14. Love this card, how do you make such a card when you've had a bad day. Must give it a try just need the Potting shed and latte inkpads. Beautiful scene Barbara, thank you, hope tomorrow is a better day for you.xx

  15. Hi Barbara
    How cool is this and only with two trees,you really are clever.
    Received my personalized stamp today and I'm really chuffed with it,thank you.I might even buy a second one.

  16. It reminds me of Scotland, up in the Highlands, so beautiful. My hubbie is Scottish, and he would say 'God's own country'. Lovely artwork Barbara x

  17. It reminds me of Scotland, up in the Highlands, so beautiful. My hubbie is Scottish, and he would say 'God's own country'. Lovely artwork Barbara x

  18. Very well waiting for today. Absolutley maganificent – power of the countryside. You create out of a little and make a lot. I am in a trough and have filled the wpb today with rubbish. Need the spark of the retreat.
    Best wishes
    Anne (Reading) p.s. any room in your house for a home-grown lavender bag?

  19. Gosh, this is beautiful – I would never have thought that the simple line of trees could end up as such a lovely artwork. Your step-by-step tutorials are inspirational and I love picking up the tips and techniques that you share with us – from this one, I'm tempted to have a go with a micron pen at drawing some hills just by joining up the trees – magical!
    Thank you!

  20. Who would believe it's just one stamp and so few inkpads! Lovely colours. For me it's Exmoor, maybe dropping down into the Doone Valley. We go every year. It's our fix. Hope tomorrow is better for you.x.

  21. Brown is such an understated and underused colour, I love this. Reminds me a little of the Andes. You don't even realise you are in the mountains, it looks flat because you are just seeing the tops of the vasr mountain range and not the well hidden drops.

  22. Lovely artwork, there's something about Trees that I love but not sure exactly what. Your scene reminds me two places, Raincliffe woods in Scarborough and the Aboretum at Castle Howard near Malton, lovely spot, all enclosed so the dogs can have a good run about, there's also a lovely little cafe x

  23. Hello Barb, super image, I need to reign my mind in, and try something with just 1 or 2 colours and a single stamp. It creates a really ethereal effect. Must sort my need list out, as there are some colours of ink I need to add to my collection. Where we live there is a lot of green space, and it is lovely to walk amongst tall trees. Have a great day. Bx

  24. How clever you are – a beautiful scene created from one stamp and how it evokes some long forgotten memories. When my sister and I were small, our parents had a summer house in one of the Scottish glens and from March until October, each weekend plus summer holiday were spent there, ;~}

  25. Morning Barb,

    Gorgeous, gorgeous card, love the scene you have created with the trees, it reminds me of when I was a child and used to go out to what is called the Licky Hills in Birmingham. I am sure its spelt differently but we had some lovely walks over there.

    Have a great day

    Love & hugs

    Jacquie J xxx
    http://jewelscardcraft.blogspot.co.uk/

  26. What a beautiful piece of art and I agree that colour combo is perfect….such a relaxing tranquil feel. The local woods here are full of bluebells and your blue gives just a hint of that….magical x

  27. Well Barb, you've kicked off my personal 'Clarity play day' with style – this will be my first project.
    I was sitting looking at all my beautiful Clarity stamps and just decided it was time to recreate as many of your blog projects as I can – hopefully I will hone a few skills at the same time! Thanks for keeping me on target.
    Maggie

  28. Great to see a picture come together with only browns for the main elements. Looks like it could be a very calm woodland glade perfect to sit and contemplate. Fab card! Xx

  29. Hi Barb,
    Gorgeous! I don't know how you do it, but I'm so glad you do as I learn so much from you! This would make a fantastic pesky male card! We have loads of trees here in County Durham and this could be anywhere in the countryside by the Wear. Teesdale is another beautiful valley. However, I think this mostly reminds me of the Highlands in Scotland and makes me think of the wonderful time Dave and I had there last year. – it was truly beautiful. I have to say this was the first time I've visited Scotlad and had sun! It normally rains as soon as I cross the border!
    My first bespoke stamp arrived earlier and can I just say how lovely it is so thank you for that too. I got the one you did the blog demo on and am waiting for the boy with the birds to come. Love Alison xx

  30. Looks like you prompted a lot of memories with this one. What a terrific way to use the stamps. Will have to put the trees on my birthday list so that I can try it out. Thank you for a lovely card idea.

  31. Wow Barb, I was loving the demo, especially as I have the stamps on order, now I will have to wait until my postie decides to deliver them….. then you used the word titivate, and that took me right back to my great aunt who used it a lot. Finally, when you said Ashdown forest, boy I want back about 60 years to when I was taken to the forest and we had a memorable day, with a super picnic to round it off.

  32. Oh this is fantastic. I haven't got this set but expect I could use another tree. I did take up the offer on the blending tool and mat after you showed me how to use properly at the NEC. You even had time to let me try myself and I have used the mat so much. Brilliant. This will make a very good male card, always a little harder to design for. Thankyou xx

Leave a Reply to Angela Simpson Cancel reply

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