Sneek Peek midweek! Brand new Christmas Stamps!

Sneek Peek midweek! Brand new Christmas Stamps!

Hello there!
Thanks for popping in.
Thursday’s blog is something blue, right?
This piece actually started out life as a tester for the TV show,
you know, where I make sure that what I’m planning in my head actually works.
Yep, so we are tearing hills using the side of the 
Clarity Blending mat,
which comes FREE with the Blending Tools I plan on using…
Next, load a Clarity Stencil Brush with Denim Adirondack,
lay down one side of the hill and brush in the night sky,
then add the other half of the hill copy paper and add another load of dark blue ink.

Then, if you think like me,
try and kick yourself up the derriére 
for forgetting the moon mask.
Not easy, but burns loads of calories.

The clock is ticking, and I don’t have time to start again.
So. No moon.
Makes a nice change actually!
Spritz a little water and flick a little water.
Then swing that leg again for forgetting to cover up the land part and getting a huge puddle in the snow, 
instead of subtle planets and clouds.
This is turning into quite a workout!

Let’s deal with the puddle later.
Here’s where I showcase one of our fabulous 
new Christmas Stamp sets which is being launched
on the TV on Sunday.
It’s a huge unmounted Ribbon-Writing Merry Christmas,
which comes together with a set of brilliant words…
Of course, these are lightly joined, 
so that you can cut them out and use each one individually.
But as I read from top to bottom,
I thought,
“Perfect. I’ll use them all together!”
So I did.

Great set to use with the Funky Word Chains too.

Earlier in the year, we designed a Thank you Stamp set like this.
Remember?
Then out came one of the Christmas Wee Folk, 
who are also joining me on Sunday!
There are eleven other brilliant Wee Christmas stamps 
in the two Wee Stamp Chains,
most of them Wee Peeps!

Decided to colour in the ribbon writing with 
Looks so cool!

Thought I’d add some snow with a white Pilot pen.
But the white ink just kept soaking in and disappearing.
So I decided to anchor the elf – give him something to stand on,
while I came up with something…

Time to deal with that puddle.
Let’s go right round the card with a blending tool I said to myself,
and cover it up.
Nobody will ever know.

Black n Blue ink combination.
Didn’t hide the puddle though, did it!
Nope. Just made it worse!
So now I’ve got snow which won’t settle, 
and a dark patch right underneath the elf!

Then I had a moment of Clarity!
I know!
How about using a white pencil underneath the white Pilot pen, 
so that the white ink just sits on the not so white pencil dot.

Spot on! Works a treat!
And while I had the white pencil to hand, I thought I might see if I could tone down the puddle and bring out the parcels….
Bingo.
Needs a little bling.
I’m no glitter girl,
but a bit of shimmer on a Christmas Card is great.
Rummaged around and pulled out a Sakura Star Dust Gell Pen.
It’s clear, so it goes straight over any colour and adds a shimmer.
Went back over the ribbon-writing with it.
Lovely.
Called Steve to check we have them in stock.
YES. Sweet.
So there we are.
Now you know what to do. 
And what not to do.

Time press on.
I got totally distracted there.
TV prep for this one now!
I’ll see how different I can make it!
Nothing like a little challenge…
love and hugs,

72 thoughts on “Sneek Peek midweek! Brand new Christmas Stamps!

  1. Love the ribbon writing stamp and looking forward to seeing the Christmas wee folk. Roll on Sunday. Just ordered some more word chàins, thanks for the special prices, Barbara. Love the groovi plates, that's my Christmas cards sorted.

  2. Love the ribbon writing stamp and looking forward to seeing the Christmas wee folk. Roll on Sunday. Just ordered some more word chàins, thanks for the special prices, Barbara. Love the groovi plates, that's my Christmas cards sorted.

  3. Love the ribbon writing stamp and looking forward to seeing the Christmas wee folk. Roll on Sunday. Just ordered some more word chàins, thanks for the special prices, Barbara. Love the groovi plates, that's my Christmas cards sorted.

  4. Hi Barbara, you sound on top form today :-). You are sooo funny, had me laughing :-). Love this artwork and your new stamps, especially the wee elf, they'll be getting added to my need list! Thank you for sharing, the artwork, but also the what not to do and more importantly how to put right what not to do!!!

    I thought I'd tell you about my very scary time last night. Now my head has had time to process it, it looks like here was bang (pun intended!!!) in the centre of a very violent thunder and lightning storm. The ground outside my bedroom slopes down so the window is too high up for anyone to see in, so I can leave the curtains open at night. I like to do that in the summer so I can lie in bed at night and watch the clouds and stars and stuff, and if I don’t sleep I watch the dawn break too. With the curtains being open I noticed flashes of lightning on and off, some jagged. I thought it looked far off and must be because even with the windows open I couldn’t hear any thunder. So, unusually for me, I didn’t get scared and I settled to watch and enjoy nature’s light display. Then suddenly, what seemed like from nowhere, the lightning was directly above, flashes and jagged and going literally non stop, accompanied with the loudest thunder I’ve ever heard, all going non stop with no intervals in between. Then there was this almighty bang of thunder the sound from all over everywhere, all the car alarms started going, and that’s when the power went off too. My head was really struggling to process any of what had suddenly started happening so I was just stood there stunned, literally not knowing what was going on. The lightning was so constant that when the power went off the room was still a bit lit up, it was like a lamp light bulb flickering as they sometimes do just before blowing. I had the laptop on instead of the telly so obviously that went onto battery mode instead of going off which only added to my confusion. My head just couldn’t work out what was happening. It was all too fast and way too much input for my Asperger’s brain, so it kind of short circuited from the overload. It wasn’t until the lightning started moving off and it got proper dark that I realised the power was off. So then it was scrabbling round in the dark to find my torch before my fears of the dark kicked in!! It’s a shakey torch – you shake it instead of it being batteries, but because I don’t have people coming now it isn’t getting charged up regularly, so it had very little light in it. So then I was scrabbling round in the craft room with this very dim light, trying to shake it while also trying to move all the stuff out the way to get to the wee cupboard in here where my candles are. And then it was trying to find my way out round /through all the stuff I had to move out the way so I could get to the kitchen to find the gas lighter! Lessons learned – don’t be sad that it looks like the rain has bypassed you and you’ll have to water the gardens tomorrow, and, put the candles and gas lighter together, somewhere that’s easy to reach!!!

    I'm going to try to get myself to actually do some craft, finish off what I had got started before getting totally stuck with it again. Can't justify buying new Clarity stash if I'm not creating can I!!!!

    Hugs, love Brenda xx

    1. Oh Brenda what a night you had hope you have manage to settle down again today ,lots of hugs coming your way ,your crafting wish list is getting longer each day xxx

    2. Thanks Sheila, it's helping getting it out, telling people, I texted Nicola last night and again earlier today and telling you guys:-). I know, Barbara needs to stop producing so many things that I want /need to give me a chance of catching up!!!! And, if I'm not careful, by the time I stop prevaricating over buying the Groovi system (which I do kind of know I will be getting) that will be another list as long as my arm of all the extra design plates I want between now and then!!!! Asperger's – I'm total rubbish at making decisions, even very simple everyday things, hence I'm always at the coo's tail!!! Hope you're managing to keep cool, feels more close up here today than it did yesterday. Hugs back xx

      Hi Donna, thinking about you my friend, what's today been like for you? Big bear hugs xx

    3. Hi Brenda, feeling OK today, relieved it went well yesterday after all the planning and organising. It was a strange day, mixed emotions. I think the wait before the cars arrived was the worst bit! It was nice to spend time with family, everyone supporting and as Barbara said yesterday giving hugs to help each other heal! Thank you for sending your hugs I appreciate the fact that you were thinking of me more than you will know XX. I'm sure Phoebe enjoyed the hugs too 😉
      That storm sounds very scary! I don't like really loud thunder either and when the power goes off I always remember scary movies! I think keeping the candles and the lighter together sounds like a wise plan. Xx

    4. Brenda that must have been really scary for you. I'm glad that sharing your fears has helped and that you've come up with some solutions! I keep a little torch in my bedside cabinet now, just in case the power goes off – seems to be more common the further north you get!!! Susan x

    5. That's good and a relief that you're feeling a bit better today. I'm glad you felt supported by your family, and no doubt you were giving them even more support back ;-). Thank you, just wish there was more I could do for you :-). Did you have to go to work today? Mind you the distraction, having to make yourself do your work, may be a bit of a blessing in disguise, instead of sitting watching the time tick past on your own at home. Where are you at with your crafting, have you managed to do any at all yet, other than the last minute cards for your step dad? I'm still waiting on my stupid eyes for us doing our rose bowl. I have thought of a way of you trying out your Groovi plate for me when it arrives and you're up for trying it, if you don't mind, if you compare using it to drawing, sketching type thing with a pen/pencil. If it's like that then I could probably get away with adding it in, if it takes more effort then I'd need to be interchanging it with things I already do. Well that's assuming I'm doing any crafts!!! I am trying, every wee bit is a step closer to getting back into it, I'm sure you feel the same right now, although I don't have anything as devastating as your reason for getting stuck with it.

      Aye, I should follow my own advice! Guess what I did when I got up today – proceeded to clear away the mess I left last night and put away the candle and lighter in their old places!!!

      Sorry I'm just waffling, but I find that can help me when 'm struggling so was thinking it might help you today. Big bear hugs love Brenda xx

    6. OK will try that out when my groovi arrives and let you know. I don't mind you waffling, if it helps you 🙂 I have been doing some colouring in my book that I got from my local craft store. The pictures are ok but nothing like as interesting as the teapot so am eagerly awaiting the Clarity colouring book. I made all the order of service books for the funeral so have been busy using CA on the laptop, doing digital crafting has made me desperate to get my inks and paints out though so it won't be long until my hands will need to be covered in bicarbonate of soda to clean off the coloured mess! Xx

    7. Brenda I hope you are ok now and have thought of a sensible place to leave the candle and lighter, although if you are like me I would need one in the old place too as I would forget in my rush to get them! Was Daisy alright in the storm or did she go all soft and come for a cuddle?
      Sending you a big hug today xxxx

    8. Thank you Barbara, sounds like you've experienced similar. Unfortunately there's more forecast for here within the next few hours and then that's it. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed it's only rain this time! Lightning never striking in the same place twice and all that!!! xx

      Donna, the waffling was an attempt to help you – distraction/connecting to something else, I've clearly failed on that one then!!!! 😉 Well remember to cover up ALL the bunker/table before you start this time then!!! xx

    9. Diane, that's funny, aye no doubt I would be heading back to the old place too! And, naw, Daisy scarpered to as far under my bed as she could be and left me to it!!!! Hugs back xx

    10. Cover everything, just when the mood strikes, where's the fun in that? Its only after that I think about things like that.
      Saw some reports on the news tonight about the storms up north, looked so scary with all that lightning forking across the sky. There were hale stones as well and they were as big as golf balls. Safe indoors is the only way to go, maybe under the bed with Daisy next time! I'm sure she would make room for you XX

    11. Ha, ha. I do often wish I could be a bit more like you normal folk, not think about /worry about a wee bit (or big bit) mess, sometimes I do manage it. But then when I see proper messy people, some of the workers I've had, I'm like no I'd rather be me!!!! Well, I had given that a thought, it's a double bed so plenty of room for both of us, problem is under my bed has storage boxes of card, but then in desperation, they'd get yanked out eh. I wonder what Daisy would make of that, me joining her in her bolt hole!!!! She does seem to often be inviting me in though with the toys and treats she hides under there, taking great pleasure watching me pull the boxes out and slide under to fetch whatever for her!!! I saw those pictures too, they seemed to get off lightly in comparison to here!!! But no hailstones here, that would have been even worse if those were bouncing off everything! xx

    12. Oh Brenda – what a carry on. I hate thunderstorms – luckily they have by-passed us this time! You had me sitting on the edge of my seat reading your account of the night. My heart goes out to you, that must have been so scary for you!
      Years ago, my hubby used to work shifts and we had a Golden Retriever, Leo (& yes he was like the lion out of the Wizard of Oz, literally scared of his own shadow!). Well one winter's evening, hubby was working & there was a huge storm going on, mega gusts of wind, torrential rain, thunder, lightening….the lot…..& we had a power cut into the bargain, so I was sitting in candlelight……there was an almighty bang upstairs & instead of Leo protecting me, he ran over behind my chair and was cowering looking at me to go & see what it was! Luckily it was just the loft-hatch where it wasn't secured properly- a huge gust of wind had blown through and dislodged the catch! I did go into panic-mode when I heard it I must admit, but my pulse rate soon returned to normal when I mustered up the courage to go upstairs!
      Well take care Brenda and I hope that the storms have subsided now where you are! Send hugs, Carole xxx

    13. Thank you Carole :-). That's funny about Leo, yeah our 'loyal' animal friends are loyal only up to a point!!! I saw a couple of families in England have had their homes destroyed by the lightning yesterday, poor souls. I haven't heard of anything up here, so for that we have to be grateful. Hugs back xx

    14. Donna, I was just thinking, if your colouring book is not that interesting, have you considered using busy stencils to draw outlines for colouring in/zentangling xx

    15. Good idea, I will have to look through my stencils and choose one to doodle in. Hope last night was quiet for you and you didn't have to join Daisy under the bed! Xx

  5. Wow Barbara what a lovley set for Christmas( I have the thank you set ) love the wee people too so the Christmas ones will go nicely together a beautiful card even with the little mistakes looking forward to Sunday's show got it set to record so don't miss anything hope you have got plenty prepped as it all sells out before you start which is fabulous .happy crafting with lots of hugs xxx

  6. I always love the way you're happy to hold up your hands & say that sometimes things don't go right. That is just what happens in our craft rooms…… you're one of us !

  7. Love it, glad I'm not the onl one who makes goofs, Just had to cover up a black line made by my stamp mount ! a neat little tree…no-one will ever know !! lol Loving the Chrstmas stamp,I like the idea of all the words along the side too, different… looks fab.!

  8. Can't wait 'til Sunday to record the show – don't know how you keep coming up with new ideas – don't ever change will you ?
    Crafty hugs. xx

  9. Hi Barb,
    Loving the new Merry Christmas stamps – very useful.im pleased it's not just us mere mortals who make mistakes though! The only difference is that you know how to resolve them!!! Looking forward to the show on Sunday. Love Alison xx

  10. Super demo, loving the look of the new Christmas wee folk designs, will be ordering early to avoid disapointment.

    Can I say a big THANK YOU to you and all the lovely people people who have been leaving me messages recently. They are all helping me cope with the loss of my dad. I hope you realise what a ecial blog you have here Barbara, I am so grateful to be a part of it. Much love Donna xx

    1. Hi Donna so pleased it went well or as well as any funeral goes ,yesterday's blog was so lovley to read to know how many of us get comfort from our crafting and clarity blog I too have lost many family members yesterday's blog fetched back memories of how hugs helps us through and we look to our memories to help us through lots of hugs xxx

    2. Hi Donna, been thinking about you and feeling sad for you. I guess you just have to get through this one day at a time now, with lots of love and hugs. xxx

    3. Hi Donna, pleased things went as well as they could. Thinking of you and sending very caring hugs to you. It will be hard, but you will always have your dad with you in your heart. Love Alison xx

  11. Great card Barbara, and I do love it when you show us how to "fix" an unhappy accident! I really must not buy any more Christmas stamps, but these are so tempting!!! We'll see how long my resolve lasts once I get to see Sunday's shows and all the fabulous design team samples, Susan x

  12. Hello Barbara. Can't wait till Sunday to see these wee folk come to life. I love the large Thank You and now the Merry Christmas – that's a must have. You are so clever with your designs. xx Margaret Col.

  13. This is lovely Barbara and says that everyone makes mistakes but it's the clever way you deal with it that makes the difference. These seasonal words are a great edition and will be so useful too and am looking forward to seeing you on Sunday. x

  14. These stamps look great, but I can't ring up again and add to my existing order, I have already added to it twice! Must say Barbara, your staff are great on the phone, helpful and nothing too much trouble. I normally order online but on this occasion forgot to add a couple of things in and thought it would be easier if I phoned to get them to add to this order rather than you have to send out separately with the extra processing, packaging and postage that would mean. It was very easy and all sorted in a jiffy by your efficient and friendly staff. Great customer service and a credit to you, often we forget to say when things go well only when they go badly so thought I'd remember to say well done! Can't wait to receive my goodies and get going. Karen.

  15. Great card and great tutorial. I'm glad I was right to resist some ( but not all) of your recent offers and wait for the new releases. I love that Christmas stamp, so elegant and doesn't need much else for a lovely card. Carol

  16. Hi Barbara
    The Merry Christmas is a must have and I am very fond of the Wee Folk so the new ones will be on my shopping list. I always intend to start my Christmas cards early but it never happens.
    X Chris

  17. Hi Barbara
    What a wonderful journey you took us on today with all the lumps and bumps along the way, I could hear you talking to us as you made mistakes and corrected them. Great saving ideas, but I did like the little elf who had had a little puddle accident! He made me chuckle.
    Enjoy your evening and try not to stress too much
    Love and hugs
    Diane xxxx

  18. Oh wow barb – those wee folk are looking fabulous!!! Your card is amazing – and so glad that you perseveered with that blot! It looks amazing x

  19. Hi Barbara,
    a beautiful card with an unusual colour. The ribbon writing is great.
    Please show us more of the Christmas wee folk!!!!!!!!!
    I guess everyone is curious to see them…
    Rolf xxx

  20. Knowing you are not completely 100% infallible just makes me love you more! Ill be watching Sunday – just tell those presenters they make you work with to let you demo this time! last month they blethered on so much all the stock was gone before you had a chance to show us anything!

  21. Hi Barbara
    Looking forward to the show this weekend and seeing all the new Christmas items.
    Brilliant rescue Barbara,don't know if I'd have been able to rescue the piece.

  22. Even gurus make mistakes. makes me feel so much better. when i'm kiking myself next i will be chuckling thinking of this post and picturing you doing it ;). fab tutorial and thanks for making pics larger, hugs xx

  23. just had a naughty thought… you could have coloured the puddle yellow that the wee elf was standing in! what with all the excitement of Christmas looming. Apologies if I have offended anyone. looking forward to Sundays show,
    Linda

    1. Linda my thoughts exactly! You know what it's like when it's a bit sloppy underfoot and we get a bit frightened of falling over! Yes I feel for the poor little elf 🙂 xxx

  24. Hello Barb, absolutely brilliant! That's the artwork, the stamps and the ideas and tips. Love the Ribbon word stamps, they make such a lovely card. I use my Thank one quite a bit. Looking forward to the shows. Hope the prep is going well. Bx

  25. Love them all, can't wait to buy my 'wee folk' and word stamps. here I go 'broke' again. Thank you for such lovely stamps just as I was trying to avoid thinking about Christmas!

  26. Many thanks…have enjoyed having a chuckle tonight at your sense of humour Barbara and learning as I read your blog 😃. So looking forward to your show on Sunday. 😀

  27. Lol you always make me smile with your blog posts Barbara, it's the way you write 'em. Anyway there are no mistakes just happy artistic accidents xx

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