Headed south for the winter….and A GARDEN CHALLENGE

Headed south for the winter….and A GARDEN CHALLENGE

Hi there!
Thanks for popping in!
Tuesday’s blog is when we play with ink,
so here’s a step by step for you to try,
showcasing a few lovely new Artistry inks, and
showing off an old brayering technique on Clarity card.
This coated card is brilliant for brayering landscapes.
You just can’t beat it.
and roll to and fro over the coated card at one end.

Now load the brayer with the next colour, 
and starting in over the first colour, start rolling back and forth again, blending the 2 together.

Third colour, Groovy Grape.
Load the brayer and roll in from the other end until the 2 colours meet.

So this is what you could call a Mexican sunset – an Hombre.
Err… I mean OMBRÉ

Hills next.
Tear a piece of copy paper, position it for the hills,
and roll more of the Groovy ink to create the front mountains.
Move the copy paper up a little and roll in more hills, more faded.

The more layers of faded hills you roll into the distance,
the more depth you give your landscape. 

Polish with a tissue to a high buff.

Now let’s come back from Mexico,
into our little garden in Crowborough…
Birdhouse in Black Archival
I love this stampset….

Now for Romeo…

Now I want to add a little white picket fence….
Add some bleach to a piece of Cut n Dry Felt.
Stamp the picket fence into the bleach and then onto the artwork.
The fence is built to slot into the larger image…
YAY!!! It works brilliantly!!!

Geese heading south for the winter…

I enjoyed the bleachy fence so much,
I want to go all along the front!

Cut the top part off,

and attach it to the bottom.

Edge with a black Sharpie Pen

Perfect Harmony.
A serene scene for your pleasure.

we are having a little refresh and a make-over; 
so why not pop over tomorrow or the day after,
and maybe have a go at September’s challenge?
The theme is
In The Garden!
I hope I have given you a little inspiration.
Why not get ye old brayer out and create a few rolling hills?
The Clarity Challenge Design Team have got some very cool ideas too.
There’s a £50 gift Voucher in it for the winner, you know…
Love & hugs,
Barb
xxx
PS 
If you are collecting the ink pads,
you will find them in the OFFERS section, at www.claritystamp.co.uk
(the three I used for £12).

79 thoughts on “Headed south for the winter….and A GARDEN CHALLENGE

  1. Wow Barbara stunning art work this is one of my favourite sets love your inspiration hope your feeling brighter today sending lots of hugs your way xxx

    1. Evening dear family of blog friends sending caring hugs your way hugs to all on the blog I've had a very busy day today with appointments they both went well and shopping was delivered this evening and Tom put it all away so I'm in bed resting it will be an early night got two rest days then a very early liver scan Friday got to be at the hospital for 8.30am as cannot eat for 6 hrs and with me having diabetes ive got to eat with my medication I should be back home for 9.30am in time for my medication and breakfast then I will have 3 days to rest and maybe a little crafting for Septembers clarity blog challenge with the stamp set that Barbara has just used .i will say goodnight sweet dreams to all xxx

    2. Oh, you have got a busy week ahead Sheila. Please try and get plenty of rest in between your appointments. Thinking of you with love. Sending lots of gentle hugs. xxx

    3. Morning to you all hope you have a good day thinking of you all, I've just had a phone call from Drs he wants some more bloods taken this week so they have booked me in for tomorrow morning what a week but cannot complain as been looked after .hugs to you all xxx
      I might have to enter my sunflowers stencil that I did over a few days with grunge paste into Septembers clarity blog challenge in the garden as I won't be crafting for a while with all my appointments xxx

  2. OMG! Stunning! So clever, I love it, got to have a go at this. Thank you Barb, hope you're feeling so much better today. Today's blog was defintely inspirational. Thank you, thank you. Xxxxx

  3. Barbara that is beautiful! I really want to have a go at this bleaching! I know bleach works on some craft card and changes the colour so there is a lot of milage in this bleaching!
    Can't wait to see what you do next!
    Love and hugs! Xxx

  4. Just beautiful & so appropriate for late summer evenings such as today when the sun is getting lower in the sky every day. Hope you are feeling well again, sure looks like you are back on form! Xxx

    1. Hi Theresa, I tried to by these pots from the chain store but they could not help me. I think my description was off. They would be so useful with the grandchildren. Was I in the right store?

  5. Hi Barbara
    Beautiful colours for your landscape. No one can use a brayer quite like you. The inks look like a must have but I will have to use up my distress inks and Adirondacks first. I wonder how long it will be before I succumb and treat myself. I have the stamp set and use it all the time. I am looking forward to your next shows and more new stamps. I am waiting for my Groovi box template and borders to arrive. Thank you for your inspiration.
    Be Happy
    Hugs from Chris X

  6. This is beautiful Barbara. Never going to happen up here in oor gardens though!!!! That bird feeder would be blown over today for a start, or at the very least all the food blown off it, so Romeo is sitting there waiting in vain!!! Don't hold out much hope for the picket fence either unless Dave goes out with a hammer and a tonne of nails!!!! Thanks for sharing. please stop tempting me with all these new ink pads, it's so hard to resist!!!

    I can't handle competition, so I'm not able to try any of the challenges.

    I hope you are feeling better today
    Love Brenda xx

    1. Hi, Barbara Hope you are feeling better , I don't like it one bit when I'm not up,to snuff . But—- it does make you appreciate the good days . Joy now , jan. P.s. Lovely card and colors .

    2. Evening Brenda. We live in a windy area too. Hubby gas screwed a B
      bracket to our little garden wall and screwed the bird table to that to stop it blowing over. Take care xx

    3. Thanks everyone xx
      No, boiler even worse today, now it's doing the same thing with the hot water as it's been doing with heating part. It's too hard for me, I can't deal with it any more. It was a whole year ago this week when I was told my service was ending. Been struggling on and on by myself for nearly a year, through huge stuff as well as every day problems etc. Seems the barrel is empty now, nothing left in me, especially for something as huge as this ongoing boiler issue, knowing what I went through with them in the winter, only to end up back at square one. Billions/trillions of human beings on this planet, and not one single one for me.

      Yes it's very windy today, and getting stronger. But it was sunny most of the day and nice and warm, warm forcus up here anyway, you guys down south would no doubt be saying it was cool/cold!!!

      Hope your scan goes ok Sheila.

    4. Morning Brenda bless you thinking of me when your struggling so .have you got a number for your gardener do you think he could help you even if he could ring them for you sending lots of caring hugs and a cuddle for daisy xxx

    5. Brenda, is there anyone on this blog living near you who could help you to sort out your boiler problems? Or, could your gardener make the necessary phone calls to get it sorted? I hate the thought that you have no-one to help you, and that you could end up being cold as we head towards winter. xxx Maggie

  7. Hi Barb,
    This is lovely. Very atmospheric. I love the colours you have chosen and the bleach has worked so well on the picket fence. This is one of my favourite stamp sets. Hope you are feeling better today as well. Love and hugs Alison xx

    1. Hi bloggy friends,
      Been another nice day here. Dave did really well on the garden and shifting rocks. I don't know how he manages it, but he never seems to get a hangover, so the rock shifting wasn't a punishment!! Had a little go on the turbo trainer – only 15 minutes, but better than nothing. Hope you've all had as good a day as possible. Love and hugs to you all, Alison xxx

    2. Hello Alison, It sounds like you're really getting on with your Turbo trainer. Will I still recognise you next week??? I am just the same..a beached whale hahaha! Love and Hugs xxx

    3. Hello Alison I've neen making blackberry and apple jam today. The weather was good for picking blackberries. Do you know much about the Clarity demo day at Crafter's Companion, I thought I may brave the journey there. Love Chris xx

    4. Hi Chris,
      No, just saw it on the club newsletter – I know one thing though, I will be going! A whole Barbara Gray weekend!!! I might pop through to Crafters Companion and see if there's any info. If I find out, I'll let you know. Of course Barbara might tell us( pretty please Barbara!) xxxx

  8. Hi Barbara
    Hope you are feeling better today, it's late and you're not chatty so possibly not. Then again, it's late you must be insanity busy preparing for the weekend and you probably haven't eaten much! Today's artwork is beautiful, proper Barbara stuff. Beautiful inks, beautiful stamps and the bleach is amazing. If I wear old clothes I might give this a try. Thank you for taking the time to show us, sending you a hug tonight.
    Love Diane xxx

    1. Hi Morag, yes thank you, I've been having a groovi day making a new home card. Almost finished it, went to put new home on it and did it the wrong way round! Changed it to good luck – what a save and only a little swearing! Hello to all my lovely blog friends. Sending hugs all round xxx

  9. Hello Barbara. I hope you're feeling better today. I love the colours you've used for the background. This is one of my favourite stamp sets. I've used it umpteen times and never realised that the fence slots into the birdhouse fence…..doh!!!! Love and Hugs xxx

  10. Hi to all my bloggy friends. I hope you've all had as good a day as you can. Gilly I hope you're not too tired after your journey to the hospital and back. Another one ticked off eh! I'm away to my bed now.
    Love and Hugs to you all. xxx

  11. Fab scene with 'go to' stamps which always deliver! Just wish I could persevere with the brayer more. It's a case of 'can do' but 'don't do.' Or at least not very often. Loving the the new ink pads, they look great too. ;~}

    1. I think the brayering is a confidence thing. Maria had us all doing it at her class. The month before she told us about the next month's brayer session and a groan went up but I certainly improved with her help xx

  12. Loved the card ,colours and composition. Will have to have a go. I have just ordered the geese because the are not in my stash.
    I hope you are feeling better Barbara. xx

  13. I was thinking 'ah that a looks familiar style' and then you go and introduce the ombre effect and the bleaching. I should know you always find a new twist on an old technique! Lovely mix of colours and very atmospheric. Love it.
    Hope you're feeling better. Carol x

  14. Hi everyone, been to the theatre tonight to see the Glen Miller Story with Tommy Steele playing Glen Miller – great show. Tommy Steele will be 80 in Dec – I hope I'm as spritely at his age ! Great band and music of course. I was still waiting for him to sing Little White Bull though ! Been another hot day here as well, just sat out in the garden and had a cuppa and star gazing. Hugs to all x x

  15. Beautiful artwork. I'm always tempted by this set because I want Romeo!

    Not ready to think about the September challenge yet, still working on August's. I may have bitten off more than I can chew with my snipping! But will keep at it. Someone has to be the last entry, may as well be me again. At least it gives me something to think about for the whole month.

  16. These colours look fabulous together Barbara and what a great idea to use the picket fence stamped with the bleach which gives a wonderful effect. These Artistry inks certainly are beautiful. I hope you are feeling better today. x

  17. Gorgeous colours… trying to 'sit' on my hands and not order these fab new inks as have lots of distress pads to use up first (should I leave some of the lids off and claim they dried up I ask myself? lol – nah that would be really really naughty although its very tempting!!!) Will have to give this a go using the pads I already have and see how I get on, at least if it all goes wrong I can blame it on my inkpads – hee hee!

    1. Just to tease you, Su, the Artistry inks are so much smoother than the Distress inks, in my opinion, and the colours are luscious. I have both sets in the mini pads so they are easy to fit in my craft bag. Have fun. xxx Maggie

  18. Hello Barb, a perfect sunset, bless poor Romeo, sitting there wishing he had wings. Love the picket fence with the bleach on top of the lovely colours, very brave move. Take care. Bx

  19. Morning Barbara, Wow, bleach features again on this gorgeous scene. I really must pluck up the courage to use bleach, the effect is fabulous. I love your transitions from one colour to another and after buffing, looks stunning. The stamping completes this masterpiece, beautifully.
    Lots of love from Patricia xx

    1. Julia I slept well thank you but Drs rang this morning got to have some more bloods taken tomorrow morning I might fall asleep Friday having my liver scan that would be funny 😂 Xxx

  20. I did comment last night but it has been snatched by cyberspace!

    Great demo And the bleach looks really effective. Can I trust myself with a pot of bleach on the craft table……….. Xx

  21. Morning bloggy friends, hope you are well. Don't know where my comment went last night but here I am! Kept pressing post and it disappeared everytime. I love the look of the bleach, not sure I can be trusted wit it in the craft room. When I clean I get it everywhere! Xx

  22. What a beautiful piece of art! The colours are stunning. It is great to see traditional Barbara brayer techniques used with something that is newer to me, using the bleach. It shows the quality of the Clarity stamps that they can cope with something as aggressive as bleach. Hope you are feeling better today. xxx Maggie

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