Hope

Hope

Hi there.

Thanks for popping in. Up with the sky lark this morning. Restless night. So much to consider, to do, to think about. Our Queen’s death has had such a profound impact on so many, including myself. Speaking personally, I’ve never been one for crowds, even less so since COVID, so although we live very close to London, I choose to pay my respects to her good self and her family from a distance.

Needed to get out of my head and get with my hands. Did enough cleaning and sorting yesterday to last the rest of the year. Pottery? Not enough time to get stuck in before I have to go visit Dad. New Lino cut design? Head not right for designing.

Decided to get up and make a card, using another of those lovely Tina Cox designs in our new KISS range of stamps. Keep It Simple = KISS. Keep it Simple Stamps, Stencils, Silly, Stuff. You decide.

The thing about these KISS designs is they give you a lovely result very simply. Seriously, it works every time.

I thought a photo step-by-step might be good today. One for the archives.

First things first. What am I going to use? Simple Shape Mask and that tall stamp.

  • Stencil Card. Stamp the flower near the middle, using a black Archival ink pad. Allow to dry for 5 minutes.
  • Colour in using a B pencil or 2 from our Perga Liners. Creates a waxy protective cover.
  • Position the outer Simple Circle Mask over the top, and cover up the rst of the stencil card with low-tack masking tape

  • Use Clarity Stencil Brushes to swirl coloured ink into the open circle, concentrating on the outer edge. I used Old Parchment Distress Oxide ink first, but you can use any inks.
  • To blend a little blue into the mix, I dabbed a little blue ink (Stormy SKy) onto the mask and then swirled that in from the edge too. That’s how I got this lovely greeny blue blend.
  • Third colour Spiced Pumpkin, swirl in from the edge top left and bottom right.
  • Flick a few droplets of water at the artwork, and blot.

  • Remove the mask and replace on its carrier sheet for next time.
  • The perfectionist in me spots a spot, a tiny bleed. So can you ignore it Gray? Or do you have to do something?
  • Not a butterfly though!

  • Let’s add the sentiment from the same stamps set.
  • And will we stamp straight onto the artwork? Nope. We need a cover-up!
  • Top tip: if you want to use the box frame, stamp the words first, then the frame.

  • FInishing touches now. Embedder frame and Companion paper will do the trick.
  • Pick the right size Embedder
  • Attach it to the front with Low-tack masking tape.
  • flip the work over and emboss from the back, using a Groovi No. 2 tool.

Colour background? Northern Lights Companion Papers – Perfect…but which one?

A softer orange methinks, mounted on a Kraftcard instead of white for a change. Classy.

Like Yoga for the mind, with something beautiful and uplifting to show for your efforts. We are blessed to be crafters, aren’t we?

Have a good Sunday.

Love always,

Barb x x x

All the things I have used are on our website. CLICK HERE

17 thoughts on “Hope

  1. beautifull. so poignant at this time Hope is what iam doing at the moment and the only thing I can do. thankyou Barb. Friday night was fantastic. x

  2. Beautiful and stylish. loving the colours you have used. So good for the mind.
    I agree the passing of our Late Queen has impacted us more than any of us can have imagined.
    I’m so glad I’m visiting Mum so we can sit tomorrow and watch the funeral paying our last respects safely, as we have always done in front of the TV. London is lovely from afar, too many crowds for me too, even under normal circumstances.
    I do hope you get time to potter soon.
    love as always. xx

  3. Good morning, I have no need to go and stand in a queue either, everyday since the Queen leaving us I’ve thought of something different about the way I feel about it, from despair to start with, then starting to come to terms and then back to despair again, I really felt like it was the end of the world…. A bit dramatic you might think but I did ! I think I’m gradually coming to a calmer mindset now. The good thing is seeing the Royal family together, I feel sorry that they haven’t a lot of time to themselves but it has been good to see them interact with the public and that’s all down to the Queen. It’s been lovely to read the anecdotes about her. Anyway, moving on, I’ve got to pick Mum up for lunch shortly and then I might try to finish the Friday night lesson off later. Lovely project today, thank you for that. Wont manage live Shac on Thursday as it’s lunch club and we will be short on volunteers so I can’t even cry off ! Have a good day and love to the family, hope your Dad is doing ok. X

  4. So lovely to see this project on your blog. We as crafters are so lucky in that we can immerse ourselves in another world and switch off when we need to, even if only for a short while and give our poor stressed out brains a rest. I hope your dear Dad is continuing to improve and that the rest of the family are well.

  5. I too have no need to stand in queues for hours but I’ve had TV on almost since our Monarch died and have reflected on her life. However, I’m only picking out those programmes showing the history of everything as it’s very easy to get maudlin and it’s lovely to see them all together in the early years.
    I had my Covid Booster and Flu jab yesterday and endured a very disturbed night with very sore arm and very painful finger joints. We’re going out to lunch today with family for Husband’s birthday so when I get back I think it’s going to be an early night for me

  6. A beautiful and simple card Barbara– do love it very much.
    Despite I am not living in the UK but in the Netherlands I watch the BBC as often as I can.
    We often went to have our holiday in the UK and we love this country.
    Take care and have a peaceful Sunday

  7. Very beautiful. I’m trying more clean and simple designs myself at the moment too!

    I was also up at silly o’clock – I think having parents in their 90s too that the Queen’s death has made me see their increasing frailty and fatigue in a different light. They are both affected by it too, but are treasuring the card they received on 6th September from Her Majesty for their 70th Anniversary x

  8. That’s just beautiful Barbara. We had planned to queue for the lying-in-state yesterday with a very early start, but the queue was closed when I checked 4am & 5am, with a pre-queue(!) already waiting to join when it reopened (and a repcited wait of up to 24 hours…). Abandoned our plans – so wish I’d gone after work on Wednesday when the times were much shorter, but then we’re all perfect with hindsight, aren’t we? Take care xx

  9. Thank you for another lovely step by step project. We to cannot physically pay our respects to our dear departed Queen lying in State but the tv is a constant. Watching everything covered and the live stream of the Westminster Hall which makes you feel you are there. Tomorrow is going to be very hard and upsetting for all of us let alone the immense loss being experienced by the Royal Family but it’s upwards and onwards with the British Spirit our late Queen installed in us. X

  10. Lovely project, these stamps are so versatile.
    With the best will in the world I would be unable to queue and walk for so long so it’s the tv and armchair for me.
    My admiration goes to the new King, his siblings and the other royals for the dignity with which they have dealt with events at this trying time and for their generosity in sharing some time with the public.
    Long live the King.

  11. A lovely card, with a great step by step, thank you.
    I’ve watched more tv news since our lovey Queen passed away than I have for years (normally it’s just the headlines), then switch it over or off. I’ve been along to our church to sign the condolence book, and this evening, will pop along to our village war memorial, where there will be a gathering, to join together in order to honour the Queens life, where we will take part in the minute’s silence together, and ending with the National Anthem. xx

  12. Hello Barb, what a beautiful card. I have finally caved and bought all the embedder sets. Hope I get on ok with them. I have not had enough time for crafting this weekend, as hubby worked Saturday so I was responsible for shopping and housework, Sunday we both got stuck into cleaning and sorting before cold weather really kicks in. Monday was watching the funeral, but also had a live stream of my Nephews memorial from South Africa. So a bit of a sad and tearful day for me. Hope your Dad is doing well Barb. Take care and stay safe everyone. Bx

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