Let’s finish that step by step.
Hi there
Thanks for popping in. Happy Sunday. Dave and I decided to work this morning, “to get ahead of the week ahead” as we say! He was heading for our Clarity Printroom, to die cut 5×5 inch scored white card blanks on the old Heidelberg press. They’re for next Saturday’s new Card-stitch packs.
Conversation ran like this…
- Me: “Can’t it wait until Tuesday?”
- Dave: “There’s a lot to cut out.”
- Me: “How many’s a lot?”
- Dave “10 thousand”
- Me: “Right. I’ll see you later then !” 😂😂😂😂😂
Me? I just had to empty all the demo boxes from last Friday’s TV shows, and make a start on what’s coming up next weekend! It’s relentless at the moment! But Dave and I have got most of September off, which will be good. We‘re looking forward to a break. Most folks take small breaks throughout the year, wrap extra days off around bank holidays, and such. Dave and I save all our holidays and then bugger off for about a month! To be honest, you never really switch off when you own and run the company. But I did have to laugh when I heard the latest legislation that this current government is going to try and implement. Ready for this? They want to pass a law whereby an employee can sue his/her employer if they call them at the weekend. What about the other way round?? Apparently, it’s all about the employee’s “right to switch off”. It just keeps getting better and better. SME’s (Small and Medium Sized Enterprises) employ almost 17 million people in the UK. That’s 61% of the workforce. Clarity falls into the Small Company category. But like I said, there are lots of us. Over 5.5 million, in fact. Small businesses are considered small when they employ 0-49 employees. So. What was I saying? Ah yes. Dave and I were working today. Sunday. Nuff said.
Yesterday, I showed you that clever BOW-WOB on GelPress technique that our Sam Crowe came up with.
Today I thought I’d put the technique into context, and complete the artwork. Here goes…
- 1 Mount the 6×6 Gel Press on its megamount
- 2 Drag/smear Distress Oxide ink across the Gel Press
- 3 Lightly place a BOW-WOB paper on the inky Gel press and lightly smooth out.
- 4 Peel off the BOW-WOB paper (you can use the same piece to transfer many times, or use as a lovely coloured BOW-WOB paper!)
- 5 Plant the white stencil card on the Gel press plate. Burnish the back (give it a good rub!)
- 6 Peel your coloured print. Magic!
Next.
- 7 Use a matching Archival ink pad (Golden Rod is gorgeous) to stamp the silhouette butterfly backdrop stamp I showcased on Friday. Stamp onto our square Stamp board.
- 8 Cut out a “loose” mask, (leave a little gully all around) out of our mask material blanks, to cover up the stamped image
- 9 Repeat the Yellow Distress Oxide Transfer trick with the BOW-WOB paper, and this time place the stamp board on the Gel press. Press and lift off.
- 10 Remove the mask to reveal the lovely stamped image and background.
Next.
- We’re layering up on a 6×6 inch black card, so..
- 11 Trim the patterned background to 5×5 inches
- 12 Pick a perfect Companion Paper. As I recall, this yellow came from the Northern Lights collection. But they pretty much all have fabulous yellow tones. Make half an inch larger than the front piece.
- 13 Cut a strip of the same BOW-WOB paper to use as a kind of panel/cigar band. Attach to the front piece and wrap round the back.
- 14 layer the front piece with the black strip on the yellow Companion Paper.
- 15 Colour in the Silhouette Butterfly stamp with yellows, greys and black.
- Pick a couple of cool Pinky Gray Stickers, and attach.
Finally…
- Once the shading and colouring is done, run a black Sharpie pen all round the stamp board edges. It works like a charm
- Mount on the card front.
- Make another Gel Press print out of yellow for the inside of the card, but use the reverse paper this time, which will be lighter.
Just remember: whatever is black on the BOW-WOB paper will come out ANY colour you put on the Gel Press. What a game changer! And yes. Festive BOW-WOB Papers in the pipeline! CLICK HERE TO FIND
Looking for the Gel Press and Megamounts? Here they are...
Time to clock off and go for a walk. Welly weather….
Love always,
Barb x x x
34 thoughts on “Let’s finish that step by step.”
Beautiful. I love this technique. I’ve still got a virgin Gelli plate at the moment and always want to give your techniques a try. Don’t know what’s stopping me 🤔.
one day x
Take a deep breath and go for it! You’ll love it but be warned it is addictive because you never know what you’re going to get.
Make a decision to spend a morning experimenting and playing . Just do it. You won‘t regret it xxx
Thank you for the step by step Barbara, always useful to have a reference especially as we get older. Really looking forward to the Christmas BOWWOB papers. All your and your teams hard work is appreciated by your customers. Also your constant ingenuity. Enjoy your September.
Thanks for your loyalty too! Without customers like yourself, where would we be? Xxx
Yes – have good time off, you deserve it!
Love
Maggie (is Ragnar still sore?)
Ragnar‘s eye is closed ! Looks like a boxer who‘s been in a bundle!
The BOW-WOB festive papers sound interesting, sure they will be as exciting as the originals.
About time you and Dave had a good holiday. You work so hard the whole of the rest of the year so enjoy your September break and come back refreshed.
Thanks. Yes Bow Wob festive papers are looking fabulous!! I reckon they‘d make super wrapping paper too if they were bigger!
Stamps ordered along with the library green ink – I was completely off track with my guess on which inks you had used but a great learning curve on the process so looking forward to having a play when they arrive. Thanks for the step by step instructions above which I will refer back to in due course.
Hopefully by now Dave has returned home after his mammoth cutting task & after next weekend you will really deserve your break x
The colours were pretty obscure ! But lovely combo eh?! Xx
Lovely step by step, thank you. I bet you & Dave can’t wait to finally switch off and have a really good, long, deserved break – we will miss you though xxx
Thanks Beverley. The wedding is getting closer! Excited?? Not much!!! Xxx
Absolutely fantastic tutorial once again, thank you so much. The time you spend sharing your years of experience and know-how with us all, is so greatly appreciated. You always make me feel that everything is possible if you’re willing to try. The shac shac has taught me that.
The good ship Clarity and your most amazing brilliant staff/colleagues ensures It will be in very safe hands, while you have a well earned and deserved break. Enjoy every moment ….. and start counting sleeps!!
Thanks for your generous words! It‘s important to share what you know, don‘t you agree? Xxx
I hope you both have a wonderful break you deserve it. I finally finished painting one window frame today, 2 more almost finished and then a patio door, need a warmer day to keep the door open. I did use a craft tip to remove the masking tape, I got out my heat gun and didn’t just rip the tap off, worked a treat. I did venture into my craft area this afternoon and unpacked my last clarity order which contained a large geli press, treat to myself for all the decorating, I’m sure I’m saving us a lot of money doing it myself. I look forward to playing when I’ve finished with the decorating.
When the Bow-Wob papers came out I was not too keen however, after seeing so many ideas, tips, tricks and inspiration I bought 2 packs in the sale and guess what – I just love them. I also bought the big gel press and hope to have a play tomorrow. Take care Barbara and Dave travel gently xx
There ya go! I appreciate your honesty Anne. I LOVE the Bow-Wob papers !!
You two so deserve a month off!!! Hope you’re going somewhere fabulous where you can’t get a WiFi signal – sometimes we just need to unplug and recharge x
Bear country Lake Tahoe! Xx
Just looked it up on Google Earth – a lot of trees for bears to hide behind! Must be lovely, snow on the ground and sun out when the pics were taken. X
Thanks for blogging the Bow wow papers with gel press ! I’m glad I’m no longer part of the working world, I did some HR amongst lots of other things all at the same time and it was that part that started my road to early retirement, now it seems to be going to get worse ! Clarity sounds a lovely place to be at work, and I was lucky enough to be at a good place where we were all like family but things change and we used to say we had the best times ! I was there for 37 years and saw a lot of changes ! Have a good week and count down until September, not long now ! X
Yes. Things are changing. And not for the better xxx
It’s such a fab technique! Not too long to go now to your holiday, which I know will be wonderful!
Can‘t wait!! Xx
Beautiful – but too messy for me! I like very clean crafts ie parchment with a bit of die cutting and/or sewing thrown in! I enjoy watching other people though – I enjoyed watching them at the open day but have no desire to try myself!
Take care and breathe this week……xxx
It really isn’t messy at all Katharine. It’s actually very controlled and the inks dry quickly on the card or even on parchment. You should try it. Xx
I hope Dave has got those cards done now. That’s some cards he’s had to make!
I bet both of you are looking forward to the holiday. It won’t be long now before you’re jetting off to America and best of all you’ll have a wedding to enjoy. Hope you bring some good weather back with you when you return home. Xxx
What a superb blog. As a non small company because of covid, I will always support you. I think the next years will be tough. The prime minister messed up the CPS and I know this from bitter experience. Sorry to be political. You will do well with everyone’s support and the brilliant innovative work you and your team always do. A well earned rest and celebration on the way soon xx
Yikes, that’s a whole lot of cards Dave had to die cut out on that wonderful machine, hope he managed to get them all done. You both deserve a good rest and relaxing holiday. xx
Great blog, Barbara. Sunday’s step by step Gray style. Tick, with/continuing a new technique.
Thrown in was a private peak – Dave off to see his old and beloved Heidleburg (hope she was kind and not fickle).
Not trees and flowers and not blue but butterfly and bees.
I don’t think you will need to worry about being sued by your employees, as far as I can see you don’t take the p*** like some exploitative employers. What is worrying is that the PM says it has to get worse before it can get better. Heaven help us, didn’t think it could get any worse after the last few years.
Only a week or so and then as our family shouts “your on ‘oliday” and not just any old holiday – so much to look forward too. Clapping hands and jump up and down (wearing tena ladies of course) together exciting.
Thank you Barbara for the blogs. What a lot of cards !!!! Looks like a lovely day again. My son asked me what I would like for my birthday – a new body I said. Does Clarity sell them ?
Looking forward to next weekend and all the shows and demonstrations.
Take care.
Hello Barb, I am absolutely taken with this technique and showed the young teenager who came to me for a crafty break yesterday (as I said previously she was badly bullied this year at school, and struggles at home because of her severely disabled brother), and she just kept saying it was magic. We tried so many techniques that I have learnt from Clarity (and other forums) over the years. We did the shaving foam technique, had to send Hubs to get more shaving foam we were having so much fun. Did the ink smoosh with water on the craft mat. All in all she had an absolute ball, and went home with lots of papers with colour and patterns, some ink pads, and a gift of the Hippy Chicks stamp set. Which I will now have to replace at some point. She made a birthday card for her dad with some backgrounds, and just a lovely card for her Mum, to cheer her up when things get too much for her. So glad for all the inspiration, and by the way Barb, she sat watching some of your recorded shows, at some times speechless, and others saying, oh how did “she” do that. She was amazed, so thank you again for all the inspiration. Dave and Barb, have a lovely safe trip to the US for the wedding, and a well deserved break. Relax and enjoy. Bx
Love this demo Barbara
Really into the gel plate now after our retreat in 15th and 16th,
Olivia and Leah and I had a great time thank you. Wishing you and Dave a lovely holiday and enjoy the wedding.
Love janet Cummingsxx