About Me

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Hi I'm Clare, I live in the South West of England in the seaside town of Torquay. I adore playing with inks, paints and generally getting messy. It is the calm place which fits in between my hectic life whilst working as an outreach support worker, looking after my son, daughter, foster son and hubby. Not forgetting our gorgeous springer spaniel, Suzi.

Sunday 20 December 2015

A little bit of time for my journal

Just a quick post from me today.  I managed to snatch a little bit of time here and there today to put something into my journal. 

I have been looking at Donna Downeys amazing art work and thought I would like to have a go, so off I went to dig out my journal which has been a little neglected lately.


I used Dina Wakely mixed media paints along with Neocolour II crayons.



So there is my creation for today.  Now I have had a little me time I really must get the christmas preparations underway.  I've got lots  of wrapping to do before Santa collects the parcels!

Happy crafting,

Clare X X X 




Saturday 19 December 2015

Clare DT - Star Flowers

Good morning bloggers and festive greetings to you all. Well if you were fortunate enough to be watching Hochanda this week you would have seen the release of Bee Crafty's new floral range of stamps. All of us girlies on the DT worked our socks off to make some samples for Bev to take with her on tv. Here are a couple of the samples I made for Bee Crafty using the fabulous Star Flowers stamp.

 

For this project I used:

Star flowers stamps

It's nice to be important sentiment

Distress inks

Embossing powders

 


 

I applied my salty ocean and mowed lawn distress inks. In the background stamped some flowers using bleach. In the foreground I stamped the star flowers in green and heat emossed. Onto some white card I stamped the flowers in black ink and heat set with clear embossing powder. I coloured in the flowers using distress inks, cut out and applied them to the card.

 

I absoloutely love these new stamps. Check out all of the latest stamps released from Bee Crafty by clicking here.

 

Happy crafting,

Clare x x x

Saturday 12 December 2015

Clare DT- Ghetto Blaster Bling

Good morning all. It's been a busy old week and I'm probably very much in need of a lie in but despite that I am up bright and early with a whole host of tasks ahead of me.

 

This is my Bee Crafty blog for this week, I have been extremely busy working on some new samples for Bee Crafty so this is one I made a while ago but hasn't yet been on the blog.

For this project I used:

Inspired by Banksy : Ghetto Blaster

Wordage : Shoot for the moon

Inkables : Star template

Distress inks

 

To make this card I brushed my various shades of blue distress inks over my star template. Banksy boy was stamped and heat embossed with clear ep. I glittered some star die cuts to add a bit of bling and also used the die cut out to add some stars directly onto the card. The shoot for the moon sentiment was stamped in black ink directly onto the card.

That's it from me for this week. I will be back next week to share with you some more of Bee Crafty's beautiful stamps.

Until then, happy crafting,

Clare x xx x

Sunday 6 December 2015

Let it snow!

Hello all, it's Clare here today bringing you a bit of christmas bling! Now some of you may curse me asking for snow but it seems that ever since my mum embellished us with sledges one christmas, we have had none. Living on the South West coast of England the white fluffy stuff just flows over us and we are left with a mere smattering.

So to encourage a seasonal flurry here is a litle wintery project I put together.

For this project I used:

Finnabair modeling paste

Dina Wakely Black Gesso

Dina Wakely media line paints

Micro beads

Prima wood icons in a box

Distress crackle paint rock candy

Finnabair art ingredients mica powders

 

With this project I added the texture with a stencil after that was dry I assembled the Prima wood icons in a box and chosen artifacts with a hot glue gun. Then I gave everything a coat of black gesso. Once dried I dry brushed over my blackened project using Dina Wakely paints. I gave my wintery project a coat of distress crackle paint and once again waited for it to dry.

Out with the glue gun again but this time to add in some dots which will soon become beautiful pearls once I dust over with Finnibair art ingedients mica powders.

 

Thank you for stopping by today.

 

With lots of christmas crafty hugs,

Clare x x x

 

Saturday 5 December 2015

Clare Dt - Inspire

Good morning to you bloggers. I expect lots of you are busy preparing for this months festivities? Don't forget to take a little time out and for yourselves and visit Bee Crafty to make a christmas list of your own. There have been a number of new stamps released over the past month so if you are after a crafty gift of your own pop over to the online shop.

 

Today I would like to share with you some of the new stamps that have been released used in conjuntion with some of the old ones.

 

Stamps used in this project:

Splat 1, 2 & 3

Splatter swirl rectangle

Inspire

Backdrop bubble wrap negative & positive

Backdrop music fur elise

Inspired by Da Vinci script

Ranger liquid pearls

Ranger stickles

 

First of all I inked the splats and stamped in various places. Then using the splats again I kiss stamped onto music, bubblewrap and script stamps, some with black ink and some without.

 

I inked the splatter swirl frame with black ink and masked an area so that when I stamped 'inspire' it would just venture outside the frame.

Finally I added some pearly dots and some stickles for a bit of bling.

Thank you for popping over today. I love to hear you comments so feel free to leave one in the box below.

 

Happy crafting,

Clare x x x

 

Friday 4 December 2015

The 12 Brands and Designers of Christmas

Hello fellow bloggers. There is lots of excitement over at A Sprinkle of Imagination this month. Everyday there is a new blog post being posted. There are the 12 Brands of Christmas where we all share with you our favourite crafty products also there areThe 12 Designers of of christmas, now this is important for all of you mixed media fans. If you leave a comment for all of the 12 Designers of Christmas you could be in with a chance of winning yourself a fabulous prize of a mixed media kit. You can check out A Sprinkle of Imagination blog by clicking here.

This year I discovered Tim Holtz Layering stencils and I have managed to acumlate a small selection. These stencils are so versatile. There is a growing collection available with lots of designs for a variety of occasions and oodles of techniques and mediums to use alongside.

Here are a few projects using these delicious stencils in a variety of different ways.

 
For this card I spritzed my Tim Holtz Distress spray through the Burlap and Cargo stencil. I blended some Distress inks around the edge and then sprayed water with my mini mister through the Measured layering stencil. To create a border I blended black soot distress ink through the Splotches stencil. The stamp set used for this project is Warehouse District.

This card has seen my fingers pink for a number of days now. A messy technique but lots of fun. I applied various shades of Distress inks to the Lace layering stencil, spritzed with water and brayered onto some watercolour paper. To keep the theme, on the background I dabbed my versamark pad through the same stencil and heat embossed with embossing powder. I used the Finnabair Dont forget to fly stamp over my inky background.

 

I love adding texture to cards and canvases and these stencils really do the job. The Woodgrain layering stencil made a fabulous bough for Robin to perch. In the background I used the Splotches stencil once again but this time for a bauble effect. I used one of Dina Wakelys Scribbly birds for the robin.

Remember to check out the remaining Brands of Christmas for this month. Also running is the 12 Designers of Christmas, if you comment on all 12 of these blog posts you could be in with a chance of a fabulous mixed media prize!

 

Crafty christmas hugs to you all,

Clare x x x

 

Saturday 28 November 2015

Clare DT - Have you been naughty or nice?

Hi it's Clare here with my little bit of Bee Crafty for this week. I have a couple of projects to share with you this week. One being on trend with our current time of year and one of my favourite Bee Crafty stamps.

This one is for all of you peeps that may be a bit worried if you have been naughty or nice. I think I may need to send this one to santa myself! If it has anything to with how much crafty stash has arrived over my threshold this year......oops!

Stamps used for this project:

Yueltide Ernie

Yueltide Dear Santa

For this project I have used:

Inspired by Banksy- Ghetto Blaster

Wordage - Definition boy

Backdrop borders - distressed stars

Dylusion inks

Inkables easy frame - circle

Embossing powder

Distress inks

 

I spritzed the Dylusion inks onto my tag and through the inkables circle. I stamped the images and sentiment onto card and heat embossed with EP. Once that had set I bleached out the blank areas of the boy and stars. To finish I distressed the edges with tea stain distress inks.

 

Well weather you've been naughty or nice I'm wishing you all a super weekend. Maybe there is time for me to redeem myself before the big fella pays us all a visit.

 

Happy crafting,

Hugs,

Clare x x x

Friday 27 November 2015

Just hanging!

Good morning, It's Clare here today and I would like to show you a mixed media door hanger I made for today's post. It was one of those projects where you have an idea in your head and then ended up going off on a completely different tangent!

 

For this project I used:

Dina Wakely black gesso

Claudine Hellmuth matte multi medium

Finnabair modeling paste

Dylusions paints squeezed orange/white

Tim holtz layering stencil Gothic

Tim Holtz stuff to sat stamp set

Prima wood icons in a box

Liquid pearls

Finnabair art ingredients mica powders

 

I started of by adding some texture through a stencil with the modeling paste. Once dried I assembled the Prima wood icons in a box along with some die cuts and other bits and bobs from my treasure box with the matte medium.

As soon as my arrangement was dry I covered with black gesso. After, I started to add in some colour with the Dylusion paints highlighting the bottom corner so that I could stamp on my sentiment.

To finish off I added some liquid pearls, gems and Finnabair mica powders.

Even though it didnt turn out as planned, as always I enjoyed the crafty journey that got me to my finished project.

That's it from me today. Wishing you all a fabulous weekend.

Crafty hugs,

Clare x x x

Saturday 21 November 2015

Clare DT - Bauble star

Good morning bloggers, here I am again with my weekly spot for Bee Crafty. This week I would like to share with you a couple of cards I have made using the delightful Bauble Star stamp. This versatile stamp lends itself to many different techniques in order for you to knock out your christmas cards at a rate of knots!

 

For this card i used the following:

Bauble star stamp

Seasons greetings

For this card I used:

Bauble star stamp

Believe stamp

Beautanicals - large branch stamp

Snowflakes stamps

Holographic embossing powder

White embossing powder

White paint pens

 

So there you have it a couple of different styled cards using the same stamp. Why not pop over to Bee Crafty today. There is time to buy for your christmas makes and you can check out the amazing new stamps as seen on Hochanda this week. I for one have already placed my order!

Happy crafting folks,

Hugs,

Clare x x x

Friday 20 November 2015

Blooms

Good morning folks, how are you? Today I wanted to share a little bit of journaling with you. One of our more recent dark evenings, I found myself in need of some cheering up so, I headed off to my craft room to dig out my journal.

 

For the background I blended Dylusions paint. I used Lemon zest & Vibrant turquoise. I added some background stamping using the numbers from Tim Holtz Stuff to Say stamp set.

I painted a piece of card with my Dina Wakely media line paints and then stamped some circles from the Finnabair Don't forget to fly stamp set. I adhered these into my journal and sketched in my blooms. I then added a coat of white paint to my flower petals and dried before adding some colour to the petals and some shading with Inktense pencils.

 

Finally, with my white and black paint pens, I added some doodling and the word 'blooms' to my project. Sitting and creating in my journal really cheered up my dark, dull evening.

 

Thanks for stopping by today.

Happy crafting,

Clare x x x

 

Saturday 14 November 2015

Clare DT - Girl

Good morning all! It's been a while since I last blogged. Last week I went on a bit of a road trip to the NEC to visit our wonderful Bev at Bee Crafty and have a look at what crafty delights are available. I had an amazing time and despite saying I wasnt going to buy any more stamps a fair few fell in to my shopping basket!

 

This week I am sharing with you a tag that I made using the fabulous Girl senitiment.

 

For this tag I used:

Dylusions ink

Fashionettes - Rosie

Wordage - definition Girl

Inspired by da Vinci - script stamp

Backdrop boders - flower distressed border

Ranger stickles

 

 

 

I sprayed my tag with dylusions ink. When dry I stamped on the distressed flower and the script stamp. On a separate piece of card I stamped Rosie and coloured her in with my pencils. Once she was completed I cut her out and adhered her to my tag. I added a bit of shadow behind Rosie using some charcoal and a blending stump.

Onto a separate piece of card I stamped the Girl definition, which had been sprayed with the same coloured inks.

 

I found some paper flowers in my stash and sprayed them with the co-ordinating colours in dylusion inks. When they were dry, I stuck them onto my tag and added some stickles to look like dew drops.

Finally I added some liquid pearls to Rosies dress and the tag.

 

Thank you for taking the time to stop by today. Wishing you all a fabulous creative weekend.

 

Crafty hugs,

Clare x x x

 

Saturday 31 October 2015

Clare DT - You are a star!

Good morning bloggers and happy weekend to you all. I'm here today with a little bit of Bee Crafty.

Now slapped wrists for me because it is Halloween and I am extremely guilty of not making anything from the fabulous All Hallows collection. I have unfortunately had half term lurgy and spent most of my week wrapped in a duvet with pills and potions galore, honey and lemon and boxes of tissues not far from my side. However I am going to share with you a recent card I made from the Inspired by Banksy collection

 

 

For this card I used:

Greatness girl stamp

Inkables star template

Brushos

Embossing powder

White wax crayon

Bleach

 

To start I stamped the main image and heat embossed. With the star template I traced around the star with a white wax crayon.

Then the fun part! Sprinkle those fabulous little pots of brusho colours over the project, spritz with water and watch the colour explosion.

Once dried, with an old paint brush, I painted bleach inside some of the empty spaces inside the image to lift away the colour.

 

 

Thank you for taking the time to stop by today.

 

Happy crafting,

Clare x x x

Friday 30 October 2015

Naughty Kitty!

Hello my lovelies, I hope you are all well and good? I have had the week off for half term and unfortunately along with that came the half term lurgy. I havent blogged as much as I intended to this week but as I have felt a bit brighter today I allowed myself some time in the craft room to have a little play in my journal.

 

My bad kitty was inspired by Tracey Scott, you can visit her blog by clicking on her name. In last months Craft Stamper Tracey wrote a fabulous article about how she creates her whimsical animal characters. So with this on my mind it was time to have a go myself.

I created this page in my small Dylusions journal with Dylusion paints (cushed grape/vibrant turquoise/bubblegum pink/white/black) on the background. I painted the pages with black first, dried and then built up the colours on the page.

I stamped using Dylusions heart stamps (from Around the Edge set). I also used a Dina Wakely heart stencil in the background.

I drew Kitty Cat into my journal, painted with white paint and continued to add colour with my Neocolour II crayons and pencil crayons.

Well I'm not sure that Kitty ended up as cute as Tracey's creations. I think that Kitty has been up to no good as her expession carries an element of mischeif!

 

Thank you for taking the time to stop by. I'd love to hear your thoughts and comments you can do this below. If you would like to keep up to date with my blog you can follow by clicking on one of the above links.

 

Have a lovely weekend everyone

Hugs,

Clare x x x

Tuesday 27 October 2015

Bleaching out!

Good afternoon peeps. Well the weather outside is certainly crafting weather! I'm also feeling a little under the weather myself with sinusitus but I'm not going to let that stop me from getting into my craft room.

I was inbetween projects waiting for things to dry and I remembered an up and coming birthday this week.

 

So downed tools, a quick clear up and into card mode. I used Jofy stamps for the main image and Brushos for the background. I bleached out the colour inside of the flower, butterfly and grass. I added some green brushos back in on the grass but decided to leave the flower and the butterfly as they were. Finally I used some liquid pearls for a finishing touch.

 

Thank you for stopping by today. Lets hope that the half term weather improves, if it doesnt I guess the blessing will be a whole load of crafty time.

 

Crafty hugs,

Clare x x x x