Tuesday 31 December 2013

Geese: Clarity Challenge 10


Hello, I hope you had a lovely Christmas Holiday.  We've been very busy seeing family and are now enjoying a welcome rest.  I did wonder if I would find to design, make and blog this card before the deadline for the December Clarity Stamp Challenge - but I managed somehow!

I have had the geese stamp for some time and not used it, so when I was sorting through my Clarity stamps for inspiration I realised that I could make a scene using the geese as the focal point.

First I  stamped the geese in archival black and embossed them with clear embossing powder.  Then I added a mask for the sun and a sticky note to mask the ground before using the Clarity clouds mask to add the clouds.  I used a combination of weathered wood and pumice stone Distress Inks and Adirondack Stonewashed for the sky.  I replaced the sun mask with it's outside and used squeezed lemonade and mustard seed Distress Inks plus Adirondack butterscotch for the sun.
The next stage was to use various Clarity Grass stamps for the vegetation and a tree stamp on it's side for the grass in the middle.  For the trees I used the branches from the Clarity split tree stamps. I used weathered wood Distress Ink to add the path and some shadow underneath the geese.  Finally I used Clarity birds in the sky.
Then I matted onto black then yellow card before stamping the background.  I drew around the outside of the topper with a pencil and marked the horizon.  Then I used the same split tree and grasses stamps around the edge being careful to preserve the horizon.
Then a final matting onto black and yellow card before sticking to a black card blank.

I'm quite pleased with the overall effect although I wonder if I should have used a lighter colour for the background as the picture makes the bottom of the card look a bit dark.  Looking at it again I realise that I should have put some clouds over the sun too.  I'll have to work out how to do that. 

Please do let me know what you think - and anyone have a tip for a yellow sun with clouds over the top?

I'm entering this card for the December Clarity Stamp Challenge: Scene Building

11 comments:

  1. Love your design for the Clarity Challenge. Your card really stands out, with the strong colour scheme. I like that you have included the description of the techniques and materials you have used. I'm new to the blogging thing myself, and always interested when details of the method is included. Good luck.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Debbie. I like reading how people make their cards too.

      Delete
  2. Great card Sue and so glad that you finished it in time for our challenge...I love your sun just as is it...thanks for joining in and have a great New Year...Jo. X

    ReplyDelete
  3. Brilliant Sue ,love those Geese and what u done, Hope you have a Happy new year see you soon xxxx

    ReplyDelete
  4. Lovely card Sue. Liking the geese. Good luck xxx

    ReplyDelete
  5. Great scene, I just love those geese!
    Happy New Year and good luck in the Challenge.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Lovely scene Sue, good luck with the challenge.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Beautifully done Sue. Best of luck.

    ReplyDelete
  8. love this Sue and those clouds are brill x - good luck

    ReplyDelete
  9. Love this one Sue. The yellow mats set it off perfectly. Happy New Year. x

    ReplyDelete
  10. Beautiful card, l especially like how you have worked the background x

    ReplyDelete