Say it with flowers - Clarity January Challenge

Here's my entry for the ClarityStamp January Challenge - Say it with flowers.

I'm very last minute to upload this, so I'm going to link it up now, and come back and fill in the steps afterwards!

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So, now I'm back with the details. Where did January go, it hardly seems a month since this challenge was set!

I started this card with the background. I used the seed heads stencil; it's sort of flowers after all. It's part of the crafty bundle I got for Christmas so it's a good chance to have a play with it.

I put the stencil onto the gelli plate and brayered bundled sage distress ink over it. I removed the stencil and pulled a print on 7x7 stencil card.

I cleaned the gelli plate and then placed the inky stencil onto it to transfer the ink, and pulled a second print.

That's one for the stash.

I wanted to add to the first print, so I inked up the stencil in antique linen distress ink, transferred it to the gelli plate and lined it up with the existing print, to "fill in" the white areas. As the print from the stencil is narrower than the void from printing "around" the stencil, there's a white halo. I didn't get it quite lined up, but that doesn't matter, it's a nice effect. The colour was very subtle though, so I repeated the process with bundled sage.

Next I turned to the main image. I used the Shepherd's purse stamp, another Christmas goodie. I just used the largest stamp from the set, and stamped in black permanent ink onto stencil card.

I'm not much of a colourer, so I kept things simple. I just used distress inks, bundled sage and tattered rose mainly, and then antique linen to add shadow. I cut the card back as well.

I got out my stencil brushed to add antique linen around the image to soften the white of the card. I also ran the ink pad around the edges to give a sharp border.

The final touch was a tie around the bottom. I raided my (sizeable) yarn stash to find something suitable.

Next was a second layer to go underneath this topper. I cut another piece of stencil card the same size, and stamped the flower section of the same stamp over it in bundled sage, covering all the areas that would be visible. I softened it by brushing the same colour over the card, and added a sharp edge again.

Next I cut back my background, cut a plain white square layer, and edged them both in bundled sage.

I had all my elements, I just needed to combine them and mount on a card base - I cut an 8x8 base down slightly to get the size that suited. I used foam tape under the toppers and the background for dimension.

And there you have my flowery offering.

Next month I will try to be a bit less last minute! But then, I've said that before.