Joy Clair

Fun With Joy Clair & Leisure Arts

Welcome by today, friends!  We're SO grateful for your visit to the Joy Clair Blog today as I, Karen Letchworth, share a sweet card I made for Joy Clair Stamps as we continue to showcase the newest release of stamps.  We've been partnering with our friends over at Leisure Arts both last month and this month.  Our Design Team Members were privileged to get to work with their gorgeous 60-pack Double-Ended Markers.  I've been using them like crazy and having so much fun with them.  They work well with Joy Clair Stamps (or any stamps for that matter).  But, of course, I still highly recommend checking out all the AMAZING stamps at Joy Clair Stamps.  You're sure to find several stamp sets that will "tickle your fancy" so to speak.  All their stamps are amazing! So.....for today's project I made this sweet card to inspire you today.  My husband told me it looks "Christmasy".  That wasn't my intention, but I guess it took a turn in that direction with all the red and green.  The border leaves and berries are found in the lovely new Fall Greetings Stamp Set.   The sentiment, however, is from a completely different set.  This demonstrates for you how easily all of the stamps at Joy Clair can be combined and used with one another.  It's awesome, and helps you make the most of your money. The sentiment (You're A Real Gem) along with the speckles and sparkles you see here and there are from the fun new You're A Gem Stamp Set.  I love the little speckles and sparkles in this set (like so many of the stamp sets at Joy Clair Stamps) because they're just these adorable little accent stamps you'll find in (most) all stamp sets at Joy Clair, and they help to make your cards EXTRA special.  You know....where they just need a little "somethin' somethin' " extra on them, and these extra little accent stamps really help you take your cards and projects to the next level.  They're SO much fun, they fill in the small spaces, and can also be used for cool backgrounds and so many other things.  I'm tellin' ya, friends..you're gonna LOVE your Joy Clair Stamps.

I fussy cut the borders, colored in the images with my 60-pack Double-Ended Markers, and added some little gems (because of the sentiment, of course) and a length of Natural Burlap String.  It's fairly simple, but those Joy Clair Stamps make it easy to quickly create something lovely.  We all thank you for stopping by today, and we all hope that you'll visit the Joy Clair Blog often.  We love to inspire you!

Blessings,

Karen Letchworth

Playing With Economical Makers -- Is There A Difference?

Leisure Arts is a big player in bringing crafters economical craft supplies. One of the things they have are markers! Markers are some of the most popular mediums artists and crafters use.  This is a great resource if you want to try water based markers, but don't want to drop a ton of money on them. After all, they may not be your thing! Here is a video I made for you creating this card using the Wish Big set.

Some things to keep in mind when working with these markers is they are water based -- not alcohol. They do not blend like alcohol markers and you will need a little water to get them to move. Make sure you use a heavy weight card stock! I used 110 pound and it held up just fine. The substrate you these markers on is key! If you use a lightweight paper they will cause the paper to tear. However, with anything over 90 pound should hold up just fine.

Until next time ~ Happy Crafting!

Betz Golden

You Rock with Joy Clair's You're a Gem & Crystal Background Stamps

Hello and welcome!  It's Angie here today with a "You're a Gem" card using 2 of the newly released stamp sets from Joy Clair.

First, let's look at the new "Crystal" background stamp:

It's such a cool stamp and works really well as a frame for a sentiment.  You can use the free cutting files that come with every set you purchase, but I decided I wanted to cut it really close to the edges so I fussy cut my watercolored paper with scissors.  I think it would look great either way and my next card I plan to use the free cutting file and try it with a little white edge for the frame.  For my watercolored look, I used the smooshing technique with Leisure Arts Watercolor markers and water.

And here's the brand new "You're a Gem" stamp set where my sentiment came from:

Here's a closer look at my card where you can see the watercolored paper and the shiny gems.  I also used textured blue card stock for the center and to heat emboss my sentiment.  I popped the whole framed sentiment up on fun foam for dimension.

I also used a black marker to color in the edges where I cut the background out so it would stand out against the white of the card base.  I've linked all my supplies used on my blog if you are interested, check it out HERE.

Thanks so much for stopping by and happy crafting my friends!

 

 

Using Words and images together

Welcome to today's blog post. Today I am sharing a quick and easy way of using your scraps. I often have piece of cardstock where I test ink colours and effects on. These then become card backgrounds or I use them on my layouts cut into tags and even die-cut shapes out of them. Today I am showing you how I use it as a quick card background.

For this card I am using two stamp sets combined Gather Together and Fall Greetings

I used a test piece of cardstock that was embossed and then color added over the embossing. I then cut it into smaller pieces and this piece was left-over. Some nice color on the one side and clean and simple on the other. I stamped my sentiment from the Gather Together set in the top right hand corner, and then a leaf from the Fall Greetings set. The leaves are colour with my markers.

Some ink and paint splats finishes off this Clean and Simple card using these sets combined for a gorgeous look. Nothing ever gets wasted and even a piece that looks ugly can be turned into a gorgeous card.

Until Next time - remember God always takes the unwanted and imperfect and turns it into something NEW and beautiful! Blessings Jowilna x

Joy Clair and Leisure Arts | More Card Ideas For Her

Hello crafty friends... Hope you all are well! Today I have couple more card ideas for her that you can make and send out to your friends to cheer them up and to lift them up.

October is Cancer Awareness Month. Joy Clair released a new stamp set, Hope. This stamp set is dedicated for those who are fighting the cancer. I love this stamp set. The sentiments are very uplifting and encouraging, especially the Bible Verses. The ribbon and gloves are just perfect!

I stamped the Broken Brick Background Stamp on a light pink cardstock with White Unicorn Pigment Ink Pad and Mini MISTI. After that, I dried the ink with craft heater and trimmed it slightly smaller than the card base. I added it on the hot pink card with E-Z Runner Gran Adhesive.

I stamped the gloves and sentiment on a piece of white cardstock with VersaFine Clair Charming Pink Ink Pad and Mini MISTI. I dried the stamped image and sentiment with craft heater. I fussy cut the gloves with my fine point scissors and I trimmed the sentiment into sentiment label.

I added the gloves on the top left corner card and the sentiment at the bottom right cornet with 3D tape. I tied up some of the natural twine around the top, made a bow and glued it with some permanent glue adhesive.

My second card is created using one of the newest stamp set also called Mermaid At Heart. I paired it up with the Mermaid Tail Background Stamp.

This stamp set describes my two girls who are mermaid at heart. They love water and swimming in any season! I am thankful for them...

I started with creating the watercolored background using Leisure Arts Double Ended Markers and water. I used smooshing technique. I scribbled the markers on a craft mat and sprayed some water that turn the marker color into watercolor paint. I added the watercolor paper in it and smooshed around. I dried it with craft heater and then did it the same step to build up the colors.

After that, I stamped the Mermaid Tail Background on it with VersaFine Clair Warm Breeze ink pad and MISTI. And then, I stamped the sea plant image with VersaFine Clair Green Oasis using second generation stamping technique. I added the background panel on a white card with E-Z Runner Grand. 

Using the same smooshing technique, I created another watercolored background with Leisure Arts Double Ended Markers and water. This time I tried to create sort of mermaid color combo with blue, teal and purple markers. After I dried the watercolored background, I stamped the mermaid tail image with Fantasia VersaFine Clair and then fussy cut it. I stamped the sentiment with Purple Delight VersaFine Clair ink pad and then fussy cut it, too.

I cut out a piece of light blue cardstock with Rectangles Dies to create the frame. I added on the card with permanent adhesive glue. And then I added both mermaid tail and sentiment with 3D foam tape. I embellished the card with some clear dots.

I hope these cards give you more ideas what to make for your friends and family. 

Hand Lettering the Affordable Way!

One of the things I struggle with is my hand writing. As a child I had dyslexia and was left handed. Back in the 1980's it was not acceptable. I wrote on an angle and just struggled with it. As I got older and put myself through college it got better, but I still cringe when I have to leave a note for someone. I have always wanted to try hand lettering in art because I think it is important that future generations have a little bit of that from me. Leisure Arts offers an affordable hand lettering kit that I tired out. You can see the video here. 

This is what I created with it using the Crystal Background Stamp.

I must confess that I am still not confidant in my handwriting, but this is passable. The background stamp is awesome to create handwritten cards on! The space is perfect for a simple sentiment. I embossed it in white and colored it in. You can see the entire process in the video! 

Until next time ~ Happy Crafting!
Betz Golden

Be Still

 

Hello Everyone!

It's Ceal, here to share with you today.  With October being breast cancer awareness month and Joy Clair coming out with this new Hope stamp set I just had to create a pink card. I just love this ribbon it can be used for any type of cancer not just breast cancer. The verse used on this card is also one of my favorites. 

 

We are teaming up with Leisure Arts this month so I used the Double Ended Markers to color the ribbon, be sure to head over to my blog for the other supplies that I used. 

Head over to my blog Simply Beautiful for all the details on how I created it, plus an additional card I made using the colors for ovarian cancer. 

 

 

 

Plastic Bag Smooshing + A Video Tutorial

Hi everyone! It's Lindsay, from Crafting While Caffeinated Blog & YouTube Channel, here with you today sharing another video tutorial! Today's tutorial is all about smooshing, but I'm using a plastic bag and different mediums to get different looks! Be sure to watch the video tutorial below for all the details!

 

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Ok, first thing - I seen technique done with plastic wrap, HOWEVER, I didn't have any plastic wrap. I use Press 'N Seal because I can't stand plastic wrap. It drives me nuts. In it's place I used a baggie and to give it some bulk I stuffed the baggie with tissue paper. If you have plastic wrap, you can use it but the baggies are another option and what I used today!

I wanted to share different ways to use what you already have on hand and do this techniqe, so my first medium is liquid watercolors. You could also use pan or tube watercolors, just be sure to have them on a palette and thinned down. I smooshed on watercolor paper with this medium, because of the water. This medium definitely is vibrant and blends the most!

To finish this card I used the new Gather Together stamp set on the outside and finished the inside with Chain Breaker! I love mixing and matching all of my stamps sets to create a fun card!

For the second medium, I'm using the typical dye inks. Any water based ink will work here, even reinkers or water based markers. I smooshed my inks pads onto the palette and added water to make them a bit more fluid and easier to pick up. I smooshed the inks, with my plastic bag, onto plain 110 lb. cardstock. This method definitely gives a lighter result and there isn't as much blending as the watercolor!

To finish this card I used the new Wish Big Stamp Set from Joy Clair Stamps. I stamped and colored a few flowers and butterflies onto an oval die cut. I used Memento Tuxedo Black ink, so I could color the images with my alcohol markers. After matting the oval with a larger one, I adhered it onto the smooshed panel with dimensional adhesive. Everything was then adhered to an A2 top folding card base to finish it!

My third and final medium is probably my favorite! I used acrylic paints, just the cheap ones, but you can easily use heavy body paints, just thin them down with water. I also added a bit of water to my acrylic paints just to make them a bit more watery. I smooshed onto 110 lb white cardstock. This medium definitely gives the most opaque results and the most technique!

Again, I used a new stamp set from Joy Clair Stamps, called Fall Family Football. This is definitely a new favorite for masculine and teenage boy cards! Here in Iowa, football season is in full swing and it's perfect for those birthdays, hello, etc cards for men and boys!

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This is such a fun and versatile technique! I hope you all enjoyed the video and can find a way to incorporate this technique into your cardmaking! If you are interested in any of the supplies I used today, you can find them all listed and linked down below! Until next time, happy crafting!!

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• JCS Gather Together Stamp Set
• JCS Chain Breaker Stamp Set
• JCS Wish Big Stamp Set
• JCS Fall Family Football Stamp Set
• Hydrus Watercolors
• Arteza Watercolor Paper
• MISTI
• Memento Tuxedo Black Ink Pad
• Dick Blick Studio Brush Markers
• Versafine Clair Nocturne Ink Pad
• Versafine Clair Morning Mist Ink Pad
• Excel Comfort Grip Scissors
• Polished CP Ink Pad
• Skylight CP Ink Pad
• Sugared Lavender CP Ink Pad
• Waffle Flower Oval Die Set
• Bazzill Swiss Dots Cardstock
• Nuvo Drops - White
• Acrylic Paints
• Leisure Arts Colored Pencils
• OMS/Gamsol
• Blending Stumps
• Banner Die Set
• Foam Adhesive
• Nuvo Deluxe Adhesive

**Affiliate links are used at no additional cost to you!

Wish Big with Joy Clair

Hello!

 

It's Jessica her today and I am using the beautiful NEW ARRIVAL stamp set called "Wish Big" on this card.  I really love all the pretty sentiments in this set - just nice for every day greetings. Check out the stamps included in the set:

 

 

I was inspired to use a black & pink palette for this card, and here is what I created:

 

 

 

 

 

It's hard to see, but I sprayed the final card front with some really pretty shimmer spray to make it sparkly! It's a really iridescent shine - I love it!  I embossed the flower images too.

 

I really love how pretty this card turned out! I hope you like it too. Thank you for supporting small businesses like Joy Clair Stamps!!

 

See you again next time!

 

Jess

Fall Greetings - Congratulations!

Hello everyone,

It's Donna here with the newly released stamp sets called Fall Greetings.  This is a nice stamp set, very versatile, the set is 6x8, so you get a lot of images and sentiments.

 

Here is my card.  My card is an A2 size card, I used Gina K. Designs wreath builder to create the wreath.  I started out with a piece of cream card stock measuring 4 x 4, I then stamped the images from the Fall Greetings stamp set, I cut the panel at 2", I cut the middle strips at 2 1/4 and 2 inches, stamped the sentiment, used the Leisure Art markers to add the dashes onto the panel.  I used foam tape to adhere it to my card.  I finished it off by adding a twine bow to my card.

 

Thank you so much for stopping by, please come back again soon!