Hopes & Dreams

Where would we be without our Hopes and Dreams?  I find this something that just had to be included in my Journal for the challenge over at Art Journal Journey with Halle choosing 'Words to Live By" as the topic for the month of June.  I have just managed to scrape in on the last day of the month with this one in my Junk Journal.

The page was a lovely shade of dark green and then I went and covered most of it with some scrapbook paper which I just fell in love with.  No idea what the pad was called, that it came from, as it is one I have obviously used before - it was an 8 x 8 page that had been torn into but had the words "bicycle built for two" on which you can just see in the bottom left corner.

Then there was another page I liked, for the colours, which I chose to put in the top left hand corner and repeat in the bottom right.  Perhaps my couple have now ventured to see The Colosseum in Rome.

At last I am starting to use some of my stash that up to now has been only used for 'stroking' - who knows what might come out another week?

A Song for Art Journal Journey

Isn't the weather lovely at the moment?  I think it is probably warmer down south but here in the north of England it is lovely and sunny and if you like it fairly hot it is just fine for sitting out for a short while.  That is what I did yesterday - and I did manage to colour another background page in my Dylusion Journal using three colours of Distress Inks with Aged Mahogany providing some brickwork at the base for my figures to stand on as well as the music between the two figures.  Strange I used these colours when I am not a pink person at all.  Guess I just love the name 'Pickled Raspberry' (I know it is 'Picked' really but lots of folks say 'Pickled' and it does make me smile).

I had these two blue ladies already cut and coloured so it was an easy job to put the page together this morning.  I even managed to put some white pen work on the background.

I have lots of lovely friends and so it was an easy choice to use the words "A friend is someone who knows the song of your soul and sings it back to you when you've forgotten the words".  I think they are definitely 'words to live by' so I am entering it into Art Journal Journey and Halle's Challenge.

Jeudi Journal - Trust

"The Only Person I Trust is Me and Even that's Iffy" is another of Wendy's chosen quotes and another one on which I pondered for a while.  

Having done a background in yellows and oranges (Distress Inks again) - because they are easiest - I was stuck and that is probably why the background got left and nothing was added.  Yes, I know there are some leaves stencilled down one side but they came just before the figures were added out of sheer desperation.

Eventually I decided to use one of the bigger heads that I find it impossible to use with a body because it has hands somewhere near the face, with a few of the smallest figures I have surrounding it but how to show that the central figure does not trust others?  Oh heck, some of these quotes are difficult to use.  In the end I thought of using the word "Trust" above the main head and saying "no" by the other figures - ie 'Trust' is the topic and 'no' by each figure means 'no trust'.

Guess what?  I actually have the words for this journal page - at last, I have some words to fit a page and don't have to type them out myself.  Hooray, it was a definite bonus for me.

Happiness is a Butterfly

"Happiness is as a butterfly which, when pursued, is always beyond our grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may light upon you." are the words chosen for my entry to Art Journal Journey today.  I did say, in my entry of the 21st, that I would try to squeeze another one in and I made it with this page which is a continuation of the previous entry here.

Another green page done with my Distress Inks but this time no Oxides which caused the paper to rub a little so it is just a shade darker but I continued with a few of the hollyhocks and masked some of them between a Dylusion rubber stamp of ferns and such.  This time I used watercolour pens to colour in the ferns and hollyhocks because Promarkers bleed through to the other side.  It didn't matter on the earlier page but this one backed onto a yellow background which I did not want to spoil.  If you look closely you can see the cross hatching stamp from paperArtsy has again been used in the background.  

I chose one of the larger figures for this page and cut the dog off her hat replacing it with a butterfly (PaperArtsy again).  It must be a slightly cooler day because she is more wrapped up than the reclining figure of the previous entry.

Four more days to go before the end of the month.  No shortage of 'Words to Live By' which is Halle's choice for this month but have I time to do another complete page?  I'd like to - will I make it?

WOYWW 525

Another Wednesday, another week - gosh, time is flying by.  No wonder some of the bloggers have christened it Whizzday.  What am I talking about, go visit here and find out all about it from our glorious head desker, Ms Julia.

If you look through my blog you will see I have been busy journalling with an extra one thrown in last week for a challenge on Art Journal Journey.  I have also made two birthday cards but forgot to put them on my blog, and am in the throes of making another two from a journal page that went wrong.  It had so many layers of paint on it that when I heated something on the reverse page it all bubbled up.  So it got ripped out of the journal and sliced up on my super duper cutter and is now half-way there to being two cards.  Whether they make it or not we will have to see, could end up in the bin.

So my desk today

is all about journalling.  The chest on the left is what contains my Dylusion stamps.  Then there is my journal with the start of a green page opposite a page that was blogged last week.  Surrounding the journal are my already cut out and partially coloured Dylusion figures.  I sit and cut them out and colour them when my back is hurting - just so I can have something to do.  Then on the far right is my drawer which holds all the polythene bags full of these figures.

My desk, as some of you know, is an L-shaped one and so as we journey around we arrive here

After the drawer that contains all the Dylusion figures we have a blue and white box that has my Distress Ink reinkers in, then there is the frame with one of my lace teabags inside, my heatgun (all the AI's have worn off over the years), a mug with bits of pens and things in and just sneaking in is the corner of another box of reinkers.  

Behind, back at the left is my carousel with lots of things in, my babywipes and behind there on the window sill we have my Distress Oxides in my container made from Felix cat food boxes.  Sitting on top are Katie Koala, Kat Koala, Monkey and Ricky Rabbit.  Then there are my Mini-Misters, my Distress Tools on my carousel.  The globe is one left over from the exploits of Flat Susan (see my other blog).

There are other bits and pieces but I think I need to show this area another day when I can go into full detail.  For now I need to leave this as it is getting a bit long to say the least.

Art Journal Journey

This month it is Halle's choice on Art Journal Journey "Words to Live By" and I chose to make my journal page with lots of PaperArtsy Flowers on it.  I think these are hollyhocks - someone will put me right if I am wrong.

First of all I used Distress Oxides on the page, two yellows (Scattered Straw and Squeezed Lemonade) - didn't like.  So I spritzed with water - even worse.  Right, yellow and blue make green and I love Broken China so that went on next - oh heck, sprayed more water, stop!  Dry it quickly.  Now the top of the paper is rubbing off.

Stamped and masked some of the flowers from PaperArtsy (Kay Carley) and coloured them in with Promarkers in a deep blue, Cyan.  Didn't show much - not having much luck with this page.  Did a bit of Distress stamping with a background stamp from the same set as the words (JOFY).  Hurrah, something I like at last - subtle but there.  

A couple of figures to brighten the page up, a bit of white pen on the flower heads and ... the words

"to be overcome by the fragrance of flowers is the most delectable form of delight".  Saw these words and liked them, do you?

The female on the left is more or less showing signs of being overcome by this delightful perfume as she lies in a very relaxed state.  Good job I didn't choose poppies!

Now to see what other words I have as there's time for another entry before the end of the month.

Jeudi Journal - Absurd

"What You Believe in Becomes True - Believe in Something Absurd" is another of Wendy's choices.  And another one which I felt difficult.  If it had nothing to do with "Absurd" maybe I would have found it a bit easier but it completely flummoxed me!  I dillied and dallied putting extra bits on the background, dumming it down as usual with my Titan Buff and putting some diamonds  on it.

I chose one of my pre-coloured figures which I love, all in shades of blue with a little lilac (Promarkers), because I thought she looked a bit pensive.  I just love her blue lips and the hat she is wearing.  Then I was stuck and left it.

In sheer desperation I decided to do some birds with human heads.  Is that absurd in the world of Dylusions?  Are they absurd or what?  Luckily I had some small heads left over from my Dylusions Diary Days (had to use upper case for the word 'days', it looked good in my eyes) and so I began chopping some heads off the birds and getting rid of their legs.  Only room for a couple flying but there was a big bird and I decided it could have legs on and be standing on the floor.  Just enough room.

To put in the tree or what?  OK so it got stamped in but I am not sure it works, do I add colour or just leave it as an outline?  Well it has got left but I might colour it in at a later date.  (and then regret not colouring it in for this blog post.)

Well, I wonder what Wendy has chosen for her absurd page this week?

WOYWW 524

Just got my desk tidied up last night in time for WOYWW for today.  Couldn't leave it as it was or it would have given away the Journal post for Thursday.  

So what is on it at the moment?  A small mirror at the  bottom left is something I made with Tim Holtz years ago at CHA.  One of the objects had fallen off and got mislaid so yesterday I stuck that pink 'thing' on at the top middle which had come off a photo frame.  It was drying overnight so should be ok to move at some time this morning.  Next to it is a piece of paper I took out of my Journal - I love this paper and wish I had taken more of it out before now as this is the only page I can move.  

Further right you can see my favourite big brush for painting the paper with a basic colour and my large Titan Buff which will get used today.  Then there is my 'bee' cup with the lovely mat Annie made for us all as a gift at the Crop.

This is a close up of the mirror - made of rectangles of plastic (cannot remember what they were called) and of greyboard.  As far as I can remember we were given a selection of things that we had to use/could use and this is what I came up with.

and finally ...

My little bear, Spencer, sitting in the deckchair with his badge on that Caro so kindly made for us especially for the tenth Anniversary, and next to him a canvas with the butterfly on that I once made with Tracy Scott.  The other two pieces are made at workshops with  Maremis Cafe.

So that's my desk for this week.  What am I on about?  Visit ms Julia over here and read all about it. Think about joining in another week.

Words to Live By - Art Journal Journey

This is my second diary page for Art Journal Journey and Halle's "Words to Live By".  I had done both pages together as far as spraying was concerned, and the squares were cut and ready for inking.

This time I used stamps from the same collection but chose 'The Taj Mahal' and 'The Kremlin'.  I love those stamps and was so glad I got the opportunity to use them at last.  As before I just stamped them with Black Versafine ink and then put clear embossing powder over the top.  I love the shiny look you get when you heat it - it's a magical moment isn't it?

The words once again came from Inkylicious "It is not the journey but the destination that matters".  So here it is - the second page of my June pain diary.

Looks like I got a bit close when cropping the photo - oops!

Jeudi Journal - Dinner is Poured

I had had this idea in my mind since Wendy chose the quote.  Not sure it worked as it did in my head but I am happy with it because I feel it fits the quote.  I so wanted to use this stencil, or part of it, as it is one of my favourites.  I got it at the Dutch Show (Nijerk) a couple of years ago and I love it although it does not get used as often as I would like.  I thought that if I just used a corner it would look as if the "liquid" was being poured.  Of course witchy mother cat would not be serving her brood with just liquid so we had to have a couple of bugs and some eyeballs in there.

Originally I was going to include a caldron with the stencil (liquid) pouring from it but the page did not work for it - might have, had I done it landscape, but then that had restraints on the cats below so I just missed it out and put a witches hat/fascinator on Mother Cat.

Can you just imagine those little darling cats (remember they are witchy cats) scrabbling for the eyeballs, especially those that were aghast at being boiled up into stew.  

So there we have it, my take on "Dinner is Poured" - what would you have done?  What has Wendy done?

523 WOYWW

Well its the aftermath of all the excitement generated by The Crop and the atc swap.  Didn't we have a lovely time, whether we went to the crop or not - swapping atc's is such fun.

Nothing on my desk and a short post for a change.  This is my trolley instead of my desk

My legs are a bit swollen so I have been sitting in the lounge with them up and this is my work trolley for occasions like that.  The spotted thing on the side is a lovely waste bin that my friend Wendy made me - ideal for when I am cutting out bits of card.  Then there is my little pink bag, packed full with stuff sent by my lovely friend, Cindee, as shown last week.  I am not showing you the progress I have made on my Hedgehog as it is really a most peculiar shape - think I need to watch a few more videos as yet.  Plus I really think the brush does not work as a base for 3D felting on - might have to make myself a cushion and fill it with rice.

Then there is my drink and my cream crackers in the Yorkshire Tea tin and in front you can just about see the yellow top of my container for my tablets.

Well, that is it, all put to bed the night before (ie it is Tuesday here) as I don't want to be up early in the morning.  What have you on your workdesk - off to see you all on WOYWW some time tomorrow.

Just seen Julia is up and running so here I am a chance to be at the start.

Words to Live By - Art Journal Journey

This month on Art Journal Journey the lovely Halle has chosen "Words to Live By" as the theme.  Funnily enough I had bought some words, from Inkylicious" which appealed to me only a couple of weeks ago and they had not been out away as yet so out they came.

My Pain Journal is usually the first thing I do each month when I know what the theme is and so out came my pieces of cardstock and I set to with spraying inks for my background.  I decided on a bright, hot colour and so orange came out, made even deeper with a bit of red added to it.  Next I did my little squares edging them with blue Distress Ink which is opposite to orange on the colour wheel.  The month was then diecut from a piece of card coloured again with the Distress Ink.

Searching in my "Travel" stamps I chose The Statue of Liberty and Sydney Harbour Bridge as my stamped pictures and used part of a map of the world which I rather liked from a napkin. I don't know who makes the stamps but I do know I bought them from my friend in America once, just because I liked them.  This is their first outing|!

My squares are placed better than they look in the scan, I must have had it a bit "skewift" on the scanner bed - sorry.

For the words on here I chose "Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a colourful trail".  Now to get on with the second half of the month and enter it again into Art Journal Journey.

Jeudi Journal - No Desire

I made this background a week ago - well, started it by doing some brayering and using my Amsterdam paints.  Almost out of Sky Blue so must get some quickly - and my favourite Turquoise Green which is the closest to Teal for me to use.  I used those two and Cyan Blue and Sap Green then I stencilled with the Cyan Blue and Titan Buff which you can hardly see.

Next I did a bit of stamping using the ever juicy Catherine Poorler "Lime Rickey" and "Something Borrowed" - a bit of pen work and the background was finished.  Cath had mentioned last week that I should enter my journal page into Try it on Tuesday - Make A Mark but I didn't and so I thought of entering this week with some pen work on and around the circles.

Wendy had chosen "I have absolutely No Desire to Fit In" as the quote for us to use and I was stumped again.  In the end I chose the figure with the log on top of her head and I put her with the body of the barely clad woman in a kind of cerise bathing suit.  She is my "Odd One Out".

The other two figures I tried to get as normal as possible (what is normal?) and dressed them both in shades of brown - no bright colours as I usually have.  Does it work?  Well, my other half understood it so that was good enough for me.  Over to you dear blogger.

WOYWW 522 A Joyous Occasion - Keep it Short - Not a Chance, Sorry!

"Didn't we have a Lovely Time, the day we went to Shrewsbury" - pinching Jan's idea of using a song to start my post.  What a wonderful day was had by all in Shrewsbury, in a beautiful bright room filled with love.  It was a chance to meet up with friends both old and new for six hours, but felt more like two - the time just whizzed by.

Can't thank the sisters enough for all the work they put into making the day so special, Annie "and her much older sister" Jo, really did us proud with the venue and the finger buffet ... but it didn't stop there - we had a well thought out quiz (Jo I think) and Julia and Jan (not sure which one or whether it was both of them) had brought along a photo booth and props for us to enjoy.

Of course there was the usual raffle, with proceeds going to 'Research into Alzheimers', a favourite charity of mine.  Somehow I was not around when the raffle tickets were being sold so I did not buy any but have sent a small donation to Jo to add to the total received on the day.  However not to let the day go by without me having a prize, the lovely Caro 'gifted' her prize, a scented candle to me.  What a lovely thing for someone to do.  Thank you Caro, so much.

Had to smile as Heather and I had not done any crafting by 2 pm so we had a quick race (she won) at stamping some images before husbands arrived to find we had spent the whole day nattering.  She did 12 and I did 7 but mine were all different so I declare it really a tie.  Mind you, probably Anne won as she did some images and coloured them in.  Lovely images too, a hostess gift I think from Stamping Up, am sure Anne could show you them on her blog.

At some time in the afternoon we were all delighted by the appearance of Zsuzsa who had left her family sitting in the car park.  I don't think she intended staying as long as she did as hubby was out in the car park with their son but everyone wanted to meet and have a hug with her.  

Here we all are:

EM (Elizabeth's husband) was so kind in taking photos with my tablet so that I could be in the shots, he even managed to use some kind of hand waving messaging to get me back into the shot and not hidden behind Catriona's head.  This is one that shows Heather but unfortunately Margaret is not on so I have included another without Heather but with Margaret.

Back row left; Shaz, Christine, Chris, Canu, Zsuzsa, Heather, Caro, and lastly me

Middle row: Sarah, Annie, Jo Anne, Elizabeth, Catriona

Front row: Helen, Chris (Mrs D) Julia, Jan, Dolores, Maggie

on this one you can see Margaret between Caro and Heather

Thanks a lot EM, you are a treasure

And this is a shot of all my goodies brought back from this magical day and those received by mail which I took down to show others:

The atc's on their own:

Starting top left: Diana, Christine, Shaz, Heather, Me

Elizabeth, Dolores, Helen, Maggie, my alternative and Julia, 

Marit, Zsuzsa, Chris, Caro, Margaret

Jo, Debbie, Angela, Jan

And other things not atc's that were given by some of the deskers in lieu of an atc or as an addition  (note the badge top left by Caro which I will wear with pride now when I might go somewhere I could meet up with a desker):

OK so this is a long and photo heavy blog.  You don't have to read/look - just scroll quickly though but here are one or two, not brilliant, photos taken on the day by me sitting quietly in my chair but I hope they catch the essence of this fantastic day:

Zsuzsa, Caro, Shaz, Sarah (Margaret with her back to you)

Annie, Heather, Zsuzsa, Sarah, Julia, Shaz, Caro

Anne (talking to hubby), Chris, Julia and Heather stood up

and in background Annie, Jo, Doug, Jan

and sat at a table busy crafting at the back is Dolores

Sarah, Julia, Helen, Caro, Christine, Mrs D, Zsuzsa, Chris 

and in forefront Anne

The sisters, not sure which, or both, had made a cake for Julia.  Someone had once referred to her as 'Queen of Snoop' so the two tiered cake reflected this nickname and had a tiara to finish off.  Here's Annie presenting both Julia and Jan with a gift (suspect there is another "G" word in there) for all the work they have done over the ten years, with the cake in the forefront.  Notice Julia is not letting to of her Prosecco (Yes we all got a glass of Prosecco).  So a fabulous day had to come to a end.  We really should have a weekend of it.  Thanks to everyone - the hall buzzed with love and my heart sang.

💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓💓

Here's my desk today (see I didn't forget):

"Dumfing"

You all know of my friend in America who died just a year ago, well, this arrived yesterday from her daughter.  We had chatted about her enjoying a new found craft, dumfing, and I said I had never done it but would like to try.  She said she liked the Sara Fina tutorials and kits and today I got one from her (hedgehogs) - all the way from America.  Plus a needle tool, three spare needles and a lovely little rabbit Cindee had made for me.  Watch this space for a hedgie appearing shortly.

I know this is a long post but I am sure several of them will be - but I must show you this other desk.  This is what I should have done on Saturday

My little figures that I stamped on Saturday (last minute)

and for whoever I tried to explain to

This is what I like my Misti for.  Stamping flower heads in three stages so that you get the dimensional look.    You can do other things, I have some goldfish and a stork to name just a couple.  Yes, this is posed, so you can see my teeny Misti, the stamps for the flowers, the actual flowers and a corner of my Misti bag which you all saw on Saturday.  (I had these in my bag on Saturday but didn't realise until I went to look for something else in the bag when I got home).  Bye!  Better get off quickly.