August into September - already!!

My, doesn't time fly when you're having fun! I actually had my September page all ready on the first, then as no link was set up on Kate's blog decided to leave it a day or two, then ……well, here we are it's the 9th and I'd forgotten all about it! So September is well and truly on it's way to the beginning of Autumn…….

……and here's my page. I don't often feature fairies but I do have a lot of Lavinia stamps and thought that they would go very nicely with my new Dylusions mask. The page had a good spritz with water before spraying with Dylusions ink spray, then mopping up, some ghosting using more masks and water, a little bit of stamping using Artistic Stamper background stamps(You can see the results of my mopping up here)
August was a fun month spent with grandchildren much of the time and of course my chance to attend a workshop with the master himself - Tim Holtz! 

I am linking to the wonderful Kate's blog and looking forward to seeing lots of other calendars, although sadly not so many now as a lot of folk choose to only post on Facebook. I do hope that some of you decide to do both as Facebook is a no no for me!
Thanks for looking, Chris  

365/2013calendarjournal

I just forgot to post this! Well, actually I was a bit late starting and I did take a photo on Saturday but it was in my camera!
So, here's the story - a few years ago the talented Kate Crane started this here journal challenge, well, me having a reputation for being late only joined in in 2011 but I must say it's a great way to record the year's good times(and bad!)and I really enjoy taking part! 
I was in a wintry mood when I started this so carried on with what I had up at the caravan - which meant no snowflakes - so back to something a lot of us used to do many moons ago - folding and cutting snowflakes! I wonder how many started crafting this way!

 I did have my Dylusions mask with me so used shaded lilac distress ink to make the journal squares. The background was made by mixing white acrylic paint with scribbled neo colours on a plastic lid and then scraping on with a 'credit' card I finished it off with sakura pens.
Oh! and here is my finished December page - almost ran out of space to write some days LOL!

I'll have to start February's page soon! Meanwhile I'm making an attempt(really!) to tidy up my craft room - I found my table today - hurray!!
Thanks for visiting, I'm looking forward to making a few visits myself, Chris

November 366/12

November!! Hasn't it just come round too soon-I'm sure it can't be time yet! If it hadn't been for the fact that I filled in every square in October I wouldn't have believed it! Thanks to Kate for hosting this 'show and tell' of our 366/12 journals I have a great record of the year so far!
October turned out to be quite busy - some good things, some b-a-d!

 Here's hoping for a colourful November! My pages are certainly bright so get your shades on! 

I do hate the shorter, darker days so hopefully filling in my days worth will at least brighten my day for a few minutes LOL!
Bit of a lazy page.....smudged distress ink, Dylusion sprays - some through my favourite mask,more distress ink through same stencil and some Cosmic Shimmers mist that no longer sprays but makes lovely blobs and a spotty stamp dotted around over the journal blocks.
Hope to come and visit if I can.
Thanks for looking, Chris  

366 SeptemberOctober

Finished this last night before the light failed but just didn't get my hands on the computer - hubby doing 'important stuff'!Like this isn't important!!LOL What is 'this'? Well, take look at the amazing Kate Cranes blog here to find out all about this fantastic challenge! I love doing this as it is really a record of my life as it rolls along!
My pages for October have an Autumny look -although I do hope this rain is about to lessen!

I've dressed Mabel Lucy Atwell's figure in blue as I had some accidental blue around the edges and it seemed to fit. I have had this stamp for some time(from The Artistic Stamper) but was reminded of her at the Happy Stampers show on Saturday. The trees are a Sheena stamp but I messed it up - and then even more so by using a wet brush over the colours(distress markers) but hey ho, it does give a watery look!Background made by distress inks through a splatter cover(for a frying pan) and the front of a posh cereal box! 
My finished September pages are here! Another busy month! I'm retired for goodness sake - but can we slow down - naah! - not yet - having too much fun!!

Thanks for looking, Chrisx

August and still waiting!!!

Soooo....another month flies by and we are still waiting on our buyer's solicitor. We are practically in our flat, spending our days here, doing little jobs that we thought we would do after we moved in(a plus?)The phone is here so I'm reduced to using my mobile phone at home - no long evening chats:( The computer is here and worst of all most of my crafting stuff is here(in boxes) waiting for shelves to go up(maybe tomorrow) However I have kept up with my 366/12 calendar journal (want to know more?) see Kate's blog here
Using what I could find here is my August page

Using my NeocoloursII and Lindsay Mason's 'I dreamed of Castles' and 'Hoist the Flags' sets from my "to go" journal bag that I take away with me to the caravan and an old road map I have set the scene for a break we are taking this month with our grandchildren......a little bit of sea and scenery,and castles!
Here is my completed July page - a mixture of emotions throughout the month as you can see!

Hope to be back to normal soon. Thanks for looking, Chris 

  

Times flying!

Halfway already! Where did the last six months go? Well, I know by looking back through my 366/12 calendar journal(if you want to know more about this challenge see Kate's blog here)I've been, what in some peoples book might be called a project manager, but I've seen it more of a juggling act - so what better stamp to use but Lindsay Mason's 'Gwendoline', (who normally juggles blackbirds!) The background was made by spritzing the page with water then scribbling with NeocoloursII onto a block, spritzing and dragging over the page - I love the watery effect which seemed just right for the weather we are having. July letters were a mistake I made ages ago by putting the same paper through my printer for a second time. I think they were Christmassy letters.

The stamped flowers are from the same set and I added a few punched flowers too.
My June pages, now complete with pictures of The Queen over the Jubilee weekend may give you some idea of whats been going on!

Sooo!, we haven't moved, despite the buyers requesting an early date! Some paper work went missing and it wasn't till I rang that we found out, so we still don't have a moving date, although I have my fingers crossed for mid month! My new kitchen is almost ready for moving the last appliance in(the fridge/freezer), the bathroom only needs a bit of sealant around the bath and my big cupboard is going to get some shelves this week and yes, we are getting excited now! This month will also see my hubby retire from teaching so a lot of change ahead!! 
Thanks for taking a look, I'm not sure how many others I am going to get to see this month but I'll jolly well give it a try - after all I'm a juggler LOL! Chris

August, September

Ok, so I'm a little eensy bit late, but I have a cracking excuse...
Here are my August pages for the 365/2011 calendar. If you don't know this is part of a calendar challenge run by the fantastic Kate Crane and you can find out more here.

Sad to say but Summer ends this month, so my pages are a goodbye to Summer with Rainbow colours using my fabulous new Dylusions paints.
I sprayed with perfect pearls mist and flicked some watered down broken china distress ink over the top of my yellow journal squares. The sun is an old favourite of mine from Rubber Stampede and the silhouette flowers are Hobby Art.

Oh, my excuse, I think we have found a flat and we've been just a little bit busy(and will be for some time methinks....an awful lot of downsizing to do!!)
Thanks for looking, Chris.

What a Day!

I was lucky enough to attend Kate Cranes workshop at Art from the Heart in Harrogate on Saturday. Up early(no problem - I was sooooo excited) and off to pick Sarah up. I was surprised that the journey didn't take as long as I thought it would, so time for a quick look round first - if you've been yourself you will know that there is so much to take in!

Then the workshop, it was great to find that there were so many people that I knew, Gez and Sheila who got me into this blogging malarkey, Elaine and her mum Kath, Pat who I met last year in Manchester. It was also nice to meet others from blogland and put a face to the name so to speak, namely Flutterbycrafter and gotpaintinmyhair. 

Kate is a fabulous teacher and after gessoing some pages I got to use the Dylusions paint, I wish I had bought this before now it is f-a-b-u-l-o-u-s!!! 

We added texture by using more gesso and stencils,and Kate had prepared a little bag which contained(among other things) the Stampotique image and some acetate with the bee on it which we then cut the wings off to go behind the image.The text stamp is one of Dyans. I just had to use a quote from 'Miranda' to go with this as I was really having a ball!!
The second page was started by Kate giving us all a rub-on to inspire us, mine was a world and led me to this.

We also had the excitement of Sheila's birthday with choccies and cake!!

Sheila getting ready to blow out her candles

The day ended far too quickly, but not before I had a little wander around the shop to select some goodies before the long drive home(thanks Sarah he!he!)
Thanks to Kate and everyone else for a fantastic day and BAGS of inspiration!
Chris

Three sided coin anyone?

I've got a dilemma, I'm going to a Kate Crane(yes,the Kate Crane!)workshop with my friend Sarah and I'm supposed to take a small journal.The thing is I don't know what to do....should I take one I've started already...or should I take said 'one I've started already' and turn it upside down and start from the back....or do I take a new one(I do have one that I bought as part of a special offer)? I'm also so excited that I'm not thinking straight at all and with de-cluttering, thinking we may have found our new home and having our decking re-vamped - it's now a lovely shade of green thanks to hubby and eldest son, I suppose come Saturday morning I'll grab both and decide when I get there!


It was our anniversary on Tuesday and my son who was staying with us went off with my grandson for the night to go camping(in his words "to leave us lovebirds on our own"!!)It was nice to go out and not feel guilty about leaving them with baked beans on toast he!he!We found a lovely pub, 'The Lunesdale Arms' in Tunstall near Kirby Lonsdale and had a fabulous meal in peaceful surroundings! 


I didn't have much time for crafting other than make fish and sharks with my grandson - lots of shiny stickles involved(a very aptly named product where my grandson is concerned!!!)

I did however complete a journal page that I'd already started.One night I went out onto the decking and looked up and through the stars could actually see the Milky Way - I know....small pleasures, but it inspired me to make this page.
The background was a very bright pink but by the time I'd added Weathered Wood and Faded Jeans distress stains and let them move around before spritzing then mopping up, then dabbing Corduroy Distress ink around a star, sprayed everything lightly with Silver Perfect Pearl spray and stamped with some spotty Kaisercraft background stamps I was happy enough to add a Crafty Individuals image and add some words and a bit of doodling!


So, tomorrow we are off for a couple more viewings to confirm (or not) whether we are actually going to make a decision!!


Thanks for looking and Thank you too for your comments, they are much appreciated, Chris