Colour challenge at TIOT

 Hi everyone,  we are setting you a challenge with our new theme at Try It On Tuesday - can you stick with 'Black and White PLUS One Other Colour'?

For me I really had to think, although I suspect that for many it is not so much of a test! Take a look at the main TIOT blog and see what the Design Team have come up with!

I used this beautiful Giraffe, one of Sarah Anderson's stamps for The Artistic Stamper. The colour is Tea Dye Distress ink that was spritzed on an acrylic block. The words are by Funky Fossil ( highlighted the words Beautiful and Free) and the ink blots from a stamp I bought in France a while ago.

I hope that will take up the challenge and join us this time at TIOT.

Thanks for looking, Chris

T Stands For The Arty bit, Tea shop and Trip to France!

Hi everyone, before I get into my post can I say a big Thank You to all those who have wished me well! I am practically back to normal (that would be something - me normal!)and have got back to having some walks.

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I have had this ready for a few days but with something happening every day I have only just managed to get my photos onto the computer.

It is, of course, my Calendar Journal, which is a tribute to everything arty! I used some Funky Fossil and Stamperia papers and some splashy paint, my artist is a Tim Holtz paper doll.

I am joining in at Art Journal Journey with Aimeslee's 'Anything Goes' theme.

Just a reminder too that Elizabeth is Guest Designer at Try It On Tuesday this time for our 'Make It Colourful' theme.

Here is last month's spread all filled in.

Now for my Tea Stands For Tuesday pic! Hubby and I went to a Makers Market last week in Knutsford which gave us a chance to visit one of our favourite places for coffee even though it is called The Tea Room.

I had an Americano in a cute dog mug, Hubby's Mocha came in a patriotic mug. We are joining Bluebeard and Elizabeth at The Altered Book Lover for the drink related meet up! 

More from France

As I mentioned before, we stayed in Brittany for the second part of our trip and had visit to Josselin, a lovely town with lots of Mediaeval buildings and a castle (see more here)

We went to visit the castle, the best this for m was the English garden which was full of Foxgloves I sat and sketched while hubby explored the outside of the castle 

The ground floor of the castle was open to visitors and also housed a doll museum which was fascinating.

We couldn't find out anything about ALAIN.

After a lovely day this is what we saw from our veranda at the Gîte

Thanks for looking, Chris

Make it colourful at TIOT

Hi everyone, it's been great to get back to my desk. I have cleared a space at the moment as I still have a lot to take out!

We have a new theme at Try It On Tuesday - 'Make It Colourful' and as you will see the Design Team has certainly used a rainbow of colours

A few weeks ago a friend took me to a craft show in Leigh. I bought some Paper Artsy stamps designed by Kate Crane. Kate was at the show demoing and I picked up a handy tip!

I used some new stamps and some from older sets. I stamped then masked some of the images before using watercolour pencils to colour in.

The tip? The black marks at the bottom are overlays of acetate that have marks added through Kate's stencil before cutting into strips - its a really quick way of adding marks to a page as they can be cut up and kept in a box ready to use.

We hope you can join us at TIOT this time and 'Make It Colourful' please. 

I am also adding this to Aimeslee's Art Journal Journey theme this month - 'Anything Goes'

Thanks for looking, Chris  
 

T Stands For the revisits and A VISIT!

 Hi everyone, I'm not sure I should be posting this at all as I didn't get a chance to visit many folk last time I posted on a Tuesday. My excuse is though, I was discharged from the Fracture Clinic two weeks ago.I am slowly getting used to walking around reasonably normally, although I am still hanging on to my stick for a while. I had to promise to take it easy for a while and as hubby was there he is making sure I do!

So, I am hoping that you would like to see more of France....

There are so many lovely Medieval buildings - these were in Auray.

We spent most of one day at Pont Aven. We had visited last year on Market day, which was great but we missed having a look around, although as you can see the weather was about to change and we had to shelter for while. 

Our main reason to visit was because close by was the Chapelle de Tremalo where Gaugin got his inspiration for his painting 'The Yellow Christ' There are some interesting facts about both if you click on the links

There are figures all around the eaves

There was an exhibition about Gaugin in French only and we had to rely on Google Translate to read captions. It was still looking gloomy outside!

The next morning this was the view from our bedroom window.

We waited until the mist cleared before heading to our favourite Crêperie for lunch! We visited this place twice last year - the  'Crêperie du Puits serves the most delicious Galettes(savoury pancakes)

It's here I will pause to join in at T Stands For Tuesday over at Bleubeard and Elizabeth's blog 'The Altered Book Lover'

We had water to drink. 

We saw quite a few places in this are with scenes painted on them

This was another Crêperie.

This is the building next to it

Another day we went to Vannes, another town we wanted to see more of. It's quite a walk in the hot sun to get to the town gates.

This cat looks so relaxed at the back of this yacht - I'm sure it proves that cats will sleep anywhere!

We drove home past another painted house and got back to see the setting sun shining on the trees.

..and then saw the rising moon.

This was the night of a very strange visit and although we wanted more moon pics we didn't want to open the French windows. As we sat listening to some music I noticed a really cute dog looking in at us. It turned to be a Cavalier King Charles and as we went to look out we saw that he had three cat friends with him.wandering around on the terrace.

The next morning we asked the owner who they belonged to and she had no idea she was pleased we hadn't let them into the gîte!!!!

We found out later in the week that this group of friends are quite well known further down the little hamlet we were in!

We never saw them again!

I really will try harder to get to visit this time but I have just discovered that the battery is low on my tablet - the only device I can be assured of to publish my comments.

Thanks for looking, Chris