Calendar Journals!!!!

Hi everyone, last month was a bit hectic for me so I never got a chance to enter my calendar journal into the 'Autumn Colours' theme at Art Journal Journey, hosted by Alison, even though I photographed it at the beginning of the month. 

I was in danger of not getting this one posted for Wendy's 'On,In Or By The Sea' theme, which was photographed on the 2nd! Soo, here it is!

I used Lavinia stencils and stamps for my background and here's how it looked before adding my journal squares and the seahorse.

Here is last month filled in

..and here is September also filled in

I am on a last push with my craft room re-organisation and then...I hope to have some time on my hands!

Thanks for looking, Chris

Magical at TIOT

Hi everyone, the time has come for us to 'Make It Magical' at Try It On Tuesday. How you find your kind of magic is up to you, and you can always find inspiration by checking out our Design Team's blogs.

I used some shimmery paints and powders to create a background for my fairy who is about to enter her fairy door. 

I have used Lavinia stamps for the main images and the edges of some other Lavinia foliage stamps and mushrooms for the ground she is on.

The words are from a JohnNextDoor set. 

I am loving the magic of the Autumn colours at the moment as well as spotting fungi growing in hidden places.

I do hope you will find some magic to share. Our 'Make It Magical' theme at Try It On Tuesday lasts for two weeks as usual - hope to see you there!

Thanks for looking, Chris

Halloween........

Hi everyone, as the end of October (already?) gets closer our new theme at Try It On Tuesday is of course 'Halloween'. It's not my favourite time these days, but when my children were little it seemed more fun...carving pumpkins, making suitably spooky costumes and going out in the dark with torches. These days the Halloween aisles in supermarkets have increasingly scary items for sale, not always for children, and seem to take up a lot of space on the shelves. Oh Well!!!

I hope you like the Design Team's take on Halloween, they are quite varied!

I made a journal page

I had a mould for a spider's web that I used as a stamp. I added some torn paper with a stamped and coloured pumpkin and a cute black cat, both from a freebie set. I stamped a large spider on tissue and drew in a few more onto the web and also added some bats. The word 'Boo' is as scary as I get!

Even though it isn't my favourite time I shall look forward to seeing how you represent 'Halloween' this time at TIOT.

Thanks for looking, Chris

 

T Stands For Travelling!

 Hi everyone, I don't seem to be getting here very often these days, I actually wrote half my post the other week then sat down for a drink and fell asleep! 

I know this is a familiar statement but....... they still haven't got my medication right. Being unable to get much exercise didn't help, when I had my foot in a fracture boot for six weeks but as many of you know this has been going on far too long, if only I could have carried on with what I was on two years ago when sadly it became unavailable!

We have been away recently to Devon in the SouthWest of England.

We realised that we had never actually stopped there although we used to drive through this county regularly to get to Cornwall. We rented a lovely cottage - way out in the country. The only down side to that was driving up quite a long pot holed and bumpy road to reach it.

We were able to meet up with my two nieces who live fairly close to each other and weren't too far a way to arrange a lunch together.

We went out most days and were pleased to visit Exeter Cathedral.

 

We were told that this clock was the inspiration for the Nursery Rhyme 'Hickory Hickory Dock'

The ceiling bosses were really beautiful

I could finish here, but on the way home we took a detour to Wells Cathedral in Somerset. The motorway was closed because it was flooded so we would have to come off any way so why not take advantage! By the time we left the motorway was open again.

Wells Cathedral was equally magnificent but only partially open (we may have to go back again!)

I hope you enjoyed seeing these two great medieval buildings.

I will try to get back to show you some fabulous gardens soon too.

Here is my ticket to T Stands For Tuesday over at Bleaubeard and Elizabeth's blog The Altered Book Lover.

We went to The Ivy restaurant in Exeter - our drinks were Tonic water and I had the most amazing vegetarian curried veg to eat (forgotten what hubby had)

When I went to the toilet I was surprised to find this - another lady and I spent some time taking photos!!!

Thanks for looking, Chris

Officially Autumn

 Hi everyone, I have had a week away in Devon since my last post here and had great time, some of it dodging the rain but we did see some beautiful Autumn colours in the gardens we visited and the sun did it's best to shine most days!

Our new theme at Try it On Tuesday is 'Autumn Magic' and if you pop over to see what the Design Team have been doing you will see some lovely examples!

I made a Journal page...

The tree is a Birgit Koopsen design from Carabelle Studios and was sitting on my desk waiting for me when I returned home. I added some leaves from the set and coloured all with water colour pencils, adding water with my water brush.

There's lots of touches of some new metallic paints as well as some torn Napkin paper and some foil tape.

The words were printed out from my Print Shop app on the computer.

I hope you will join us at TIOT this time, Autumn isn't my favourite season but I do love to see the changing colours and look forward to seeing your 'Autumn Magic'

I forgot to schedule this so sorry for the late posting

Thanks for looking, Chris 

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