It's hot and it's Tuesday

I could be referring to the weather but no - today is our new challenge at Try It On Tuesday and this time it's 'Hot and Wild' and the Design Team have some fabulous inspiration for you over on the blog. Some of us are 'hot', some of us are 'wild' and we hope you will join us - all the details are here! 

I have made a card for someone special

I started by dabbing some Brilliance pearly pink ink around the edge of the craft card and then dabbed Picked Raspberry distress paint and some of my trusty Adirondack copper on top

The corrugated card had it's edges run through some H2O's

I used a selection of papers including one for acrylic paint and some watercolour papers and splashed some orange red and yellow Brushos around before spritzing.

After stamping the Stampotique 'Strut your Stuff' bird several times  I cut three rectangles to fit the card and after mounting onto more Brushoed paper sprinkled on some Nail art beads as 'sand'

Although the little birds are looking a little wild, they clearly live somewhere hot, I imagine they know the words to 'Speedy Gonzales', a song I used to love in the sixties!

Thanks for looking, Chris

Oops! VERY late calendar pages!!

Oh dear! I was already late when I took these these photos - as you will see I had already started to fill in days.
November was done by using Crafty Individuals leaf stamps along with Lavinia and Stampotique mushrooms

Here is the finished October page

I must remember to link this to Kate Crane's Kathryn Wheel blog. I have enjoyed doing this 365/12 calendar journal for nearly three years now.
Thanks for looking, Chris 

Autumn journal page SS229

Hels' Sunday Stamper challenge this week was Autumn/Fall, I haven't joined in with one of these for ages but I leapt to it straight away, unfortunately it's taken me until today to complete it and with a deadline to closing only hours away thought I'd better get on with it!!
Like many, I do love Autumn colours(as my camera would prove lol!)so I found this easy to get on with!

This part of the lyrics from 'Windmills Of My Mind' goes through my head often in Autumn so although Hels had thought of the Neil Young classic 'Harvest Moon' I'm afraid this is how I see this challenge(soreee!!)
I'm sure Stampotique's Mothfab would be one to colour her hair with the changing seasons, so with the help of some Crafty Individual and My Minds Eye leafy stamps I ended up with this!
Words were computer generated!
Thanks for looking, Chrisx

High Viz!

When I saw that the Stampotique Designer challenge this time was for an ATC I decided to have a go - on Thursday!I then got so involved with sorting stuff out that I left no time to make anything...at all! However I am really organised now - for me!
So yesterday I had a go at this...

The little 'Strut your stuff" bird always walks with attitude and seems to me that he probably would jaywalk, which is why I've given him luminous beak feathers and toenails(whoops! I mean claws lol!)using some Zebra gel pens that I've had for so long I was surprised that they still worked!
The idea came about because I only have a few dictionary pages at home - the dictionary having already moved to the flat - and the j page was in my little bag of pages that I tore out before I took them.
The background is made by using two shades of some old Twinkling h2os - smooshed on a mat, dried, and then put back in to pick up the blobs(a trick picked up on Hels Sheridan's workshop)
I hope he stays safe!
Thanks for looking, Chris

I've got a good excuse!

I know I am late with this but I've been playing with my grandchildren!(look here if you want to see what we made!)
I love taking part in Kate's 366/12 calendar journal challenge - I love looking back at good times (and bad)as well as looking at how others taking part make their pages.
Here are my April pages - already started to fill them in!

 The lovely lady on the left is from Lindsay Mason's 'Urban Angel' set(from her new 'Off the wall' range. I used the words to make a nonsense poem(of sorts lol) The eggs are petals of flowers from the same set. Strut your Stuff birdie(Stampotique) may have laid all those eggs(or maybe not-who knows!)The background was made using my favourite distress inks on mat, spritz and smoosh method!I drew the little banner because I hope we are in for an exiting time this month!
Here are my March pages complete too.

Off now to check tiling progress in our flat but hope to get around to looking at what others have been up to later.
Thanks for looking, Chris

October over, November new

There was I, all set to show you my new pages when I realised I hadn't taken a photo of October's pages and it was too dark to take any photos 'til today.

This is for Kate Crane's 365/2011 journal challenge. I am amazed that I've kept up with this, but like lots of others I really enjoy doing it! 

Here is how November's pages started, I was thinking 'fireworks' and just started by smooshing in distress inks in black soot, faded jeans and dusty concorde then a quick spray with Perfect Pearls mist -blue smoke, then splashed a water brush over the end of some NeocoloursII to make splashy fireworks. I then ran the brush over the page in swooshes. When it was dry I rubbed some black soot ink around the edge.
I then chose some bright papers stamped with a little snowy, starry stamp from Hobbyarts using a Big and juicy pad.
It was only as I started to stick the papers down that I started to recite the old rhyme, Remember, remember, the 5th of November, Gunpowder, treason and plot...and thought that Remembrance day should have place in these pages, especially as we have a special date 11.11.11. 

Hence, along with the stickles fireworks I have Mort with a poppy!

It looked a bit empty so I drew in some silhouette houses

 Had to use the computer for the words as when I was writing it  I made a spelling mistake,he'he!!Two identical words and I make a mistake....

I'm still busy trying to sort the 'stuff' we seem to have collected over the years and I'm almost ready for the boot sale on Sunday(thank goodness it's indoors as the forecast isn't good) I know that is by no means all we have to sort - I've only been looking for potential boot sale items recently. Meanwhile there is no news on the flat front, just waiting for paperwork to be completed.

Will try to get back soon with some more of what I've been up to, meanwhile I hope to get to have a peep at how others see November. Thanks for looking, Chris

Late again!

The story of my life, however well intentioned I invariably end up late! I love taking part in Kate's 365/11 journal and at last I have taken photographs of my pages.

October's pages, which I've had to start filling in already, started out like this

I used my lovely Dylusions paints, I only have a few colours so lots of mixing involved, splodged on to the page with fingers then stencilled over using(mixed) shades of brown, then sprayed with Perfect Pearls heirloom gold.
Cut squares out of some scrap and some free papers, Stampotique mushrooms, coloured with promarkers, lettering written onto Hero Arts leaves. I will probably add some more to this, not sure what though, maybe see what the month brings!!!
My completed September pages...

Off now to look at as many others as I can!
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

Oops!...

...I'm just a little late this month(we've been away again)with my pages for the 365/11 journal challenge, organised by the talented Kate Crane (if you want to know more about the challenge click here)
Here are my July pages completed..... 

and here are my August pages ready. I've 'sent' Mort and the twins(you didn't know Marci had a twin?LOL. I think she may be called Darcie!!)to the seaside. Sorry about the reflections but weather here is awful for photos.

I used Crafty Individuals stamps along with a (very old) freebie from Craft Stamper for the shells etc.coloured with Cosmic Shimmers and Perfect Pearls, and of course the brilliant Stampotique characters Mort had a pincurl and Marci. The beach huts are the product of a woman with too much time on her hands(lol) cut individually and coloured using NeocolorsII.


Looking forward to a few seaside days myself this month - weather permitting! Have fun yourselves! Chris.

Scrap challenge!

I think I may have mentioned........I have a problem with throwing anything away...is it called "Crafter's Disease"?lol. A couple of weeks ago I made a little book(here)to use up some scraps(I've started another too)and following that I was encouraged to take part in the Stampotique Designers Challenge - 'Scraps' set by Valerie. I already had a background page in one of my journals so I stamped Mothfab onto the back of a piece of card that I had been testing inks on. 

A flowery scrap from card making along with some scraps given to me by a friend(what sort of friend gives away scraps?-watch this space!!), some more bits from testing watercolours and a little bit of my dreadful hand writing to explain how I felt on this particular day(I had been shopping!)Hope you like it!

Thanks for looking, Chris.

Six months gone!

I can't believe it's July already and I've actually kept up with Kate's 365/2011 Journal (if you don't know already look here)
Here are my filled in June pages

I seem to have packed quite a lot into 30 days despite having a poorly hubby for most of them!! 
My July pages are about the garden, the lull is over and now the summer plants are really showing their colours now!

I've just used an Imaginisce Snag'em stamp and an Artemio flower from a set of flowers and a selection of Distress inks to stamp randomly for a background, masked off an area for Mort with a curl(Stampotique) and a wood mounted favourite of mine from Inkadinkado. The little Stampotique bird is called "Strut Your Stuff" and I just love him!!
I'm going to enjoy getting back to my garden this month!
I'm looking forward to having a look at how others see July!
Thanks for dropping by and I will enjoy reading any comments made.
Chris 

HAPPY DAYS AND HAPPY DAZE

I'm off for a couple of days away with my eldest son, so hopefully happy days! Another real happy day was Saturday at Port Sunlight Stamper Show, where, YIPPEE!, Happy Daze had a stand - with piles of Stampotique stamps and walls(small walls) of Paperbag Studios stamps dislayed. Not only that..... THE Jo Capper-Sandon was demoing - Happy Days or what? Of course I bought as much as I dared - the big bill last week still to be paid! I also did something I don't normally do at Port Sunlight....I nipped across the road, but only to see lovely Lindsay Mason, who, as usual, was creating masterpieces, using her stamps and drawing. I've had a go at drawing a fence but still a lot of practice required!
Since then I've been doing a bit of journaling and made a couple of quick cards for birthdays this week.

 This for my nephew, using a magnolia stamp and my favourite Garden stamp by Galerie Vernissage for Inkadinkado, coloured with Promarkers, I used a Woodware punch to make a border.

This card was made by  using Faded Jeans And Weathered Wood Distress Stains onto white card , Penny Black flower stamp coloured with Promarkers, Hobby Art butterfly coloured with Sakura pens, matted onto white then Crafty Individuals paper.
Both really quick and thin enough to go through the post!
Well,time I was off! Back soon with something that took me right out of my comfort zone!
Thanks for looking, Chris.

Oh Dear!

I don't know what's happening, but things are still not right with blogger and I know it's not just me this time:(
Just going to share journal page with you today. I'm quite pleased with the way it's turned out. I've had the background for a while - its a babywipe that I used to mop up ink ages ago, but liked the way it looked and glued it to some paper. Yesterday after sewing some curtains I sewed the pointed grasses on to it. I then doodled in some weeds and grasses. It looked a bit dull so coloured a Stampotique toadstool and a butterfly I've had for ages by using Sakura pens. No words came to mind so I'm leaving as it is! 

I hope to link this to enter the Stampotique Challenge.

Thanks for looking, Chrisx

Some journal pages

Hope you are all warm enough today,what a change there's

been in the weather.

While I was away at the weekend I finished off a couple of journal pages(and started a few more)

This is one I started months ago at Lindsay Mason's first journaling workshop, but didn't know where to take it then "voila!" saw a programme about Paris(the best place I have ever been!)and there it was! I added Stampotique fairy and toadstools which I coloured with promarkers, I tried to keep the words paler but not sure whether to go back with a sepia pen.

My next page was just a thought.

I had some cosmic shimmer paints and some other shimmery paints(forget what they are called) and I just used them to paint blocks, sprayed some of the ink across the page then just added a bit of Lost and Found paper, Elusive Images stamps, Crafty Individuals text stamp. I stamped the flower twice, once with Brilliance ink and then with Dusty Concord distress ink. I love the shimmery look and will definitely use the same paints for backgrounds again.

Thanks for looking,

Chrisx

That's Better!

Good morning, and it is indeed, blue sky and a few clouds and the temperature tower on the main road was 8degrees when I dropped my hubby off to work at 7.30(so that I can have the car today)!

Builders at the back - gone, mice - GONE(most definitely - sorry animal lovers but they were in my kitchen!!)

Spent a lovely weekend with two of my grandchildren,trip to the park in the sunshine and then a visit in the rain to Leighton Moss reserve near Carnforth, it is a fantastic place with great access to most of the hides but the children were delighted to see from the paths - great tits collecting nesting material, robins singing to them, a thrush having a bath, a duck climbing a tree(well, it was a mis-shapen willow with a slope)and some beautiful elf cup fungi. Yes, we did get wet but we soon dried out in the fantastic cafe they've got there.

I've also had time for some crafting.
These are the cards I made for friends birthdays this week
This one made with a Gorjuss girl from a set I bought at Dawn Bibby's last year, backed with Prima paper,and of course Martha Stewart lace and Craftwork sentiment.

This one using Stampotique and again good old MS punch and Craftwork cards sentiment.

I've also been playing in my journals.
Acrylic paint applied with babywipe, stencils, Wendy Vecci stamps, mop-up kitchen roll and music paper napkin all inspired by the lovely work Sarah Anderson does.
This one -just because it was the first day of Spring yesterday - another play with acrylic paint, bubble wrap, stencils,pastels and paper. the tulips came from a magazine cutting I've had for a while and just makes me feel happy.I messed up my stamping so went to the computer for words and used a brush pen to write SPRING.

So I'm off now for a morning of playing!!

Thanks for looking, back soon with more piccies, Chris

Ups and downs

I've had a very mixed week, ups and downs all over the place.The ups have been great - knitting my very own flower brooch, bargains from M & S, a lovely meal out with my hubby, a trip to a craft show with my future DIL and my grandaughter(she has been dying to come to one and we thought it would be quiet one!)and some lovely crafty bargains. The downs are best not mentioned but they involve mice and builders!!

I've had some crafting time this week, mainly making birthday cards for a couple of friends and making backgrounds for my journal pages but no photographs yet.

I did this journal page a short while ago
using borrowed stampotique stamps(did I mention I now own some?), coloured with promarkers. I hope I've now put a song into your head and you're humming - or singing out loud:)

Off for a morning of inkiness.
Thanks for looking, Chrisx

A little bit pearshaped!

Hi there! A bit late with this February page for Kate's 365/2011 Journal but hope you like it, I'm having a great time with this and I'm sure I'll look back over this month as being just a little bit pear shaped due to Hubby's mystery illness.
The crocus hearts are the one solitary purple crocus in my tubs, I used print shop(don't get on with photoshop)to enlarge it gradually.I'm sure Heartshirt(Stampotique)loves the first signs of the end of Winter as much as I do! Hope you like it.

Here is my March page not quite ready yet, but I'm working on it!
The daffodils are a combination of an old(very old) Craft Stamper freebie and a Paper Artsy flower.

I've been having some fun with my journaling too, I found this alien toy in an M & S home source book along with some strange 'houses' that I added to some Paper Artsy ones.
Going to be a bit busy for a day or two now, thanks for looking.

What a week!!

I had every intention of posting pictures of the cards I made at Rachel Griegs workshop at Dawn Bibby's Design studio on Saturday but events sort of overtook me(more later!) so here they are now.
I just love Darkroom Door stamps and more of these Paris ones are definitely on my list of "must haves" as I only bought one set.

It was a great morning with the talented Rachel and some familiar faces.
The day was made even better by getting these from a lovely crafting friend, Sheila



Aren't they both just gorgeous, I really need to organise a system where I can display them, have seen one or two inspirational ideas so must set myself to this!!

On the way back we called into the Chocolate Cafe in Ramsbottom ..yummmmm!

We have been a bit busy sorting stuff out, so nothing much on Sunday or Monday(it's half term, so hubby off) Then Tuesday I had a lovely day out with Sarah and Nichola at the Cubby Hole, bought myself some goodies including Stampotique stamps that I was itching to play with!!.
It was then that it all went totally Pearshaped!!
When hubby came to pick me up he had a headache which turned to migraine - up in night retching, back to bed up at 7.00 retching, incoherent, passing out so that meant a trip in an ambulance to the local A & E where he was admitted to a ward. They let him come home at 3.00 but about half an hour after we got back he was on the loo ...nuff said... He is just beginning to feel like eating. The only explanation we have is that it was carbon monoxide poisoning .. he had had both fires on "burning off dust" for the gas man's visit today. We had a carbon monoxide alarm but it gave up before Christmas and because we knew the fires were being serviced this month we left it. Thing is, we hardly ever use the fires - once or twice in a year. Sorry for going on but I think this may serve useful for any of you with a similar situation.

Hope to be back tomorrow with more piccies(and a well hubby)
Thanks for looking, Chris.

It worked!

Hurray, it seems I can make links, but...the strangest things have happened - my post page has reverted to "normal", todays first post seems to have been posted some time yesterday(it wasn't - it was about 2 hours ago) AND I can now see my photos instead of gobbledegook.
So here are some more journal pages
I love this little Stampotique fellow, loaned to me by Sarah,I found these lips ages ago but was just waiting for the right face to fit them on to,
and this because I 'found' two boxes full of all sorts of candlesLOL

Thanks for looking,
Chris