Introducing....

I have met some wonderful people on blogland, started wonderful friendships and discovered awesome talents.
I recently started doing online classes... I have signed up to do A digital brush class on Creative Workshops(a ning group) and while there signed up for a Visual Journalling class with Pam Carricker. Fantastic classes; I have to say the digital workshop I have not done much with at this point in time - I need to be able to give it my full attention and family life has meant that I have not felt able to just concentrate on that. But the Visual Journalling I have done a few spreads for and intend to continue with that.
As part of the Creative workshop I also signed up to do an online class by Joanna Pierotti, I have longed admired her canvasses - to the point where I bought one just to study it in detail. Couldn't figure out how she did it BUT... now she is sharing her secrets with online classes. I have watched the videos, they are superb quality, and can't wait for tomorrow to come so that I can get started... (family at work, school etc. so peace and quiet for me)
Now on the Creative Workshop group there is the chance to make Art Dolls, I am not doing this as I have to much else that I am concentrating on, and wanting to improve on that this would be stretching myself to far.
That is not to say that I haven't enjoyed looking at the dolls created by the girls so far, they are fabulous.
Joining workshops introduces you to new people, well I was delighted to "meet" a new artist (to me anyway...)MONICA ZUNIGA
I clicked on the link to her blog and well, I fell in love! No really I did.. Monica's artwork, well it touched me profoundly and so I wanted to introduce her to you, so click on her name - you won't be disappointed believe me.
I visited her etsy shop (link is on her blog) and just had to purchase to over her mini canvases, I could have ordered the large 12x12 "Contemplation" but held back as we are house hunting.... anyway ignore me and go check it out.

That's it for today, no art to post as I have been house hunting this weekend (I love it, looking around homes) seen some beautiful houses but they just fell short of what we wanted for one reason or another... the search continues!

Bye for now,

Do you want to swap...

...this is the question I was asked over on Facebook by Dawn Marie - I agreed and we said we would do it for about mid April.
Well I have had this frame hanging in my art room for well over a year and today it just said to me.... "use me, make something of me" so I picked it up and created this Birds Nest piece.

The frame has a mesh body. I stuck the music sheet behind it, after all what is a bird without music. I decorated the eggs with Tim Holtz acrylic dabber paint, color Juniper and stamped with a Paper Artsy mini stamp, using Tea Dye Distress Ink.
The eggs and the frame were purchased from Paper Whimsy and have been as I said a part of my stash for so long... you know how it is, you see it, you buy it and then you can't use it cos it is "good stuff". I have decided now is the time to use my "good stuff"
All the wonderful encouragement I have had recently has really got me thinking "hey I am not that bad, I can make art..." what a fabulous feeling and it is all THANKS to wonderful friends I have made here in blogland and on various art groups.
Anyway back to the Birds Nest... the rusted bells were given to me by my friend Lorraine... Thanks Lorraine - I used them!
The rusty bird was bought from Retro Cafe Art and the lace was from some I bought in Spain.
The words were made using the typewriter font to use with the cuttlebug
Now all I have to do is put together some bits and pieces and send it of to her...

Thanks for dropping by, hugs...

Wooden ATC block - Garden

Thanks for dropping by, thought I would share the second ATC Block I have made. Loved the words which are from a poem called "The Sensitive Plant Part 1" by Percy Bysshe Shelley.
The poem in it's entirety is absolutely beautiful, as is part 2.
I used the delightful Paper Whimsy some Paper Artsy stamps. Some garden bits and bobs from a local craft shop that I have had for ages. Glimmer mists, although you can't see them in the picture.
I feel happy today after my misgivings of yesterday - will be back on later to post some more, in the meantime Thanks again...

St Patricks and ATC Blocks

I had a totally unreal morning today... I went to the post office and posted off this St Patricks collage for my PW swap partner - Christy Laudrig. Got home, reading the PW posts and looking at the other girlies collages and had the most awful panic attack.
It was so bad I was wishing I could run back to the post office and get the collage back to start over again.
Talk about a gibbering wreck, hot and cold sweats, heavy breathing, feelings of inadequacy - unbelievable...never felt so vunerable and crappy...! oh well it has gone and had feedback and not as bad as I perceive it to be - I hope that feeling NEVER comes back!


Then I thought, hey you know what if you fell of a horse you would get right back on it, so I decided blow it, lets get on and do the ATC block for the Swap being run by Sarah... this is a fabulous idea and I totally love the dimensions you can get with working on a block...



SO HERE IS THE BACK VIEW
RIGHT SIDE VIEW

LEFT SIDE VIEW
FRONT VIEW
And on the top a cotton reel

February Girl of the Month - Asian Theme

 

This is my piece for Lyn Wareham over on UK Art Swaps
Lyn chose an Asian theme. I have also done an ATC to go with this piece. Hope she likes it.

I used a lens necklace bought from Small Studio Productions Ginny has lovely stuff for sale over there. If you haven't dropped by I recommend a looksee, you will love the gorgeous pieces she has - and for inspiration check out Linda Cain's blog (she is one of the design team and her work is fabulous!)
I am off to bed now, hope you are having a good day whereever you may be x

Gifts and Buys

I promised to share with you the delightful gifts I received from Linda



She sent me the fabulous Betty Boop tin which she bought in San Franciso... inside the tin there was a Betty Boop bandana, perfect to wear when I go out in Stuart's TVR with the roof down - very Thelma and Louise stylie don't you think?!!!
Also in the tin was the beautiful bracelet with charms on it, and some gorgeous ribbons - diamantes and braiding, really pretty.There was also a wooden dowel with the most exquisite paper in a teal color with gold... The gifts brought a huge smile to my face THANK YOU LINDA for thinking of me xxxx


Remember I told you that we went to Rye and I bought a Mannequin and some bottles...

 

Well here they are... I have draped some of my costume jewellery over the mannequin, going to hang bracelets from the loops on the bottom.
And they bottles are fabulous. I am going to be doing a workshop run by Zeb on The Latest Trends in Mixed Media Arts
These is a really friendly group with lots going on...I don't always manage to do projects but there are always really cool ones to check out, and a great book by the same name can be purchased with wonderful projects in it.

The bottles are going to be altered with waxes... I will post when I have done them.

What else is new? Not much really. It has been a quiet week for me as it is Champions League week so football takes precedent. That's just me can't live without football.
Spent a really pleasant evening with Dwain and Charlotte; they are such a lovely couple :-) Dwain makes me laugh so much, he has such an abundance of confidence, brilliant.
He bought me 100 Classic Book Collection for the DS so I can always have something to read in my bag...wicked!

Keep waiting for the weather to get warmer, there have been a few rays of sunshine, but I want MORE!
I can't believe that we are nearly into March, another year galloping past - my mum always told me they go by quicker the older you get and she was SO right!

I am so tired this evening so I think I will finish of here...
Thanks for taking the time to read my blog, I know I always say it, but it means the world to me xxx

Paris Journal page

Another journal spread, this one inspired by China's recent trip to Paris. Did it lighter than the others. Used acrylic paints, papers and stamps. The red flowers were colored with pens that you use to color stickers (don't ask me the name of them I can't remember) I liked the fact that they dried transparent so that the images underneath weren't lost.
One day I will go myself....

Went to watch Croydon Youth FC play last night, good game, although I wasn't impressed by the assistant referee, he should have retired long ago. Jazz scored twice and the team won 6-3 after going 2-0 down.
It was a long evening as we left home at 5 and returned after 11..!

Had my pancakes today, afte having them last week (got the day wrong) also. They were yummy - cinammon sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice made them perfect for me.

Got lots of things to share with you, I shall get them on camera tomorrow so that I can upload.... watch this space.

Wherever you are THANK YOU for dropping by,
Love

Fish and Chips in Rye

What did I do today? No crafting I'm afraid but I did have a lovely day. Stuart bought a TVR Griffith on Thursday and knowing that he was going to buy one he joined the TVR Owners Club. They were having a run to Rye today for Fish and Chips, so he spoke to Nick who runs the Club to get the arrangements and that was it, Sunday organised.

We had an early start, up early to walk the dog (well Stuart walked the dog) so that we could be at the meeting place for 8.45 a.m.
I have to say I was amazed when we arrived to see so many different TVRs there in the car park of Tesco's and then to "hear" more turning up - I say hear because they sound wonderful (and no, I am not a petrol head lol).


The collage shows just a selection of the cars... after everyone had arrived at Tescos we drove to the next meeting point in Maresfield. We arrived later than everyone else as Nick who had organised the meet had a problem with his alternator so never made it to Rye... he broke down just outside Pooh Village. Anyway when we arrived at Maresfield there were more TVR owners - in all there were 28 cars out for the day.
I must admit to thoroughly enjoying the experience, yes, I am surprised that I did but hand on heart it was a great day.
Driving through the beautiful Kent and Sussex countryside in the company of such lovely cars was fantastic...


Rye is a picturesque seaside town.


Thoroughly enjoyed the fish and chips and then went for a walk....
Took some photos of a couple of doors, bought some vintage bottles and a wire form mannequin.



Headed home really happy, a great day out. Will have to return to Rye though as there was so much to see but I felt guilty because Jazz had gone to Canterbury and China was at home alone...

Home Sweet Home Journal Page

Here is my 2nd Journal page. A journal is supposed to reflect what you are thinking, what is important in your life at any given moment right? Well I was thinking about family and home today. Got a bit stressed with Stuart loosing a wheel key for his new car. I was fine until he started loosing it and pulling everything out to look for his lost key... me trying to tell him to stay calm, loosing his temper wouldn't solve anything yada, yada, yada! Jazz not helping by making jokes etc. so not the right time... anyway the key turned up, as I knew it would and peace was restored!
I can't believe how stressed I got and needed something to calm me down so I picked up my journal. And this is the result.
Notice the keys in my hair, all right they are not the wheel nut key he was looking for - but they are keys and symbolised the cause of the stress today :-)
Home Sweet Home are on the lips of the girl as this is what I found myself muttering sarcastically when the house was in uproar looking for said key.
Then as I started to work on the journal images of what is conceived as a perfect home jumped out of my stash to be used - so I went with it.
I loved the man and woman in the kitchen and the little saying "Knowledge is more than equivalent to Force" true words indeed!!!

So what makes a home in your opinion?

Completed Journal Page

Picture me sitting here writing this post in my blog, I have a quiet smile on my face. I feel satisfied. Here it is my 1st "proper" journal page. One that has layers and texture, doodling, and stamping, images and text all put together by me and it feels GREAT
I can't tell you the times I have looked at books and magazines and dreamed of creating my own journal just like the beautiful pages I have drooled over.
I see this as a start... looking at it I'm wondering is it too busy? does it gel? does your eye follow the page or does it look garbled? Having said that I am not despondent, far from it - so that's a start.
I really, really must sit and practise writing, different fonts etc. to express myself *laugh* as I don't know about you but it is quite scary to write on your pages... to accept your own handwriting, again something I hope to improve on with each page I do.
I used a moleskine as previously mentioned and was pleasantly surprised at how well the pages held up, considering there was a lot of wet put on the pages in the form of paints, water and medium they did a great job. I also liked the fact that the book stayed flat to work on...

Anyway Thanks for listening again, and if you have anything to say then please give me your input - I welcome it xxx

Journalling - making a start

So if you follow my blog you may recall that my word for the year was JOURNAL
With this in mind I signed up back in January to do a Journalling Online class run by Pam Carrick over on the Ning Creative workshop (if you click on the title to this post it will take you to the home page telling you about this group)
I have also joined one run by Paulette Insall this is also a Ning group. I think that by doing the 2 classes where the artists both have different styles I will learn more.
I have a moleskine and decided to use this as my first journal. The above image is the start I have made; I am pleased with the colors, they loose their vibrancy in the photo but I can look at it and see the depth of color and I like the result. I have started 3 different background pages and will see how they develop.
The Ning classes have printable information sheets and videos - worth checking out these sites if you want to do a reasonably priced online course.

Talking of online courses another NING group I belong to is Artistic Avant Garde there are courses on there currently - on is by Christy - Digital Journalling; another by Peggy Alborn, Faux Finishes... so check it out if you wish.
Online classes seem to be improving all the time and becoming more popular in the current economic climate...I am happy as it means I can learn new techniques visually and have a forum to ask questions. Classes in England are few and far between so this works well for me.

I also started to make a pendant out of bottle caps today and will share that with you when it is finished...

I am going to keep this post brief but Thank you once again for dropping by x

PW Quote Challenge

Decided to join in the Quote Challenge over on Paper Whimsy. Basically will be getting a Hilda Conkling poem to interpret every fortnight. Along with the poem Gale supplies a Collage sheet with the required elements on... you can add embellishments also and have to use another PW image not on the collage sheet.
The idea is to build up a book of 5 x 5 collages over the course of the year. As I don't have a bind it all, but do have a book that was handmade with mulberry papers I decided that it would be nice to make the collage and than mount it into the book.
So above is the collage that I came up with. The single image shows that the doors open to reveal the girl.
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I had to share this photo of snowdrops with you as they are a sign that Spring is arriving, the earth is warming and these sweet flowers are ready to show off their beauty. It has been milder over the last couple of days so making the most of this brief respite from the cold, I say brief respite becaues apparently it is going to get colder come the weekend.
As always Thank you so much for dropping by.

Here are 2 of the prizes I won in the OWOH Giveaway event, from Jennie at StampAttack and Astrid - Thank you ladies.


This spread is for an Inspirational Women RR that I am currently involved in with the I.C.E Yahoo Group
I chose Indira Gandhi, India's 1st and only woman Prime Minister.
I have also been working on spread for another RR with the I.C.E. group - Things I love being the theme, pictures to follow when it is complete.

Still doing a lot of blog hopping and discovering gems...
Best thing to do really when it is cold out, I hate cold, so being indoors is the best thing for me.
I did venture out today to the supermarket. Brought ingredients to make a Crab Pasta dish, when I got to the checkout found I had left my purse at home - nightmare! Left the food, dashed home and got purse and them prepped for the dish.
It was absolutely beautiful and so quick and easy to make.

Tomorrow is Shrove Tuesday so pancakes will have to be eaten in my house, I hate the way they kitchen ends up all smoky so I cheat and buy ready made ones to put in the microwave. I love mine with just sugar and lemon, mmm delicious. What about you do you eat them in your house and if so how do you like yours?
However you have them ENJOY!

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's day to you all. I hope like me you are fortunate to have shared it with the person you love.

I find it hard to believe that Stuart and I have been together for 20 years now, the time has flown and we are still happy.
I thought I would share the pictures showing us 20 years ago and now...

We went to Bluewater today, Stuart bought me a beautiful pair of boots (he knows I LOVE shoes, boots and bags.)
I bought him a Tattoo Book as when he reached 40 he had his 1st tattoo and since he has had more - so this was the perfect present for him



Whilst at Bluewater I found these sweet little eggs in John Lewis and just had to buy them. I am going to alter them and then get them posted off to special blog land friends for Easter... will you get one? watch the post nearer to Easter!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY XXXX

Box of Delights for me :-)

I wanted to share with you the Box of delights that I received from Cat A while back we were both in a Secret Sister swap on the Paper Whimsy Forum
we had different partners and Cat contacted me to ask if we could do a one on one swap, I readily agreed because I think it is fun to swap stash...



So the answer to the riddle is shown below in the pictures...


The beautiful cherub acted as Guardian for all that was within, and what a great job she did!


The ballerina gracefully danced her way out of the box, she couldn't wait to show off all the ribbons and lace, fibres and labels that were concealed inside..


This beautiful cahier is wonderful don't you think, I love the Paper Whimsy girl and the butterfly she used to decorate the cover, and what fun I will have filling this book!


A girl loves to be charmed and oh I was by these beautiful charms, the hearts, and flowers, the mini b-b-q and oh so many others, I love these..


And how about this tag that Cat decorated, didn't it turn out wonderful... and look at those beautiful ribbons, ah! they are so pretty.


and me, well I know what the cat feels like when he gets the cream...the fan came in handy as I was swooning with delight *grin*
So THANK YOU Cat for your BOX OF DELIGHTS
(There are so many items in this box, papers and labels, pegs etc. they aren't all in the photos, happy me)

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OWOH
I won... twice, two lovely items for me, how fantastic. So you are wanting to know what I won right? well I am going to tell you.
The first was a set of 15 medieval tarot rubber stamps from Astrid Yipee...!
And then I received an e mail from Jennie to say that I had won her canvas... Yippee! Yippee!
Now you may have visited these 2 ladies as part of OWOH BUT if you did not manage to then drop by and see their creativity.. When my goodies arrive I will post pics :-)
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Once again THANKS for dropping by, I really appreciate it