Time has flown . . . .

 

 

So here's what I've been so busy doing that I forgot to blog.....

 

July art journal calendar challenge - loved making this and I've had so much lovely feedback it gave me the the kick I needed to keep going

 

 

 August the 1st was the 20th anniversary of me starting work for the NHS - I had my own little celebration with a cup of tea and decided to dedicate my August calendar challenge to the achievement!

 

 

The background  was created using the new Dylusions Ink Spray Pad with Dylusions black and white inks. And in case you are wondering (it has been asked) no, it is not blood on the page!

(I do love my job but if I'm honest some blood sweat and tears have been shed over the last 20 years)

 

 

I've had some holidays so have also had chance to do a couple of classes:

 

Firstly Art Journaling for regulars at Art from the Heart - the challenge was to use the new Boney Maloney stamp set in whatever way we wished . . . . (forgive my black humour)  - I have to say the Wendy Vecchi embossing paste used to make the stars is amazing, it dried really quickly and doesn't have that gritty 'I'm going to regret this on every other page in this journal' feeling

 

 

 

Secondly Graffiti Of My Life online class #301 by Dina Wakley - here's my front cover and a few of the inside pages.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I loved this class and would highly recommend it  - Dina is an amazing teacher and I found the class really straight forwards to follow with no irritating production bits. Dina is about to launch her 5th online class - it will be available here dinawakley.com very soon.

 

And finally Mermaid Circus by Teesha Moore and Jane Davenport - I remain fairly unskilled at the more fine art but had fun with the collage elements and loved being immersed in Teesha's style.

 

 

The lovely Sandra Hall will be teaching a Teesha Moore style 16 page journal with a Dylusions twist at Art From the Heart on October 12th and 13th - I think there are still a couple of spaces on it.  Mebs see you there?

 

xXx

 

Totally up to date . . . . .

Well until tomorrow - then I'll be way behind!

 

June's calendar challenge was inspired by a planned trip to 'The Making of Harry Potter: Warner Brothers Studio Tour'

 

 

I hadn't thought about it for long enough before this to realise what a huge part of the last 12 years Harry Potter has been in my family's life - from reading the first 4 books whilst up through the night feeding my youngest daughter, to sneaking to the cinema on my own 'cos the girls weren't old enough yet to see the first films, to at least 2 summer holidays when the books were released just in time for holiday reading and latterly to reading the books with my daughter and to several 'Harry Potterthons' where past films have been watched back to back in the run up to the latest release.

 

 The tour was amazing - I would definitely recommend it!

 

I wanted the background to be the 4 houses - so did the stripes using the Faber Castell's gorgeous Gelatos (yes I know I got the colours of Ravenclaw wrong, but am over it!) The date scrolls were made using Tim Holtz distress ink (tea dye and brushed corduroy) to create the vintage paper look which I then stamped over the top of with Lablanche's well-written  stamp. I varied what size I cut out to write on.

 

It makes me smile

 

These also make me smile......

 

 

Alcohol inked tea boxes - well why not!?

 

These are a spin off the Ranger Techniques course I attended in April taught by the brilliant Kaz Hall  - she is going to be teaching it again at Art from the Heart in Harrogate  in October ....... and in other places by the sounds of it - check out her blog for info and make a date with her if you can!

 

Hmm suppose I'd best think about July now . . . .

 

xXx

 

Message in a bottle . . .

I must be having a 'lyrics run' on themes for my Calendar Challenge! 

 

I couldn't get this song out of my head so .  . . . yup . . . .  it got landed in my journal!  

There is comfort in the realisation that most (all?) people have fragile and lonely days, no matter how busy or confident the exterior appears!

 

Hugs to anyone feeling like that just now

 

xXx

What's that coming over the hill?

April's theme for Kate's 365 journal challenge had to be 'Monsters' cos I feel like the prolonged winter, lots of external pressures plus being a 40 something year old woman often has me feeling that way!

You know when you open your mouth and listen to the rot that comes out? Enough said!

 

 

To beat the monster blues I have just spent an fabulous 2 days at my refuge of Art from the Heart doing a Ranger techniques class with the truly fabulous Kaz Hall  - I can only apologise for bringing the standard of pupil down  . . . . and for the now national shortage of perfect pearls!

 

I love meeting new folks and re meeting some old ones too -  thank you ladies and gent for making it such a positive energy place to be for the weekend.

 

My project isn't finished yet but here it is thus far

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And some of my tags

 

 

 

And if you want to know how they were done you should have been on the class.

 

Any finally I came home to the promise of these boots once they have been on stage in the Frazer theatre production of Teechers next month.

 

 

What more could a monster ask for?

 

xXx

Happy Days!

I can't believe its March already - there always seem to be lots of exciting things that happen in March, not least some time that will be spent with the fabulously talented Dina Wakley at Art from the Heart - I think there are still a couple of free slots on one or two of her workshops - check it out here

 

No surprises then that the theme for my March 365 Journal Calendar was inspired by Dina.

 

Have you seen her book 'Art Journal Freedom' ? - am guessing most people will be aware of this, but if not it is sooooo worth the pennies - mine has been to bed with me, in the bath, to work . . . . my stuff is a poor reflection of her amazing talent, but as another gorgeous friend reminded me today 'Start where you are, with what you've got and do what you can.'  Excellent advice ;o)

 

I also wanted to acknowledge Patty at Lisa's Altered Art as a source of fab downloadable images.

I hadn't been on her site for a while but after a visit last month I had fun with some of her images, Dylusions inks, Tim Holz distress paint and beeswax to create the following cards - they made me smile ;o)

 

 

 

 

 

Hold fast to your dreams folks and try not to piss me off!

 

xXx

 



Masks . . .

Hmmm - I like to think that I am fairly constant and you get what you see but the reality is often it's a mask of 'fineness' because that's best for everyone!

This, together with the fact that all my peeps seem to be doing 'stagey' things in the next few week, was the inspiration behind February's art journal calendar page.

 

I used my new favourite Dylusions spray inks of Cherry Pie, White Linen, Funky Fuchsia and Calypso Teal to make the background.

 

And today I really am fine!

 

xXx

 

 

 

Antithesis....

Happy New Year!!

For a change (!) I was not ready at the beginning of January to post my calendar page for the new year of Kate's journal challenge - in fact I wasn't ready until the 16th and then couldn't get blogger to upload any pictures so here we are, am actually glad I made it before the end of the month!

I was lucky enough to go to HobbyKunst in  Norway in December on elf duties. When I was not required for tea making, stencil cleaning and general merriment I got to go shopping ;o) Hobbykundst is the biggest craft shop I have ever been in so I was in my element just walking the shop floor and making the occasional purchase. These two stamps designed by Suzy Blu caught my eye and fell into my shopping basket: 

Because life is hard enough so everyone needs play time 

and

because that is the antithesis to how January can make me feel and why my January page is so deliberately bright!

The lanterns are ghosted Dylusions inks on water colour paper

 and are drawn with a magic pencil. The inspiration came from Suzi's stamp and Graphic 45's enlightenment paper from their Bird Song collection. I loved how it turned out even if it took me a while to get there.

Hoping your January has some sparkly and bright bits in it, if not make something happen to make it so.

xXx