It's the most wonderful time of the year!

 

I love Christmas time and all the excitement in preparations and the traditions we have in our family so will be buried in all of that, with some exciting events thrown in too, for the rest of the month.

 

Thanks to a Dylusions challenge last month, set by the fabulously talented Dyan Reaveley, I am ready for December's 366 Calender Challenge ON TIME!

I know!?!

 

 

 

I started with black jesso and then scraped lime green paint on with an old store card. I love the vibrance of the colours (thanks Dina for this idea from your recent accident!!)  I bought the Stampotique tree stamp this year and actually don't really like it as a tree - but have discovered it created fabulous 'matrix' style backgrounds ;o)

 

 

 

As much of my December will be spent at Art from the Heart I had to go with using Dylusions stamps and inks to create the baubles and my own special Santa... I love it!

 

This was the original journal page that I did for the challenge - yes you could say I've cheated and just expanded the idea it but c'est la vie!

 

 

I cant believe I have got to the end of the year - Thank you Kate for setting me off and for your, and all you lovely people who have looked an commented along the way's, encouragement to carry on.

 

This has done me good ;o)

 

What's next?

 

xXx

 

Thanks for stopping by and for any lovely comments you may choose to leave

Catching up ;o)

So, 'fess up, who stole the last 2 months?

 

I cant believe its been that long since I posted anything and that I have to confess to finishing creating October's 366 journal challenge page on November the 1st! I have to say it was fun reviewing the month after the fact because it was a FUN month; My friend and I got to go on a girlie road trip (air trip?!) to visit a fabulously talented and gorgeous girlie in Phoenix, Arizona - hence the Saguaro theme.

 

 

 

I did this on the plane over to the States - an expression of how I felt at the beginning of the trip - just in need of some 'me time'

 

 

 

I love, love, love my peeps and my job but it was sooooo freeing having NO responsibility for 7 days ;o)

I am so grateful for everyone who made it possible xxx

 

(I am working in my new Dylusions Creative Journal - I always knew I'd love this and I so do, the paper is soooooo versatile, I just wish I could have it in about 4 sizes! Hint to Ranger!!)

 

The creator of said journal (who is another gorgeous and fabulously talented friend) has been trying to teach me the following principle for some time now . . .

 

 

....... it is not something I excell at!

 

So, on to November. Whilst wracking my brains to come up with an idea for the date squares I wandered in to the room where I create stuff, switched the light on and was met by the internal fireworks of an exploding light bulb! Say no more . . . .

 

 

 

I've got lots of exciting things planned and lots more business ahead so who knows when I'll be back, but thanks for stopping by and thanks Kate Crane for keeping me on task, I've come so far that I cannot not complete this challenge! 

1 month to go . . . .

 

xXx

I will obey . . . . well maybe a litle bit

Spent a great day yesterday at Art from the Heart journals class. Dy gave us a challenge - I love challenges but struggle to stick to the rules . . . .

 

The 'rules' were to write 5 words that describe where I am at now, to include a word or two that my classmates used to describe me, to use a tag and use a colour picked by the classmate 2 to my right . . .

 

I love to procrastinate in class, usually I just prat about and enjoy the freedom of being there amongst creative energy - when I left at the end of the day I had a yellow page with a few images stuck on it - no words and not a hint of a tag or the colour I was given (green) but I said I'd finish it and I have:

 

 

Thanks Dy for a fab class

 

xXx



New beginnings . . . .

So here I am ready with my September calander page for Kate Crane's 366 Challenge - it's really rather sparkley for me.

 

 

In August we had a pre GCSE results day in London a) to distract and b) to celebrate in case there were disappointments on the day (shouldn't have worried).

The highlight of the day was going to see Wicked at the Apollo Vicotoria. I loved, loved, LOVED it - so much stood out and impressed me - my Emerald City is a poor reflection but it means so much to me!

 

I guess as I am getting older I am realising more that people influence us in so many different ways - some move in to our lives and stay a while and others just brush past but all have an effect and make us who we are. Like Glinda I can think of so many folks in my life whom I can say 'because I knew you, I have been changed for good'

 

For Good (Menzel and Chenoweth)

 

And here is how August turned out - IRL I think this has taken over as my favourite month for now.

 

 

Thank you for stopping by and for your comments

 

Have a great September  . . . . may you have many new beginnings

 

xXx 

*giddy*

Am sooooo proud of Team GB - just watching the athletics and am amazed ;o)  - I salute you all.

I think I might be capable of a gold medal for sheer determination  and effort for a few things in my life but could never get any award for achievement in anything sporty!

So we are in to August already  - for me this means a summer holiday (phew - so ready for it) as such my 366 Calender Challenge page reflects this with postcards to be sent for each day. Am not sure if the corner images are sunshades or umbrellas - both may be required!

Having checked, double checked and treble checked I do at least have the right number of dates for this page, unlike my July page ......

Anyway I filled in the missing dates with  a whole separate page - inspired by my amazing friend Dyan Reaveley - and as a tribute to her and the creative wings she has inspired me to spread.

Fly high.  Fly free.

xXx

Thank you for any comments you might leave

Missing.....

So its been a while . . . .

Mostly because I've had to come to terms with the fact that I can't count!

I got all excited with my Olympic themed page for  Kate's Journal Challenge and I loved what I had created . . . .until it came to numbering the days . . . .

You'd think the small pile of spare circles would have been the clue wouldn't you???

Mebs I'll have to break tradition and have an interim page between July and August.

Whilst I think about that, this is how June finished up:

Thanks Kate - I am certainly being challenged ;o)

xXx

Resistance is fabulous!

I had fun making a card this morning for my dad - no, no not last minute, honest!

I was inspired by Kaz Hall's video tutorial on her blog - (Kaz is one amazing lady, her video is so clear she should do more!) I didn't have all the magic ingredients that Kaz used to hand to do her resist technique so I improvised.  
I used perfect medium as my resist and decided to use  the 'distress ink pads on to my craft mat spritzed with water technique' (sorry to all you pros who will know the proper name for this technique). I then added some letters I've had forever and...

.... this was the result:

I presented it to Dad with a disclaimer that if he poked his eye out on the wire bits it was his fault not mine!
(As a bloke he was far more fascinated with the wire bits than the beautiful background ;o)

***

 

In between working my backside off  I have been decorating some letters for another of my gorgeous friends who, despite some seriously tough times, lives by the principle of 'Eucharisteo' which is Greek for 'Life filling gratitude'
I am so grateful for her example x

Here are her letters in progress - my camera hasn't pictured the colours very well. I had to be careful not to make them too grungy or altered as not to scare her with them!

So my challenge to me this week is: whatever it brings to be thankful rather than the easier option of moaning.
' will have to see how that goes!!



 xXx