I'll be with you…..

Phew! What a week - two days of whizzing up the motorway to house sit at my son's house - the first day we got stuck in traffic on the way there, the second day, even though we left slightly later, we got there earlier! At least on the second day we had electricity and TV - we caught up on something we had been meaning to watch for ages - Limitless - the first three episodes - not usually my kind of thing, but having seen the trails for it I wanted to see it! I wasn't disappointed and I am now looking forward to episode 4! We had to try to stay in one room as there was quite a lot of dust!
Since then I have been on catch up, although a trip to IKEA(I'll show you what we bought another day), food shopping and church this morning have all taken place too!
I have been playing in my journal-among other things!
This will be my last entry for the If Music be the Food of Love theme at Art Journal Journey - Hazel's wonderful choice!
It was going to be another Beatles tune but I found this image and couldn't resist pairing it with a LaBlanche stamp to make this page.

 Sorry, try getting that one out of your head!!

I am still trying to catch up with some blog visiting, so maybe I'll see you soon! 

Thanks for looking, Chris

Here it comes!!

We have spent half a day at our middle son's house today waiting for workmen. We have to go back tomorrow as one of them didn't turn up but promises to be there at 8 o'clock tomorrow! Hey Ho!
As we knew by lunchtime that he wasn't coming, and the other guys had done their bit and left, we hied ourselves of for a bite to eat and a quick shop!
While we were waiting, with no electric on,(it's OK we had the gas fire on and stayed mainly in one room and had taken a flask with us!)I amused myself by playing in my journals.
The page had been started with that in mind,(using my favourite sun stamp and a Banksy image that I bought last Sunday), so I used colouring pencils and my Inktense pencils with a water brush to finish this page.
This is my latest entry for Art Journal Journey.

Hazel's theme this time is 'If music be the food of love', such a great theme for someone who is always singing something under her breath(and sometimes…like in the car..at full volume!)

This song is one I'm sure you will remember from the Beatles..ok..I was teenager in the 60's…the best time …in my opinion to be a teenager!
Here comes the Sun was released in 1969 by which time I was married to my first husband.
Ten years later our eldest son was born and this was one of the songs I would sing to him while I changed his nappy(diaper if you are in the USA)and he would stop wriggling … probably scared to move because of my awful singing!!

Uh! Oh! I'm rambling again…

Thanks for looking, Chrisx
  

WOYWW 351 - Goodies to show

Oooh! I've been away too long - 351!!!!! Away from where you might ask - Julia's What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday - that's where! The chance to catch up with folk around the World who are brave enough to show their desks - that's where!

Now I know this may be cop out, as my desk today is not like this, but I thought you might like to see the goodies I bought on my outing to the craft show at Leigh at the weekend.

Inkylicious was the main reason for my wanting to go - I wanted some quote stamps, but then you can see just one or two more little treats! Oh! and the African set? Hubby's choice - big hint for a Birthday card I think!
What was really great was the first person I saw was Neet, so we had a good catch up in between her doing her demos!

Quite a lot going on around here and I am getting out and about more and as long as I don't do any heavy lifting I am definitely on the mend!
If you saw the little pile on my desk yesterday you will see I decided to use a different card for my little portrait.

Edit

Quick film review - went to see 'Brooklyn' yesterday a brilliant film about early 50's USA and Ireland, good acting, a lovely story and great photography.

Also, if you haven't yet seen The Revenant I would heartily recommend it, although when hubby first suggested it I wasn't sure. We saw it before I had my op as a final outing before I was wrapped up the cotton wool for a week!

Looking forward to visiting desks today!

Thanks for looking, Chris

T stands for ……….thrilled!

Hi everyone,
Yesterday a package came through the letter box

I could see through the plastic a mangled envelope 

I feared the worst, whatever was in the package would surely be ruined…but no, like a butterfly emerging from a chrysalis this beauty had been wrapped inside another plastic layer!

A gorgeous card by my teamie and blog friend Lula! Thank you so much Lula and to our Royal Mail for dealing with this to prevent further damage!

On Sunday I went a few miles away to small craft supply show, I knew that there were some exhibitors that would have just what I wanted! Hubby came along too to keep an eye on me…though not my spending, in fact he treated me to some stamps(having chosen one set for me to make a card for him!) I will show you these tomorrow though.
After we had eaten a picnic lunch we decided not to go straight home but to have a walk in the fresh air so we set off via the scenic route to Dunham Park.
I wasn't up for a long walk so we didn't go into the Winter Garden as we did a few weeks ago, but enjoyed a circuit that took us past the lake and the clock.

 The moat was not asccabm as last time and as you can see there were lots of visitors as it was the weekend!

I don't think I showed you this last time

The field by the car park is still waterlogged, though it is drying out a little!

Today I am joining Bluebeard and Elizabeth for a weekly meet up with the Tea gang!!

I have started to make some cards with the goodies I won!

 If I did drink tea this would definitely be THE cup!

 Neither of these cards have a sentiment at the moment and I may add  something else to the bottom one, which is using up some paper that I normally wouldn't use, as I am not a great fan of orange. I am quite pleased with this so far though. 

These are some bits and pieces ready for the next one!

We are off to the cinema this morning - a Silver Screen one, so we get in for £3 each, with a cup of coffee too!
The film is Brooklyn, one we missed first time around and has won some awards!

I will be visiting later, so for now Thanks for looking, Chris  

Forever!

I have had this song in my head for a while but haven't known how I wanted to portray it!

When I saw Susi's blog this morning she said that to make faces you need to practice so that is what this is - a practice piece!

Many years ago I was at college in Liverpool - it was known then as a college for Domestic Science and we had experience in a range of subjects including Laundrywork, Furnishing, Sewing, Art, Science, Cookery(of course - although this ranged from cooking Edwardian meals through to the new rage at the time - using a microwave oven and using meat substitute products!) The best thing though was living in flats for two weeks with another student - this meant that we learned to run a home of our own including childcare. For two of the weeks we would set off early morning to pick up the same child each day from the Strawberry Fields Childrens Home - we would look after the child for the day including having to play with them, feed them and then bath them before walking back with them late afternoon.

I do wish that I had been able to use these skills when I began teaching but when the curriculum went through changes, first to becoming Home Economics and then (for goodness sake!) Food Technology - which put a halt to a lot of the practical side and making folders seemed to be more important! Whoops! Sorry about that rant but I still feel we are failing children in schools by not giving them guidance in Domestic matters.

This page started based on my memories but I realise now it is as much about about the fact that education leaders seem to have closed their eyes to what our children need!

I drew an outline with a Stabilo all pencil then painted over using acrylics and wiped some off with a babywipe. I added a blue background by adding paint with a baby wipe.
To make my Strawberries I used one of the That's Crafty Dinky stencils that I won from Lynne - I added  some seed with a glitter pen.
As you can see, my writing took a turn for the worse, but I needed this line from the song to be here.

Oh! By the way, our college was quite close to Penny Lane too and we used to go down to shop after lectures.

This is being linked to Art Journal Journey where Hazel's theme 'If music be the food of love' is inspiring me.

It will also fit into a slot at Moo Mania and More with my 'Hearts' strawberries

Thanks for looking, Chris

Lucy!

I do hope you are wide awake or this may be a shock!

My page for Art Journal Journey's theme, Hazel's brilliant choice, 'If Music Be The Food Of Love', and also for the theme at Moo Mania and More where the theme is Hearts I have a very bright page to represent the Beatles classic - 'Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds' very controversial in 1967.

I started by colouring blocks of different colours using my Inktense pencils and a water brush, then added other colours to give some depth. I then doodled using Stabilo fineliners and some Metallic Neocolours. I also used a white uniball Signo pen and a randomly stamped music background stamp.

This was all done while watching TV last night. We had spent most of the day at our Brother-in-Law's funeral and wake and I just felt the bright colours would lift my mood!

I am also linking to Kim Dellow's 'Show Your Face'.

Here is my Lucy with her kaleidoscope eyes.

Thanks for looking, Chris

On Yer Bike!…..and T stands for Transport...

...which just so happens to be the new theme at Try It On Tuesday!
We are looking for your take on the Transport theme….quite a few of us seem to be thinking along the two wheeled kind, but any form of transport will be perfect..as you will see if you hop over for a look at the fabulous examples from the Design Team.
I have made a card for someone who cycles a lot.

I used a selection of papers, including some woodgrain paper from a magazine, some book paper and some tissue. The bicycle is from a Ken Oliver set that I bought recently in a sale - I framed it using the edge of a film strip stamp. I fussy cut the sentiment and gave it an inking around the edge to make it stand out more.

It is standing in front of my Grandad's old letter rack - it used to stand on his mantle piece - it is now on my hallway bookcase.

Today is also the day to join Bluebeard and Elizabeth for T Stands for Tuesday.

I don't have a drink to show you but I think you will love seeing these.

They are part of the lovely blog giveaway from Lynne Moncreiff at Adorn. I know I am going to have fun with them so Thank You again Lynne! They came with a lovely notecard too.

 Do see if you can take some time to take a look at Lynne's fabulous art - you are sure to be there a while though - her work is amazing!!

That's it from me, I am hoping to be back a little more often now as I am feeling better each day! 

I have a voucher to spend today so hubby is taking me to spend it before it runs out…and we may even have a snack lunch!!
I'll be visiting the T gang later!!

Hope to see you at TIOT, remember it can be anything crafty as long as it fits the theme!

Thanks for looking, Chris

Happy Valentines Day!

A little bit late I know but I just thought I would pop in and show you Hubby's card.

I am feeling a lot better now and am taking note of all the advice you have given about taking it easy. We went out to get the food shop yesterday, and today we went for a short walk down to the river and back. Still having a few problems getting comfortable in bed but sleeping well once I do!!

My card started with a small scrap of corrugated card - it was on it's way to the bin when I saw it would fit on to a tag so I threw some gesso at it to give it a bit more texture.

 The tag had a spritz of Distress Stain (Antique Bronze)and a few drops of some pink mica spray that had a dried up nozzle - a quick spritz over with some water and they blended beautifully. Added some lovely script text from a Stampendous Stack Art set. 

 A combination of Ground Espresso and Tarnished Brass over the corry card...

 …and on to the heart, this is one from the wonderful prize I won from Lynne (I will show them to you later in the week)I painted the whole heart with Burnt Umber DecoArt Multi media paint - I then used one of Andy Skinners tricks - passed on to me by Lindsay Mason-hair cement rubbed on to the heart and then painted over with crackle paint tinted with the Burn Umber. Once dry buffed off the crackle paint to reveal the paint underneath then used text randomly over the heart

The Kraft card had some random stamping with a Kaisercraft background stamp..

..a little smudge of Worn Lipstick ink through the doily stencil..

..then some spattering with red acrylic paint and some Picket Fence Distress paint

I added some of my specially bought scarf from France to the tag - this has been so useful and cost so little!!

 I stamped and fussy cut my greeting 

Finally I added some bits and pieces around the tag - mostly from my little scrap box on my desk by now it had gone darker so I had to use my daylight lamp and as we had My Grandson to stay last night I totally forgot that I could have taken another photo this morning!!

I would like to enter the following Challenges

Craft Stamper Take it, Make it - Take  Technique - Text Me

Stamps and Stencils - Splatter, Spritz and Smoosh

Anything but Cute Challenge where the theme is Grungy Love

Mixed Media World - 'Love is in the Air' is Ingrid's choice of theme

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Spritz and Spray

Country View Challenge  - Make your Own Background

Thats Crafty Challenge Blog - First Love

Frilly and Funkie - Love is in The Air

and of course - because it isn't just for Moos - Moo Mania and More where the theme is Hearts


I don't think I have ever entered so many challenges at once but then..I am making up for lost time!!

Thanks for looking, Chris

All you need is…...

…..well, in my case patience! I am usually known as a calm, patient individual….but at the moment I want to do more than I can!

One thing I have had time for is looking through my craft books and sorting through and throwing out craft magazines. I have also been preparing pages in my journal!

I had an outing yesterday…ha! ha! We went to the supermarket and I walked around with the support of the trolley. We are also lucky that living in a retirement complex with a dining room we went 'out' to lunch on Tuesday! 

My page today was inspired through reading through my Dina Wakley books. 

I have been wanting to make more journal pages for Hazel's fabulous them at Art Journal Journey - 'If music be the food of love', as well as the new theme at Moo Mania and More - 'Hearts'.

The base is an ink spray - Dylusions I think. The hearts are scraps of mop up - overstamped with some script.A little bit more random stamping and some dots stencilled on, outlined and highlighted.
The words - as you must know, are the beginning and end of a Beatles song. We are listening to a Beatles compilation in the car at the moment and you may well see a little bit more Beatles influence soon! 

Now, I realise I gave the wrong impression about my beautiful Amaryllis the other day - it did topple over, and one of the four flowers broke off, but the rest of the plant is alive and well!!

This is where the flower broke off.

 Here it is rescued and is doing quite well away from it's mother

Here is the remaining plant with three flowers still blooming beautifully!

I am hoping to visit a little more soon, off to have my suture clips out today so not sure when…

Your encouraging comments have been cheering me on and I do so appreciate them!

Thanks for looking, Chris

A page, some happy mail and a bit of a disaster!!

Hi everyone, I'm back - sort of! 
Still bit fuzzy around the edges - not going into details but the answer is…. a Bob Dylan song!! Nobody warned me about that!!!

Yesterday and this morning - hmm…a concentration thing….I made a double spread in my small Moleskine - intended as a double entry for Art Journal Journey - "If music be the food of love" chosen by Hazel….
and Moo Mania and More - Use Your Scraps - the whole background is covered in mop up scraps!
The scraps were in my journal before I went into hospital and up till yesterday haven't felt like playing at all.
The words of the song are some that have been going around my head over the last few weeks!!

Next is a big Thank You to Alison (Butterfly)at Words and Pictures and Jo (JoZart).

This arrived from Alison following my seeing it on her blog(here)

I am following the advice Alison, and can say that this is even more beautiful than the photos show!
Not only that..the photo looks so much like one of my Gran-except I am not up to rummaging for it!

Then this gorgeous package arrived from Jo

What it contained is so beautiful and such a comfort!

I had been hoping to go to the Manchester craft show with Jo until they changed the date of my op! She has been kind enough to show mw what I missed on her blog!

Both of these wonderful gifts have kept me thinking positively when I have felt a bit down so big Thanks to you both.

Oh! The disaster?  Yesterday I took this photo of an Amaryllis that I have grown this year - it has the most beautiful triple flowers!

 Today, having already said it needed more support maybe, as the final flower had bloomed, we heard a crash!!

The other one I grew didn't cause so much bother

I have never grown these before but looking forward to next year now!

That's it for now I'm afraid - I need to move around again - and maybe have a back rub!!!

Thank you for all your good wishes!

Thanks for looking, I will be around to visit soon!
Chris

Romance at Try it On Tuesday and a second look at romance!

We are feeling in a romantic mood at Try It On Tuesday with our new theme 'A Fine Romance'. Well, it will be Valentines Day soon, so we hope you will make something for your beloved! It can be anything you wish as long as it fits the theme. Please pop over to our blog to see the fabulous examples the team have made!

I had a little fun with a bargain buy from B and M (for those in the  US it is a store that sells all sorts from food to home items….but cheap!!) 

 It started out like this…

A very poor photo but the only one I have!!!

I pulled off the Home label and painted everything in gesso before painting white.

I used clear texture paste through a diamond stencil.

I then went over everything with white crackle paint with little blue mixed in. I rubbed it over with DecoArt Antiquing cream to emphasise the cracks but ink would have done the job too! 
I then rummaged through one of my 'treasure' boxes and found the lock and key and the metal filigree circle - both had a paint with PA Fresco Snowflake before rubbing off a little for the gold edges to show. I used  one of Tim's Mixed Media dies and added a few little blobs of Glossy Accents.
The phrase is from small talk stickers and reminds me of one of my favourite films - Baz Luhrmann's 'Moulin Rouge' - except that this song makes me blub like a baby!  

The other side had a little bump where I had removed the label, so I painted a flower that I think came from a pound shop,stamped some text over the top and added some stickles. I filled the centre with silicone glue, sprinkled with Glamour Dust. It covered the bump nicely! A little bit of torn tissue tape and then chit chat stickers for my message. 

I also did some stencilling on the base

As it is the 2nd of the month I am joining Bluebeard and Elizabeth(and Squiggles too!)for

This is from February 10th 2013

Journal cat

I had two trips to the Manchester craft show this week - once when I spent far too much and another when I didn't spend much at all. Both trips were great because I met up with friends and crafting acquaintances too! 
Suffice to say I was quite weary by the time last night came as I had also done a 'big shop' on Friday!
Eager as I was to play with my new goodies I sat and did some doodling while on the settee watching tv!
The background had been painted and inked some time ago and was waiting for me!
This is what I came up with

Well, I drew the little cat and the branches - but didn't really have anything in mind - until this morning - so I had a little heart from Tim's Heartwings die which I bought on Thursday, along with some fresco paints so I used the heart and painted on some green paint. Stamped Lindsay's little cat without her ball of wool, used letters from one of my little boxes and doodled the edge and some little hearts! Last thing to be done were the butterflies from a box of Cavellini stamps.
I hope you like it! 
I am hoping to enter it in Hel's Sunday Stamper challenge.  
Thanks for looking, Chris

I will not be around until tomorrow, and even then not sure how I will feel, but I will try to visit as soon as I can!

Thanks for looking, Chris