The Real Thing!

My final entry for Art Journal Journey! Thank you everyone who left me such encouraging comments this month! 
So, my page…

… a simple one using some leftover wallpaper from one of my sons, a gelli print page that has snowflakes on and didn't get used at Christmas, lots of ink and a few stamps!

The main message is….get out there and enjoy the woods - daffodils are there at the moment but there are signs of the bluebells on their way! Have some fun!!

Oh! unless you still have a page in your journal that you haven't yet linked - there are still a few hours left! (11 last time I looked!)

Thanks for looking, Chris

Where would I like to be?

Hi everyone, the answer to the question  is in a bluebell wood! Of all the flowers that can be found in woodlands the bluebell is my favourite - Hubby gets used to me asking to stop when we pass one, although I do have my favourites that I like to visit(I'll be sure to show you later in the year!).

My journal page today started by some spritzing and adding Brushos in strips of green brown, blue and green.

I then did some rough outlines using a Stabilo Mark it all pencil and used a combination of Neocolour IIs and Inktense pencils to colour the trees, flowers and grass.
I'm not sure if Little Red Riding Hood is there picking bluebells for Grandma or whether it's a trick of the Brushos - I'll let you decide!

The quote is from a Stampman set I have had for ages but has such lovely quotes and images.

This is the latest of my entries as host at Art Journal Journey with my choice of theme -"If You Go Down To The Woods".

I hope to post one more tomorrow but would like to Thank everyone for your support and also to Valerie and Susi for asking me! I have had wonderful time seeing all the fabulous and varied entries and the month has whizzed by!

There is still the rest of today and tomorrow if you would like to join in! 

Thanks for looking, Chris

Adding a quote at Try It On Tuesday and…T stands for…….tea on the veranda!!!

Hello to you all, I hope you had a lovely Easter break…maybe some of you even found some sun too? 

Our new challenge at Try It On Tuesday is 'Add a Quote'. The team have some lovely inspiration to share with you so do please pop over to have a look!

My quote is on a journal page.

The quote is from one of Lin Brown's Eclectica sets (ELB06) from Paper Artsy. 
The trees are from a Christmas set by Woodware that I bought from Paper Warehouse in Kendal the other week, at a very good price! I knew as soon as I saw this stamp what I was going to use it for.
The mosaic shapes are part of a magazine freebie stamp and the zig zag at the bottom is from Kaisercraft.

I would also like to link this to Art Journal Journey where my hosting stint is almost at an end. I hope to have more to show you for the 'If You Go Down To The Woods' theme and you still have a couple of days to join in. 

Today being Tuesday it is time to join Bleubeard and Elizabeth for T stands for Tuesday.

 The other week we went for a walk at Sizergh Castle - a lot of paths were closed because of the ground being waterlogged, but we still got to see lots of new growth.

 It was a calm day and great for seeing reflections in the two ponds

It was the first day we had been out without coats since last Autumn. It was so warm in fact, that we decided to have a drink and a scone on the verandah - no not ours…the one outside the cafe!

I had a cheese scone and filter coffee while hubby had a cream tea

Hubby practiced his resigned look!

We walked back to look at the garden plants but there was nothing we wanted this time.

We spent some time at our caravan with one of my sons and two grandchildren! We usually go to Sizergh on Easter Day but it was such a cold and wet day that we went for a meal in Lancaster and then to the cinema instead! We watched Zootropolis which was brilliant (I think It was called Zootopia in the USA)but not before my GD completed the Easter Egg Hunt in our garden in a brief break in between showers. 

She has a lovely Easter basket but was worried about getting it wet so her Dad found her a plastic bag!

I would like to enter this in the Anything But Cute Challenge - Crazy For Colour

I hope some of you will join in with the challenges or come along to Elizabeth's with your drink!! 

I will be visiting after my shopping trip - we are almost out of food!  

Thanks for looking, Chris 

It's simple!

Do you remember the days when you bought loads of peel off sheets? I'm sure some of you do. 
When I first started crafting I used to visit Topaz near Accrington - there use to be a whole area of peel offs - often on offer and I was always fascinated by the variety. 
I now still have quite a lot left, even though I have given a lot away. 
Of course once I discovered stamps and the joy of mixed media crafting they have stayed in a little box…until I had a sort out…what to do? 
I hate waste so I am trying to find ways of using them so here is one way I have tried.

The message is simple…

…in this case I am using what I have - a background made with ink watered down to make it go further, mopped up even further with a piece of corrugated card to stamp with, unfortunately my intention to use that piece did't work out as it was VERY soggy!
The ziggy zaggy bits at the bottom were the result of a die slipping(the same one as I have used at the top corner which is part of an old envelope)I quite like this effect so kept all of the bits! The leaves wouldn't cut very well, broke up and have been in my scrap box for a while so I trimmed them with scissors. The peel off is mounted onto a piece of bread wrapper.

I know I am not the only one to have lots of scraps and un-used items so I hope I have given you some ideas on how to use some of them.

This is my latest entry to Art Journal Journey - 'If you go down to the woods'

Hope you are all enjoying the Easter break!

Thanks for looking, Chris

It's not what you think...

My journal page for Art Journal Journey today may fool you…

..it's not as sinister as it first appears. You see, Mr Wolf and the bears are great friends(have you seen the size of Mr Bear?)and Mama and Papa Bear wanted to go off on their own for a while…..
They left Baby Bear and his Gummi Bear sweets in the shade of a tree and asked their friend to keep an eye on him! By the look on the little one's face they are on the way back!

I have really enjoyed seeing all the entries for the 'If You Go Down To The Woods' theme while I have been hosting for Valerie and Susi this month and the time has really whizzed by! Thank you for your support!  You can see all the entries yourself by clicking Here

The tree is a photograph of one we saw on our way home from the caravan, that I printed out and cut around. Baby bear is one of Lindsay Mason's stamps from a while ago and I drew Mr Wolf peeping around the tree (OK, its true, I wasn't confident about drawing his whole body!)The woodland is on an inked and watery splashed background and was made with a bit of random inking and stamping.

When we came back from the caravan the other week it was a beautiful but rather cold day, we couldn't resist taking a picnic and going home by the scenic route through the Trough Of Bowland. After eating (in the car!) we had a short walk….

 This was our view while we ate

THE TREE! 

Looking up over the road

 When we go back the sheep had moved in

 We walked a little way in the opposite direction and then back to our little car

The sheep were moving on again

 Thanks for looking at this scheduled post, Chris

Calm!

Hi everyone, I have another journal page to show you! One of my favourite things to do is image transfers - the one I have used here I have had for ages - just waiting for it's moment!!

This is yet another mop up - use up page! I added some stencilling and spattering. The bird is from a freebie set I think. There are left over bits and pieces including a scraps of corrugated card,  water colour paper, blue napkin, dressing from my recent hospital visit, mop up kitchen towel, and a stamped and cut leaf all from the same little box. I stamped the quote onto a piece of old dress pattern paper. 

I hope it makes you feel calm, as making this page made me feel  very relaxed!

It is of course my latest entry to Art Journal Journey. 

It is also a  reminder that Try It On Tuesday has the theme Nature that closes on Monday - so you still have time to join in! There is some great inspiration on the blog, including that of my very good friend Elizabeth, who is our Guest Designer this time.

Thanks for looking, Chris  

The bears are out …and T stands for trying!!

I have a new entry for the 'If You Go down To The Woods' theme at Art Journal Journey. I have tried to use a combination of my own photos and some elements from Print Shop! Goldilocks can head to their cottage because the Three Bears are out for a picnic!

When I saw these three in Kendal at the Food Festival the other week I knew I would let them go on a picnic!

The weather wasn't very bright on the day we went but at least it wasn't as cold as it had been! 
There were lots of stalls set up and we did buy ourselves a few treats!
There was also street entertainment and an area set up indoors for children to have some food related fun

Now, because it's Tuesday it's time to share something drink related with Bleubeard and Elizabeth at the Altered Booklover blog.

While we stood watching a cookery demonstration I mentioned to Hubby we should be thinking about lunch, the man at the side of me who had been asking the chef questions, and seemed to know quite a lot already, butted in and suggested we tried a restaurant called Baba Ganoush - I told him we had tried several years ago and had an awful experience, following a short conversation it seems we had been to the Deli nearby of the same name(same owners) so at his insistence try again we did….WOW! We really enjoyed choosing and I had a bean burger while hubby had a chicken one.

my latte

hubby's cappuccino

When the table next to me emptied I took a quick shot but as it was very crowded didn't manage any more!

We will definitely be going back here as the menu looked yummy and we would both like to try more!

Now…the strange thing…as we paid for the meal I said to hubby that I wish I could see the man and thank him…we left the restaurant and walked up the road and the first person we met was indeed the man, who was delighted that we had enjoyed our meal!!

I will be around to visit shortly, Thanks for looking, Chris

Take a walk in the woods(and back by the river bank!)

Hi everyone! Sorry not to have been around to visit many of you lately I have been busy with family matters - including a hubby who is feeling neglected and is suffering with a bad back! 
I hope to be around a little more now although this is still going to be busy week!

My latest entry for Art Journal Journey is a simple one that I did while at the caravan the other weekend in a new journal that I bought at TKMaxx on the way there for £3 - I just had to test the paper!

I used my Inktense water colour pencils with my water brush.

I am quite happy with the paper (especially at that price!)

Last time I posted I showed you photos of our walk along the river bank…here are the photos of the walk back home.

From this point we had to walk along the road..

 …or we could have gone this way to Stockport!!!

 This gateway always looks lovely but is even better now!

 As you can see from the bottom of the railings this road was flooded recently

 Heading under the motorway...

 ….up the lane...

 …past the church...

 …sadly, not our church, which is a 20minute drive away!
I hope they mend the clock soon!

Finally on past the newly re-furbished Crown Inn, hubby had been sneaking a look, as I walked across the road the new owner invited us in for a little look before the grand opening! It looks very inviting and although we don't drink much alcohol, they have a range of special coffees and teas so I think we will be visiting as was very cosy inside! 

I will be linking to Art Journal Journey where I am hosting this time around! I hope you will be inspired to take part with the 'If You Go Down To The Woods' theme - there have been such wonderfully inspiring entries so far and there's still 9 days left!

Thanks for looking, Chris