Still on the catwalk...sort of!!!

Hi everyone! We are back from the caravan - didn't touch the garden - it was so nice we went out instead!

I have been trying to cut down my magazine pile and this YSL image was in a France magazine (it had quite a lot about Paris in it!)
The text with it said that Yves as a boy would make paper dolls and that he would also design clothes for his mother and sisters.

When we got back from our caravan about two hours ago I got it into my head that I could make a final quick page for Yvonne's 'A World Of Fantasy' theme at Art Journal Journey, so after a coffee I went and made a page before it became too dark to take a photograph (yes, those days are almost here again!!) I've had to wait until hubby came off the computer so here it is!

I used some Lost Coast stamps (I think!) and cut some paper dolls from a French magazine I have had for a while! I cut out a new dress for the lady and put those little tags on to attach it to her - she had an apron on so I think she may prefer this!! All this was stuck onto a kraft page that I dragged some paint onto and then spattered with bronze paint!

The garden doesn't look so bad - although if you look closely things need cutting back and there are some nettles lurking.....maybe next time!!!

We saw some beautiful scenery while out and about.

I'll be here with my calendar journal tomorrow!

Thanks for looking, Chris

On the catwalk!

I made a little journal page - I don't think it fits the size requirements for Yvonne's 'A World of Fantasy' theme at Art Journal Journey so I can't link!

Fashion Week was on in Vienna while we were there and I picked up a leaflet at the Leopold Museum with this image on (wish I had snaffled more!)

 I had prepared some pages and I used some scrap paper and some doodling to finish the page! 
I'm sure we have all done 'the walk' at some time imagining being on the catwalk!! (or maybe it's just me!)

Thanks for looking, Chris

Some 5 minute pages!

Before we went away I was snatching odd five minutes to make some journal pages!
These have been posted on Instagram as that is where I started making them for a challenge by SoutherngalsDesigns you can link to Tiff's Youtube videos here.

I made the first one while at my son's house on the evening he went out - I used a passport size cheap journal from Muji!

Thanks for looking, Chris

Close your eyes!

I have had some time to play in my craft room and have another page for Yvonne's 'A World of Fantasy' at Art Journal Journey.

I started with a smudgy blue and white background. 

I used my favourite Crafty Individuals background stamp and some Tracy Evans dragonflies and hearts over the top
I found some blue and white fabric and some canvas and used a Crafty Individuals stamp which I stamped in grey and blue(this is the second generation stamping)....

...so that I could giver her different coloured wings.I also added some flowers using the first stamped image

Al I had to do then was add Stickles, Nuvo Drops, package netting and some lacy type trim.

Although I think she is a fairy masquerading as an angel I love the TE quote and Close your eyes is on a sheet of stamps that I can't name!!!

I would like to enter at 

Penny Black and More - Make it Feminine challenge

Simon Says Monday Challenge - Monochrome

I have a couple more posts scheduled as we are off to check out the caravan garden among other things!!

Thanks for looking, Chris

WOYWW 486

Hi everyone! I am joining Julia at the Stamping Ground our wonderful hostess of Whats On Your Workdesk Wednesday!
My desk was a bit of a mess this morning....

...I had been making this page yesterday for Art Journal Journey where Yvonne's theme of 'A World Of Fantasy' still has a few days to run.
I love Autumn and this song - as we travelled by train through Hungary, Austria and the Czech Republic the leaves were changing up in the mountains - I would have loved to stay and see them fully changed but it's only a fantasy...and it was turning colder!
Photos are here if you wish to see them.

We had a spur of the moment trip to the cinema when we found that Ocean's 8 was showing on Silver Screen (for seniors) at the Odeon! 
Well worth seeing and you may remember me telling you before, these Odeon showings only cost £3 each and include a hot drink and a biscuit!
There were lots of thrills (and laughs) and as bonus Richard Armitage is in it!!!

Of course this meant that bits of the napkin I used, and the sheet of leaves plus all the inks etc were left until this morning as we also added little shopping trip to our afternoon too, with a reviving cup of coffee included at M and S!!

I realised that I hadn't shown my photos of the fabulous crop day we had and though it's a little late here are a few!
Lots of photos being taken everywhere

Doug taking a photo of Shaz with Annie and Jo - Chris looking on!

Shaz and ShazinOz 

I caught Chris, Maggie(our wonderful hostess for the day!), Sarah and Chris

Neet and Jan grabbing their chances!!

It was great to meet Annie and Jo at last and as a bonus Heather too!

This was the scene as we headed home - via the seafront!!

Since we came back from our holiday we have been catching up on the TV programmes we have recorded on TIVO! 
Wow! What an ending to The Bodyguard!
We have also been enjoying a series that started while we were were away - Killing Eve - although not sure that we should be enjoying something about a female assassin!

Wishing everyone a great week, I will do my best to get round to everyone! 
Thanks for looking, Chrisx

T Stands for.....Travels in Budapest

Hi everyone! We are back from our Europe trip and I have just a few photos of the start of our trip today!
We had glorious weather all of the time until the last evening and morning when it cooled down a little! Now we are home we are both feeling quite cold as it was in the high 20s most days and some over 30*C
There was so much to see and there will be quite a few photo posts coming up!

I shall start by linking to T Stands For Tuesday because as you probably know each Tuesday Bleubeard and Elizabeth host this little T party so we can share what we have been drinking (and sometimes eating too)!

 We arrived by plane to Budapest (having had the most horrendous wait in line to the security check - nearly two hours!)
Luckily we could get into our room straight away and after hanging a few clothes up we headed out for lunch. Last time we had stayed in Budapest was overnight to catch a plane and we were back in the Hotel Maramara and happy to be so. We knew that there were some restaurants around the corner so we headed to an Italian over the main road.

 First a drink - which was accompanied by a basket of lovely bread.

We both chose salads, which were delicious but I forgot to take a photo as I was hungry!

We walked down to the Parliament area and found this new feature which gave fabulous reflections

We watched some soldiers walking very solemnly around the flagpole.

There was an awning with small tents under it and some people sitting around on deckchairs with placards - the only word I could read was 'Anarchy'! 

We walked on around the area and came across a Chocolate Museum - I will return to this another time!

As evening wore on we got some great views across the river

The next morning we walked to Szechenyi Baths. If I had known how far it was I probably wouldn't have! I was distracted by the shops though! Most of them seemed to be women's clothing shops all along one side of the road with a railway line on the other - some were very upmarket! There was also this florist, with a floral gown and bicycle! 

The baths were incredible!

 The ticket  hall was like a grand house

We were allocated cabins...

.....so got changed and headed outside!

One pool was warm and the other one we went in was even warmer! There was also another pool for serious swimmers. We only took these photos as we walked around afterwards - to investigate the other areas.  

 I am not so keen on swimming - or being out of my depth in water and found the floating sensation a bit weird to start with - there are mineral salts in the Spring water. 

There's no way to censor these views of the white bodies but as everyone else was taking selfies we joined in!

We had been told there were inside baths too, although now I had my phone we didn't venture in - the temperature of each pool was indicated on the wall.

I enjoyed it so much in the end that we stayed on longer than we had planned!

If (or when) we go back to Budapest it will be on our list of things to do once again! 

We had an unremarkable lunch from one of the kiosks close by - we made the wrong choice as we had seen some really yummy looking food but didn't know what it was called!

We made up for it later though - but that's for another T Day!

Hoping I can get around to everyone - I failed last time as I had expected to have waiting time in the airport!!!   

Thanks for looking, Chris

Mermaids have all the fun!

Hi everyone, we are home and after travelling yesterday and shopping this morning I was ready to get into my craft room!
I bought some napkins while away....definitely more than I need!!!

One of my favourites immediately put me in mind of Yvonne's 'World Of Fantasy' challenge at Art Journal Journey!
As it happens I had started a watery looking page a while ago for another challenge but never got around to using it!
I tore the napkin and stuck it too the page with a matte multi medium.
From there it was just a case of adding a little stamping, some images cut from a little book I bought in Paris last April, some colouring with Distress markers and some spattering with blue and white paint!

I love travelling but I don't think I will ever go on a cruise, too much being on water and only a short time to explore where the stop offs are! We were asked several times whether we were on one of the cruises along the Danube and I must say the floating hotels do look fabulous - just not for me(but never say never!!!)

 The mermaid in the napkin can see the World from the sea - perching on an occasional rock for a rest! 

We still have a lot to put away, wash etc., but hope to be back soon with some photos!
We had such wonderful weather (almost too hot some days) and I still have aching feet(blisters at one point!), but so many wonderful memories to share!

Thanks for looking, Chris

Slapping it on!!

Hi everyone! We have a new challenge at Try It On Tuesday - 'Slap it On'! In other words we want to see layers of ink, paint, texture paste or anything else you care to slap on to your page!

I made a journal page.....

 ...which I started with a coat of gesso that I dabbed with sheets of loo paper to create more texture.

 I added paint with my fingers and blended the edges as much as I could with a baby wipe and then stencilled and stamped with both paint and ink.
I added lots of spattering in different colours.
I stamped some small butterflies over the page. 

I used a piece of acetate that I had made a gelli print on template over part of the page to which I added some butterflies that I had bought in the Works - as the butterflies fly over the bright acetate they pick up some colour!

As usual you have two weeks to enter and if you are looking for inspiration please take a look at the fabulous examples made by the Design Team!

I would also like to enter this page at Art Journal Journey for Yvonne's brilliant 'World Of Fantasy' theme.

Thanks for looking, Chris 

T Stands for.....taking off!

Hi everyone! 
It really has been hectic here! As if it wasn't enough to be going away we decided that we could also get to the WOYWW crop over in Llandudno last Saturday! I'm so glad we did as it was great to see old friends again!

As you can see - a happy bunch!
You can see more photos at Lunch Lady Jan's blog. I must admit to being too busy to even contemplate recording events in a blog post so I will wait until we get back!
We did get to see the sea too..and the hills through the mist!!

 We stopped off for a little walk before we drove home

We need to go back on a sunny day!!

I have managed to make a journal page to link to Art Journal Journey - a 6 x 6 page that took me ages from start to finish.

 Clear gloss gel over a mop up page

 Added some inks

 Finally some  sparkly trees cut from an old Christmas card, a quote and a little girl wearing a muff(A Tim Holtz paper doll)

I don't know what the girl's dreams are, but as a child mine was to have a muff to keep my hands warm. My friend had one that was on a cord around her neck and I always wished that I would have one!
Maybe it's not too late???
This is of course for Yvonne's 'World of Fantasy' theme.

My TSFT pic today is of hubby drinking his cuppa at Waitrose on our way to the caravan last time! It's a handy place to stop and shop!

You can't see my drink but it is of course coffee and we are here to join Bleubeard and Elizabeth for T Stands for Tuesday!

I usually link to the T post but this time I am linking to the blog in the hope that I can link in the morning!
 So that's it for now! Time for bed as we leave here at 6.30 tomorrow!
We fly off to Budapest just as some of you will eating breakfast! 

I have done my usual trick of starting a post so that I can add photos - but I am not promising anything!!

Happy T Day to all and thanks for looking, Chris