T stands for The Magic Garden

Hi everyone!Well, June whizzed by fast...or was that just for me!
I have one final page for Halle's 'A Stitch In Time' theme at Art Journal Journey. I wish I had time to make more!!!

The little scrap of blue fabric has been on my desk since the start of the challenge.
It is from an old shirt that had several of these little embroidered squares on it - the rest have got onto fabric makes.

 It's just a junk journal page using up more of my scraps, most of which were hanging around my desk area! I've been throwing on little bits I might use during my clean up!!

I need to give  warning here - I took a lot of photos! We went to visit another National Trust property, Biddulph Grange, last week. A little farther away from home, and we haven't visited this place since the grandchildren were a lot younger,they used to love it here.
We were confident that the NT had a one way system established and were informed that the only toilets were at the entrance!
Th lovely cafe was closed - no surprise there.

 First are the Italian gardens

 The calm lake  - full of fish!

No frogs on these thank goodness!

Next was the Oriental garden

I love this part of the gardens....

.....leading to ...

This is part of the Dahlia walks - best in August

One lone Dahlia in bloom

Lots of areas that couldn't be in a one way system

 We could not go ahead here, but could take a shorter walk from here by turning right...or..

...a longer walk

We decided to take the long walk around the woodland area

Some wild beauty - I don't know which I like most - blackberries or the flowers...definitely not the thorns though - bad memories!!!

Some of he children's activities were closed off as they need handling, but the stepping stones were easily accessed !

I just could't resist!!

A Giant urn looking down the hill!

This is what you saw earlier -now on the one way system!

I had forgotten about this surprise as we headed back - hidden in one of the little tunnels  under the rocks!

This area is most impressive too

Private land...

...and another roped off area

We headed back to the car park....to join Bleubeard and Elizabeth for T Stands for Tuesday

We took a flask of coffee and our mugs from  home this time.

We have been out somewhere else today - but I'm not going to spoil next weeks post...it's somewhere you will recognise I'm sure...

Thanks for looking and Happy T Day! Chris

Cooling Off!

This time last year we were in France and in the middle of a heatwave, which we coped with quite well. The temperatures were in the high 30s to low 40s(Centigrade that is)
Last week the temperatures here were high 20s to low 30s but I felt washed out! Hardly sleeping until I started to doze while watching TV!
We had all of the doors and windows open but hardly a breath of air at times...and humid.... until we had rain yesterday and a thunderstorm - today I have been able to find the energy to craft.
I did sit in my craft room yesterday and sort out my scraps - you may remember a while ago I said I would go through and reduce them more. I didn't feel like making any junk journal pages but they are now more organised and at least another third gone! 

I found this star cut from music paper so cut another in brown paper(from a scrap box)and lots of others too. I also used the white margins from some book paper I have been using.

To start I stamped some Lavinia stars on the card using Dina Wakley gold paint. I looked in my paper doll box to find this young couple and put them on some book text ground. I also stamped the sentiment and mounted it. The stars were then arranged between them.

I am entering this at Simon Says Monday Challenge - Shoot For The Stars
and Simon Says Wednesday challenge - Anything Goes

Next I made this tag - using a picture of a feather that I found.

I had a tag that was very bright turquoise so toned it down with Vintage Photo DI.
I mixed Grunge paste with Dina Wakley paint and used a TH stencil. Last of all came the lace and buttons.The lace had a smear of the paint too.

This is for Tag Tuesday - Feathers - Wendy's choice of theme.

Finally I have a journal page for Halle's theme - 'A Stitch In Time' at Art Journal Journey...no stitches, just a question about the passing of time!

The postcard is one from Crafty Individuals given to me when I bought some stamps at Happy Stampers a few years ago!I added an extra clock.
The folded receipt is from the last big shop we did before Lockdown, although there were some things we couldn't find that we got elsewhere! The piece of paper is covering some info! 
The months are rescued from an old calendar and the Dina Wakley stamp was bought on my last visit to a Craft shop, the day before our shopping trip!
The background is a combination of Distress inks and stencils with a pink edge drawn in with a Woody Pencil and brushed with a water brush.
It does seem so long since we last chose our own produce from the shelves!I'm not inclined to rush back though!!

I'll be back soon I hope,I don't want to talk too loudly, but I think my Mojo crept back in some time yesterday!!

Thanks for looking, Chris

T Stands for Timed Visit Number 2

Hi everyone! We have been out again today but I haven't had time to look at the photos as my battery needed charging - I will show you next week! 
First though I have lots of photos of last weeks visit to another fairly local National Trust property!

We had to book in advance again - not the spontaneity that we usually have, but necessary to avoid the places being overcrowded!

I will mostly not add any words, as the beauty of Lyme park speaks for itself. 
The formal gardens that we usually enjoy were off limits but there are are lots of paths around the park and fabulous views.

There were a lot of people by the lake near the carpark and up near the folly so we walked around the back of the lake and headed up the hill!

 The cafe and shop are still closed in the woodyard

 Not a five legged sheep but a ewe and her lamb! She had been calling this lamb noisily for quite a while when it suddenly ran over the crest of the hill making a much noise at it could too!

 We did a bit of social distancing with the sheep!I could watch sheep all day...and we were in the shade!!

 I didn't take a photograph of the gate to the woods next to this wall but as we will come back and follow that route one day I will be able to show you then!
It was here that we first met anyone - a friendly couple were asking us if we knew where the woods led - we hadn't a clue!!!

 These are the sheep we passed on the other path earlier!

 Back to the carpark - ours is the grey car at the centre of this pic!
Once again our walk took around an hour! 
We'll be back to explore more paths that we have never walked on! 

 These last two were taken on the way out! I spotted a stag but it had gone by the time hubby stopped the car.

Here is my water bottle to join in with T Stands For Tuesday at Bleubeard and Elizabeth's blog The Altered Book Lover!

I am getting my craft room sorted but it's going v-e-r-y slowly!
I may have some pics next week!

I hope that you are all still keeping safe. Even though lots of restrictions are being lifted it will be a long time until we can call this pandemic over!

Thanks for looking and do take care! Chris