Putting a bird on it!!

Hello, it's another grey day here - sunshine promised for later in the week!

I would have posted this sooner but we have been having some problems with the internet - all seems to be well today though!

This will be my last page for Wendy's 'Birds' theme at Art Journal Journey. I have really enjoyed this theme and Wendy has been an excellent host, so Thank You Wendy! 

I must confess to this page being brought about by wanting to use the fabulous poppy seed stamp by Tracy Evans and the flowers stencil by Janet Klein(both from Aall and Create)

I had brayered some spare paint onto the page so I added some stencilling and stuck on a piece of gelli print that wasn't so happy with. 

I used one of the flowers on the stencil as a spritzed stamp and and the other onto my page then drew around both outlines.

I stamped the poppy seed head and added the bird from a set I bought in France when out with my SIL.

I used a gold glitter pen to highlight parts of the stamp and flower.

As the internet seemed to be OK I have signed up for next years Wanderlust classes - there was a very good discount being offered and from the look of it I'm going to have some fun!

I hope all is well with everyone - we will be in Tier 3 of restrictions next week when we come out of this second lockdown so still being very cautious -hey ho!!

Thanks for looking, Chris

 

Are you fearless?

 Hi everyone,I hope folk from the USA enjoyed their Thanksgiving celebrations although I'm sure they were very different from other years. 

I'm guessing that anyone setting off for bargains on Black Friday this year would have to be pretty fearless - I suggest instead that you don't follow the herds that will have been out for bargains - dare to be different, that way you can be yourself for a lot longer hopefully! 

We are still being cautious, with a vaccine due to become available it would be awful to wait for so long then go and get the virus!

I used a lot of Aall and Create stencils and stamps on my page along with Distress Oxides. The owl is a favourite Crafty Individuals one. I took it off a card that was intended for my Grandson but in the end I  sent an e-card as a safer option! It is mounted onto corrugated card and I added some scraps of paper around the edges.

It is of course for Wendy's 'Birds' theme at Art Journal Journey. I have really enjoyed this theme and wish I could have had more time to participate!

We are having yet another quiet day, there's a watery sun and we've had fun watching some folk putting up some Christmas lights. The management here is doing all they can to brighten things up for everyone - more on Tuesday for TFST! 

Thanks for looking, Chris

T Stands for...taking time to dream!

Hi everyone, first a welcome to new followers, (some not so new as I kept meaning to mention) I'm so pleased you like what I do! 

First today I have a tag for Tag Tuesday where Valerie has chosen the theme 'Pets'. I have been having a job keeping up with challenges lately but today made a start on catching up!

I made a tag with a background I didn't like, now, with new stencils from Aall and Create I am pleased with it. I added some Janet Klein stamps - they are both feeling their age but enjoy being together on their walks to the park.

I started to dream of Paris - now there are vaccines being prepared I can start to believe that I might get there next Spring! 

           

For now - as we haven't been out I looked back at a post from this time last year. 

It's from the 26th November last year, although the trip was way back in July.It includes the day of the long walk 

As you will see we had quite a few drinks.

                -----------------------------

 

...this is about the continuation of our walk on the Friday. We walked towards Notre Dame, the last time we were in Paris the devastating fire here happened as we reached London on our way home.

We stopped for a drink at a little cafe  - freshly made lemonade - we shared the table with some chatty American students- we could see the repair work taking place!

We have never seen this little park before.

Shakespeare and Company, a famous bookshop selling books written in English - it has an interesting history! 

We set off in the direction of City Pharma for my cut price French toiletries - choosing to take a route we had never taken... 

...some interesting street art...

..old buildings...

...and...a cinema!!(It shows, amongst other things, old American classics)

A shady square was welcome near the metro!

The next morning, after a short walk to the art shop around the block from our hotel we set off to visit the Bois du Boulogne - we  followed instructions to reach the park at the lake end. We walked from the Metro following the map, expecting to find somewhere to eat..by the time we reached this path(about a mile), all we had seen was a small grocery shop - so we doubled back and bought a very dry sandwich,nuts and water and then found a shady seat along this path.

Eventually we reached a lake, not THE lake, but we knew we couldn't be far away...surely??

Half a mile or so later we found this path ...

...and we found the lake!

We thought we might find a cafe in the park....but didn't expect it to be in the middle of the lake!

We walked down and bought a ticket...

A florist loaded on some flowers....

..when we arrived it seemed that not only could we not have a bite to eat but the only drink they would serve was tap water..lunch was over and a few stragglers were drinking wine but...

...as we sat there with our water they began to clear away the tables around us!!

Time to get back onto the ferry boat and head back..

...to where? We had no idea where the nearest Metro or bus was and there was just a huge car park when we got off!

Luckily a family was able to give us rough directions of where to head!

As we were on our way we heard some fantastic music!

 Very entertaining, they were marching band practicing for a festival the next day!

We eventually crossed the Peripherique and back to civilisation!

 .and the Metro..

 ..where a mix up getting off the metro too early led us to having a tonic water and lemonade at a hotel close to the Grande Arche..

 ...where there are super modern buildings....

We had to walk past this lovely misty area to get back on the Metro.

                         ------------------------

 I am joining Bleubeard and Elizabeth for T Stands For Tuesday (as I did last year for this post)with this dream of mine! 

Apologies to anyone who has seen this before!

We don't have any plans for going far this week either although my friend says she would like to meet at her kitchen window again!

Take care everyone and stay safe!

Thanks for looking, Chris

Off to a Winter Wonderland...

...at Try It On Tuesday. We had a light frost yesterday but not much to see - wouldn't it be great to visit a Winter Wonderland, just for a short while?

Our new theme at Try It On Tuesday is Winter Wonderland - in any way you wish to interpret it.

The Design Team have been creating their own Wintery scenes and I do hope you can take a look! 

I made a journal page, mainly so that I could use the lovely Gecko Galz image.

I made a background with some Aall and Create Lotsadots stencils and some snowflake stencils using blues and greys. One of my favourite Christmas trees (by Tim Holtz) was also stamped in different shades! I added some Snow words randomly over the page.

I mounted the image onto some embossed paper and then added some punched snowflakes.

I hope this image makes you smile as much as it did when I first saw it. Where did that star appear from and will it make some magic?

I can just imagine walking on fresh snow in a quiet wood - well wrapped up of course!! 

The TIOT challenge runs for the next two weeks and I hope to see lots of snowy/frosty entries.

I'm also sharing this page at 

Art Journal Journey and Wendy's 'Birds' theme

and

Gecko Galz White Christmas challenge

Thanks for looking, Chris

In the Woods!

 Hi everyone, I've been quite busy these past few days but when some new stamps and stencils arrived this morning from Thats Crafty I couldn't wait to play! 

I will keep this brief though.

It's another page for Wendy's 'Birds' theme at Art Journal Journey

My page had a few mop up marks on it and I added some leaf stencilling and stamping with Melina Dahls stamps and I'm sure you can see why I fell in love with this owl - it was the way he looks!!

I used Distress Inks for the background and stamped the owl with Versafine Clair ink - colouring was done with Derwent Watercolour pencils.

Today has been a dark one again and I am leaving taking photos of my samples for CI until the morning (I had hoped to have them in the post today!)

I'm off to spend some time with a neglected hubby now!

Thanks for looking, Chris

T Stands for..... Tatton Park

Hi everyone, it's been another week of lockdown and frustration at seeing news of public demonstrations and big parties taking place in our area. 

Have these people not realised that most of us are trying to get things back to something like normal while they are behaving as though every thing is normal. Their behaviour is likely to make us continue with more restrictions once the lockdown is over at the beginning of December. 

My friend's Mother went into a care home in April and she hasn't been able to visit her yet! At least there is hope on the horizon for her now with a testing system being put into place.

Sorry, rant over and something a little more positive. I made a journal page for Wendy's 'Birds' theme at Art Journal Journey

I have used some stamps by Wensdi at Art Inspirations(I am being tempted to buy some more)

The background had some mop up from Aall and Create stencils and some inky hearts by Dina Wakley.

In case you can't read the quote it says 'The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams' a quote from Oprah Winfrey.

Last Thursday we went for a safe walk at Tatton Park. We avoided the Gardens, just as well, there were big queues when we walked past the entrance at the end of our walk.

Although we did see some folk on our walk the paths were wide enough and even then everyone seemed to fall into single file quite naturally. I wish some of the walkers we used to see by the river had done the same as I miss walking there.

We decided to walk towards the Old Mediaeval Hall

I think the tree on he left deserves it's own picture, there's a while mass of twigs in the middle.

There are deer in the distance....

...fortunately hubby's camera lens picked them up perfectly!

A flock of birds were flying around, I thought they might be crows but they weren't making any noises to help identify them.

Hubby caught them going down into the long grass, still no idea what they were!

We reached this large pond - hubby remembered taking school groups there for pond dipping but says there never used to be a fence

I took this through a hole in the wire fence

Wasn't sure how this would turn out but I'm quite pleased with it.

We walked back along the same path

After a quick look at the wood...

...it was time for coffee and my cue to join Bleubeard and Elizabeth for T Stands For Tuesday and something drink related.

I caught hubby opening the little packet of biscuits we took to have with our flask coffee.

He turned the tables on me as I don't drink my coffee very hot as he got out to take more tree shots

On the way out of the park I asked hubby to stop so that I could take this shot of a very strange  looking cloud!

We don't have any plans to go out this week, although I will probably have to brave the Post Office with my Crafty Individuals samples .

The stamps are so lovely. I have all sorts of plans that I won't have time for before they need to go but They are the kind of stamps that will be used regularly.

Thanks for looking, Chris