365/2013calendarjournal

I just forgot to post this! Well, actually I was a bit late starting and I did take a photo on Saturday but it was in my camera!
So, here's the story - a few years ago the talented Kate Crane started this here journal challenge, well, me having a reputation for being late only joined in in 2011 but I must say it's a great way to record the year's good times(and bad!)and I really enjoy taking part! 
I was in a wintry mood when I started this so carried on with what I had up at the caravan - which meant no snowflakes - so back to something a lot of us used to do many moons ago - folding and cutting snowflakes! I wonder how many started crafting this way!

 I did have my Dylusions mask with me so used shaded lilac distress ink to make the journal squares. The background was made by mixing white acrylic paint with scribbled neo colours on a plastic lid and then scraping on with a 'credit' card I finished it off with sakura pens.
Oh! and here is my finished December page - almost ran out of space to write some days LOL!

I'll have to start February's page soon! Meanwhile I'm making an attempt(really!) to tidy up my craft room - I found my table today - hurray!!
Thanks for visiting, I'm looking forward to making a few visits myself, Chris

August and still waiting!!!

Soooo....another month flies by and we are still waiting on our buyer's solicitor. We are practically in our flat, spending our days here, doing little jobs that we thought we would do after we moved in(a plus?)The phone is here so I'm reduced to using my mobile phone at home - no long evening chats:( The computer is here and worst of all most of my crafting stuff is here(in boxes) waiting for shelves to go up(maybe tomorrow) However I have kept up with my 366/12 calendar journal (want to know more?) see Kate's blog here
Using what I could find here is my August page

Using my NeocoloursII and Lindsay Mason's 'I dreamed of Castles' and 'Hoist the Flags' sets from my "to go" journal bag that I take away with me to the caravan and an old road map I have set the scene for a break we are taking this month with our grandchildren......a little bit of sea and scenery,and castles!
Here is my completed July page - a mixture of emotions throughout the month as you can see!

Hope to be back to normal soon. Thanks for looking, Chris 

  

Art journal pages

I finally got time to play! These pages were started at about this time last year following an idea from Pat. I gessoed two pages then closed my journal and then opened it again and let it dry before colouring it(can't remember what with, but it was probably Neocolours II) They were done in preparation for our holidays, along with lots of other pages, but I never got around to using them. While sorting out the h-u-g-e pile of scraps and pictures I'd saved I found just the thing!

 When I was about 6 I had to go to Great Ormond Street Hospital. As we lived in Lincoln my Mum went to stay with relatives in Surrey. When I came out we stayed on a bit longer and one of the days we went to Brighton. There are no photos as my Mum thought I looked so poorly in them they were destroyed when she went through them in a clear out! Along with this magazine picture I have used some bits torn from a Crafty Individuals stamp, some shell stickers that came with a little journal last year and a piece of paper I tested paints on, the bunting is from one of my old college text books, painted with twinkling h2os.

This is just a bit of doodling around some magazine pictures with a very 'true' statement lol!


We are still waiting on solicitors to get a move on so that we can get a move on ourselves! The plus side is that we have had a chance to take things to our flat, do some decorating and be even more ruthless with STUFF!!! 


 My hubby retires today so life is going to be little different from now on! 


Thanks for looking, would love it if you could leave a comment, Chris

Times flying!

Halfway already! Where did the last six months go? Well, I know by looking back through my 366/12 calendar journal(if you want to know more about this challenge see Kate's blog here)I've been, what in some peoples book might be called a project manager, but I've seen it more of a juggling act - so what better stamp to use but Lindsay Mason's 'Gwendoline', (who normally juggles blackbirds!) The background was made by spritzing the page with water then scribbling with NeocoloursII onto a block, spritzing and dragging over the page - I love the watery effect which seemed just right for the weather we are having. July letters were a mistake I made ages ago by putting the same paper through my printer for a second time. I think they were Christmassy letters.

The stamped flowers are from the same set and I added a few punched flowers too.
My June pages, now complete with pictures of The Queen over the Jubilee weekend may give you some idea of whats been going on!

Sooo!, we haven't moved, despite the buyers requesting an early date! Some paper work went missing and it wasn't till I rang that we found out, so we still don't have a moving date, although I have my fingers crossed for mid month! My new kitchen is almost ready for moving the last appliance in(the fridge/freezer), the bathroom only needs a bit of sealant around the bath and my big cupboard is going to get some shelves this week and yes, we are getting excited now! This month will also see my hubby retire from teaching so a lot of change ahead!! 
Thanks for taking a look, I'm not sure how many others I am going to get to see this month but I'll jolly well give it a try - after all I'm a juggler LOL! Chris

My Weekend

I enjoyed making little sketches (inspired by a page by Amanda Kavanagh in 1000 Artist Journal Pages) While away at our caravan at the weekend with 2 of our grandchildren I started this

It looks a little different now..

I used my neocolours this afternoon after showing a very nice couple around our house - I hope they buy it - they seemed nice enough to live here!
Not sure whether I should have coloured it but Hey Ho!
Thanks for looking, Chris 

March pages

A bit rushed to get my March pages ready - at last we've had a viewing - although I have nasty feeling nothing will come of it!
Last month was a flurry of tidying, sorting, taking deliveries, meeting tradesmen, going to meetings and loads of paperwork:(

A sort of rainy/sunshiny page made by using distress inks on a mat and misting before 'smooshing', journal squares were mop-up paper with a bit of splashing a waterbrush over the end of neo-colours.
Stamps on the left are PaperArtsy, stamps on the right are Sheena Douglas a "A little bit sketchy" and my freebie from this months Craft Stamper.


Here are my completed February pages - note that it now does say February!!

I do love taking part in this challenge, set up by the extremely talented Kate Crane, take a look at her blog here and prepare to be inspired!


Hoping to get to see lots of March pages. 
Thanks for stopping by here, Chris 

October over, November new

There was I, all set to show you my new pages when I realised I hadn't taken a photo of October's pages and it was too dark to take any photos 'til today.

This is for Kate Crane's 365/2011 journal challenge. I am amazed that I've kept up with this, but like lots of others I really enjoy doing it! 

Here is how November's pages started, I was thinking 'fireworks' and just started by smooshing in distress inks in black soot, faded jeans and dusty concorde then a quick spray with Perfect Pearls mist -blue smoke, then splashed a water brush over the end of some NeocoloursII to make splashy fireworks. I then ran the brush over the page in swooshes. When it was dry I rubbed some black soot ink around the edge.
I then chose some bright papers stamped with a little snowy, starry stamp from Hobbyarts using a Big and juicy pad.
It was only as I started to stick the papers down that I started to recite the old rhyme, Remember, remember, the 5th of November, Gunpowder, treason and plot...and thought that Remembrance day should have place in these pages, especially as we have a special date 11.11.11. 

Hence, along with the stickles fireworks I have Mort with a poppy!

It looked a bit empty so I drew in some silhouette houses

 Had to use the computer for the words as when I was writing it  I made a spelling mistake,he'he!!Two identical words and I make a mistake....

I'm still busy trying to sort the 'stuff' we seem to have collected over the years and I'm almost ready for the boot sale on Sunday(thank goodness it's indoors as the forecast isn't good) I know that is by no means all we have to sort - I've only been looking for potential boot sale items recently. Meanwhile there is no news on the flat front, just waiting for paperwork to be completed.

Will try to get back soon with some more of what I've been up to, meanwhile I hope to get to have a peep at how others see November. Thanks for looking, Chris