Home from Home!

We have just returned from a few days away at our caravan, although probably at the moment I should say we've dropped in at home for a couple of days to pick up mail etc.!(and to pick up GD from school again, starting this week)

We both love spending time there, not just because of the fabulous views but because we relax more! 
We love to go out and about - the Vintage by the Sea was on at Morecambe over the weekend(photos to come)but we love the sunsets, walking by the canal and I especially love watching the birds.

This weekend I counted 29 sparrows resting on the hedge in the sun!

just a few of them

they ate quite a lot of food

the view from where I sit!

We watch the Jackdaws disappear over the crag

I even caught the dawn the other morning!

I also have some crafting supplies at the caravan so this weekend using a page in my journal I made this page

Some torn mop up paper towel which may have been from making the little scrap with my Dina Wakely 'strong' woman 'from the past', the bird, also Dina Wakely has been framed with a border stamp. The quote is from a free magazine set, as is the heart and the scroll.

I would like to enter in

the Artistic Stamper challenge - Things with Wings

  

and also to link to

Art Journal Journey monthly challenge where the theme is Through My Window.

I hope you enjoyed the peep through mine!

Thanks for looking, Chris

The square window?

Corinne has chosen a  brilliant theme for this month at Art Journal Journey - 'Through My Window' and I can feel a few journal pages coming on!
My first is my imagined life as a mediaeval lady!

The page, as often, started as a mop up page! A little bit of stamping, stencilling and doodling and some scraps (along with a saved free magazine page from Austria)and a Tim Holtz Small talk phrase and I'm looking out of my window wondering what my future may be!
I am scheduling this post as we are going away for a long weekend!

Thanks for looking, Chris

A Second Look on the 2nd with Elizabeth - Venice!!

I have tried to join in with this fun challenge when I can.
Bleubeard and Elizabeth at The Altered Book Lover

invite us to join her with something you may or may not have seen in the past from your blog

I have chosen something from another of our travels, when we visited 7 Italian cities in 7 days!! It also includes part of the travel journal I made.

This was posted on the 23rd October 2013 


Oh! Venice - I loved you but I don't think I'll be back! Those of you that know me well know that I am not a water baby so boat trips are not my favourite thing!! Of course, getting to Venice from a coach park requires a boat journey, then there's the pre-booked gondola(thanks to hubby!)and then the boat journey back to the coach park! That all sounds ok, the water(apparently) isn't that deep and friends had assured me that it was always like a mill pond! Huh!! Our tour manager (lovely David) said on the way in to Venice on the first boat trip said he'd never seen it that choppy in all his times to Venice! THEN…..our tour guide, a local Venetian said that they were expecting an exceptionally high tide and seemed to be rushing us to the gondola station…..we were one of the last three gondolas to go out! Six of us set off in ours and got to the first bridge, the gondolier tipped us over on to one side to get the front of the gondola under the bridge and then on to the other side to get himself under. I couldn't believe it when we went out on to the Grand Canal with big boats passing very close! I will tell you no more except to say hubby filmed my reaction at one point to show the family!!! Getting back to the gondola station was a big relief but….I DID IT!!! Me - a gondola - Yay!! 

Yes, the grey hair bottom left is mine!!(probably gain a few more during the trip!)

Venice is certainly beautiful, I loved the views down the narrow lanes, the crumbly buildings, the bridges, the canals(except while I was on one!)the shops and St Marks Square - which floods so much that they put up walkways when it's high tide(aqua alta)! Here are some photos in no particular order!

Two very grand looking gondolas

I missed this but hubby took a photo 

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A shop that makes masks

Love the texture here 

A staircase built just to show that the family were important

A fascinating place!

Since then I have changed my mind…I think I would visit Venice again if I could!

There are several related posts around this time - here, here, here and here if you would like to see the other cities we visited

I loved Italy even though we were travelling around at quite a pace - we used three hotels, although the last one was just an overnight stop before returning home! Would I do it again?….m-a-y-b-e not!!

Thanks for looking at my Second Look on the and I am looking forward to seeing more Second Looks at Elizabeth's blog, Chris

The lost calendar pages!

Actually, the pages weren't lost - just forgotten! Part of the problem was that we were away in June and it took me a while to transfer from my journal to my calendar! Anyway - here they are, and this is the only place you will see them - I don't link anymore as I don't "do" Facebook.
I also Have September ready to go…

and June…,

July…..,

and August - all filled in

Thanks for looking, Chris

Trying something new at Try It On Tuesday

Our new theme at Try It On Tuesday is Try Something New….now, there are lots of things I have tried and liked, but this had to be something new! 
I have always admired crafty folk like my TIOT team mate Pamellia, and Georgie of 'Little Blue Craft Box' who create such lovely Mixed Media layers, in fact the colours here were inspired by Georgie's challenge at Anything but Cute Challenge Blog.
I had seen a wonderful article in Stitch magazine a couple of months ago by Maggie Grey where she used gesso on felt (much brighter though) but had left the magazine at the caravan so just went with the flow..I quite like the effect!

it's a bit more green than this!!

My hanging started like this..

a B and M special - £1.99p!
I removed the cord and turned it to portrait mode before adding gesso, paints and crackle.

I then stuck down and trimmed the edges.

I wasn't happy with the colour at this stage so added some DecoArt Red Oxide Antiquing cream over the crackle and some DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Burnt Umber over the 'hole' in the 'trunk'.

Then came some sparkle - some of my nail art beads mixed with glue and some Viva Inca Gold and Maya Gold turquoise.There's probably more in there but I was just enjoying myself

By now I was ready for my fairy (Crafty Individuals) and some foliage (TH dies-mainly - the larger leaves are from Brittania dies)cut from Brusho and mica sprayed water colour paper.

a little touch of glitter on her wings

 All I had to do then was put my woodland fairy where she could keep a watchful eye on the woodland creatures but not be seen!

It photographed greener with a different setting on my camera!

I think you can guess who will be receiving this! 

I hope you liked my attempt to Try Something New and that you will take a look at the fabulous new projects the design team have made.

The challenge runs for two weeks and can be anything new at all - the details are here ! 

I am also entering  the Anything but Cute Challenge - Making Magic

Thanks for looking, Chris  

T Stands for France photos

I really shouldn't be here ….I have no time to sip my coffee today it's quick glugs and back to the painting but can't resist joining Bleubeard and Elizabeth for T Stands for Tuesday!

 I have some photos from our France trip - some of the more unusual views!

I very nearly bought one of these

Lovely reflections

Love this curtain fabric

There were other coloured trees in this square too

I loved this No Entry sign by the Kebab shop in Orleans!!

 Two exhibits from an exhibition of containers in Tours Cathedral

A bride on her way to her wedding

The above three were in shop windows

…and because we are here for T

Ladies Tea and Gentlemans coffee - in a shop window in Orleans.
The shop was shut and we never went that way again!I hope this will do in the absence of my own drink - back to the painting now!!

Thanks for looking, Chris

I still have lots more photos!!!