Dreaming…..

The theme at Dragons Dream this time is the 'letter U and quotation'.

My first thought was one of my favourite stamps so that was easily settled. Apart from loving Umbels I love the word!!

My quote is one I've used many times in my journals and one to remember when getting stressed!Just take a look outside the window! 

I am getting my entry in now as we are off to our caravan and meeting up with a friend - you'll have to wait to find out who!!!!

 Linking to Dragons Dream TIO 179 'Letter U and quotation'

Thanks for looking, Chris

WOYWW 284

Christmas is coming!!!!There's some evidence on my desk, which I'm showing you of course, courtesy of Julia at the Stamping Ground!

Trying to keep it simple - a lovely image from House of Zandra that I bought at a show (it's a stand I always have to buy from!!)
Just tried out these stamped onto a watercolored background.
I have already tried stamping and water colouring to make a couple - 

I'll add some more colour to the ones on my desk and make them up before I decide which to go with….

Off to see 'Fury' today with Brad Pitt so will be back later to visit!
We had a bonus last week, there was nothing on Wednesday we wanted to see but we had points on our Odeon card allowing us to see 'Turner' for free on Friday! What a brilliant film it was - it was over  2 hours long but the time just whizzed - a fascinating portrayal by Timothy Spall and a lovely trip into British art history.

If you want to see what happened with the Hougie board and lace it's here

Thanks for looking, Chris

GDT spot for Try it on Tuesday 'Handmade/Homemade' challenge

I was delighted to be offered the chance to be a guest designer at Try it on Tuesday - the theme is Handmade/Homemade - perfect for this time of year! Why not pop over to see what the TIOT design team have made to inspire you….here

So what did I make? 

    

You may have seen this on my desk last week….

 …..I had gathered some bits and pieces together.
My Hougie board was all ready for action.

8cm x 8cm for the box and a slightly larger top so that it would fit 
You will see the reason for the size shortly.
First I wanted to cover the sides with a pink/blue gold paper.

Brushed Corduroy, Worn Lipstick and Weathered Wood Distress inks smooshed on a craft mat then powdered mica sprinkled very lightly with end of a sharpened coffee stirrer, spritzed and encouraged to run over the paper

I used a variety of text and patterned stamps too, using  Archival browns

The brayer helps to smooth out the paper

Then started to decorate the outside

Flowers were made using a five petalled flower punch, the centre had a petal removed and everything pinched together and ink from my brown distress tool rubbed over the tops.

Then the inside

My idea was to create a box that contains the sort of thing you can never lay your hands on in a hurry (if you're like me any way!)

In here from the top going clockwise, a tab with a fabric top that holds paper clips and safety pins, 1st and 2nd class stamp books, an emery board(can never find one of those!)and finally a mini sewing kit. On the base is a sticky note pad and mini pencil. I suppose it could be called a 'Minor emergencies box' or an 'It's in here' box, either way I hope it will make a nice present.

I have already started to make more of these, so would love to read your comments

Thanks for looking, Chris

Autumn Memories

Today, we remember those who lost their lives in conflict.

My journal page represents the Colours of Autumn. We always think of leaves and harvest fruits as Autumn colours but the poppy is also  an important element in the colours of Autumn. 
My poppies were made using a JOFY stencil and J25 stamp from Paper Artsy and then doodled and written around

I would like to enter the Try it on Tuesday challenge 'Colours of Autumn'

Thanks for looking, wishing you a peaceful day, Chris

On the move again..

but not before a tram ride here….

The Mirabelle Gardens - can you hear me singing? (just as well!!)
Here is the famous fountain that Julie Andrews and the children danced around in the Sound of Music.

It was a lovely sunny morning and we still had our 24 hour pass which we had delayed using so that we could catch a tram!
It was Saturday and Wedding day for lots of couples, we saw four while we were there.

This couple were happy to pose for me! 

This was near the gate as we walked across from the steps to the other side to have a nosy!!! Lots of berries and stones! The music  was clearly in someone else's head too!!!

Somewhere else to visit if we get a chance to return to Salzburg!!

I didn't jump up the steps!

The gardens were beautiful, I can only imagine what they must have been like in the Summer!!

Then it was back to the hotel, check out and off to the station…..Next stop…Vienna!

Some more shaky sketches! Didn't notice hubby taking one of me or I wouldn't have emphasised my nose!!

It wasn't all pretty houses and villages, wood is pretty important around here!!

A longish walk from the station as an information clerk sent us out of the opposite end exit to the one we needed! But the Savoy hotel was so typically Austrian we didn't mind!

By now it was time a bite to eat so we unpacked quickly and got out to explore!
I must say my first impressions of Vienna were not so good - 'A big building, Oh! another big building, and another…..!'

We really needed a map and an information  centre - I had plans for Sunday!! We didn't really take many photos as we went through a shopping area, even fell down badly on the coffee front too - don't know what possessed us but we went into a Starbucks and had the worst coffee we've ever had!
It was getting dark by the time we left the information centre and we came across this lovely building.

As we walked around the outside everyone was dressed up and going into the Staatsoper. I had seen a sign indicating the entrance for standing room but me being me decided that this was my chance to go in the main entrance on the pretence of an enquiry so that I could take in the atmosphere!

A bit blurry as I tried to conceal the fact that I was taking photograph with my phone - Oh! the depths I'll sink to!

When we found the price of the standing only tickets we decided on the spot that we had to do it!!!

A lot of steps to climb in a short time - the performance was about to start! Not a good view but the atmosphere was amazing!

3 Euros each! There are padded leaning places and we watched up to the interval and it was in fact a prologue to the main Opera and was a complete story! Difficult to explain - if you want to find out it was 'Ariadne auf Naxos' - a Richard Strauss opera!
So glad we went, but by then we were ready to sit down for a proper meal.It was a warm night and we sat outside to have a Pork Wiener Schnitzel - delicious, and we were joined by an American lady on her own and wanted some dining company - she had seen the Prologue too and was going back in to watch the end of the opera - we decided it was time for a walk back to the hotel! Plans to be made for Sunday - our last full day before travelling again! The bed turned to be like sleeping on boards - good job we were tired!!!

Hope you'll come back for a grand experience!
Thanks for looking, Chris 

WOYWW 283

Wednesday again - already? It will be Christmas before we know it!! Julia's round up of the work (or play)desks of the World can be linked here.
My desk today is a bit of a teaser and you will have to wait till next week to find out what I'm doing…..

….but it will involve using some of these!

I must apologise if I didn't get around to returning visits(I think there were one or two) - we were away with our grandchildren and the internet connection on my phone (which used to be fine, seems to be almost non existent) I've been saying for ages that I'm going to get a new phone with different company - I think it's time I got my head around it don't you?

I have done some more holiday posts if you'd like to see photos by the way!

Thanks for looking, Chris

Dreaming magically!!

I knew straight away what my D would be - a favourite saying of my Mum's! The theme at Dragon's Dream is Red and the letter D and my D is for delight! Delight is on of my favourite words!!
I started with some ripped book paper randomly placed onto my tag, then used the TH lattice stencil by rubbing Brushed Corduroy distress ink through it. Fired brick distress all over the tag followed - I do love the way Tim layers his inks. A little bit of random stamping with a text stamp and a diamond stamp using Wendy Vechi Potting Soil Archival and then couldn't resist using some gold Mica powder.

Next came the quote, computer generated, as only one of the words seemed to be in my chit chat stickers, mounted on a small piece of packaging.I had intended using the reverse side but the words looked better on the red. Mounted this onto a piece of fabric I found in my small pencil case - don't even know why it was there! Used brushed Corduroy around the edge and then added more mica powder!

 Rubbed some paint over the word band - I love the way it highlights the words - I remember seeing Tim demonstrate this and have used this technique several times since!
The next thing was the photo, I had seen that Our Creative Corner's challenge was 'It's Magic' - to me (as you must know by now) it's a sunset!!
I had some gauze sticking out of my bag so I coloured it with the Fired Brick ink along with some Ripe Persimmon

Using it in strips across the tag enabled me to let me 'lift' the photo slightly! The photo of course is one of many that I have taken from the decking at our caravan.
Some ribbon and threads to finish and this tag is my remedies of sunny days!

I am entering in - 
The Dragons Dream TIO Challenge 178  Letter D and Red
Our Creative Corner - It's Magic
Try it on Tuesday - 'Colours of Autumn'
Anything But a Card has an 'Anything Goes' theme

Thanks for looking, Chris