I made something(s)!!

 Hi everyone! It's been an uphill climb but I finally made another journal page for Tracey's 'The Meaning Of' theme at Art Journal Journey.

I love to listen to birds when I can, there are quite a few I recognise but a couple that I used to have to really listen to were the Robin and the Wren! I know the difference now as when we had our caravan we had both singing their hearts out. 

They are both beautiful songs but at this time of year I thought the Robin is the bird we associate with Christmas cards.

I used a Winter foliage napkin for the background and then gessoed where I wanted to add my napkin Robins, top right and bottom left

I added a stamped Crafty Individuals Robin and coloured it and also added one from some wrapping paper.

I added some napkin music too, and some gold foiling on some of the leaves and the music.

The letters are Paper Artsy ones which I stamped and fussy cut and outlined with white.

I also made a tag for Sandie's Christmas theme at Tag Tuesday.

Rather lazily I used some bits and pieces lying around on my desk, though I did stamp some gold snow flakes at the bottom!

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The news of a new strain of the Corona virus isn't exactly what we wanted to hear but having seen news items on folk shopping, marching to object about the restrictions we are all under and attending sports events I am not surprised that cases are on the rise. 

A lot of people in London were rushing to railway stations ready to leave the city and share the virus with other parts of the country too! 

Many of these folk are not wearing masks and I presume that they have the same carefree attitude to not using hand sanitiser too!(more on that subject on Tuesday!)

I also swear that if I hear one more politician or health expert say how well they know that everyone has been pulling together I will scream!! Lets point a few fingers!!!

Sorry for ranting once again but everyone need to follow guidelines! I'm trying not to let it bother me! Really, I am trying!!

Thanks for looking, Chris 

T Stands for - Taking the tree by the branches!

 Hi everyone, I haven't been feeling so brilliant for a few days. I think part of it was the fact that we have had to amend orders for Christmas and all the scrolling up and down brought back my vertigo! 

I really couldn't cope so well with being on the computer and nothing much was happening in my craft room. I was determined that my Christmas tree was going to be up for my birthday on Saturday, so rather than take the 'bull by the horns' I grabbed the 'tree by it's branches'! 

I have gradually added more bits and pieces around the apartment and I'm pleased to say I'm also feeling a lot better!

This is the walkway to our door and it is where my sons (one with Granddaughter also) came to stand and talk on my birthday. It was so good to see them and I now have a house full of flowers!

As you can see our friend has decorated her balcony, as have a lot of us.

This candle not only lights up but also has swirly glitter in it!

We have lots of lights in the grounds too - I will go and take photos another day! 

Today has been a fun day, we had a visit from Santa this morning, he walked around the outside areas waving and smiling. 

Lunch was a Turkey and Tinsel affair that we had to book for and it is here where I will join Bleubeard and Elizabeth for T Stands for Tuesday,

We both have our Christmas tops on!

It was a lovely roast turkey dinner and we had some sparkling elderflower water to drink.

As you can see the jigsaw puzzle is still there - we have a problem with its size, even having bought a large fold up board so we are going to put what we have done back in the box and start a new one!

Last week we went to Notcutts garden centre, we were only there for about 30 minutes.  I bought the chocolate nuts we like along with some cheese, christmas decorations and a poinsettia (more on THAT in another post!)

The reindeer were singing Christmas songs but I'm not sure whether the video will work

I've started Kasia's Advent Calendar - late, but at least now I can enjoy it more! Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6
I am enjoying using the prompts and Kasia's videos are brilliant!

This morning I also made a journal page.

The image is from a calendar, I tore it out  and added it to a page with some stencilled flowers on! Added gesso, paint, and stencilled and stamped some text in gold ink!

I reminds me of how I used to start my day at the caravan. Most mornings when I opened the curtains in Winter there were birds on the feeders. The blue tits were my favourites.

I am joining in at Art Journal Journey and Tracey's 'The Meaning Of' theme.

I hope that I can get to visit this week and hopefully catch up with what you have been doing!

Thanks for looking, Chris

WOYWW 601

Hi everyone, I shouldn't really be here as I owe blog visits to all sorts of folk, including some from last week's WOYWW. If I didn't get to you I apologise. I am cutting down on some stuff so hopefully I will be here more often over the next year (at least until September).

Julia our host at The Stamping Ground did a great job on Saturday setting up the zooms.

The zoom crop helped me remember why I joined WOYWW in the first place- you're such lovely bunch and I'm glad hubby persuaded me that it would be OK to join you - not that I got anything done - much like a real crop except for the eating part - although hubby sorted that out for me with his special minced pork and potatoes(it has special properties that always brings my blood glucose levels down the next day!)  

My desk today show signs of a start on Kasia's Advent Calendar! I hadn't realised it started on Saturday so I am once again in catch up mode!

Here is the junk journal I made especially - the cover is one of those plastic bubble wrap type covers from the company whose name starts with an A that we've been using far too much since March!

I painted it with Paper Artsy Frescos that usually dry so quickly and seemed to take an age this time. Fortunately nothing has been fastened together. I like to rearrange the pages sometimes so I'll be adding elastic tomorrow for a temporary hold!

My Christmas lights are there permanently to be used as am occasional bit of brightness on darker days but today they are here especially for you!

Thanks for looking, Chris

T Stands for - Trip out at last...

 Hi everyone, yes we've been out, not just on an errand to post letters or to the Pharmacy but a proper, booked visit to Dunham Massey!

We knew we would be going out for our Click and Collect groceries, our only one since 20th October, the rest have been delivered to our door, so booked the visit and decided we would go whatever the weather!

As it happens it rained pretty well all of the way round and it was 5•c on the dashboard in the car!

The best thing was that during the evenings in December the Christmas light shows are on so we got to see the installations which were interesting even though they weren't lit.

We saw a notice that said that the car park shut at 4.15 which presumably gives them enough time to open up the food huts and get the guides in place before the evening crowds arrive. We said last year that we would be going this year but we're not ready for mingling with large gatherings of strangers!

The photos show the lights and some of the usual views and if you look closely raindrops in the puddles!

I remember this from we went for my 70th birthday, there are little buckets with fires in amongst the crystals

We were pleased to get back to the car, although I did have a little trip into the shop for some goodies, ssshhh! hubby doesn't know what I bought! There weren't many in so I felt quite safe! 

All the photos in this post are courtesy of my lovely hubby Tony, except the next one which is my ticket to Bleubeard and Elizabeth's T Stands For Tuesday where everyone is invited to share something drink related every Tuesday.

We have our Christmas mugs out now containing coffee from our thermos flask and we also took a small packet of gluten free, low sugar biscuits to share!

Thanks for looking, Chris