Winter Blues

There is a new topic at Try it on Tuesday - 'Winter Blues' 

Not that we are feeling sad about it being Winter, especially as the days are getting ever so slightly longer!

The frosty weather has brought us some brighter days too, even if they start with a bit of fog! Of course with the sun that we are getting the skies are also bluer which reflects on the snow if you have had any.

We'd love to see your 'Winter Blues' the Design Team have lots of different kinds of 'Blues' - see here.

My page came about just because I wanted to play with stamps, stencils and ink, with a little bit of washi tape for fun!

I really enjoyed playing with this combination of Aall and Create, Woodware and Tim Holtz products.

Please check out the few Rules and Guidelines we have, but basically it is anything you wish to make - including using fabric and mixed media - as long as we can see your 'Winter Blues' at TIOT.

Thanks for looking, Chris 

 

I'd also like to add this to Mia's 'Use a Photo' at Art Journal Journey

Straight Again!

 Hi everyone, I wish I could say that about my craft room - I was due to start a big tidy when I got really bad vertigo. It just came on one evening - I was halfway along our hallway when I just lost my balance and had to hold on till hubby could guide me to a seat. I spent nearly two full days with hubby guiding me everywhere and doing things such as taking my socks off and passing my drinks to me. The I just went back to normal!! Thank Goodness, as we were able to go for a free meal with a voucher that had nearly run out.

It's been a while since I posted anything for Mia's fantastic Art Journal Journey theme - 'Use a Photo'. I made this page earlier this month. 

I am trying to take part in Junk Journal January but sadly I am behind with that too. The prompt was ~ 'Hobbies' - as you know we love to go walking, especially when we visit France.

I used a photo on one of our walks at Tatton Park. I have longer hair now.....and I have lost some weight. I added a map of Paris, an ATC I had started, an old metro ticket and part of ticket to a chateau. 

I hope it won't be so long until I get another page completed.

Thanks for looking, Chris.

T Stands For......The Rain Or The Sun?

Hi everyone, we have had a lot of rain recently so I was thinking of showing you some gloomy pics...like this...

We had walk at the weekend to see if the path by the Mersey was open - it wasn't and this was as far as we got

These two were taken on the way back

Can you believe that the new owners of the local caravan park are clearing space by the river for more caravans?

I wouldn't want to be that close to a river that can get much higher than it is at the moment!

Anyway, let's not dwell on the wet weather - I'm sure you would prefer to go back to last September in France!

My eldest and his wife spend some of their year near to Tourtiorac where there is an old abbey - Link here

They had visited this themselves but knew we would find it interesting

The grounds are open and you can see inside some of the out buildings

Also in the grounds is a private house

After we had eaten some lunch we went for a walk by the river.

From here on our hosts had not visited so it was an exploration for all.

We found that we could get on to a little island on the river, where we could see Le LRD through the trees

The river is a popular place for canoeists to stop off so there are charge points, showers and toilets.

From here we came off the island and crossed the road that runs through the village and came to the Laverie (wash house) where the women of the village in times past would do their washing.

This beautiful Ragdoll cat tried to make friends and we had to try to discourage it from following us (I could happily have 'catnapped' it) 

The views from the top of the village were great

We though we had come across the ragdoll cat again but it's markings were slightly different 

One last building before returning to the car.

We haven't been out much lately, but did have a trip to IKEA last week. We are giving our fold up bed to charity so I can have some more shelves...but...I have to have a BIG sort out before we can get them.

We stopped for coffee and cake and were surprised to find that our coffee came free with our loyalty card.

I am joining Bleubeard and Elizabeth at The Altered Book Lover for T stands for Tuesday with our coffees.

I hade a Blueberry Muffin and hubby had Apple Cake and cream.

Thanks for looking, Chris

Escape!

Hi everyone, it's okay, I'm not running away. 

In fact it is only now that I am admitting how bad I have been feeling. I am hoping that I am going to continue feeling this way as in the last week I have my energy back and am feeling far more optimistic, and that's with grey days too! A few more sunny days is what's needed now, although our weather forecast is for snow.

I'm pretty sure it is because at last I seem to be settling to my double dose of a particular medication - it has taken an age, but I only have a few occasions now when I have an 'Off' Day.

I must tell you that it took some thinking about whether I should go to Paris back in December. I didn't want say no (me and Paris!!!!) but in the end, as you know, we did go and although we couldn't get out very early each day we still enjoyed ourselves. It took me a while to recover though!

I had a go at some digital art (only in a small way)

I used an acrylic block and some mica paints and distress ink, spritzed to add a watery background than added some stencilling.

The image is a combination of an altered arch from my Printshop app and a photo taken from the bedroom at my son and daughter in law's manoir in the Perigord region of France. The branches were also added.

I stamped some Crafty Individuals trees with Distress Oxides(also spritzed lightly) and used a stamp from a favourite set for the words.

It is my latest page for Mia's 'Use a Photo' theme at Art Journal Journey.

I have been able to look at AJJ entries but kept forgetting to charge my tablet (the easiest way for me to make comments) I hope to get back to commenting from today!

Thanks for looking, Chris

T Stands For - the places we went!

 Hi everyone, I'm not talking about anywhere we have visited recently because since last Tuesday's visit to Styal we've only been out for one short shopping trip - the weather has been dreadful and while out today for our 'big' shop we had to drive through roads awash with huge puddles some covering the whole road and quite deep for our little car! 

I have decide to go back to the sunshine of last September when we stayed with my son and daughter in law.

One day hubby and I visited Brive la Gaillarde. Brive was one of the main areas where the French Resistance operated during World War 2.

One of the first shops we passed had this in it's window

..and another had these!

We saw several rather grand houses on our way back to the car.

On our way back to Tourtoirac we stopped off in Terrason-Lavilledieu.

On reflection we wished we hadn't spent so much time in Brive - we would have loved to visit the Jardins Imaginaire as well as the church that sits above the town. (Something for this year maybe?)

They town is built with a river running through it and lots of steps!

After our drive back we met up with our son and daughter in law at Le LRD in Tourtoirac - you may remember we went there on our first night there and sat by the river.

After a lovely meal hubby was having a coffee. There is also evidence of our other drinks - Coke and water and it is here I will join in with Bleubeard, Elizabeth and lots of other folk sharing their drinks at T Stands For Tuesday.

Thanks for looking, Chris