Playing...for a little while...

I haven't had much play time lately,although today my little craft group, usually known as the Messy group had a day making Christmas cards and sharing a light lunch! It was our last session before Christmas although we have said that we may get together in smaller groups to use up some of the paper mountain that had been donated!

Look at this fabulous pear shaped dessert the the chef made - poached pears and plums with cream and ratafia biscuit! - it was delicious!

I have also made a journal page for Rike's 'Fruit and veggies' theme at Art Journal Journey

I used a stencil randomly over the page and some text stamping, then used a Stampendous berry stamp and Paper Artsy's Sarah Naumman bird on a branch.I used an old toothbrush to create some dust around the tree.......
....the other day a flock of starlings flew into the Rowan tree at the caravan and almost stripped what remaining berries there were! 

There were around 40 of them but they started to fly off when they saw me! I have never seen such a flurry of feathers and snatching at food!

The blackbirds will have to look elsewhere, but having had all of my blackcurrants and most of the blackberries, they didn't go short this year!

It is also my AEDM entry for today

Yesterday I made this for AEDM and the Carabelle Studio AT stamp challenge - the topic was sewing

Thanks for looking, Chris

Back to my Journal

I made some more time to play in my journal by using a mop up page and a simple scribbly drawing of a pear

It is another entry for Art Journal Journey and Rikes's 'Fruit and veggies theme'

It is also for Leah's AEDM Day 15

Thanks for looking, Chris

ATStamps and Kew

I realised I haven't shown you my latest ATstamps for the Carabelle Studio Instagram challenge 

Day 12 Fairies

              Day 13 Drink

               Day 14 Greenery
.......or any more Kew photos...

I had seen so many of Helen's Kew photos that I knew what was next..

 ..well actually, I didn't know that the Pagoda had dragons from top to bottom....

 ....the Niijima Floats I was expecting to be beautiful...

 ...and they were, from every angle!
The raked patterns would have impressed my Dad.

 There were lots of folk around..so I moved across a bit...

 ...that's better!

 Of course Kew isn't the tranquil haven you might expect, being close to the Heathrow flightpath..but hubby enjoyed seeing the planes

The Japanese Garden is quite a recent addition.

 Lots of lovely Autumn colours on our way to the Temperate house

!

We'll take a look inside soon!

Thanks for looking, Chris

T Stands for........the time struggle.

We have been away for a few days and due to return to our caravan again tomorrow - we have decided to give it up at the end of the year and we are sad but have plans for more travelling opportunities!
This means a LOT to pack up, give away or throw away! I think we are going to be busy! The Wi-fi wasn't working well at the weekend so we got quite a lot done!

So...back to Paris..we decided to saunter in the sunshine to our favourite Parisienne restaurant - Les Patios in Place de Sorbonne

 Past Luxembourg Gardens...

 ..and the Pantheon..

 ...to here, with a lovely view, the fountains were working too!

I am joining Bleubeard and Elizabeth for T Stands for Tuesday - with  my Caesar salad, hubby's Salad Nicoise and water...

 ...and hubby's Cafe Gourmand which came with an extra spoon for me and while hubby had his Espresso I had a Cafe Creme. I think you will see why we always visit here when in Paris

 Afterwards we walked to the other side of the fountain and looked back at Patios

The back of the Sorbonne looks so beautiful - even with vehicles in front of it.

 As we walked to our next destination we walked past a talented street entertainer in front of the Fontaine St Michel....

...with the magnificent statue of St Michael!

I'm keeping it short this week, trying to make space here as well as preparing for a non messy crafting day next week ( a Christmas card marathon) and getting Hochanda samples for Crafty Individuals ready! 

I am still wondering what possessed me in deciding to take up two daily challenges this month but after a short crafting session this afternoon I felt much calmer so I will carry on!!!
My TIOT tin is my AEDM entry for today.

Thanks for looking, Chris

TIOT is Cold, Cold, Cold

I suspect that a lot of us are now as Winter is definitely on it's way! 
The new Theme at Try It On Tuesday invites you to show us how you will represent 'Cold, cold, cold'. 
The Design Team have been feeling cold and this surely shows in their samples - please do take a look!

I have always loved blue and white china and when I unearthed a sardine tin that I have had in my craft room for a while now I wondered if I could create a simple scene.

I enjoyed making this so much that I totally forgot to take any photos! Not that it was hard to make. 

I painted the tin with Paper Artsy Fresco Snowflake paint - only one coat required and I dabbed it with some scrunched up paper to give some texture.
The trees in the background are by Crafty Individuals. The other stamps were first stamped in grey archival ink then the stag was embossed with silver and I used the same blue (Versafine Clair Bluebell)to overstamp the holly and to stamp the words. I added some stickles to the holly to give a bit of sparkle

This is also my Day 12 for Art Every Day Month.

As usual the challenge runs for two weeks and there are a few Rules to be followed - please find them here!

Thanks for looking, Chris

Just a stamp

This ATStamp is for AEDM day 11

I mixed some texture paste with some copper mica powder and used it with a Brigit Koopsen mask. I heated it till it bubbled but wasn't happy with the colour so dabbed some copper paint over the top.
The quote and the paper doll - both from Tim Holtz were all I needed to complete it.

We often think of the soldiers killed in World War 1 but there were lots killed that weren't soldiers. Remember them too....

Thanks for looking , Chris

Colourful fruit!

Hi everyone - we have just returned from our caravan - the wi-fi was hit and miss so I left posting this till we got home!
I found this weird advertisement in a magazine but it seemed perfect for a page for Rike's  'Fruit and Veggies' theme at Art Journal Journey.

I used a torn up piece of mop up paper towel of the background and doodled and stamped on to it.

The ad was for paint in a glossy magazine so I covered the pic with matte medium to reduce the glare(couldn't stop the wrinkles though!)

It is also my AED entry for today

and also my Art Stamps for AED 6,7, 8 and 9 and the Carabelle Studio challenge

Christmas

Time

 Love/hearts

Funny

Thanks for looking, Chris