WOYWW (The Poitiers Version)

This is a 'what I bought on my holiday' kind of show of my desk!
Julia invites us to show what's on our desk and I've missed two because I was travelling on both Wednesdays!If you'd like to know what I've been up to I invite you to look at my two previous posts(and probably a few after this one coming up!)
So just what is on my desk?

Confession - just some of my goodies!

Some fab stamps, bits and bobs for tags, washi tape, doilies,  some little plastic cup holders that I've already started to play with, some autumn leaves and the grey mat at the bottom that I think is a pot stand but looks as though I can use with my gelli plate!

Some fab mags(and free gift)

I must confess that these photo's were taken when we got back but then we went to our caravan and some of them went with me - had to play!!
There hasn't been a great deal of crafting done as the garden was such a mess and we also had to catch up bill paying etc!!
Here however is my latest journal page from my little travel journal that I'm still adding to now I can print out photos.

 Hope you all have a lovely week and Thanks for visiting, Chris

Poitiers pics (Part 2)

Our second day in Poitiers actually saw us actually going into Poitiers (xsil and hubby live about 20 minutes away from the centre)
First stop was a shop called NOZ - a fascinating mixture of all sorts of things - some very random indeed - but mixed up in all of this, if you look hard are some real crafty treasures!

Then a short walk into town for lunch in a square right by the cathedral where Eleanor married Henry II. Afterwards we went into the cathedral which was absolutely beautiful….

….and as if that wasn't enough suddenly the organ began to fill the space with it's glorious sound - I was unexpectedly moved to tears!

Some of the original art work is still there and it was nice to see it in an unrestored state although I suppose that one day as in many other places it will be "improved".
From there we followed the blue route(there are three different coloured lines painted on the ground around the town)which led us through the mediaeval area to other churches and interesting buildings

We came to the Palais du Justice which has the original tower and inside, as you can see a beautiful hall that formed part of the original palace - it is the only original part left.  

The top picture shows the outside of the chimneys to this huge fireplace. Eleanor stayed here when the court was in Poitiers 
A fabulous day which again was filled with delights and lots of chatting.
Thanks for looking, Chris 

Poitiers Pics(Part 1)

I've had rather a lot to catch up on, so although we got back last week this really is the first chance I've had to show any pictures! 
First of all I must say a big "Thank you!" to my xsil and her hubby - we had THE most fantastic time! They guided us through menus and we had some fantastic meals, they drove us all over the place and showed us some real treasures and above all they provided us with some great company - we really did talk for hours!!! Oh! and they also took me to some great places to stock up on craft goodies(more of that another day)!
The journey to Poitiers was an interesting one, the first leg from Manchester to London was the worst - travelling backwards and no window to look out of! We then boarded Eurostar which was much better - more leg room and a view - got to Lille and had time to sit in the sun and have a coffee! Then - the most exciting part - a double decker sncf/tgv to Poitiers and we were on the top deck! Gosh! Did that train travel?!!! We did have a little delay around Paris for work occurring on the track but made up speed and were only about 15 minutes late!

The next day we were taken to Fontevraud Abbey - the final resting place of Eleanor of Aquitaine - I had no idea we were within driving distance so I was excited at the prospect of a visit(I've always had a fascination with Eleanor)
It was raining in the morning and after a fabulous lunch there was no sign of it stopping, so armed with an umbrella, we set off - xsil and hubby went off somewhere else with a promise to pick us up later! 
The abbey was built in 1100 by Robert d'Arbrissel, who put a woman in charge and made a rule that it would always have a woman in charge despite housing both monks and nuns! 

The tombs of Eleanor, Henry II, Richard I and Isabelle d'Angouleme (King Johns wife)

Eleanor supported the abbey by supplying funds to run it and ended her days there

The rain stopped and we went to explore further, the abbey was used as a prison by Napoleon so there was a lot more to see.

The Kitchen/Smoke house and garden

another view of the outside of the Kitchens

a scary carving....

and a beautiful angel

this was on a beautiful wall of roses

Another treat was in store on our way home - we were taken on a scenic route along the Loire, calling to visit a beautiful church and driving past the fantastic Saumur Chateau

As you can see from this page

 there certainly was lots to see in the area and I'll be back with more pages from my journal and some more photos if you can stand it!

Thanks for looking, Chris

Journal nearly ready!

As I mentioned in my last post I intend taking a few supplies away with me to Poitiers next Wednesday - all will be packed into my old video box(apart from maybe a few more pens that I will carry in my handbag)so I have had to make careful choices! 
I have spent any spare moments this last couple of days preparing pages in my little journal and if I have any more time I will add more stamping to them. We've got a couple of social events to attend before then so if I don't get around to it I'll doodle instead!

The pages so far, as usual I seem to have blue/turquoise aplenty although I have tried to use some brighter colours!
There are apparently thunderstorms forecast for our first day - could be spectacular!
Thanks for looking, Chris

As Time Goes By...

My latest journal page…
I have had this background in my small moleskin for ages and it seemed appropriate to use it for Dawn's Journal Journey's Ch20 challenge this month - "Numbers"

Featuring Marci and some dandelion clocks(they may be Inkylicious but I'm afraid Im not sure) Some string stripes and lots of green shades of distress inks.

Now, a mystery - yesterday I went to Paperchase to buy some new thin moleskins. We are going to France next week and I want to prepare a journal to take.

On the right a set of three moleskines - I usually buy the kraft coloured ones….…but……£9, whereas these grey ones - same paper inside, same description, £5.99. Purchased, then on the way out hubby spotted the journal on the left - with a little pocket, similar paper - £1.50 - so I now have enough small journals for a while! The Paperchase one is from a selection of different coloured tabs and have different papers inside, this one has no lines. I have started sticking the pages together as I usually do because the paper is quite thin. 
This size works for me to take away.Now I just have to decide how much I dare take as we are going to stay with my non-crafty ex sister in law(as in - my ex husband's sister)in Poitiers! Really looking forward to a big catch-up!
Thanks for looking, Chris

Linking to - Journal Journey's
             Anything but a card - Dust off your old supplies, 
              I think an unfinished journal page may just count

WOYWW

Back home and time to show my desk - where did that week go?! Julia, Queen of desks will explain all if you pop over to her blog, meanwhile here's the desk!

Having only got home last night and then shopping and doctor's today the most important thing was to go and play! Last night I started adding to a journal page I'd made a background for ages ago! A little bit more added at 7am this morning, and as you can see I was about to go back to it when I remembered it was Wednesday! 
I didn't manage to see many desks last week, partly because my grandchildren were staying with us but mostly because we couldn't access the internet very well! We also had a day without any electricity from 9-5 during the day as men were working on something down the road! Such Fun!!
So, enough of the excuses, I do hope to visit more this week, especially those who paid me a visit!
If you are in the UK I hope you are enjoying this lovely weather we are having!
Chris

365/12Calendar May/June

Only a little late,our grandchildren went home yesterday and today was a chance to catch up. A little bit of gardening(me), painting(hubby), crafting(me), washing the car(hubby)and reading the weekend's papers(both of us)!
It has been great to have them but it made me wonder how I managed to do so much when I had three children but seemed to have so little time with only two, then I realised - I was just a little younger!!! Anyway, we enjoyed a few nice outings - the best being to Countryfest near Kendal, the weather was kind and there was so much to see and do, we stayed longer than we'd expected!

 Emily really enjoyed handling these birds, while Josh and 

Granpa went off looking at motorbikes

So, my calendar pages-

I've already started to fill in June's pages which I coloured by pressing distress inks onto my mat(picked raspberry, peacock feathers, scattered straw,shaded lilac) spritzing, laying paper on top then spritzing the page and letting it run a bit. The journalling spots were made by smooshing copy paper over the same mat then using string wrapped around some wood to make stripes. The flowers are some I had here and I shall probably add to them during the month.

May - all filled in, a busy month again!

If you want to know more about the 365/12 calendar journal take a look here at Kate Crane's Kathrynwheel blog where all is explained!

Thanks for looking, Chris