Little circles

This will be my last entry to Art Journal Journey this month - I really enjoyed Rosie's 'Circles' theme!
My final page is in my A6 journal - a simple distress mop up page to which I added some scraps of other bits of mop up and under paper.

I added some stencilling through some sequin waste and stamped the remains of some ink that was on a stamp I was using for another project.
I stamped PA's JoFY stem and bubbles from JOFY45 and coloured it with Derwent coloursoft pencils. The words are from PA's Kim Dellow set EKD02 and were stamped onto more waste paper and inked around the edges! 

Thanks for looking, Chris

This will be scheduled so hope I can link up!  

Simple!

Just playing around in my little journal and getting some paint off some sponges

I added one of my favourite Lavinia stamps and thought it needed an explanation!

I have decided to enter it in

That's Crafty! Challenge blog's - Keep it Simple

Thanks for looking, Chris

Romantic circles

While I had the pinks out the other day I used a page in my Hema journal that I bought in Paris! I can't believe how good this paper is for such a cheap product!

I scraped some gesso roughly over the page before adding some stamping with a couple of Carabelle studio background stamps.I also added some torn washi tape for my figures where I wanted them to stand.

 I also added some script stamping too and quite a few stencilled hearts using paint - I wasn't so happy with the stencilling so bump stencilled with ink.
I used a lid to make some light circles with ink.
Next I stamped the Visible Image sentiment and the watches onto tissue and adhered them with multi medium. 
The figures were added and I went over the lid circles with a pencil which I smudged a little bit. I realised that it looked a bit 'empty' so added some 'LOVE' from part of a JoFy quote.

I would like to enter at:- 

Art Journal Journey for Rosie's 'Circles' theme

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge where the theme is 'Stencil It' 

Country View Challenge Blog 'Hearts' theme

T Stands For… a trip to the sea!

Ha! Not quite what it seems though! Last week my son rang to ask if we would like to go out for lunch as he had got the week off work! My reply was yes, and I made a request as to where we might go!
Last year he and his partner took us out for an evening meal at this place and we loved it.

It doesn't look much from the outside and for years hubby and I used to drive past this place and ask ourselves who would eat there! Once we had been we realised it would be only people who appreciated good food!(see the reviews and more photos here)
It is called 'Kim By The Sea',(you can see more here - if the annoying pop up messages don't put you off) just in case you can't see the sign on the wall…

 You can just see the edge of our little red car...

This was the table we had - right by the window - it was a very hot day!
The decor is bright and cheerful and when we got there it was quite full!
I had to wait to take these photos of the empty tables

There is so much choice on the menu as well as a specials board..

Everything is reasonably priced.
I had Goats cheese and red onion chutney salad, hubby had Roasted butternut and sweet potato salad, son had Caesar salad and son's partner had a hot chorizo pizza! We ordered fries and handcut chips to share!…and guess what…when it came it looked and tasted so delicious that I ate it all and forgot to take a photo(good excuse to go back)

So as you can see there was water for me, coke for hubby and the two 'boys' had lagers so at least I can join Bluebeard and Elizabeth for T Stands For Tuesday!

It was a great place to spend time chatting and catching up.
When it was time to go hubby and I went across the road to another place that we have seen but never been to..

We have seen this grow from a very small area to what is now a really beautiful and quite spacious place! The land at the side was just derelict land at one time.

We had a good wander round but didn't stay for a drink at the little cafe, maybe next time!

Here is a link to this fantastic place - it is worth watching the video that was made a while ago 

Although on this occasion I didn't buy anything I have plans to go back for some plants for our caravan garden!

Thanks for looking, Chris

Keeping it simple

I wanted a card for a friend who I will be meeting up with in the School Holidays and when I saw That's Crafty Challenge Blog and the inspiration for the new challenge - Keep it Simple I got moving onto my own version of a simple card! 

I used a That's Crafty stencil with Picked Raspberry and Blueprint Sketch DI then stamped a sprig from Kim Dellow's Paper Artsy set EKD02 several times and coloured the 'buds' black
The sentiment is by Visible Image

Thanks for looking, Chris

I like pink!!!

I was just walking out of the supermarket yesterday when I spotted a leaflet with a beautiful Peony on it - I don't know why but it made me think of Paris…come to think of it …it doesn't take much to make me think of Paris!!!
After lunch I set to on a journal page that I had dried off a stencil with..

I rubbed on some silver paint using some small masks (PA Emma Godfrey (PM006)  
I added some crackle paste using a Dina Wakley mask which I smudged over with a touch of Treasure Gold!

The peony was cut from the leaflet and stuck on the corner

I used Lynne Perella's hearts from LPC030 and an Eiffel Tower (that I have had for ages and no idea where from!)to stamp onto tissue paper that I painted before adding using multi medium paste.I also stamped some text and a tiny flower using a Carabelle Studio set by Azoline
The words are by Visible Image Stamps that I stamped onto white and pink tissue and overlaid the pink Memories. 

I would like to enter -
Country View Challenges 'Hearts' challenge

Penny Black and More - Anything Goes
and 

Mixed Media Monthly - Year of choices I have chosen No 36 Put a Stamp On It with my tissue stamped additions and my background text and flowers.

Thanks for looking, Chris

Doodling again!

I am so pleased to get some cooler weather! I have spent some time in my craft room with a fan blowing trying to clear some of the things that build up around the edges - I had too watch for papers blowing though! 
I did some doodling while we were away last week at our caravan and I finished it off today with a couple of additions….

  
….Rain man - cut at the WOYWW crop - I think it may have been Shaz's die (Thankyou)
The words are from a new Tracey Eason set - I outlined them as they didn't show up well against the background -should have used black ink instead of brown!

I am linking to Art Journal Journey for Rosie's Circles theme!

Have a great weekend and Thanks for looking, Chris

Little Mermaid

Apologies to all the folk I usually visit on T Day - I haven't made many visits yet - my social life caught up with me! 
Cinema with hubby yesterday for a Silver Screen showing of a comedy that probably won't have many showings outside the UK - 'The Time Of Their Lives' starring Joan Collins and Pauline Collins(one of my favourite actresses)We both thought it very funny although I suspect it may only appeal to a more mature audience! Even then I'm not sure, as at times hubby and I were stifling laughs because no one else was laughing!!
Last night was 'Girls' night out! - Five of us have been meeting up since our children were little - usually every month - although there are often absences of one or two at a time these days!
It's great to still be meeting up though!
Today my youngest son and partner took us out for lunch(next T Day's post I think!!)

I have had a little crafting time in between trying to clear my desk and surrounds. 
Hubby has been using the computer to book trains for our holiday later this year.
I am just grabbing a few minutes to show you my new bookmark.

 It all started with a little play with Brushos and a something i bought at Penrith Crafts - Cosmic Shimmer Pixie Dust - Wow! What a shine!
I used my Carabelle Studio Azoline set again.

 …and here she is marking a page!

I am joining in again at Moo Mania and More for the Under Water theme!
I would also like to enter at Stamping Sensations with a Favourite Stamp

Thanks for looking, Chris

A new theme at Try It On Tuesday..

We have 'Letters, numbers or both' as our new theme at Try It On Tuesday.
The Design Team have created some amazing examples to inspire you so please do pop over and have a look!

I made a page in my Kraft journal.

I added various shades of white, cream and grey and then added some transparent texture paste.
Unfortunately I was so happy creating that I forgot to take photos so I have only close ups of the finished page!

I added some stamping with a ledger stamp by Paper Artsy 

 I cut some card circles and wrapped them in book paper which had been spritzed with Black Knight Infusions and then Pewter paint around the edges . The Paper Artsy Hot Picks HP1602EZ butterflies (chosen for their  triangular appearance) were stamped onto a master board I had created earlier for another project

   I added some white dots to eliminate any numbers that weren't a multiple of 3 and added some words that I typed into my Printshop app on my computer.

So…why did I choose 'THREE'?
Here are some random facts for you…
3 is the number of good fortune - hence the saying 'Third Time lucky!'
3 is related to time - 'Past Present Future' 'Beginning, Middle, End'
3 primary colours - Red, Yellow, Blue - are all that is needed to mix most other colours.
St Patrick used the 3 leaved Shamrock to teach about the Holy Trinity - Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
3 is supposed to be the lucky number for my Astrology Sign - Sagittarius!

If you have a favourite 'THREE' fact please do share it!

The 'Letters, Numbers or Both' challenge runs for 2 weeks so please do enter before the closing date - 3rd of July!

I would also like to join Rosie's theme of Circles at Art Journal Journey.

Thanks for looking, Chris 

T Stands for …….Tebay...

If ever you have headed North to Scotland up the M6(or back again) chances are that at some point you will have visited Tebay Services.
We had a trip out on Friday - not quite what we planned…first we headed to Hutton in the Forest - we visited there some time ago and loved it! Hmm! When we got there we found that although the gardens were open - paying was by using the honesty box, the house and tea rooms were closed.
Not to worry - The Rheged Centre wasn't far away and I had a map! There was a little matter of the smaller villages not being on the map and the signposts were in need of a clean or repair - When we started going back on ourselves we decided that Penrith might be a better bet!
We had intended going into the town centre for lunch but when we saw Booths decided that as we have often stopped for coffee there we would try for a lunch!!!! We should have taken a look around at the number of people there before ordering!!!
The couple beside us had arrived just before us - after sitting for around 20 minutes someone came to tell them that what the man had ordered was now not available! 
We struck up a conversation and swapped names of places to visit with Grandchildren and eventually our meals arrived at the same time. 
We headed into Penrith and I called to Penrith Crafts, bought a couple of things and had a wander around the town before heading back to the caravan!
Aha! but we didn't! Hubby pulled into Tebay Services and we headed to the cafe!
I am joining Bluebeard and Elizabeth for T Stands For Tuesday…

The cakes were being replenished!

On the first island there were baskets of bread and a bowl of soup

 An Americano for me and a Mocha for hubby - we shared the raspberry and pistachio tart.
There were only a few folk in and none in the section where we were!

 The views from the windows on the Southbound side are wonderful!(just a slight reflection problem!)

We watched as Martins(or Swallows) flew across the pond and up into the eaves to nests.

You may just catch sight of one here.
After coffee we had a look around the shop area before going to the farm shop.

The teas and coffee area also had Hot Chocolate powders.

We bought some veg and a courgette and lime cake  which was delicious! 
It really was a good ending to the day!

Thanks for looking, Chris