It's possible!

As promised I have another journal page for Art Journal Journey where Erika's theme 'New Year, New Adventure' has been inspiring us all! 
As this may be my last entry for this theme I would like to say what an adventure this has been and what a wonderful host Erika is - a post every day and comments whenever we post - that is a big adventure for Erika too I'm sure!

This was one of those ugly pages in my large Dylusions journal and has been there a long time - I didn't take a photo before I set to with turquoise paint, stencils, doodling and spatters. I came to look for the one I took over a year ago and I just can't find it.

I chose a  TH quote which also represents my chosen word this year - 'Possibilities', which was stamped onto a piece of leftover water colour paper and then I added some TH Words and texture rubs.

Thanks for looking, Chris 

T Stands For…. the trip back 'home'

Hello everyone, I'm sorry I missed last weeks T. 
We had some time away in my home town of Lincoln, met up for lunch with an old friend, had coffee with my brother and went out for a walk and a meal with my cousin and her hubby. They are returning to Australia this week. Sad to say…none of these events got recorded on camera!!!!

We did have time to look around the upper part of the city and ventured down hill (and back again).
The guest house we stayed in was very cosy, with it's own sitting room..

…yes the beams are real!

This is the wall outside our door.

Hubby caught me about to take this photo..which you can also see here.

When I lived in Lincoln we lived in the south of the city but we could see the cathedral! In fact there aren't many places you can't see it as it is at the top of a steep hill, which is actually called Steep Hill!

We walked across to the castle…( I know that this phrase amused a certain someone at Divers and Sundry blog!)…and posed for the obligatory photo by the cannon (my boys and my grandchildren would have climbed on…and have in the past!!)

We set off towards the hill, passing the information centre which was once the bank where my Aunt used to work...

…and Exchequer Gate, with the imposing cathedral behind it!
This was the gate where the citizens of Lincoln came in Mediaeval times to pay their taxes.

There are lots of lovely little shops and eateries on the hill

We stopped taking photos here - only to pick up where we left off on the way back.

There is a rail most of the way up (and seats half way up which are handy on a hot day but not necessary this time).

I was pleased to hang on to the rail though and hubby caught me having a rest as I neared halfway!

We went through the gate to see the floodlit cathedral

We wished we had been into the church on the corner earlier in the day as there was a meeting going on in the hall when we came back.

Hubby got this shot of one of the windows though!

Now,this is where I can join Bleubeard and Elizabeth for T Stands For Tuesday.

I did remember to take a photo at breakfast the next morning.

The owner has deliberately left this part of the wall exposed in this old Coaching Inn

Breakfast was cooked to order and was delicious!

This was the view from the car park as we left. 

Although the weather was cold we really enjoyed our visit and it was interesting to see changes in the city as we drove to the south of the city to see my brother.

I will be back with another journal page later but for now I need some sleep! 

Thanks for looking, Chris

You Can!!!

I have a new journal page - it followed on from my idea in my previous post

I love listening to music in my craft room - hubby laughs at the way I sing along to certain tracks on my music player - but when it comes around to Fleetwood Mac I'm definitely singing along!
There's a clip here (at Paris Bercy arena)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZt49yGvdeY
Listening to it gave me an idea!

I inked a page in the same journal with Brushed Corduroy and Faded Jeans(not meant to a deliberate reference to fabrics!)
I sprinkled some water drops over and then added a few stencils before stamping - very randomly, with a little bit of masking, my buildings from around the World. You may be able to spot London, Paris, Sidney, San Fransisco, York, Rome!

I have had this bunch of tags for ages and have only used around half of them.

 I removed the white thread and stamped them with parts of different modes of transport.

I added some text and pattern stamping using Sky Blue Archival Ink

Finally my song words were printed out on manilla card using my Printshop programme.
I used some Distress Crayon around the edge and wet it with my water brush so that it blended into the page better.

If you want to travel there are plenty of choices of places to go and how you can get there. We haven't been on a plane for a while, even though we are only just over a mile from the airport. At the moment we enjoy our railway travels where we can see the scenery from the train window!

I am joining Erika at Art Journal Journey - where her theme is still going strong - New Year, New Adventures.

I would also like to join in at:- 

Moo Mania and More where the theme is Inspired by a Song

Simon Says Stamp Monday - the theme is Tag It

Simon Says Wednesday - the theme is Layer it Up

Thanks for dropping by, your support means so much to me! 
Chrisx

It has to be Paris!

Thank you for all the lovely, encouraging comments you have been leaving for me recently, I really do appreciate your support!

You must all know by now that I love Paris so if I am going to be having adventures this year one of them at least will hopefully be in my favourite city!!

I had a background made a while ago using Seth Apter stamps and stencils along with Carabelle Studio stamps.
Only thing is, I have lost the photo I took way back…this may give you an idea   

I was quite pleased with it and just enjoyed seeing it as it was, however on a look through some of my journals I came across it and immediately saw what I wanted to add!
I decided to use a selection of Paris building stamps to create a feature across the page - yes, you will see several buildings repeated here if you look carefully! Some are second generation stamping, parts are stamped onto some designer paper with a map of Europe on it.

On one of our trips to Paris I found some calendars at a reduced price, the images are a perfect size for cutting out images so I added some to the scene.

I stamped a cheapie postage stamp and wrote in my sentiment - the fact you all know about me!

I am joining Erika again at Art Journal Journey with her great theme of New Year, New Adventures! Erika has been such an inspiration this month - a journal page every day!!
I would also like to enter at
Artistic Stamper Creative Team Challenge 1- 2018 - Anything Goes

Did I mention that we are off to Paris again soon?!

Thanks for looking, Chris

  

Still feeling bright!

Hi everyone, I'm back from my trip!
I made this page before we went and have used one of my favourite Woodware flower stamps.

My page started like this

Lots of stencilling with inks and paints…

...I added stamping and doodling….and after stamping my flowers I stamped them onto card , coloured them with Neocolour IIs and water and fussy cut them….

…stuck them in place outlined them in white pen and then added some blue Stabilo pencil around, which I brushed over with  water pen and then added some spatters.
As there was some overlapping of the images I added the remaining cut out leaves around the stems

I decided to stamp the sentiment, ( a Lin Brown PA one I think)first in white then in black - a mistake - it doesn't really work, but I was enjoying myself so much it didn't really matter! 

Just in case you can't read this it says 'Life is a masterpiece just waiting to be painted' 
I am joining in again at Art Journal Journey for Erika's  'New Year New Adventures' theme. Each day, each little adventure, everyone we meet,everything we do whether pleasant or not makes up the whole of our life!
I am also entering at

Country View Challenges January Challenge - Anything Goes
Stamps and Stencils for Ruth's choice - On The Bright Side

  While we were away it was great to catch up with my old college friend, my brother and my cousin and her hubby who are over from Australia - not all at once….and we still had a little time to be tourists in my home town of Lincoln!

This was the view I got sitting on the bed! As you can see the sun shines in Lincoln!!!

 We walked across to the castle

…and back again..

…towards the Cathedral…and headed down Steep Hill(very aptly named!)

I will show more photos soon

Which will you choose?

We have a great new topic today at Try It On Tuesday! You can choose which way you want to go, or choose both together - it's Fire and Ice and the Design Team have some amazing examples to see here! There are also a few rules so do take a look!

I made a Christmas card (as you do in January!)

As you can see I voted for mainly ice but as I am craving some sunshine with all the grey skies we are getting I added a corner of one of my favourite stamps!

The coloured parts of my Winter Greenery were cut from a large piece of card I had been testing my (very old) Distress Stains. Most of them have turned out almost the same colour! As you can see I sprinkled some water over them to get a variation in colour.

I put some Distress Oxides and  Distress Ink on my mat and spritzed them.

After running the card through them and then a bit of drying and dabbing I added some silver acrylic paint with some rolled up paper towel.

I didn't want too much showing through.

After cutting out some white 'greenery' I stamped the stag on the card and arranged the undergrowth.

 He is from one of the first Sheena Douglas sets I ever bought.

I added some stickles to the greenery.

It was at this point I just had to add that sunshine - it was such a grey day when I made this card!

I would like to enter my card at:-

ABC Christmas Challenge - Letter A is for Antlers

That's Crafty - Feeling Blue Challenge

Looking forward to seeing which you choose!

Thanks for looking, Chris