Pretty Papers

Hello everybody, it's very nearly officially Autumn and it's also time for the start of a new theme at TIOT.  Time is flying, especially as I have been sorting out my craft room. That was good though, as I found lots of 'Pretty Papers', which just happens to be the new Try It On Tuesday theme. We all have some lovely papers on the Design Team, as you will see here.

I made a journal page...

I chose a 13Arts page for the background than added some different parts of a few different Stamperia pads. After cutting them out I used a Tim Holtz distress tool to scruff up the edges (yes, the little tool has turned up, so I no longer need to use scissors for making distressed edges)

I am pleased to be cutting into my papers. While tidying I managed to make quite a pile of papers I won't use, to take to the local school. They will be more useful there than a charity shop I think.

I hope you will look through your 'Pretty Papers' and join us this time at TIOT.

Thanks for looking, Chris

 

Children at TIOT

 Hi everyone, just in time as many children either start or return to school this week we have a new Try It On Tuesday topic 'Children'. The Design Team have some fabulous inspiration for you.

I used an All and Create stencil first with Picked Raspberry DI then Vintage Photo leaving a space in the middle for my Crafty Individuals image of two sisters taking a walk. I added some Kaisercraft background stamps to add more squares. The words are from Tim Holtz.

I do hope you will join us at TIOT this time. Rules and guidelines are here.

Thanks for looking, Chris 

Always Shining

 Hi everyone, I'm just popping in with a final page because I wanted to thank everyone who joined in with my 'Hot Summer(Days and Nights)' theme at Art Journal Journey.

There was so much lovely art to see and I so enjoyed being here and seeing them all. Thank you all for your support. 

Thank you to the Art Journal Journey Team for asking me! It has been good to get back to some regular art journaling! 

I cut up a calendar page for this, it reminded me of the seaside towns we used to visit on our Summer Holidays and I'm sure the sun shone every day. The border is some scrappy washi tape I made at Journalfest in July. I also used a sponge ink applicator to add some yellow circles and a pink pen to add some dots. The words were done using Printshop on my computer.

Thanks for looking, Chris

Rainy Days

 Hi everyone, yes unfortunately 'Hot Summer' days sometimes include rain, the temperatures haven't dropped, but as well as some lovely sunshine we have had some really heavy showers this week and Mr Umbrella Man is making an appearance!

You may remember me saying that my original inspiration for my Art Journal Journey theme came from Neil Diamond and his Hot August Night concert in Los Angeles. He sang many old favourites and 'Solitary Man' was one of them

Here is my 'Solitary Man' page. 

I started by using blue Distress inks on an acrylic block, which I spritzed and pressed all over my page, with a few spatters for good measure! I then used a Funky Fossils cloud stencil by adding Black Distres Ink to the stencil and spritzing before pressing onto the page. I know clouds are not blue but wanted the spattery blue to give some more colour to the page. I used Tim Holtz's Umbrella man die cut (in yellow to show that the sun was going to shine again very soon!).       I added some black pen dots for scattered showers!

Finally I am once again practicing my lettering with the title! I think I have a long way to go! 

Thanks for looking, Chris

Off to the Beach

 Hi everyone, the weather seems to have picked up a little bit and we have had some lovely evening sun. My latest page for my 'Hot Summer' theme at Art Journal Journey is still at the beach though.

I used to love visiting the beach when I was a child and then when we had our caravan near Morecambe I would love to just walk along the shoreline. 

I had a watery looking page in my square journal. I used some scraps of paper cut into squares/rectangles and joined them together - I added some stamped shells and some stamped, coloured  and fussy cut beach items too. The sentiment came from the same set. I used markers to outline the papers.

I would love to cool down at the beach on a 'Hot Summer' day but I don't think I would spend a whole day now I'm older!

I am a little behind with catching up with posts, last week was a week full of appointments and tradesmen visits and ended with a day out for our 25th Wedding Anniversary. I'll be with you soon! 

Thanks for looking, Chris                    

Going Round In Circles

Hi everyone, well two weeks have passed (so quickly!) and we are starting a new topic at Try It On Tuesday. We're 'Going Round In Circles' this time and the Design Team have used lots of circles, but of course we are happy to see whatever circles you add!

 

I started with a tiny bit of stencil mop up on my page and added more stencilled circles

I found more circles with the parasols from a magazine and added them, along with some under paper scraps, behind the Collage Soup image of the ladies enjoying their drinks. 

I wanted to add some words and then found the postcard and post mark This seemed more apt. The final thing was some washi tape with citrus fruits on to accompany the citrus fruit in the image

 

The 'Going Round In Circles' theme will run for the usual two weeks and we look forward to seeing what you make.

The Rules and Guidelines are here if you need to check.

I am also adding this to Art Journal Journey where I am hosting this month with my 'Hot Summer' theme

Thanks for looking, Chris

Sun Days

Hi everyone, I'm back with another page for my 'Hot Summer' theme at Art Journal Journey.

 It really has warmed up here in the North West of England. We are keeping cool enough inside, but after a long walk (6 miles) on Wednesday and a two mile walk yesterday I am ready for staying in and playing in my journal today.

Although I have other pages prepared I wanted to make another page after watching LaQuisha Hall's and Mary Beth Shaw's Wanderlust videos - they had some great ideas.

I used Neocolour II crayons and Paper Artsy Infusion powders on some index cards and cut them up.

I had several attempts at making a collage with them before I was happy, and then added the mounted Collage Soup image and some little extras, including some mark making to echo the dots on the girl's bikini. The quote - 'Choose to see the world in SUNSHINE' is combination of two from my box of quote stamps.

Just for fun I took another photo in the full sun coming through my craft room window.

 

The tree outside my window is giving some dappled shade at the moment.

I am really enjoying seeing your pages and I hope you are enjoying the theme. 

Thanks for looking, Chris

Happy Hot Summer(Days and Nights)

Hi everyone, I did say I may refer to Neil Diamond's legendary concert in Los Angeles so here we are - except it is also one of my memories of our holiday in France a couple of months ago. My theme at Art Journal Journey is 'Hot Summer' and the day we picked cherries was HOT!

Yes 'Cherry, Cherry' is the song, and these are the cherries we picked at our friends' house (a lot of laughter as we tried to get them off the higher branches) They had become ripe enough for the birds to start stealing them, so, after a day out we had drink and went out to the two trees.

I used a circle stencil with blue ink for the background. The girl in my page was cut from a magazine, the photos are of the cherries on the table after we brought them in and I made a heart on Printshop of part of the bowl and painted over the cherries with Paper Artsy Fresco paints. The Cherry, cherry circle was also from Printshop.

Oh! and the cherries were delicious, both fresh and in the Clafoutis my friend made!

Our friends garden with the cherry trees at the bottom. As you can see the grass was suffering

Thanks for looking, Chris

  

Summer Days

 Hi everyone, I have a page to show you for the new theme at Try It On Tuesday, 'Summer' theme. I wish I could have a day like this, at the moment I am blaming St Swithun for our bad weather! 

The Design Team are also optimistic and have some lovely Summer inspiration for you here.

I used a lovely flowery napkin for my background then added some patches of Paper Artsy tissue that I had painted on the back with PA MattTints.

The image is one from Collage Soup, which I mounted onto hot pink card and edged with black.

The quote is part stamp, part my own handwriting and is taken from some John Denver lyrics - one of those songs that often comes to mind when out in the sun.

I hope you will join us at TIOT this month - especially when the sun shines.

I am also hosting at Art Journal Journey this month with my theme of 'Hot Summer' and would love to see your journal pages if you make them. (we only accept journal pages)

Thanks for looking, Chris

Summer

 Hi, I'm here with another page for my Art Journal Journey theme 'Summer Days', I just wish we could have some sunny days back!

This page started as a mop up page to which I added a little bit of mark making.

The photos were all taken in France, our only view of the sun setting here is from the bedroom and then is over rooftops!

The top photo is of the sunset at the Gîte we stayed at near Rennes in Brittany this year.

The other two were when we took evening walks at my son's place near Limoges! They were certainly Hot Summer Nights.

Thanks for looking, Chris 

Hot Summer

Hi everyone, I‘m so happy to be asked back to host at Art Journal Journey this month!

My first thoughts when knowing I was here for August were of Neil Diamond’s famous concert in Los Angeles in 1972.

 

As August is a time for holidays for many my theme is 'Hot Summer’  (Nights and Days) I am not a great lover of being in the sun so I am often found sitting in the shade with a cold drink and my journal

I can’t promise that a few of the song titles from that concert won’t feature here as it’s an album I play quite a lot!

My first page contains photos from our own holidays in France where we see fabulous sunsets. The main image is from last year when we were at my son’s place and decided to watch the sunset as we ate our evening meal picnic style.

I started by blending some NeocolourII crayons over my page. Next came some stamping with a squiggly stamp using Distress Oxides. The bunting, butterfly and bee are stickers. 

I look forward to seeing how you interpret my theme!

The last few weeks have busy for me - I have been helping my talented granddaughter get ready for setting up her nail art business.

She was decorating nails with stationery themed art at Stationeryfest/ Journalfest last weekend and starts work in a salon next week.

These were the two she did for me but she had other designs

I am looking forward getting back to my art journals now

Thanks for looking, Chris 

It's Magic!

Hi everyone, I'm sure it can't just be me that finds time passes so quickly. It's already time for a new theme at Try It On Tuesday - 'Make It Magical'

Please take a look at how the Design Team have created Magic here.

I have been wanting to make a magical page using the gorgeous mushrooms from one of Erica Palfreyman's Stampanory Cotton Socks sets and here I combined them with some images from Lavinia Stamps

The background was made with Lavinia Dinkles. I extended the stamp slightly with a Pitt pen. I stamped the stars using silver acrylic paint. The quote is also from the Cotton Socks set.

I think that the fairy's pet rabbit is enjoying the glittery shower!

As usual our them runs for 2weeks. I do hope that you will add a little magic of your own at TIOT.

Thanks for looking, Chris

Summer Blooms at TIOT

Hi everyone, I'm back from my holiday in France and been enjoying some time at my desk making some journal pages. Try It On Tuesday has a new theme 'Summer Blooms' and I'm sure is going to inspire many of you! The Design Team has been busy too with lots of lovely flowers on show.

I chose Sweet Peas as my blooms but really I would choose them for their scent too.

I used a mop up background in my journal and added some texture stamps around the edges (using the stamp package image to place where I wanted it) then stamped my image and coloured it using water colour pencils and a water brush. I also used the honeycomb edging of the image to extend it around the flowers.

This theme will run for the usual two weeks and I do hope you will join us with your own 'Summer Blooms' at TIOT.

Thanks for looking, Chris

Things with wings

Hi everyone, it's time for a new theme at Try It On Tuesday - we would like to see 'Things With Wings' and that means anything that we usually see with wings! As usual the Design Team have been busy making samples to inspire you - please take a look here.

I am quite predictable in choosing a bird, I can get quite distracted when out walking if I hear an unusual bird song or if I get a chance to watch birds.

I made a page in a small journal - I used a page from a Dina Wakley Collage book I spritzed it with a Distress Spritz (the shine doesn't show well here) then stamped the little Dina Wakley bird and coloured it in with wateercolour paints. Finally I covered the bird and added some spatters and the Tim Holtz chit chat sticker.

I hope you can join us this time at TIOT - you have two weeks to post your entry and if you are in any doubt about anything the Rules and  Guidelines are here.

I would like to join Neet's 'It must Have Wings' theme at Art Journal Journey with my little bird too

Thanks for looking, Chris

Keeping It Simple (with a cup of coffee on the side)

 Hi everyone, our new theme is 'Keep It Simple' at Try It On Tuesday - I could have gone to the CAS side but as I am preparing my Travel Journal I decided to make myself some easy backgrounds for my small journal. 

Take a look here at what our Design Team have been making.

This is how I started

I used some scraps from my little pencil case.

I sorted them into similar colours, then using some wide double sided tape I stuck  them on randomly

The edges were trimmed on this one

I used some Tulip cuttings from a magazine for another strip

The bottom one here was left with torn edges

You can see my pencil case here too.

I used some for a page in my planner but the rest will be in my travel kit.

I added some flower stickers and more scraps from my bag.

I hope you will join us this time at TIOT whether your entry is CAS or something simple to make.

The coffee...for T Stands for Tuesday...hosted by Bleubeard and Elizabeth... 

...where hubby is totally ignoring my requests for a smile! This on our latest shopping trip to Marks and Spencers - we had a scone each as it had been a long time since breakfast.

Just a quick few pics to show how the lovely sunny weather has encouraged the flowers to grow at Styal Mill

I am hoping that the little birds on my page are suitable for Art Journal Journey where Neet has her 'It Must Have Wings' theme.

 Thanks for looking, Chris

Bird

Hi everyone, I've enjoyed getting back to my larger art journals, although I have been busy with my mini journals and my daily journal.

This is intended for Hickydorum Neet's 'It Must Have Wings' theme at Art Journal Journey this month

I started with another mop up page, just paint this time from a palette I made for making a Wanderlust page.

The image is from a book I found in a charity shop - all of the pages in the book have only the birds coloured in. I used a leaf stencil and then drew in details. I also stamped a few smaller leaves around and added a label for the quote.

Thanks for looking, Chris

I Got Lost!

 Hi everyone, I have a journal page to show you! I must confess that this was meant for Erika's "Spring Birds' theme last month(sorry Erika!) so I was really pleased to see that Neet wouldn't mind seeing birds for her 'It Must have Wings' theme at Art Journal Journey this month.

  I love Nuthatches so this Hobby Art stamp set was a must have a few years ago! 

The background started as a stencil cleaning page. I stamped the branch (so easy to extend the length) and the blossom (with a little bit of masking) then added my bird. My Daniel Smith paints were perfect for colouring everything and adding some more leafy touches.

Thanks for looking, Chris  

Deep in the Forest

 Hi everyone, our new theme at Try It On Tuesday takes us 'Deep In The Forest' this time. The Design Team have found lots to look for when you visit.

This time of year I love coming across Bluebells when we go on our walks, but when we visit our son in France there's more to see. On one of the routes on the way to the shops we can see Wildboar with their young - a protective wire fence has been built to stop them getting on the crops and we can see them if we go by in the early evening.

The local farmers quite close to my sons have regular Boar hunts (guess whose side I'm on). They are quite shy creatures and when his neighbour met one while walking his dog it turned and trotted away quite quickly.

My Journal page is about what might be in the undergrowth when we take our walks around there, maybe one day they won't be behind a fence. I wouldn't want to meet a female with young ones though, the female Wildboar mother is very protective and may attack!

I have an old book that I use to make occasional pages - I used paper Artsy Fusions to create a 'leafy' background, then added some Stamperia images and a little stamp collage I made. I finished the page with some spatters and words.

Our theme runs for two weeks and I hope you will join us with anything you might hope to find 'Deep In The Forest'

Thanks for looking, Chris

Oh So Sweet!

Hi everyone, I'm not just talking about the chocolate you might eat this weekend - this is the title of our new theme at Try it On Tuesday.

'Oh So Sweet' has been interpreted in a few different ways by our Design Team, so I do hope you can take a look here(if you haven't already)

I bought this cute little creature stamp while in France and I used masking to create this little scene along with another Chou&Flowers set.

I used water colour pencils and a water brush to colour it. The sentiment is from a set I have had for ages and has separated from its packaging!

 Just by coincidence I came across this scrap of metallic paper and then made a bit of a hash rounding off the corners - the recipient is another crafter so I'm sure she'll forgive a bit of wonkiness!!

I hope you can find your sweet side and join us this time at TIOT, as usual the theme is open for two weeks. The Rules and Guidelines are here if you would like to check.

Thanks for looking, Chris

It's a bird!

 Hi everyone, after a break from art journaling (apart from my TIOT stuff) I'm back with an entry for Erika's 'Spring Birds' theme at Art Journal Journey.

As most of my journal page backgrounds are mop up pages I am making no exception here. The little bird is a Crafty Individuals stamp and I tried to brighten the page with a stencil and some bright paint. The words are Tim Holtz chit chat stickers.

Since I broke a bone in my foot and damaged my elbow last June I have been keeping a Daily Journal.

Here are some of my pages all ready to write in

I hope to have another Spring Bird page ready soon!

Thanks for looking, Chrisx

 

Rainbow Colours

 Hi everyone, I can hardly believe it's April already and we've been enjoying some sunshine(even though there was a nip in the breeze over the weekend)

We're ready for those April showers this time at Try It On Tuesday with our new theme "Rainbow Colours' - we have lovely cheerful examples made by the Design Team - please take a look here.

I have made a journal page - which started out with a mop up of some paint after making something else.

I dipped a lid into the paint and made some large swatches down the side. The water coloured ladies are from a Paper Artsy stamp designed by Kate Crane, I also added a little stencilling using one of Kate's stencils. 

The words and flowers are by Tim Holtz.

Finally I did a little markmaking to fill in a few gaps. 

I hope you will join us this time at TIOT with your 'Rainbow Colours', as usual the theme is running for two weeks. 

Thanks for looking,Chris