Autumn Watch

 Hi everyone, for those in other countries 'Autumn Watch' is a Wildlife programme here in the UK, (they have a 'Watch' each season).

When we had our caravan we used to go to the Wild Bird Sanctuary at Leighton Moss regularly. We always enjoyed our late Autumn evening visits as we could watch as the starlings flew in with their great flying displays known as murmurations. We used to watch for more groups flying in to join the main group before they all suddenly dropped into the reed beds.

I used distress ink to colour my sky which I spritzed with water and dabbed it to give a late evening haze.

The bottom of the page is a napkin I bought in Paris and I stamped the Crafty Individuals owl who is watching my dotty impression of a murmuration.I coloured him with Polychromos.

I wrote the words on a piece of scrap paper and outlined it roughly with white pen.

I am linking to 

Art Journal Journey for Tracey's 'My Favourite Colour is Autumn' theme

Country View Challenges - 'Autumnal Colours' theme which is Corrie's choice 

Simon Says Stamp Monday - Fall Colours Mood Board

Stamping Sensations October - Animals, Birds and Bugs

Thanks for looking, Chris

T Stands for taking a step back in time

Hi everyone, I will continue with our trip to France if that's okay  with you?

We set off for Parthenay to visit the Mediaeval garden on a cloudy morning. It was warm but rain was forecast for later in the day.

The route to the gardens was through the old Mediaeval streets. Our friends had been to Parthenay before but had never been in that area  before so it was a treat for us all.

A bee carved into the eaves.

Great shutters here!

It was quite amusing to see our name up on a wall.

We loved this sweet letter box

 

The Mediaeval area has lots of art studios and they open for the two weekends, sadly we didn't know about it and missed the first one and couldn't stay for the next one.

All the way up the street there were plants and information sheets. The lady who designed them was out walking her dog and told us about the special weekends that we had seen on the poster.

Just some of the steps we had to climb to the gardens

I hope you can enlarge this to read it 

I must say I enjoyed the walk to the gardens more than the gardens themselves, although they were certainly worth the climb.

Down in a little square we found some where to eat - no, not the Cafe des Arts but one from where I took the photo.

It's not an especially interesting building (I'm borrowing hubby's photo here)...

....our friends had pizzas and we had Tartines - something on toast, and very delicious!

As you can see we had water to drink.

I am of course stopping at this point to join Bleubeard and Elizabeth For Stands For Tuesday

I did get a quick photo of the inside, although as you can see we ate on a terrace.

From Parthenay we went on to another interesting place....but more of that next week...

Just in case you think weren't going out much (we haven't much since we came  back) we did get to Lyme Park last Friday

We sat on this shady bench for a picnic

 As you can see, a very sunny day,

Thanks for looking, Chris

Halloween at TIOT

Hi everyone, as you can see our new topic at Try It On Tuesday is 'Halloween'. I'm not a great fan of Halloween, I did quite like it when it was fun but not so scary. Over the years it seems that the merchandise in the shops has taken a rather more gory turn.

My teamies may have entered into the spirit if Halloween more than I but I hope you like my journal page

I used a page in my grid journal, I haven't used it much but must say I am quite liking the squared background.

I doodled some squares onto the edge of the page but they looked a bit lost so I added some stripy wash tape.

The centre of the page has some ink that reminds me of the murky yellowy night skies we get on the edge of Manchester.

I found magazine images of some grey trees and roof tops and so the scene was set for my Tim Holtz cat waiting to be picked up by his witch.

Our theme at Try It On Tuesday runs for two weeks, I will be prepared to be spooked by your entries! 

I'm also adding this to Art Journal Journey for Tracey's 'My favourite Colour is Autumn'

Thanks for looking, Chris

Sleeeeep!

 Hi everyone, after a very grey day yesterday both weather wise and health wise I'm up and about on this sunny day and feeling much better.

My page was started a while ago and has been in my journal with square grid pages for over year.

I used Paper Artsy Infusions onto deli paper, lots of layers of different Autumn colours. I used a variety of different leaf dies to cut out some crinkly leaves.

I was reminded about the fact that Hedgehogs often nestle down in piles of leaves to hibernate and the Stamperia Hedgehog is just about to do that now that the leaves really are beginning to fall. I stamped a few extra leaves for him.

The  quote is from Indigoblu.

I'm joining Tracey and her 'Autumn Is My Favourite Colour' theme at Art Journal Journey. 

I am also linking to

More Mixed Media Challenge - Anything Goes with optional Orange

Country View Challenge - Autumnal Colours and/or Halloween

I also have a little reminder that Try It On Tuesday's 'Autumn Blessings' closes tomorrow evening

Thanks for looking, Chris

 

Ferns

Hi everyone, my latest journal page for Tracey's 'My Favourite colour is October' at Art Journal Journey features ferns.

As a child we would visit a great Aunt who lived on a common near Guildford. We would walk to her house from the bus stop through the bracken and I loved looking at the fronds in their various forms over the years.

 The frame is a sticky one I have had for years and of course the ferns are from the new Crafty Individuals sets. I used a stencil to add some orange and brown squares - some of which have been outlined with glittery pens. Before sticking down the fussy cut ferns I added some gold spatters. 

Here are some of the ferns I have photographed this year so far

Thanks for looking, Chris