Wednesday 31 May 2017

WOYWW 417: What a week that was

Wow, what a week that was.  I think I managed to visit everyone's desks eventually.  You can tell it was the anniversary last week as I don't think I've had 50 to visit before.  If I missed anyone, major apologies.  Thanks again Julia for keeping things going so long (and LLJ for stepping in when needed).  This is such an amazing group of people.  If you want to know what I'm on about, visit the Stamping Ground where our lovely host will explain all.   I didn't do too much swapping myself as I don't make ATCs, only tags.  I hope my PIF Sandra De in Australia gets hers before long (it did go off Air Mail) and that Shaz's arrived safely too.  I received two gorgeous ATCs; the one on the left is from Lisa (I was her PIF) and arrived with a lovely note; the one on the right was as a swap from Shaz (Silverwolf)  whom I met for the first time (along with Neet and several others) at Port Sunlight. Thank you both, they are beautiful works of art.
I'd better show you my desk as this is the purpose of our weekly get together.  As you can see, I was working on some shaving foam backgrounds, a technique that I haven't used in ages but decided to retry.  I was working with Aqua Tints, but you can use Distress re inkers or Ecoline inks too.  In the foreground is my latest journal page (see HERE), which started as a mop up sheet from another project.
Eva puts me to shame!
I will have to try this!
Finally I'd like to share some more cards which my friend made from the backgrounds she created during her play session in the shed with me last week.  This week she is playing around with Gelatos, trying a blowing technique.  I did pass on all the lovely comments about her cards from last week's post!

Tuesday 30 May 2017

Shaving Foam Marble Printing

I haven't used this technique for creating backgrounds for ages, but having seen a journal page by Sue Ralph recently using a shaving foam background, I decided to have a session. As you can see, the effect gives you a look of marble and you can never be sure of the exact finish until you clean off the foam.

Monday 29 May 2017

Art Journal Prompts Week 22: Repurpose

This is the third page in a row using the colour combination orange, yellow and pink but as the challenge from Art Journal Prompts for week 22 was 'Repurpose', I used the mop up sheet from the 'Water Soluble' Challenge in week 20 as my starting point.





Sunday 28 May 2017

JJJ and Mindful Art 18: The Change, Purple, Orange, Green

I must admit that this isn't my favourite colour combination, so I was quite surprised how quickly this page came together.  However, I don't like missing a challenge on Junk Journals Junkies and Mindful Art, so I had a go.  I'm not entirely sure about the finished piece but I love the quote.

Saturday 27 May 2017

Happy Birthday to my Handy Son!

This is a card that I made a while ago, but was the perfect birthday card for my son's birthday today.  He is the most practical of my three boys and also a big softy who is very kind and generous (although he won't like me saying it publicly).

Friday 26 May 2017

3D Fun: Milk Carton Box

For once I decided to go 3D and try out a die I've had for a while and never used.  I also needed a small gift box and thought I'd kill two birds with one stone if you'll pardon the expression.  I'm not sure that it's entirely finished yet, as I may add some panels with stamping to two of the sides.  I also have to decide on the way to hold it shut (the decorative paper clip is purely temporary).

Thursday 25 May 2017

Parchlet for Manchester: We Stand Together

I started this parchlet on Tuesday, but I wanted to do justice to the white work as it is for all the innocent men, women and children who were killed or injured on Monday evening.  I am not from Manchester, but I admire the resilience, sense of community and spirit of co-operation that the people of Greater Manchester have shown in the face of such evil and tragedy.

Wednesday 24 May 2017

WOYWW 416: Eight Year Anniversary!

It's amazing to think that this week marks the 8th anniversary of WOYWW.  I have been blogging for less than two years and came very late to the party; well done Julia for keeping this amazing blog hop going for so long.  We are crafty family!

 The desk in all it's glory; both my side and my crafty friend's.  As usual, this photo was taken a day early so that I could share her side of the desk too rather than an empty space.  You can see lots of paint, a box of stamps, a box of gilding waxes and in the background my drawers with all my sprays.  My lap top is ready to go and the camera case is in the bottom right corner.  On my side of the desk (right) you can see the finished art journal page that I was working on earlier in memory of all those innocent people who lost their lives in Manchester.

This was the starting point for the journal page, lots of bits of tissue paper cut into triangles to make a bleeding tissue background.  For the finished page and step by step you can see HERE.






 
My friend finds it difficult to pack light when she comes to visit, even though I can usually find anything she needs and has forgotten to bring. She brought loads of paint, gelatos and some embossing folders with her (to list just a few items); also the cards she made with the backgrounds that she was working on last week as she thought you might like to see them.
I have no ATCs for the swap, however I will  send out a tag  to the next person on the list who is participating if that is acceptable.

Tuesday 23 May 2017

For Manchester!

When I went to bed last night, I was planning on working on the 'tissue' prompt for week 21 of Art Journal Prompts today.  The news as I woke this morning led me to produce this page.  In memory of innocent lives lost, anger that children were targetted and pride for the reactions of the people of Manchester and the emergency services.

Monday 22 May 2017

My First Parchlet

I must admit that I haven't done any Groovi parchment work for quite some time.  I've been focussed on art journaling and card or tag making. However, Tina Cox recently came up with the idea of creating a mini parchment piece (2" x 2"), now known as a 'parchlet' (after much discussion).  This is much quicker to create and can be mounted up as a topper on a card as well as being a mini piece of art in its own right.  This is my first attempt at this and I will be sharing it on the Parchlet Treasures Facebook page.

Friday 19 May 2017

Tag Tuesday: Anything Goes

This tag was made for the Tag Tuesday fortnightly challenge.  As this time round the prompt is Anything Goes, I decided to push the boat out and go way out of my comfort zone.  I'm also entering this into the Welove2create challenge 'Anything Goes'.

Thursday 18 May 2017

Art Journal Prompts Week 20: Water Soluble


This page was created on water colour card for a change and later stuck into my kraft card journal.  The only non water soluble elements were the heat embossed letters and the Archival ink used for stamping the focal image.  Otherwise, every aspect of the background used water soluble media.

Wednesday 17 May 2017

WOYWW 415: Crafting with a Friend

Hooray,  I have crafting company again and I have really missed it.  So I can once again share my friend's side of the desk too.  If you want to know why, head over to the Stamping Ground, where our hostess Julia will explain!
My side of the desk, with a half finished journal page.  I had already used sprays on the background, when my friend arrived with her card board box and a determination to play with sprays and masks/stencils. Great minds think alike.  You can also see the embossing powder and Versamark ink out ready to start stamping and embossing the quote 'Some see a weed, some see a wish.'  I usually drink Coconut Latte when crafting, as it tastes almost as nice cold as it does hot (a definite requirement when I am crafting).
 My friend's side of the desk with sprays, masks and cardboard box at the ready.

















The finished pieces and mop up sheets. 
Sorry if I do not get to visit everyone until the weekend.  I have a hair appointment today, a visit to the nurse and I also have to go into work as there is a parents' evening later.

Tuesday 16 May 2017

Journal52 Week 19: See



This is the page that I created for week 19 of Journal52 led by Effy Wild; you can find a list of the prompts HERE.  This week's prompt was 'see' and I found a lovely quote, which led to a really quick page.

Monday 15 May 2017

Grunge Tag

I decided to finish the tag that I was playing about with the other day.  I had already got as far as colouring and embossing it; it just needed some decoration and finishing touches.

Friday 12 May 2017

Art Journal Prompts Challenge 19: Take 5

I made this page for the Art Journal Prompts challenge on Facebook.  The process is one inspired by Shannon Green, but I did not follow the five minute part, only the five steps: Add colour, add collage elements, add stamps and stencils, add words/focal image, add finishing touches.  It was a most liberating page to complete, as I didn't know exactly where I was going to start with.

Thursday 11 May 2017

Wednesday 10 May 2017

WOYWW 414: Meeting Face to Face

What a fabulous weekend.  My desk today shows all the crafty stash that I got hold of at Port Sunlight on Saturday.  It was great to meet up with Shaz (and other half Doug) as well as Neet, Cara and Chris.  It was a fantastic day out and I'm sure we'll be meeting up again this time next year.  Thanks to Shaz for emailing me the group photo and to Doug who acted as photographer.  As you can see, my main purchases were Visible Image stamps, Claritystamp stencils and a mix of IndigoBlu items.  I also stocked up on 7"x7" cards and envelopes and picked up one or two extra bits and pieces.  
The Dinky Dragonfly stamp was a prize from a Facebook challenge that I picked up from Kay Halliwell-Sutton at the IndigoBlu stand.  I had taken a couple of journals with me and was so honoured that she took the time to not only look at my winning page 'in the flesh', but all the layouts in both journals.  She was most complimentary and it made my day.  I left after lunch with the WOYWW ladies and was back home in time to listen to the second half of the footie!
Back: Me and Shaz.  Front Lyn, Chris and Neet
Sorry Julia  if this post is a bit long.  If you want to know who and what I'm talking about and why I was so delighted to meet up with these ladies, hop over to The Stamping Ground where our hostess Julia will explain all about WOYWW.

Monday 8 May 2017

JJJ and Mindful Art Challenge 15: Into the Wild Woods; Green, Blue, Yellow

Once again, I am sharing this just in time to take part in Challenge 15 on Junk Journals Junkies and Mindful Art.  This is my interpretation, although I did alter the quote to read 'Wild Woods' instead of 'Forest'.

Sunday 7 May 2017

Clean and Simple Christening

This will be a quick post today, as I have quite a lot of work to do ready for school tomorrow.  I though I'd share a clean and simple Christening card that I made for an acquaintance of mine.  It's safe to share now as the card has been received by the family.
I started with a 14.8cm x 14.8cm white card blank.  The font and sentiment stamps are from the Christian Celebrations stamp set by Woodware.  They were stamped onto a piece of Sheena's stamping card (13.8cm x 13.8cm) using Onyx Black Versafine ink and heat embossed using clear powder.  The image was coloured using distress markers and a water brush and then the whole piece was matted onto a piece of co-ordinating paper from the Happy Watercolour design pad (The Works), trimmed to 13.8cm x 13.8cm.  It took a little while to get everything exactly right, but I was really happy with the final clean and simple result.

Friday 5 May 2017

Art Journal Prompts 18: Monochrome



This week's challenge in Art Journal Prompts was 'Monochrome'; usually I would go with blue as it is my favourite background colour, but as I wanted to use some dies and stamps from the Time Traveller Collection by Sheena Douglass, I went with brown instead.  I am exceedingly pleased with the end result but the photo really doesn't do it justice.  The pipes look far better in real life and have a patina to them.

Thursday 4 May 2017

First Birthday Card with a Difference

This was made for the daughter of a friend of mine, whose 1st birthday it was yesterday.  As they are not particularly traditional in their tastes, I decided to make a card which is a bit different (although there is some pink on it)!

Wednesday 3 May 2017

WOYWW 413: Counting Down to Company

It's just my side of the desk again today, but only one more lonely week after this one until my crafty friend is able to keep me company again.  In the mean time I am looking forward to meeting up with Shaz (Silverwolf) and Neet at Port Sunlight on Saturday.  If I remember my camera, I'll post some pictures next week.  If you want to know why I insist on sharing the view from my desk each week, check out our hostess' blog, The Stamping Ground, where all will be explained.
You can tell that I'm on my own as I have resorted to Netflix to keep me company (I can highly recommend 'Designated Survivor' by the way).  As you can see from the photo, I was part way through a journal page when I took the photo (for details see HERE).  All my tools are close at hand, including my water box for stencils and stamps; although I didn't need it today.  I always use my large glass mat as a work surface as it cleans off so easily and also makes cutting with a knife easier.
Happy WOYWW; yesterday was my 300th blog post and on Friday I will have already equalled the number of posts for the whole of last year from the start of 2017.  I'm hoping to have gone over 400 post mark by my second anniversary in August.

Tuesday 2 May 2017

Journal52 17: Wonder

This seemed an appropriate page to share as this is my 300th blog post since I started sharing my art work under two year's ago.  It was completed as part of the Journal52 weekly challenge led by Effy Wild, which I started joining in with at the beginning of this year; for all the other prompts check out the link.

Monday 1 May 2017

JJJ and Mindful Art Challenge 14: Purple, Gold, Cream and Lessons Learned

I will only just get this page submitted to Junk Journals Junkies and Mindful Art in time today, as the new challenge will be starting later on.  I was inspired to get out my Gelatos again having watched Kay Halliwell-Sutton demonstrating them yesterday.