Where I would like to live.

At the beginning of the year Roc over on http://www.whatsuproc.blogspot.com/ set up a monthly journal challenge, I managed to do the first on in January and not done one since until today. April's challenge is to do a journal page about where you would like to live if you didn't live where you live now and write a postcard to someone from that place. Well I have always wanted to live near the sea, I can only put that down to being born under the star sign Pisces. So here is my page completed. I have used all Dylusions paints and sprays I sprayed through some net and a pebble stencil as these are related to the sea. The fishes, bubbles, banner border and the fossil border are all from Paper & Gluestix. The small curly border is a Stampotique stamp and my large image is from the Octopode Factory.

My friend Anne spent ages last Friday showing me how to Link, I have all the instructions written down and fixed to my PC but I still have not mastered copying the URL, IT IS SO FRUSTRATING.

Here comes April

A few days late but better late than never. I am really happy with the background colours on this page although now I have put the journal squares on it covers most of it. I used Dylusions paint Mustard and Pink, sprayed with Sky Blue Pearl mica spray from Art From The Heart. I also sprayed in white which is a Crafty Notions spray. I painted with a gold dabber through a couple of stencils, did lots of circles in orange and white. My images are from Octopode Factory coloured with Copic Markers. The rain drops are from a Claudine Helmuth stamp. The days of the week I wrote on old music sheet and April is stamped on an old book page. I had better get on with May now seeing as time is flying by.

ANOTHER MONTH GONE

I can't believe how fast this year is going, I know they say as you get older time flies but this is ridiculous April already. So here is March completed for the Art Calendar Challenge that Kate of the Kathryn Wheel set us all. Now I must go and complete the prep of my April page, last month I was well in advance this month I am way behind.

A LOVELY DAY WAS SPENT

Yes I was at AFTH yesterday for a workshop run by the lovely Kate of the Kathryn Wheel fame. It really was a wonderful relaxing day expertly taught by Kate. We made Kate's Tag Book which you can see on her blog and also on Dyan's web site. We made a couple of colour wheels to start with which is a brilliant idea to teach you which colours go with each other, then we spent the morning playing, experimenting with colour using the sprays, punching out mini shapes to use on the tags and then putting everything together using the sewing machineThe afternoon session was devoted to making a book with 8 tags cut from Tim's tag die and using the techniques we had learnt during the morning session. So we actually made 2 tag books, yipee! I am showing you one I have finished and the other is yet to be put together which I intend to do today after all the usual chores. Hey! I have more time now for crafting as I have given up my teaching job, handed in my notice this week and informed all the powers that be. Well you have to give up sometime or I could see myself still working at 80, NO WAY!

A JOURNAL PAGE

Another journal page created at AFTH on the day I should not have been there. Art Journaling is this Sunday at AFTH I hope I remember to go LOL. The background on this page was created using the new Distress Stains and they are gorgeous and so easy to use, the colours here are Bundled Sage and Wild Honey. The borders, hand with pointing finger and spots are all from Dyan's downloads and the doors are a Stampotique stamp. Quotes are computer generated, I very rarely write on my pages and don't feel the need to write personal stuff although sometimes there can be a hidden meaning.

SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN THERE

Hi everyone, I haven't blogged for a while it's not that I haven't done any crafting I have been making ATCs but can't blog them yet as they are for a swap this month and the people who I swap with haven't got them yet.

Today I dashed off to AFTH very early this morning for the Art Journal workshop. I spent ages last night packing all my stash to take with me and loading it in the car and guess what when I walked into the studio Kate (Ben's partner) and Dyan both had hysterics, I had gone on the wrong day, this weekend was the "Altered Book" weekend. Sometimes I wonder where my brain is 'cos I know full well that there is exactly a month between Art Journal days, however, I had a good day and enjoyed myself sitting in the middle of all the ladies making fantastic altered books. Dyan very kindly said I couldn't go home and made a place for me. There were quite  a few  there who know me as they are fellow art journalers and so we had a good laugh at my goof. I actually achieved a lot more than I would have done if I had been at home and here is one of my completed pages done today using Dyan's downloads, Deviant Scrap and Tumble Fish Studios.

HELLO MARCH

Well today felt like Spring in this part of the world, reasonably warm and sunny, it was nice not to have to wear hat, scarf and gloves while walking the dogs. My pages for March are coincidentaly very spring like. It is also the Marie Curie month so I have included daffodils which are there emblem. My little daff figure is another Stampotique and my squares are from Dyan's papers "Spring Fling"