365 Journal and More

March was ready a week ago but I just didn't get round to photographing it.  The intention was to put some daffodils on March's page and I may yet do that.  Pop over to Kate's if you've not visited her before for more 365 Journals and also to see some of Kate's fantastic work.  February's colour looks very different from the pic I posted last month :-/  This is more true to life.

Some weeks ago Pat and I went to the Creative Stitches and Hobbycrafts show at Event City Manchester.   We met up with Christine; who we first met at a show in the GMEX, Manchester a couple of years ago (now Manchester Central but I'm stubbornly sticking to GMEX), we just got chatting to her, as you do ;-) and Jo who I'd also met before.  Jo was there with her lovely friendly hubby and she got him to take a few pics.  The other lady in the pic is another Ann who is a friend of Jo's.  Left to right is Jo, Christine, Pat and me, with the other Ann behind Pat.

At the doll group (though we actually do much more than make dolls) we are doing some art journalling, one of our members who is very much into art journalling and steampunk art is doing a workshop with us.  Here's a page out of mine. 

 We all have a theme, mine's quotes which I need to start collecting!  To see more pop over to http://craftydollybirds.blogspot.co.uk/.

Bags, Kate's Workshop plus 365 Journal

I've made to craft bags recently.  The first out of 2 pairs of jeans - I decided just to use the legs which is why it took 2 pairs.  I used the waistband for the handle, I didn't neaten the edges just cut close to the seam.  I've left raw edges all round and had intended to wash it before use to fray the edges more but used it before I had time to wash it.  The 2nd one I used upholstery fabric, I just loved the fabric when I saw it and liked it right up to completing the bag, now I'm not sure.  I like the style though.


A week ago yesterday (is that good grammar?) I attended one of Kate's workshops at Art From The Heart with Pat, there were a couple of other 'Ladies Who Lunch' there too (we meet once a month in Sheffield for a playday).  These are the pages I did there and the workshop was thoroughly enjoyable, Kate is such a good teacher.

Just realised it's now August so hurriedly took a pic of my 365 Journal pages.  The colour of the August pages are more kind of mellow than they look here.

Sneaky Peek revealed

The circle journal I had completed a double page in has now been returned so I can show the pages in full.  The tango dancers stamp is from Art Journey as it the Precious Moments.  As I said when I posted the sneaky peek the dark areas are transfer foil and is not black as it shows here.

What's going on with Blogger anyone know?  I clicked on a pic on someone else's blog that I've been visiting for a few years and got a message saying the site was unsafe and now when I clicked on my own pic to enlarge it the same message occurred :-/ Anyone else experienced this?

Mouse pincushion and a sneaky peek

At the doll group yesterday (we meet monthly in York) we had a choice of making either a mouse pincushion or one with a row of owls.  I made the mouse and here she is.

I've also done a double page in Ann's circle journal but just showing a sneaky peek till it's been returned to her.  The journal is 5.75x8.25 inches.  This bit is roughly 1.5x3.5 inches.  The dark bit is actually transfer foil but the shine doesn't show here.

I said a few days ago that I'd put comment moderation on as I'd had quite a few adverts and some strange comments.  I say strange 'cos when you read them they seem to be proper sentences but don't make any sense at all - anyone else had those and can anyone explain them.  I was very surprised to notice just how many spam comments there were in the spam folder - I never knew where the spam was before I'd never noticed it and when I read some there were several variations on the nonsense ones, same vein similar sentiments if you will but different words.  Can anyone tell me how some of these work though as 'cos some seem to be just advertising but buried in old posts.  Why put them in old posts?  If they were viruses surely they'd infect your PC once they've posted them not just when you publish them :-/

Creating pages in someone else's journal

Someone asked me if I'd like to do a page in a journal; she'd just completed her pages but the journal belongs to another person.  How scary is that, letting other people loose in your journal :-0  hehe.  As the owner is unlikely to view it here I'm showing my pages.  I started with colour without any idea of where I was heading.  I'd sorted one page and was trying to make a kind of papier mache bird for the other; I used a mix of kitchen roll and book pages and didn't want it too dimensional but when I was painting it I decided I could've achieved the same thing with some thick card and though it would've still been ok to use I started looking for something else for a focal point.  I came across the house I made some weeks ago for the Sunday Stampers'challenge and thought the colours fitted really well with my pages, I just added a little Wild Plum ink to the other page to tie it in.  The pages are a bit greener than they look here.

I've been doing more sewing and am just showing a sneaky peek of a mini art quilt I've made for someone; I'm still a novice at free machine embroidery!  The quilt only measures 101/2"x73/4" and the piece I'm showing is 4"x5".  I've used a mix of sheer fabrics for the background, the stems and leaves are felt.

WOYWW 11th August

Alas and alack, still no tidy desk!  Most days I do think 'I'm going to sort my desk out today' but I end up playing instead hehe.  I really was going to do it yesterday but when I started I came across a couple of inky pages that I decided to do a bit more to and one thing led to another.  I added a bit more colour and texture to 2 pages in my art journal as well.  I coloured some gel medium with mica powder and stencilled it onto 2 pages.  I did the bluey one first (the stars and spots as well as the lacy bit) and wished I'd chosen a different colour powder for contrast so stencilled a bit onto the opposite page just to show how it looks in a contrasting colour.  No further on with the t-shirt as I was a bit stumped as to what to do next, but have an idea now.

Pop over to our esteemed hostess Julia's blog if you'd like to join in La Grande Snoop ;-)

Sunday Stampers - Music, Art Journal Page

Pop over to Hels' for more info on the Sunday Stampers weekly challenge.  The theme this week is 'Music'.  I had thought of doing a canvas - have a roll of canvas and some cheap picture frames from Ikea, which are intended for photos.  But couldn't quite decide what to do so thought I'd do another page in my Art Journal.  Background originally had an inky stencil image with lots of white and I wasn't quite sure how to progress with it so tried Ecoline ink which worked well I think.  I used my flower stencil that I cut last week to add some transfer foil; by painting glue through the stencil; behind the music stamp, but it's not showing up well here.  The music stamp is from Artemio and the 'maids' of course are Stampotique.  In case it's not clear I've included a little piece of the 'Three Little Maids' from The Mikado by Gilbert and Sullivan xx

Edited to hopefully include a slightly better view of the foil :-/

Sunday Stampers/Art Journal

The theme for this week's Sunday Stampers is 'Old + New'.  If you've not come across the SS challenge before pop over to Hels' pad and find out.  I've decided to do an Art Journal, mainly 'cos I love just messing about and am inspired by the many wonderful journals out there.  If some people pass by and think what I do is rubbish that's ok, I'm happy doing what I do.  I'm just saying this as I know many people out there doing 'stuff', agonise over what they do not being good enough or as good as someone else or if there's a point to it and I sympathise with them, I do think it's a shame.  Much of what I do I do just 'cos I like doing it, I don't believe there needs to be an ultimate purpose in the things we make - I mean there's probably some deep meaningful thing to it anyway but I don't have to make a tag to go on a gift for example.  This page is inspired by those who don't 'get it' and say such things as 'what's it for?'  Ooh this has all got a bit deep.  So guys and gals if you feel like painting, inking, ripping, sticking, cutting, stitching, moulding, or anything else creative don't worry about people wondering what it's for or if they don't think it's good enough - if it makes you happy it IS!
BTW if you join in the SS this week there's candy to be won sponsored by The Artistic Stamper and if you use As stamps you get 2 entries.  I've used my AS dogtooth stamp.  As for the 'Old + New' the new is my Tim stamp down the right edge and the old is the button.  The images are Dyan's
EDITED Just to say no-one has upset me but I have seen comments on other people's blogs, left by some saddo who should get a life, at times implying that what they've created isn't art.  I've also visited other blogs where I've seen wonderful things but sadly the creator doesn't have faith in themselves.  I realise that can be due to lots of reasons and my simply saying, if you feel like creating something and it makes you happy that's what matters, may not help greatly.  I just sincerely hope that if other's keep telling them what they produce is good, eventually they may start to believe in themselves.