Jeudi Journal - Animals (or is it Humanals?)

Why did I suggest this?  What animal stamps have I got that fit in with the Dylusion themed figures?   Not that it really matters as I could have used magazine pictures, maybe a human being with an animal head - or body? After-all my journal is a mix of different styles because it is my first big journal and experimental in that way. All I could think of were my "bird" stamps - but I have done birds before and I even looked on the internet to see if 'birds' were classed as 'animals' - they are, and what do I do with them, they are small and I like to link things up rather than have them dotted about. Plus I do not have the wit of Wendy who seems to be able to put sentences on which are funny and just brilliant!

Well, yesterday I could not think for love nor money what to do for "Animals".  Made it worse that I didn't have a full day (hairdressers, shopping, out for a meal etc).  Thank goodness it was a good day for the back.

Then, this morning, I had an idea, think maybe Wendy's interpretation last week of 'strips' helped and I decided to make a zoo but with the humans on the inside, hence my title saying "Humanals" (Animals/Humanals get it?).  Now where had I put those cat and dog stamps of Tim's?

Memory into gear and I found them, chose two dogs that I could stamp, used a couple of new figures but did a bit of swapping (new head on one, new legs on both).

So the two humans are supposed to be the exhibits in the zoo and the dogs are visiting and having a look at this particular cage (see where Wendy's crate came in useful for me from last week?).  I have purposely let the bars go over things like 'eyes' and the brown dog's hat links to the cage on purpose as does the nose and ear of the grey dog to the brown one.  It makes it more cohesive in my eyes, than bits dotted here and there.

Must say my lettering needs a lot of working on, I do need a black pen a bit thicker than most I have but not as thick as some I have. Shopping spree?  And I should have remembered that my black Sharpie bleeds through to the other side - now I need something to cover up the mess on an already started page.  Bother!

WOYWW 408

Almost April already!  Will be, come weekend, April Fools Day, and the day I fly off to Holland for two days with my bessie, Lorraine.  We are not living it up, on a booze cruise, a hen party or anything like that but we are off to see the Dutch Stamping Show which I have talked about for a few years. More next week no doubt.  Fingers crossed my back holds out!

In the meantime here is my desk to show all you WOYWW'ers out there and anyone else who cares to join in,  Btw if you want to join in just visit Julia who is our leader and initiator over at "The Stamping Ground", just click here.

The blue box to the left contains all my Dyary stuff, the pink drawers have some of my ribbons in and there is a chest at the front of the photo which is on my blue chair containing my Dylusion dies. Below is a closeup of the main part of my desk:

A set of new stamps and then my journal open at an old page with tomorrow's page covered with the Aldi catalogue.  To the right is my box of Promarkers and at the back are some watercolours and an ink pad.

That's it for this week but see you next week with a new WOYWW.

Jeudi Joournal - Strips

Am now wondering if Wendy interpreted this as stripes or strips?  I have done strips anyway and you will see it is another of my cookie magazine ones.  Think I must try to make some sensible ones in the future but I enjoy being a bit cookie now and then.  Also it is a challenge when I use a perfume bottle, for example, as a part of the body.  Nothing exceptional here though - straightforward dress, head etc.

OK so here it is - now who was the star underneath (head only)?  It sticks in my mind I've seen him on TV and I sort of recognise him but who was it?

Off to see Wendy now ... toodle pip!

WOYWW 407

Happy Wednesday to you all.  Hope the sun is shining like it seems to have done for most of the past few days, well in the afternoons at least.  It is "Julia Day" too, so that makes it sunny in itself.  Want to join in?  Follow this link to WOYWW and away you go, it's all explained there.

So what is on my desk?  Well, I have been journalling but this time in my Dyary.  No, not a typo, it really is spelled that way - a play on Dyan Reaveley's name.  I have so enjoyed it and I can sit and colour with my back up straight in Chas's chair with little or no effort.  Don't think I am giving any secrets away (not a soul baring journal) by letting you see the first page, not the one I am working on at the moment as it is a bit bare.

I collected it last weekend when I did a workshop with Tracy (Scott) and ended up spending a fortune, but a happy spend with birthday money.  Plus my bezzie mate bought me some stamps especially for this Dyary! 

If you didn't see my birthday cards they are in the post beneath this one, take a look - great inspiration!

This is the canvas I made with Tracy - 

Really enjoyed the day - and my back held out ... until I got home.

Can I please ask that you put your number against comments, makes life so much easier to get a comment back.  Sorry, not meaning to nag but if you have several blogs and we have to go to your bio it can take a while to find the correct one.  Have a great week!

Friday Smiles

Once again joining Annie with her smiles.  Today is just a week after my birthday so it is the day I took down my lovely birthday cards.  It is such a shame to have them put into a drawer or disposed of like any other piece of card so I usually give them to a friend who turns them into cards for a nursing home where her brother resides.  She makes quite a bit of money for the residents by doing this and the residents can also buy some beautiful cards at good prices.

I thought I would share the handmade ones with you all and hope they make you smile as you admire the work that ha gone into them.

Top to bottom - Alexis, Ann (and John), Anon (no name inside) and Carmel

Chris, Christine, Darlene, Dot, Enid

Gill, Hazel, Jacqui, Janet

Jeannie,  June, Liz, Lorraine

Mary, Mo, Nikki, Renate

Sue, Margaret and finally Wendy

Am sure you will have enjoyed these as much as I have - and I hope they have put a smile on your faces like they have mine all week. And now, off to see Annie and the other 'smiles' for this week. See you over there.

Jeudi Journal - Circles

Well, it was all change this week as I had begun doing some circles using a couple of my stencils but the paste I put through reacted with the black paint underneath.  It turned an ugly shade of yellowish brown!  Ugh!

I had intended doing some circles with Tracy Scott images on them and fully intended cutting them out by hand but then on Sunday I went to one of her workshops where we did a canvas (not posted yet) and the previous day she had done a journal page which was utterly gorgeous.  It gave me the idea of using a sheet of card that I had already coloured in and stamped in readiness to make a card for someone special.  Card not done yet!

Anyway I then die-cut some circles and stamped some of Tracy's images on some of them and voila, the page was born, in my head.  It then evolved into two pages as I decided to use a big stamp I had not used since buying it.  A bit of paint on the small circles I had already put on through a stencil, the larger circles stencilled on were covered with the new ones along with some small circles.

So here you have it - my page for Wendy to see using circles but calling them "Bubbles".

Sorry I chopped a bit of the "B" off in the scan

Not at all like the ones Tracy taught - wonder if she will repeat that page - I would love to do hers. Now what is the topic for next week?

WOYWW 406

First of all a big welcome to Andrea C - my latest follower.  it is so good to get new followers, especially when you have been blogging for quite a while.  Hope you enjoy what I have to show Andrea.

Here we are again and what have I to show you?  Well, this card should have arrived by now so I can show it to you all

I thought I would try doing the Dancer stamp in a line up so had to do a bit of masking here.  I used Kraft card so the Promarker colours were a little more muted than they would have been on white.  I rather liked the sentiment, which was stamped in black and then clear embossing powder over, as it was for someone who had been poorly and was recovering.  You can see once again I have used a white crayon but this time just on the ground around their shoes.

As for my desk, well, once again it is in the throes of Journalling.  I am contemplating using this huge stamp which I bought ages ago and have never used.  I saw it used on a clock and I bought the clock ready to do it but then I chickened out as I don't really know if they used the stamp directly on the clock or on paper and cut it out. Hmmmm needs some thinking about.

Why on earth am I showing you my desk?  Some of you may wonder but the majority of visitors here will know it is WOYWW day when we all bare our souls desks to one another.  Join in by visiting our Julia and reading all about it at the top of her page.  In the meantime a quick view (or two) of my birthday cards received last week:

Friends and family cards (cheeky Prosecco one from my son!!)

and below - handmade cards from friends who make cards

Sorry you can hardly see them, must scan and upload before long. Cheerio for now!

I am entering my card into these challenges:

Daisy Chain Challenge - Make it Feminine
Allsorts Challenge Blog - Ladies and Girls
Penny Black and More Challenge - Anything Goes

Gosh, it is such a long time since I entered any challenge I have struggled with connecting with the challenge sites.  Hope I have done them ok.

Jeudi Journal - Steampunk

Now, I found this one to be so difficult to incorporate a Dylusion Image into this theme.  All seemed to be going well in the planning stage even looked fine when I put it loosely on the page but then when it came to actually sticking it down I did not like what was happening.

Anyway, already a day late for Thursday's Journal Page I am running with it.  Apparently we got a bit muddled at what was for this week and what for next so Wendy did next week's and I did this week's or vice versa (ie she did this week's and I did next week's)

Anyway, here is my page

My figure is all dressed in purple, she has cogs for her glasses, a tiny fascinator like a top hat with feathers and clock face for on her head and there are some weird looking starving gents in the background. That is as well as some arrows pointing anywhere and everywhere and a couple of rusty cogs.

The background uses some torn pieces of paper (that I had ready for a page on doors which we are not doing) - doh, I got carried away and just used them, and some stencilling from an Andy Skinner Stencil.

Now to see what Wendy has done.

Friday's Smiles

with the lovely Annie.

What is there not to smile about today?  It is my birthday and I got lots of beautiful cards, amongst them some handmade ones from Switzerland and a card from my little Sis in Oz.

See the top card with the pattern on - well that is one of the cards from Switzerland, must try to decorate some of my envelopes, it is always nice to receive one like that.  At the back are two presents from my son and his partner and in front the brown mailer with the postage stamps on is from my dear friend in America.  The orange box is from a friend who lives not too far away and although it is not sealed I have been good and not peeked despite it being in sight for just over a week now.

Right, will go and start to open my cards and presents, but before that will link up with Annie across at her blog.  Yesterday was a good day (planning a new bathroom with my son and the company who are going to fit it) and guess what?  I did not have back ache, just a stiff neck at the end of the day.,  If it keeps up this morning I will be going out to lunch, otherwise staying at home.  Fingers crossed.

WOYWW 405

Almost forgot to do this so it is short and sweet this week, just the way Julia likes it.  Who is Julia - why she is the Queen of Deskers and can be found here.

My desk this week is looking a bit neglected and I am pondering over what to do for my Jeudi Journal with Wendy tomorrow.  Hopefully I can sort something later today.

We have a new list as the old one ran out and heading it this week is Steampunk.  I tried to do my page using the Dylusion figures but am not having much success so I might just have to do something else. These are the various bits and pieces and I have just been rusting some cogs DecoArt style or should I say Andy Skinner style.  Will I use these?  Or just refer back to my Steampunk Gents that I love?

Hopefully tomorrow I will have it sorted, that is if my back lasts out as it is troubling me big style.

See you over at Julia's - please remember to put your number when commenting on other blogs, it does make it easier to return the compliment.  Thanks!

ps my dil liked her birthday card last week!  Hooray!

Friday Smiles on Saturday

My little sis sent me some photos from Oz that we had taken on a spree in a large retail place (which shall be nameless - we might get banned) but yesterday (Friday) I was on the bed most of the day as my back was really bad which is why I am not posting until today, Saturday.  Fingers crossed, I am ok today.

Well, I have a penchant for trying hats on and luckily Karen liked it too so we had a rare old time trying on some fascinators (which I have not liked up to now but am slowly coming around to them). We laughed until we cried when we were selecting hats from the huge display and certainly when we had them on.  Not being in to fascinators I never knew if I had them on right or not - so much fun!

Karen chose white

Whilst I chose a blue one

It looks so tiny, have I got a big head or is this intended for a child?  Didn't think it looked so small when we had the photos taken.

Karen liked my blue one so she went for silver grey

Whilst I chose black - is it a frisbee? 

I really like big hats, in fact I had one for a friend's wedding and Chas could not stand close or he tilted my hat.  Anyway, after that little aside I will show you some Big Hats that we tried on.  We were giggling like two schoolgirls and the shop assistants were looking at us so we invented a wedding we were going to (??) and loudly asked one another if our other halves would like the various ones or not. As we were taking photos it was feasible that they were for husband's benefit. Wasn't it?

Karen made me smile in this one as it almost drowned her.

They say women who wear glasses shouldn't wear hats so I took mine off - I think I needed some make up, especially on the eyes.  Not a good look!

Not sure if Karen is waving "bye" or adjusting her hat

My coat has a huge collar which stands up behind my neck.  Fine when the weather is bad and it is raining or snowing but it kept tilting my hat so I had to hold it down.  Not got my hand on my heart.

Well, that is it, we had to stop as we were due to meet Chas and had done no shopping.   We certainly had a laugh and I would love to do it all over again.  Maybe in Spring or Summer when I am not muffled up against the biting winds of January/February this year.  Sadly Karen is now back home so I need a friend to try hats on with - any offers?

Jeudi Journal

Anything Goes was my suggestion for a last minute topic as Wendy and I had not got together to think up any new topics - having reached the end of our exhaustive list.  This was done via email and as I did not hear back from Wendy, I can only presume her email is floating in cyber space somewhere, I did not do a page.

Then this morning I discover Wendy has done a page and is awaiting my rendition of Anything Goes. Ooer!

A quick look through my blog pages and I discover I have an already done page which has not been shown to anyone, which was my attempt at using a perfume bottle for a body, so here it is - not what I intended at all for my Anything Goes, maybe we will have to have another one:

WOYWW 404

Here we are again, visiting Julia and all her followers, or should I say meeting up with friends because that is what happens when you join in with Julia, with the usual Wednesday desk hopping, you make lots of friends, and good ones too.  

At last I have made some cards for myself - not that I cannot use the cards I did for samples for Vicky Stampers when I have done the workshop, which has changed from the first Saturday in the month to the second which means it is my birthday weekend - woe is me! Good job we had nothing planned unless you count my taking a workshop on the Sunday with one of my favourite tutors, Tracy Scott.

First of all it is my dil's birthday this coming Friday.  She and Andy do not like my cards but I persist in making them in the hopes that one day they will like one of the styles I do.  Here is the card I made for her using another figure from the Beautiful You stamp set

Have to admit it is a copy of one I saw on Pinterest but I thoroughly enjoyed using the white crayon on grey cardstock.  Note to self "must get more grey cardstock".  And I do like pink and grey together.

Another couple of cards (not copies) I made are

The first one using Kraft card and a tiny strip of corrugated card which covers up a crease in the card as I wanted to make a large square one and it was already folded for a smaller card.  Promarkers were used to provide some colour.  Oh, and the borders are even, it's just the scan that made it look like that.

This was again using the white pencil to provide a little colour and I used up two strips of the grey cardstock as in photo number one simply because I like the texture of the card and I had no more grey card. This time I tried a sunshine yellow for the mount - do you think it works ok?  That looks wonky too, but it isn't irl.

Well, you came to see my desk - here it is with a view to the left

My journal with a stencil tucked inside as I want to do something on another page where the green board is.  You can see my offcuts from the cards above just behind it and Yes, my Seth Apter piece is still waiting to be finished.  I have an idea or two as to what I want to do - need to put them into action.  To the left is my Graphic 45 Secret Garden fabric which is a ruler holder.  I have two of the Perfect Border rulers which is how I know my borders are correct and it is the scan throwing them out.  It also houses my new(ish) Tim Holtz ruler as my previous one lost all its markings.  Amsterdam paints in a bucket complete the picture.  I use those for painting the Tracy Scott faces I like to do - not done one in ages - must remedy that.

My main area in which I work.  Left are some of my stencils (Andy Sinner ones), the Kraft card I have not yet used, my Misti which I love so much and some tape in front from Lidl (as seen on someone's desk last week) plus a rubber stamp of a map waiting to be put away - but where?

So that is it folks.  Can I just ask that you put your number when you comment, makes life so much easier when returning the comment.  

Scheduled post as I am having my hair cut/trimmed and, if she has time, I fancy a bit of pale blue at the side (as per recommended by Dyan Reavley - she is a marvel at hairstyles - and incidentally we share the same birthday - date not year obviously) so we will have to wait and see what Nicky says.  See you around.