Jeudi Journal - Expert Opinion

'Of course I talk to myself ..... sometimes I need an expert opinion!' is the Tim Holtz quote for today to match up with the challenges for Art Journal Journey (In Gear) and a private one with my friend where we have to use Dylusion figures.

'Agatha and her friends meet up on a fairly frequent basis at the local Clockwork Cafe where they had pensioner's days with prices reduced (portions slightly too).  It was Tuesday, the day for 'pie and mash' which Agatha loved more than chocolate, well, maybe not chocolate but something else.  Aggy, as she was known to her friends, sat down in the cafe and waited patiently for Ethel, her bestie, arriving.  Ethel was running late and it was a good ten to fifteen minutes or so that Aggy had to sit there on her own.  

"Bet she is still trying to decide which purple hat she is putting on today" Aggy heard herself saying as she looked around sheepishly.  That had not meant to come out loud like that, was anyone looking?  "Oh dear", she thought to herself, "this is happening too much to me.  Wonder if it is an age thing?  I never used to do that but I find myself talking out loud at home, and there's nobody there to hear me." 

Hastily she began rummaging in her handbag, "I must occupy my mind so I don't say anything again" she said to herself, but silently in her head this time.  "Goodness, what a load of rubbish I have in here.  I never wear that lipstick these days, wonder if it is safe to still use it?  Guess not,  Think I will throw it out."  And so it went on, tickets, receipts for things she had bought, a few tissues and ...yuk ... a sticky toffee.  "Wonder how long that has been there?" she asked herself.  Just then Ethel arrived, as predicted, in a purple hat.  She was a great fan of Jenny joseph's rhyme and had lots of purple hats to choose from.  She didn't mind what colour of clothes she wore, she always had a purple hat on.

"Sorry I am late" shouted Ethel across from the door, "a courier arrived with a parcel just as I was about to set off, threw me all out of kilter, sorry." 

"No worries" said Aggy, "it gave me chance to tidy my handbag out.  How are you anyway?"

"I'm ok" answered Ethel, "apart from my hip.  It's giving me loads of trouble lately.  I think it's due to the cold damp weather we have around here.  If only we lived somewhere nice and sunny.  Think I might have a sore throat coming on" she went on to say.  "I had a bit of a tickle in it last night, so I had a drop of whisky, hoping it would soothe it" she carried on.  "My back's been terrible since I last saw you, I really must go to the doctor and see if I can go to that physio woman again.  She worked wonders on me last time I went" and so on and on Ethel went.  She was a bit of a, what's the word for someone who loves to talk about their ailments - a hypochondriac?

Ethel paused for a moment so Aggy jumped in "Do you ever find you are talking to yourself?" she asked, thinking about the moment she had had in the cafe.

"Oh yes," replied Ethel, "Of course I talk to myself ... sometimes I need an expert opinion."

Aggy just sat there, that wasn't what she had expected, or was it?  She knew Ethel better than Ethel knew herself in many ways.  "Perhaps the best thing to do is just leave it" she muttered to herself.  "Are you having a pudding?" she asked.'

I knew which character I wanted to use, she was just Ethel, so I found a page I had torn from a journal once and decided to use that.  I began with my background using a few different blue and green Distress Oxides, then I mixed in a bit of Picked Raspberry and Mustard Seed, didn't like them so I went back to the blues and greens.  I finished off with a few gears in the corners for the Clockwork Cafe using my little Tando stencil and Chipped Sapphire.