Jeudi Journal - Make Believe

 The last post for Alison's theme at Art Journal Journey is "Land of make believe - next right" and wouldn't we all like to go there at some time.  In fact, having had a real humdinger of an argument with a doctor's receptionist yesterday about the medication for my shingles (see yesterday's post re shingles) I could go there right now - or maybe send that receptionist to get lost there.  I did wonder if I was being "soft" but I went on the internet and listened to someone who had had it - click on Jo here to listen.  There are three people talking of their experiences and now I don't feel I am being "soft".  Anyway, I urge anyone who is eligible to go and get the vaccine, please please listen to me and go for it.

Sorry this theme is coming to an end Alison as I have been able to use my autumnal colours for it and so enjoyed using them.  Just wish I had had the time and energy to do more.  Thank you for a great month.

"Millie, Billy and Tilly are triplets.  Poor Mrs Brown wondered what was happening when she found out she was having not one but three children all at once.  Anyway she managed, luckily Mr Brown was a big help and had been 'hands on' with the children when they were younger.  They are all 14 now and at that awkward age where they don't fit in with the older kids and are much too old and sophisticated to bother with the younger ones.

It was October half term and the three of them had been invited to a party at a friend of Millies.  Millie and Tilly had set off ahead of Billy, as per usual he was messing about and late for everything, and they were enjoying walking through the autumn leaves which had fallen from the trees.

"Isn't it fun kicking the leaves as you walk" said Millie.

"I love listening to the rustle when they are so crisp and dry" answered Tilly.

Despite being identical the girls did not wear the same clothes, they liked to be individual as far as that was concerned, unless, of course, they wanted to play a prank on someone and dress the same causing endless confusion as to who was who.  There wasn't anything they could do about the way they looked, nature had made sure of that, and both girls had the same unruly hair.

"Where is Billy?" questioned Millie, "I do hope he is not going to be late and have us hanging around for him."

"I am worried as to what he is going to be wearing, I told him he had to dress smart for you and your friends."

"Oh, so did I, and so did mum" said Millie, "He's going to be fed up of us women before long, bet he'll be glad when dad gets home from grandma's and he isn't surrounded by all of us women." she laughed.

The two girls scuffed about a bit in the leaves and looked up at the trees to see if there were any acorns or conkers about to fall.  Just then they heard a whistling and around the corner came Billy, looking fairly smart in a bow tie - but what was that he had on his head?

"What the heck are you wearing" the girls chorused.  

"Take that off immediately, it isn't a horror show or a fancy dress party and you are not going with that on your head." shouted Tilly, the eldest of the triplets by a couple of minutes.  "Where on earth did you get it anyway, it's hideous and you look stupid.  I hope you didn't walk all the way from home wearing it.  The party is this way - Land of Make Believe next right."

Billy shrugged his shoulders, took off the skull mask and gave one of his cheeky smiles.  "Well you two, are we going to this party or not?" he asked.

Both girls rolled their eyes, what was it like to be a triplet and one of the three be a boy.  Oh for another sister!"

My page began with several colours of acrylic paint "sloshed on" and smooched all over.  I then went over it with Oxide Candied Apple Ink, added some leaves at the top in Versafine Clair Nocturne and  stamped and cut out some more leaves colouring these in with my Inktense pencils and fussy cutting.  All leaves are by Lavinia, figures as usual by Dylusions.

WOYWW 804

Another week which again flew by, in more ways than one at ours.  We had the witches visiting in the form of finishing off the cards I started last week.  Perhaps now those who thought I was trying to do a blend will see what I was trying to achieve.  Just a glow in a forest.  In total now I have made four of these cards, gave one to my friend a while ago and sent the two new ones off at weekend.  Here is the old one which I kept and the two new ones with a slight variation - can you spot it?

Sorry it is small but I cannot get it to show any larger on account of it being a long photo.  Maybe if you click on it you will see them larger.

To help you here is my original one done a few weeks ago

and a new one with a difference

Obvious isn't it I much prefer the change I made, hope the original crafter who did this card does not mind (Leesa MagicalMaker) and I have now got the bug for Halloween and am working on another card - similar but different colours, or maybe a journal page - cannot make my mind up.  

I did hope to go and join in the fun and festivities at Lavinia HQ in Ruthin but something got in the way, and not a good thing either.  I had even bought myself a new headband and this time a pair of silk fingerless lace gloves.  Mind you some of the costumes that turned up were absolutely fabulous and I may have felt silly and somewhat under dressed.

So I sat at home feeling miffed and sickly with a 'mahoosive' band of blisters around my midriff. Yes, I have got shingles!  I feel so rotten.  The pain, which came immediately the blisters arrived, feels like someone has given me a big punch in my side. It is so painful when I move - and then yesterday morning I woke feeling as if my side was on fire.  Still feel as if I have been punched.  I don't wish this on my worse enemy.  And the horse pills they gave me on Friday make me feel nauseous.  How I swallow them I will never know, they are HUGE.  

The best is DH is ever so good looking after me although really I am not ill and can go out as long as I avoid pregnant women and babies.  Checked with my Podiatrist and she is happy to treat me tomorrow - not so my Chiropractor who has to work on the area where the blisters are so can't blame her.  Touching them is how they can spread.  So please please please can I urge you to go for the vaccine against this.  I never thought shingles was so bad, just some spots!  Please go if you can.  (Keep forgetting you have to be over 70 to have this vaccine - hope I didn't offend some folks)

Not going to Ruthin did not stop the spending and I got an order in on Thursday when the festivities began.  Just ordered what I wanted from the new collection and a few bits I wanted previously.  Having watched the demonstrations there are a couple of stamps I wish I had bought so guess they will be obtained at the Leigh Show on the 11th.

Not much is there?

Forgot to show you these that I got the other week - wanted a die from Sizzix but they are so expensive and I thought these might do instead - they will!!!  Cost me £7 for them all (photo shows die with cut out below it

Six in total as opposed to two of the Sizzix ones

That's it for this week folks, now to link in with Sarah at her Craft Shed and then begin having a good nose to see what other crafters are up to.  See you there.

Jeudi Journal - Fail

 The quote this week is "I do not fail, I succeed in finding what doesn't work" 

"It was early autumn and Tilly and her bestie, Anna, were invited to the wedding of the year.  it wasn't really anything that would hit the glossy magazines or TV news but it was a wedding where all their school friends would be attending and so the two girls wanted to look their best.  It was five years since they had all been together and there was a certain girl code where you wanted to look good and show that the last five years had not been arduous ones.  

Betsy Jane had always been the "looker" in the class and she had gone on to a successful modelling career so no doubt she would look fabulous.  Alison had always been the brainy one and secured herself a career in law so could afford to buy an expensive outfit.  Same went for Pamela who was PA to a film director and to Freda a flight attendant, but not just any flight attendant, she was sought after for first class only.

"Oh dear" said Tilly, "I am afraid I am going to be a bit frumpy at the side of all those glamorous girls at this wedding."

Poor Tilly loved chocolate.  And cake, and biscuits - and a tub of ice cream never stood a chance when she was watching a rom com on the TV.  The result was an extra pound or two found its way to her tummy and her hips.  Her bestie, Anna, was always telling her that one day she would regret the diet she had, not to mention the fact that she vary rarely took any exercise, preferring to sit and watch TV or curl up with a good book.

"You'll be fine" said Anna, "look we have eight weeks to get you into shape and with a bit of luck we can get an outfit at the boutique down the road the week before the wedding.  When you have lost some weight."

"Oh you know me and diets" cried Tilly.

"Yes, you fail at them all" replied Anna.

"I do not fail, I succeed in finding what doesn't work"  said Tilly, looking somewhat dejected at her best friend's comment.  

"How come they worked for me when I lost that weight?  And all the others at the slimming club who lost pounds in the first few weeks.  Bet if you really set your mind to it you will lose at least a stone, if not two before the wedding.  But you have to try.  Have to be honest.  When you sneak in a biscuit or a bar of chocolate it's not others you are letting down, its you, yourself.  Be honest."

"I told you, I do not fail, I succeed in finding what doesn't work and those diets don't work for me.  I did try and found out that the 'banana diet' doesn't work, 'vegan diet' doesn't work, the 'mediterranean diet' doesn't work, all those 'substitute meal' diets don't work, the 'soup diet' doesn't work and as for 'calorie counting' in whatever guise you put it - it just doesn't work for me."

"Look" said Anna, "come along to the slimming club with me and give it a chance for a month.  I'll move in with you, if you will have me, for the whole month and we can do it together.  Diet buddies.  If it doesn't work, fine, but I honestly think it will.  Will you give it a chance?"

Wonder what Tilly decided.  Did she go to the slimming club with Anna, did Anna move in with Tilly for a short while?  And the biggie - did Tilly lose any weight?

This is my entry for Art Journal Journey where Alison has chosen Autumn Colours and Inspiration as the theme.  I began by using Mustard Seed and Carved Pumpkin (it's almost Halloween) Oxide Inks for the background.  Stamped a selection of autumn leaves with Nocturne (2nd generation) and then filling the leaves in using crayons.  Figures are coloured with Promarkers in autumnal colours also.

WOYWW 803

 I really do not know where this last week has gone - it's gone faster than other weeks and I had no idea it was Tuesday when I woke up yesterday.  Consequently I had nothing really to show you on here, especially after last week when I seemed to have lots.

I've been busy making ribbon bows.  I tried a couple of You Tube sessions and then remembered the fork one which I found the best but then I also remembered my old way of making two loops and tying them together - voila

I'm quite chuffed with them

although they did give me cramp in my fingers several times.  Didn't think I had chubby fingers but i needed them to be more slender.  The witchy, tin has my butterflies in, the bee tin - bees - and the other one has small numbers - all ready for putting on cards or in my journal.

I was working on some backgrounds for two Halloween cards.  I'd forgotten how difficult they were to get all the colours into such a small space and yet have a nice yellow centre.  I made two of these cards earlier on but now need to send two to people who celebrate Halloween.  So for all you WOYWW'ers out there - this is my desk (the small table I work on mostly

I'm struggling to get all the colours on the card but I did it twice before so don't understand what my problem is.  That's Wilted Violet on the desk - the other colours are behind me on the worktop

Guess this morning I will be trying to get them to look right so I can begin the fun of stamping images but first these want blending much better - hope I haven't to start all over again.

I did make two birthday cards that had to be off this past week but i have searched myk computer and I must not have taken scans of them but I did scan a bookmark I made for a swap (Ancient or Modern) - but forgot the card that I made and sent to the other person!!

Ah well, off to Sarahs Craft Shed

Jeudi Journal - Bad Ass

I must confess that I had not a clue what this quote I had to use today meant.  "I love how bad ass we think we are when we are together."  So I had to ask "him indoors" and I hope that the story fits the quote Wendy got from somewhere.

I decided to use a black background and my 'hardly ever used these days' Perfect Pearls.  First of all the powder in one stuck to the lid and when I opened it the lid remained at the bottom and the powder spilled all over the place.  Have you ever tried to clean mica powder up?  Then when I had finished it all, cleaned up and scanned the page it did not show up at all.  At this point I was ready to give up but a cuppa and a calm down later I took a photo  - joy of joys, it shows even though not greatly but I so wanted it to have this glowing autumnal effect for Alison's theme at Art Journal Journey.  Now to attempt a story:

"It was October half term and the girls had a whole week off school.  They had spent some time in the small wood near to where Bea lived and collected lots of conkers from the big Horse Chestnut tree at the bottom of the lane.  Excitedly they ran to Bea's house and began soaking the chestnuts in vinegar.

"What on earth do you think you are doing?" asked Bea's mum as she came into the kitchen and saw all the pots and pans - and mess - that the girls had made of her lovely sparkling kitchen.

"We are hardening our conkers" said Bea without looking up, "you see if you soak them in vinegar, then put them in the oven for a couple of hours it makes them harder and we want to be the best conker gang  in the area.

"There's a big match on at the end of the week just by the school yard and we want to be champions this year" explained Eden.

"Sorry Eden but if your mum will let you fair enough, but I am not cooking conkers in my oven.  Take the smelly things around to your house if you want and see if your mum will let you cook them there."

Disappointed the girls picked up the conkers, put them in a plastic bag and made their way to Eden's.

"Do you think your mum will let us put them in the oven at yours?" asked Bea.

"Not sure" answered Eden, "but I will try my very best."

Eden went in on her own, Bea stood quietly by the door waiting to see what was going to happen to their conkers.  Five minutes later Eden arrived with a smile on her face, mum had agreed.  And so the two girls went in and popped their conkers in the oven being ever so careful not to make any mess whatsoever.

"Mum, can we have something to drink whilst our conkers are cooking?" shouted Eden who was already eyeing the Parkin mum had made that morning.  A nice hot drink and a slice of mum's Parkin was just what the girls needed whilst they waited.

"Yes, and you can have a slice of Parkin if you promise to be careful" shouted mum back.

Both girls eagerly made a drink and helped themselves to the Parkin, sat down and began planning what they were going to do when the conkers were threaded on string and ready to play with.

"I think we will definitely win the competition with these conkers" said Bea, "they are the biggest and bestest we have ever seen and baking them in the oven like this will make them well hard.  A bit like us two, well hard!" she said with a giggle.

Yeah" replied Eden, "I love how bad ass we are when we are together,  And this year we are going to prove it to all of them at school.  We are going to be the best, the champions."

WOYWW 802

Another week has flown by and it will be Christmas before we know what happens.  Another four cards done in an on-line workshop with Jo Rice added to my growing pile.  At this rate I will be ready to get them out early enough.  Here are the latest four 

They were all done in various shades of brown - Versafine Clair Pinecone, Portobello and Sand Dune with Elements Sahara for shading.  At the moment, in my TV watching time I am trying to make lovely little bows.  Sometimes these old fingers freeze and make it impossible,

These need mounting on some card bases and then they can go in the box with the others.  In the meantime I have one or two things that need starting.  One is my art journal for tomorrow where the theme is 'autumnal colours' and the other is a Halloween card which I want to make for someone who I know celebrates it in a big way.  Then there is my swap card for an internet group I am on - not a clue what to do with this one. I also have my window sill Halloween Display to do.  I'd love to make something new for it but there isn't that much time.  Oh, and I have two birthday cards to get out this month.  Now have I any in the box suitable for those recipients?  Here's my table with the craft things on that I got out in readiness.

Left we have my box of Greek/Roman /Egyptian rubber stamps then some of my halloween stamps from the box behind and next to them is a set of stamps suitable for autumn.  In front right we have some inkpads ready for making a Halloween background.  Why do I always want to do the one thing that can actually wait?  It's the birthday cards and the journal page that need doing.  Maybe I should get those things out on the counter behind me. 

As I can't make my mind up here is a short video of the tumbler I did for Chas

Next week you will find which way I went with the various things in my head.  In the meantime why not join me over at Sarah's Craft Shed to see what others are doing - see you there in a short while.

Jeudi Journal - Crazy

This was written A MONTH OR SO AGO  so the hand is fine now and I have had to make some changes to the story and the journal page to fit in with the current theme.  Had to keep the bit in about my hand as someone saw the post before I had chance to delete it and she had commented.  Just ignore the first paragraph as it is irrelevant now.

What a morning!  I cut my hand on Tuesday on a trolley at the supermarket and this morning woke to find it still bleeding quite a bit and it is so sore to touch.  Held me up a bit sorting it out.  I think I am accident prone.  Not to worry I had to get my blog page done for Art Journal Journey.  Could I find the strip of paper that had all the quotes I had to use - no. It was nowhere to be seen and my desk was not that tidy, so hand throbbing and stemming the bleed with a piece of lint I set about looking for it.  To cut a long story short I could not find it and then I had a lightbulb moment.  Was it in my Journal?  Yes - found it so off to get started.

Cutting, colouring sticking I got it done eventually and then I realised I still had to write a story.  What had I done?  Well, the quote says "crazy" and the page is "crazy" so I need to pen a "crazy" story for you all.  And if I want to link it to Art Journal Journey where Alison has chosen 'Autumnal Colours and Inspiration" I need to make some changes to a page I did a while ago when Wendy moved house and I held this one back.

"Harold and Sidney had been at the same school for most of their lives but hadn't really struck up a friendship as such.  They weren't enemies, spoke to one another, even played games together now and then but it wasn't a real friendship and that is what Sidney wanted -  special friend - to be Harold's friend.

Harold was keen on science and he had a sort of 'set up' in his father's old shed.  Often there could be heard bangs and shrieks coming from the bottom of the garden.  It had even been known for the door to suddenly blow open and a green mist to come surging out.  His poor mother, Mrs Brown, looked out in despair most days when Harold was in there.

"I'm afraid, one of these days, Harold is going to blow himself up" she said to her neighbour.  "I have visions of the shed suddenly taking to the air, all kinds and colours of smoke following and my poor Harold lying prostrate on the floor when he lands back down.  Maybe even in your garden."

Mrs Brown was ever so pleased when Sidney called one cold damp autumn day to see if Harold was playing out.  

"He's down in his shed" she said, "you can go down there but please be careful.  I hope you are not another mad scientist."

Sidney made his way down.  "Hya" he called out at the door, "it's me, Sidney Black from school.  I wondered if I could come in and play with you.  Your mum said it was ok, she asked if I was a mad scientist, what did she mean?"

"Oh, that's just my mum" said Harold, "she thinks I'm crazy when I come down here.  You don't have to be crazy to be my friend - I'll train you" he went on to say with a grin.  "Come on in."

Sidney walked through the door.  Oops, what on earth was going on he thought to himself.  There were all sort of weird objects in the shed, what on earth were those things that looked like green eyeballs?

"Here, meet Fred and Stan" he said  pointing to some critters with weird pop out eyes, "oh, and that's Cuthbert on top of the glass cloche."  Cuthbert being the cutest little caterpillar you ever could wish to see.  "Ready to play?"

Sidney hesitated a moment as a great big orange spider dropped from above..  He had always wanted a special friend, he wondered what it would be like to have a 'weird friend' as someone special in your life.

"Right, Yes" he said as an eyeball attached itself to him.  This was going to be fun.  What an adventure the next week promised to be.  No school but lots of playing with Harold and the critters in his shed at the bottom of the garden where it was nice and warm away from the cold October days."

Apologies to Erika if I have got the glass dome name wrong and to Alison if it is not autumnal enough, I did try to alter some of the clothes and critters to fit in with your theme.

WOYWW 801

Sore arms- covid and flu jabs last Friday so sleepy from a couple of nights disturbed sleep when I turned over.  Luckily I did not post anything last week that I had made so I can get away with showing you what I have been up to without much effort.  It was nice to find out how many people had been with WOYWW for a good number of years and are still here or just popping in now and then to say hello.  I was surprised to find I had only missed 59 weeks of WOYWW, I thought it would be closer to the 100 mark.

I had been on another workshop with Jo and we made a Christmas Cracker, a card, decorated a brown paper bag and made a tag for a canvas wine bottle.  

Sorry the photo is a bit dark

I think the cracker will make a great gift bag so I need to buy something for my dh, probably a small bottle of whisky and wrap it in a pair of boring socks or undies - just need to check which he he is most in need of.  Or can any of you think of something better please?

My Christmas cards are mounting up nicely and I found another two cards I had recently made on another workshop with Jo that will be great with a little bow and a "Merry Christmas"greeting.  With the way that I am going I won't have a rush on this year although I am on the lookout for a 'special' card for himself.  I like to make one with a bit of movement, a kinetic card for dh.

Called to see my friend Jayne on our way to the caravan and she made me two more tumblers.  One for me to leave up there and one for Chas.  They really are super and keep your drinks hot for hours (or cold, even keeping the ice cubes intact if you include them).  I've found this mermaid one perfect for my overnight drinwhich I sit on the floor where it is easy to reach in the dark, take a sip through the metal straw (yes, it is a cold drink) and pop back on the floor until the next time.

I now wish I had made a Halloween one just because I love those witches but I really love the mermaid scenes so I went with that - whose to say I won't splash out on another but this time Halloween.

Here is my Mermaid one - it's only a quick twirl so takes seconds

Next week I will show you the one I made and Jayne put onto a tumbler for me to give to dh for a present.  Poor Chas, it had to be a Lavinia design but he chose what he wanted from my stamps and he is quite happy with a nice hot drink when out walking.

Have a good week and hopefully see you week 802 at Sarah's for another WOYWW.

Jeudi Journal - Autumn Woodland

 Looks as if Wendy is still having problems with her internet connection so here is another page from my Lavinia Journal for Alison's theme at Art Journal Journey - Autumn Colours and Inspiration.

The background uses Elements Sahara ink with Violet Chalk around the edges darkened in the corners and used very lightly with Mini Hill Masks towards the base.  I used a moon mask and darkened around the edges with emphasis on the bottom edge.

Tree Den and Tree Stem were then stamped using Versamark Claire Nocturne with a second generation Tree Stem stamped to give depth to the page.  Tree of Hope is the stamp with the branches that cross the moon.  Silhouette Foliage and Orchard Grass were stamped in the foreground again using Nocturne, some in second generation.

Berry Wreath was stamped across the top edge and the berries were coloured with a yellow Gel Pen as were the vines on the two Tree Dens.  It is a shame you cannot see the glitter from a scan.

Finally using a yellow Pastel Pencil I then put the effect of light from the moon down the sides of the Tree Den stamps.

Sorry there is not a story attached to this week's page but I will be back next week with one.

WOYWW 800

Wow, Oh WOW this is the 800th time WOYWW has been on the internet.  Sadly not for me as I did not join in at the very beginning. I have always tried to never miss a weeks posting.  Not sure if I have managed it but I've tried.  Didn't know how to find my first post but messing about I discovered I could go back to my early blogging days and there on the 29th JULY 2010 I did my first WOYWW.  

Week 60 my desk shot was this

This was my desk - according to what I blogged I had some lace pieces drying on my spray box but the rest of my desk was taken up with claywork which I rarely do these days.  The lace pieces were for an album I was making for my friend who had the most adorable little girl ever.  Gosh, I loved that little girl.  Here is the album

I used to love making things like this.  The lace pieces were all put in the rings of the spine and there were lots of pearls and silk flowers on the cover.

I found this blog hop was the best thing ever for making friendships.  Immediately I joined I felt surrounded by friends.  I had internet friends all over and some of them in other parts of the world I got to meet when I went to CHA in America.  

I grew to  love the Crops when members would meet up.  I think my first was Llandudno with Margaret hosting and it was marvellous to put faces to names.  To get to meet people who had become a big part of my life and certainly joy to Wednesday mornings.  So THANK YOU Julia for starting this blog hop, and THANK YOU Sarah for continuing with it. (and thank you to LLJ for all the times you stepped in to keep us together).