Jeudi Journal - Catch Me

 Today the Dylusion Quote we are using is "My Only Advice for Dating Me is Catch Me While I Care" and the challenge at Art Journal Journey has been set by the lovely Mia for the month of September and is "Make Your Own Background" which is something Wendy and I do more or less the whole time with, usually, Paint or Distress Inks before we stick our Dylusion figures down on top.

This background was done with Distress Oxides, smooshed on across the whole page and then some through a stencil down the sides.  I wanted to use autumnal colours because it is my favourite season but then I realised I had been using similar colours throughout last month because Chris' theme was "hot".  I liked my background so much that I stuck with it and added two figures on top to tell my story both dressed in cooler colours.

"Bettina was a pretty little girl, fairly new to the village and so a big hit with the boys.  She was bright and quite modern with her hair a pretty pastel blue colour and she wore it in two ringlets down either side of her face.  Her big eyes attracted many a boy to her.  She was not as innocent as she looked and could look after herself quite easily.

She had made friends with Maggie, another attractive girl from school  and the two found themselves meeting up many a weekend to go for a walk or a coffee and making plans for the evening.

It was a lovely Saturday in September and the two of them had been into town buying themselves some nice pieces of jewellery in readiness for a party that one of the girls from school was having.  Bett was talking about Kevin, a fairly good looking boy in the class above them.  Someone had told her he was quite smitten by her and it looked as if he was going to ask her out  whilst they were at the party that evening. 

"So what are you going to do?" asked Maggie, "Go out with him or what?"

"Actually I think I am a bit young to be making such decisions" was Bett's reply.  "I might tell him that my only advice for dating me is catch me while I care."

"So does that mean you don't care?" 

"No.I quite like him but he is a year older than me so I think I should wait a bit, I am only 16 and I think I should keep him on his toes for a while."

"But a lot can happen in a year" said Maggie.

"So" replied Bett, "if it was not meant to be then so be it, if it was, we'll be seeing one another in a year's time."

Maggie shook her head, "Sometimes I wonder where you get that old head of yours from."

Jeudi Journal - Sense

 "Making sense is just not your things is it" is todays quote to work with alongside Chris' challenge at Art Journal Journey which is Hot Summer (Days and Nights) for Wendy and myself who decided to merge our own challenge (just between the two of us) and the monthly challenge over at Art Journal Journey.  Our own part of the challenge is that we must use Dylusion figures which can be a problem at times.

Today I am using a page in my Dylusion Journal which had some yellow and orange ink splodged about it so I went over the whole lot with Ripe Persimmon Distress Oxide to try to bring the page into a nice orange like my page a couple of weeks ago.  This didn't work and you still see the kind of mess in the middle but it does look better than it was.

I've been trying to sit with my feet up as much as possible as instructed by the nurse to get my oedema down and to help my ankle heal so it is a rushed page and story.  But I have been cutting lots of figures out that I had already stamped ready.

"Sally was in her favourite position, lounging on the living room floor, when Anna called to see her.  Anna had recently bought a little puppy and she couldn't take it out for the moment - until it had had its next inoculations.  She had popped to see Sally, who had three dogs of her own, and ask her some questions about raising her new baby,  little Bobby,   He was gorgeous, just a ball of fluff and so funny and a wee bit mischievous.  

Sally loved being consulted about looking after and training dogs and so she went off full mode into giving Anna all the knowledge she could.  The only problem was that Sally could get carried away when speaking about something she really knew about and so her advice became a bit too much for Anna.

"I don't understand you, I have no idea what you are talking about half the time" she said, shaking her head.  "Making sense is just not your thing is it?"

"What do you mean? asked Sally.  "You came asking for my advice and I gave it to you and now you say that about me."

"Sorry I did not mean to insult you, please don't get angry.  I just mean you know so much about dogs and how to look after them, train them etc but you use words that I don't understand.  Remember you have had dogs for a good few years and are used to this language but I am new to the game. I know it should come naturally to me but I want to do it properly and give Bobby the best home possible."

"And so you will, well, as good as my three have. I will help you all I can but let's do it in stages rather than all at once.  If we start again and you tell me what it is you want help with right now I will do my best to help."

Jeudi Journal - Break

 "Phoebe had been going through a rough time at home, her husband had been worried about his job as there had been several redundancies in his department and they owed quite a lot of money here and there.  In short they had been living beyond their means.

His mood had changed and he had started sitting in the sun lounge rather than anywhere she was.  Each time she suggested they went away on holiday to somewhere romantic and the children went off to summer school he walked away and out of the house.  She didn't know what to do.  She bought him a new state of the art camera but he had thrown it in a corner of the bedroom and refused to pick it up.

It was Phoebe's fault, she had wanted to keep up with the Jones's as the saying goes.  She wanted the fancy house on the fancy close where all houses were designed by a different architect and to the owners taste and although they could not afford it Andrew, her husband, had given into her because he loved her so much.  She had wanted an electric car as soon as they became available, her kitchen was the envy of most of her friends and the twins went to the most expensive school in the vicinity.  The only thing she did not get her way on was a private yacht.

As Andrew said, what was the point in having one when neither of them particularly liked sailing.

It was a hot day in summer when Phoebe began to lose it.  She was out with her friend Sybil, the sun was shining and all she had to protect her was a head full of golden curls.  As Sybil said, she should have worn a hat in that heat.  Sybil had made sure her arms were well covered from the sun and she had worn a white straw hat herself.

All of a sudden Phoebe began behaving erratically and muttering about butterflies and numbers buzzing around her.  She began flapping her arms about and the shouting was growing louder and louder. 

"What on earth is the matter?" asked  Sybil.

"It's nearly time for my psychotic break" muttered Phoebe.

"What on earth are you talking about. What's a psychotic break?"

"I just keep having hallucinations, seeing and hearing things that are not there.  It's ok I am seeing a private doctor and talking these things through with him.  It's all Andrew's fault, he is obviously holding back on something.  It's helping now, just talking to you."

"Would it help it we went home, or called in a little cafe for a drink of tea.?" queried Sybil.

"I think I had better go home and ring Dr Smith and talk it over with him.  if only these butterflies would disappear."

And so the two young women started heading for home.  Sybil wondering if her husband, Peter, could shed some light on the situation.  After all he was friends with Andrew and she guessed they talked as openly to one another as women do."

I was lucky in finding this background already done, so with the addition of a couple of Aall & Create stencils (sun, letters and butterflies) I had it completed to work with the story and also provide a hot summer's  day for Chris' challenge at AJJ.

Jeudi Journal - People

 "The older you get the more you realise why you can't stand people" is the Dyan quote for this week and

 "it is a boiling hot day again in the north of England where we find Lottie and her favourite oldish aunt, Esther. 

Both were inside escaping most of the heat the best way they could by having the curtains closed  and eating ice cream.  Esther had said they would be cooler if they didn't have the TV on as televisions caused a heat of their own and so the two of them decided to play scrabble for a while.  Even that did not help with the heat and so Lottie suggested that they go for a walk down by the beach.  Surely the temperature would not be as high as it was elsewhere with the gentle breeze off the ocean.

So the two of them set off for a gentle walk down by the water's edge but it soon became obvious that everyone else had the same thought and aunt Esther was not at all happy.  You see, despite wearing her straw hat, the sun had given her a headache and she did not want to disappoint Lottie by letting her know that she didn't really want to go out, lying down on the bed would have been her idea of heaven that day.

There were lots of young people playing music, little ones becoming fractious with the heat and crying because they could not have yet another ice cream, mums and dads getting all het up because of the little ones and it all became a bit too much for aunt Esther.

"|I think I am going to have to go home" she eventually said to Lottie, "You see, the older you get the more you realise why you cannot stand people."

"Oh auntie" said Lottie, "I had no idea you felt like that.  I always thought you enjoyed being part of a crowd."

"Yes, most days my dear, but not today.  I think the heat has got to me and I feel quite sickly and certainly not my usual self.  Do you mind if we go home?"

"Of course not" said Lottie, and the two of them turned around and started heading back to aunties house where she could rest on the bed.  "Would you like me to stay with you a while or should I leave you and go home?"

"Oh sweetie, this is not at all like me and I think I would like you to stay a while but only if you do not have something else to do.  Perhaps give your mum a ring and see if she will pick you up on her way home from work."

And so the day ended on a rather sad note with auntie not feeling well and Lottie having to stay and wait for her mum when she would have loved to join her friends down by the water."

As  you can see I have used my big journal for this one so I could use a figure that suggests an older person who is rather tall.  The young girl used to be my favourite of the heads from Dyan until I got the stamps I used last week.  To begin with I used Rusty Hinge Distress Oxide through a Dylusion stencil  here and there on the page with the border on the same stencil around the edges.  Figures are coloured using Promarkers simply because I find them easier to use on something like this than any other media.

So that is my journal page for Chris's challenge at Art Journal Journey which is Hot Summer (Days and Nights) hence the hot colour for the background.  Funnily enough although I chose Rusty Hinge which suggests a brownish colour it it a lovely shade for a hot day which seems to be 'the norm' for most of us as where we live at the moment.

Jeudi Journal - Crazy

The quote from Wendy is "You can exercise all you want.  You're never going to burn that crazy off" for this week and the new theme at Art Journal Journey which is set by the lovely Chris from Pearshaped Crafting - "Hot Summer (Days & Nights)".  Chris and I have known one another for quite some time although we haven't seen much of one another since we had lunch together a year or more ago after a visit to Lavinia in Ruthin.  We don't live too far away from one another and we share several mutual friends.

To begin my journal page I covered it with Distress Oxide Crackling Campfire.  I was hoping to use my new figures from Dyan at Art from the Heart but they are too wintry in what they wear so I had to revert to some of my old figures because of the "hot" theme.  Not to worry, the dresses will be useful later but I did manage to make use of the heads which I was pleased about.  I think they are so cute!  I am hoping Wendy will buy Dinky Dolls 3 (I bought DD 4) and then we can share images with one another increasing our library.

"Petra had called to see her friend Lottie who was lounging on the floor.

"What are you doing down there, you look chilled or whacked out, can't make my mind up which?" said Petra as she walked in the lounge having been told by Lottie's mum that she was in there 'doing her thing'.

"Oh, you wouldn't believe how much I ache," replied. Lottie, "I did an hour at the gym this morning and I haven't lost an inch.  I need to lose some weight by weekend so I will have to go each morning.  Sorry, won't be available for anything else this week."

"What on earth has got into you, there is nothing wrong with the way that you look."

"I've told her that over and over" came a voice from the kitchen, it was Lottie's mum who had already given her daughter a pep talk about too much exercise and diets etc.  "See if you can talk some sense into her will you love.  She might listen to you.  Want a cuppa?"

"Yes please Mrs Smith" called Petra.  "Can I be cheeky and ask if you have any of that lemon drizzle you made left over?"

"I have, and that's not cheeky, you know I've known you since you were in a pram.  Your mum and I used to go to the park with you two all the time.  You're like a second daughter to me.  There's apiece here in the kitchen for you, just come and get it."

"Thanks Mrs Smith" said Petra as she picked up her cake and cuppa.

"Hmph" came a sound from the floor.  "I sometimes think mum wishes you were me."

"That's nonsense' said Petra her hands on her hips by this time.  You know your mum, and your dad both worship you.  Mine wouldn't let me die my hair purple for starters.  Anyway, back to this exercising you are keen on.  Why suddenly do you want to lose more weight, you look great?"

"Well Robbie Nelson is going to be there this weekend and I am sure he likes me. a little.  If I could get a bit more off my waist I could get that dress in Pauldens' window, you know, the one with the big gold belt and the swishy skirt."

"Oh I knew there would be a boy somewhere in the picture.  You can exercise all you want.  You're never going to burn that crazy off.  Why can't you just enjoy your time with me and the girls, why does there always have to be a boy on the scene somewhere?  We've plenty of time for that, for goodness sake we are only just gone seventeen.  I'm going to finish my cake and be off, let me know later in the week what you are doing regarding Saturday's party."

And with that Petra took her cup and plate into the kitchen, said thanks to Mrs Smith and left via the back door."

Jeudi Journal - Invite

The quote from Wendy this week is "Thanks for the invite but I would rather sew my head to the carpet".  Sounds a bit painful to me.  Now to put the quote together with some botanicals for Halle's theme at Art Journal Journey.  It's the end of the month and AJJ will be having a new theme on Friday so, as I already had another page ready with some big florals on it I thought I had better get it used.  Thanks to Halle for a great theme, for once Wendy and I were able to fit our quotes into the theme easily.  Just wish I had been well enough to do more entries.

I had used the other side of the journal with this painting on it and coloured the figures min but to me they got lost a bit in the background so this time I left them black and white.  The story?

"It was the end of the day at Halle Academy and Roger was hanging around in the school garden hoping to see Monica who was in the class above him as he had such a great big crush on her and his friend, Johnny, was having a party on Friday night.  Just imagine if he could walk in with Monica.  All the other guys would be jealous because she was so beautiful.  It didn't matter to him that she was a year older, and a good bit taller, than he was, he had loved her forever.

Just then who should walk around the corner, and on her own, but Monica.  The birds all started singing and the butterflies flitting about (not really, just in his imagination).

"Hi Monica", he called

"Hi Roger" she answered, "what are you doing standing there?"

"Err, I was hoping to see you, I know you walk this way on your way home.  I wanted to ask you something important."

"OK" she said, shrugging her shoulders, she really wanted to be on her way, her brother would be in and he had a gorgeous friend that she had a bit of a crush on.  "What is it?"

"Erm, my friend is having a party on Friday, there will be lots of people from school there and I think there will be food and maybe the odd bottle of wine, I know I am going to take one if I can sneak one out.  I was wondering if you would like to go to the party with me."

Monica looked down on him, he was a good year younger than she was, and he didn't even come up to her shoulders.  No, she certainly did not want to be seen with a squirt like Roger.  The sun was beating down on them and she was in this rush to get home.  What should she say?  Let him down lightly or put him off forever?  Oh to heck with it she thought.  He needed putting down thinking he could have a date with her.  

"Thanks for the invite but I would rather sew my head to the carpet" she announced as she flounced off.

Poor Roger stood there, so disappointed.  Well, if that was the way that she felt he wouldn't be asking her to the Prom come the end of summer.  In fact he wouldn't be asking her to go anywhere with him in the future.  She was nothing but a jumped up snob."

Jeudi Journal - Stupidity

"I may not understand your level of stupidity, but I do admire your total commitment to it"  is the quote Wendy has given me to work with this week.and I have  to marry this with Halle's theme at Art Journal Journey - Botanicals.  So you see two figures and two flowers on my journal page but what is it all about?  As usual there is a story to unfold which will explain it all to you.

"Betty Blue wanted to buy something special for her mother for "Mother's Day" and so she went down to Hyacinth's Bouquet (the name was chosen based on a British TV Comedy) a well known and very expensive Flower Shop; well known for it's exotic blooms which you didn't see in other shops in ths locality, or even in the bigger towns and city around.

Imagine her surprise when she saw her old school friend, Priscilla Plum, sitting there on one of the flower chairs.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, "I didn't expect to see you here today."

"I work here" was the reply she got.  "I am apprentice now to Madam Hyacinth, how can I help you?"

"Err, I want a huge bloom for my mother, something that she will remember for the rest of her life as being a gift from me on Mother's Day,"

"How about a nice little posy made of Forget me Nots, or a vase especially made to show off the beautiful smelling Freesia?"

"No, I want something exotic, a huge bloom that she will remember for the rest if her life" insisted Betty.

"Perhaps some lilies, always popular with everyone."

"No, not large enough and certainly not exotic. besides which, I have an allergy to them as have lots of people.  I would assume you would know this."

"Roses then, you know what they say about giving roses to someone."

"More for a man to give to a woman in my book.  No!  Can I have a huge. bloom that says exotic please."

"I know, perfect for you to give to your mother, Agapanthus.  We got some in a few days ago.  They are huge."

"Yes, they are huge, I agree, and my mother has a garden full of them, not exotic.  Is Madam about?  Perhaps she can recommend something.  You see I may not understand your level of stupidity, but I do admire your total commitment to it.  Now can I see Madam please?"

Let's hope that Betty got the type of flower she wanted for her mother.  I am sure Madam Hyacinth could oblige.  Perhaps the South African Protea behind Betty in the shop.

Jeudi Journal - Exception

 The quote for this week is "I never forget a face, but for you I'll make an exception" - the quote must appear on my page and in my story and there have to be some botanicals on my page to comply with Halle's theme at Art Journal Journey.  The two elements make up the rules for my journal page with Wendy which we have been doing for simply ages.

"Jacinta had taken herself off to the local Botanical Gardens in the City.  It had proved be too hot a day for wandering around and she had decided to give most of the hot houses a miss which was a shame because they had the most spectacular specimens in them.  She just about managed to go in the Temperate House mainly because the Lotus flowers were in there and were quite a sight to see.

It was whilst in there that a young woman had turned rather quickly and stood hard on Jacinta's left foot.

"Ouch" shouted Jacinta, "that hurt."

"Pardon" said the young woman who was much taller than Jacinta, "are you speaking to me?"

"Yes I am, you stood on my foot and it darned well hurt." said Jacinta.

"I don't think so" came the reply.

"You jolly well did.  If you look you have left a mark on my shoe and I think my heel is bleeding  as a result."

"Nonsense, I was nowhere near you" said the woman in the white dress.  

Jacinta was, by this time, feeling a tad annoyed, there was nobody else about and she hadn't managed to stand on the back of her own shoe.  If this woman wasn't twice her size she would have a right go at her.

"You need to watch where you are going and not walk into people in the future, and just remember I never forget a face, but for you I'll make an exception and make sure we are never in the same room together again." and with that Jacinta turned and wincing a little, as her heel really was smarting, she hobbled out of the Temperate House and went and found a bench to sit on to examine her heel.

Luckily the woman didn't follow but she really had spoiled what could have been a lovely day.  "Think I will go and get a cuppa and a cake to cheer myself up" she thought as she stood up, a bit of sugar was good for shock wasn't it."

I took great care to make sure my words were straight but the scan was skewy as you can see if you look down the left side where the ring binding is.  Just not time to do it again as I need to be at the doctors in 15 minutes.  Sorry.

Jeudi Journal - Repeating

"There's no need to repeat yourself, I ignored you the first time." is the first quote of a new set Wendy has sent for the next few weeks.  Unfortunately I am away from home and I have not got any of my Dylusion stuff with me so I am doing what I can to make a page for this week.

Luckily I found three Dylusion figures, one was headless and the other two minus legs.  I decided I could get away with the legless pair if I put them at the very bottom of the page.  Today we went to Sizergh Castle and I tried my scooter out again along the pathway which goes up to a farm.  I have never seen so many butterflies in one space for a long time.  The field had been mown but they had left a large border and sown wild flowers in.  It is a picture of pink and white but I did not know the species.  It certainly attracts the butterflies.   

Sorry you can hardly see them

Anyway here is my story for this week - again apologies for it.

"Miranda was known in the village for being a busybody.  She always knew what was going on, even behind closed doors, or so the villagers thought.

It was late Friday and poor Pip was just walking down the village green by the floral display when Mirand seemed to appear from nowhere.

"Have you heard about the young couple at number 6" she asked.

"No" said Pip.

"Well apparently they have been trying for a baby for the past few months and nothing has happened so her father has given them some money to try with VHS."

"Oh VHS?" said Pip with a smile on her face, "I think you mean IVF, but is it really any of our business and should we be talking about it?"

"Do you remember me telling you about old Mrs Dyson, well ...?"

At this point Pip wanted to get home and start tea before her husband came in from work.  She turned and started to walk in the direction of her house.

"I said" shouted Miranda, "Do you remember me telling you about old Mrs"

At this point Pip turned around and said "There's no need to repeat yourself, I ignored you the first time.  And that was two days ago.  You really are a bit of a busybody and you should keep your tittle tattling to yourself."  She turned again and marched off at a quick pace, there, she had finally told Miranda what the whole village felt.  But should she have been the one to say it?  To late!  It was done."

So that is my story, sorry it had to be done in a rush and without the proper equipment.  Must go as friends are due shortly and I need to change.  Do go over to Art Journal Journey and see what Halle has done for inspiration for her theme Botanicals.  Perhaps join in.  You know you want to.

Jeudi Journal - Diet

 "Nina and her friend from school, Diane, were meeting for the first time in years, well, about three to be exact.  They had arranged to meet outside the gardens in town and they were going to go for a coffee after Nina had had her hair done.  It was one of those heavy oppressive days where a thunderstorm is threatening so Diane was hoping that she did not have to wait for long.

Along came Nina, right on time with one of her usual fancy hairstyles.  You never knew what she was going to do with her hair, especially in their younger days when she had worked part time shampooing for a local saloon and things hadn't changed much as they got into their thirties.

"Hi" said Nina as she hurried um to her friend, "I haven't kept you waiting have I?"

"No" replied Diane, "I had only just got here myself.  I was hoping you wouldn't be long as I am ready for a spot of lunch."

"Oh" said Nina, "I thought we were just having a coffee."

"Yes, we were," replied Diane, "but you see I am absolutely starving.  I'm on two diets - one doesn't give me enough to eat so, if it is ok with you, could we have lunch please?"

"Certainly" replied Nina with a smile on her face looking at her old friend.  Diane had certainly put on weight since she last saw her, in fact, at first she had wondered if her friend was pregnant.  She hoped it was the coat that Diane was wearing that made her look like that."

I made the thundery background with some Pan Pastels and then used some Lavinia shops to create the scene behind the two girls.  To comply with the theme at Art Journal Journey which the talented Halle has set for us which is Botanicals.  I hope my trees in the background and the flowers between the two girls will qualify for this theme.

Jeudi Journal - Men!

 Have you ever wondered, as the two on my journal page today obviously have, about men and science?  The quote I am using today is "If we can put one man on the moon, why can't we put them all there?"  No, well does this quote make you start to think?  Or does your other half/brother/son or whatever male is in your life not annoy you enough to think like that?

"Eden and Lacey were two good friends, both married with one child - Lacey had a little girl, Eden a little boy.  The children had been born just a month apart and so the two girls spent a lot of time together.  This day they had gone a walk together whilst both children were in Nursery.  It was lovely to hae time to themselves without the children, although they loved them dearly.  

They had wandered to the edge of town where the woodland started and they stopped by the old ramshackle house that used to be quite pretty in its day.

"Oh, it's so good to get out in the fresh air" said Lacey, "just what I needed after the morning I had."

"What's the matter?" asked Eden, "Robert annoying you or is it Darcey, she seemed ok this morning when you dropped her off and I never noticed anything between the two of you?"

"Oh it's Robert, as if you wouldn't know.  He is so annoying.  At times I think he wears those darned head phones just to block out my voice.  I have to ask him something at least three times, the third time shouting so he can hear me.  I get quite worn out repeating myself over and over again and finally shouting at the top of my voice.  He really is so annoying.  If we can put one man on the moon, why can't we put them all there?"

"Erm, I can see what you mean and I fully understand why you feel the way you do but all men aren't the same.  Paul is a gem and I have no desire for him to be banished to the moon."

"Not today you can't but just wait until he annoys you and you will see my point.  I'm think of getting a dog and teaching it to chew plastic things like his ear phones."

Eden looked at her friend smiling as she did so and she did understand, it wasn't the first time Lacey had mentioned how Robert was permanently attached to his computer.  She knew she would hate for Paul to be like that.  She also knew Lacey's mood would change in a tick when she saw her beautiful daughter again.  She did look so much like her daddy that she couldn't be mad at him for long.

jeudi Journal- - Cooking with Wine

 This week our quote which we have to marry to Art Journal Journey's challenge is "I love to cook with wine, sometimes I even put it in the food" sometimes if we are doing a special meal and cooking it together we have a glass "for the cook" ie we both have a glass of wine.  Does that ring a bell?

In my story today we have Clarissa who is sat down wearing darkened glasses when her friend calls.  Effie, het friend, wonders what on earth Clarissa is doing sitting on the floor with her back to the chair.

"What is the matter - and why are you sitting on the floor?" she asks.

"Oh, nothing I felt a little woozy and so I sat down, but I missed the chair and ended upon the floor.  It's quite comfortable to be honest and I find it good for my back to have the chair behind me."

"Oh dear" said Effie, "Do you think you need to see a doctor?  I mean having dizzy spells at your age isn't good."

"No, no need to panic" replied Clarissa, "I love to cook with wine, sometimes I even put it in the food.  Maybe I drank a little too much this time."

Effie looked worried, it wasn't like her friend to drink to that extent, maybe she should see a doctor but if she wouldn't go there was not much she could do about it.  "I'll just keep an eye on her over the next few weeks" she said to herself.  "Shall I put the kettle on and we can both have a nice cup of tea?"

This was a page in my square Pink Pig Journal that had Gesso or some kind of modelling paste pushed through a stencil or two in various places on its surface so I just went over with DO's Cracked Pistachio to reveal what was underneath, looked like a bit of a mish mash of stencils so I left it.  I wanted to find a wine bottle or label inn my stash and came across this for Vermouth.  It fit quite nicely in the gap and so that was my journal page finished for this week.  

Think I had had a bit of wine when I put the quote on at the top.  It's a bit skewwy!

Jeudi Journal - Face

"I wouldn't pay for a face like yours, I'd ask for a refund" is the quote to be used today with the challenge with Wendy.  Matilde at Art Journal Journey has chosen 'People' for her challenge so I am marrying the two together.

"Lori has been to her favourite boutique in town, La Mode, which stocks clothes with a slight French air about them, at least she thinks they are chic and suit her.  As she walks out who does she bump into but Janine, her near neighbour who she often sees at the local tennis club.  Lori does not care for Janine and Janine does not care for Lori so the atmosphere is often quite cool when they do meet.

"Did I just see you coming out of La Mode?" asked Janine.

"Yes, I've just been ordering something for the Awards Evening at the Tennis Club" she replied.  "I thought at first I wanted something black but Madam showed me this gorgeous gold number and I just fell in love when I tried it on.  Can't tell you any more than that, probably shouldn't have even mentioned the colour, you'll just have to wait until the Awards to see it.  Have you got your dress yet, I presume you are going."

"Of course, and I had my dress sent over from Milan.  Saw it in a magazine and just could not resist it.  The only way I could get it was by ordering it from there direct.  I've just come from the Beauty Box, trying different make ups.  I like this blue eye make up she has tried on me today.  It was supposed to be taken off but I couldn't resist just leaving it on.  Have you thought of doing something like having professional make up done for the evening?

"No" replied Lori, "I have a cousin who works at the television studios and she is so good at make up, I am going to get her to do mine for me.  Won't cost me anything either.  How much will yours cost?"

Oh, it's quite expensive but then it is the best in town, I mean you just have to look at my eyes now."

Lori looked and smiled a little, not that Janine would notice, she was too busy admiring her reflection in a shop window.  Lori could not help herself "I wouldn't pay for a face like yours, I'd ask for a refund" she said as she turned and walked the other way.

It hadn't registered with Janine, she was far too busy admiring herself in the shop window.

The background is an old one in my square Pink Pig Journal which was made with Distress Oxides in greens and blues (probably Pistachio and Broken China) with various background stamps scattered over.  It had two winged figures on which I tried to cover with the figures and the shops.  It was about time it got used.

Jeudi Journal - Mistake

This week the quote Wendy and I  have to work with is "The man who never made a mistake never made anything". I made a background from Distress Oxides 'Twisted Citron, Tumbled Glass, Cracked Pistachio, Peacock Feathers and Broken China.  Then I stamped some of my background stamps with Versafine Clair 'Bali Blue'.  Figures are, as required for the challenge with Wendy and myself, from Dylusions, and allowed me to enter this journal page into Art Journal Journey's challenge set by the lovely Matilde - People.  Why not pop along and join in, it's fun.  Read the Rules first though!!

"Patricia had gone to see her elderly mother and teenage brother.  They lived the other side of the park, it was a pleasant walk with her little dog, exercise for him and it gave her a chance to see all the beautiful flowers and listen to the birds singing in the trees surrounding the parkland.  Something she did almost each day so she could keep an eye on them.

When she arrived Peter was in a right state

"Thank goodness you are here" he said.    "You won't believe what has happened, I am such a fool and I don't know what to do."

"Oh Peter, what on earth have you done now?" asked Patricia.

"Well, you see, I fell behind with my coursework and the teacher was getting annoyed with me, threatening to write to mother.  So Nigel, you know, my friend from down the road, said I could borrow his essay and submit it as my own with one or two tweaks.  Well, I did, but guess I didn't tweak it enough and now Mr Gambles has found out.  It's far worse than him just telling mother, he is now threatening to get me thrown off the course."

"You stupid, stupid boy" yelled Patricia, "what on earth did you think would happen, old Gambles was bound to find out, he's not stupid.  He's a damned good teacher, has been doing the job for years and seen boys do all kinds of things - including copying.

You have to apologise, go to him and tell him you are sorry and it won't happen again.  Don't beat yourself up, just learn from it.  You know there is a saying "the man who never made a mistake never made anything' so don't let this put you off. Learn from it and don't ever do it again.  I'll go with you if you like but we need to do something before mother finds out.  She would be so upset and disappointed in you.  You get smartened up, I'll take Fido back and I'll meet you in twenty minutes outside the college.  Now go on, get upstairs and washed and we can practise what you will say as we wait for Mr Gambles."

With that the two of them went their separate ways, both thinking about what was going to be said in a short while."

At first I thought this was an easy quote to deal with but then when  sat down to write a story I found I was struggling.  A chemical experiment, a wash where the white sheets went pink all went through my mind but somehow would not work.  I hope this one fits the bill, with the quote and your thinking.

Jeudi Journal - Happiness

 Today Wendy gave me the quote "Happiness is a habit - cultivate it" to work with.   This challenge is also for Art Journal Journey where the challenge is "It Must Have Wings" and so I have to include wings on my page somewhere along with Dylusion figures which is part of the challenge that Wendy and I have set ourselves. eg it must have a quote one of us finds, it must have a figure of some kind from the Dylusion range of rubber stamps and it must fit in with the challenge at Art Journal Journey.  Thank goodness chooks have wings.

"Clara Cluck and Henrietta Hen were best friends in the farm yard.  'A couple of busybodies' were how they were known by all the other animals in the farmyard. Always good for a bit of gossip Clara kept her beak to the ground most of the time and knew all that was going on, not only in her farmyard but also in all farms in the County.

"Clarissa Cow over at Johnston's Farm has had a big falling out with Billy the Bull.  She accused him of having an affair with her friend Buttercup" she said to a wide audience at the farmyard.  Dilly Duck' s beak fell open at this news and she said she simply did not believe it.  Whereas Charlotte Chicken's eyes widened so much that she looked as if she was going to burst.

Just as Clara was going to continue with her story Camilla Cow came around the corner and said in her usual loud voice "That's a lie, where is your proof.  In fact where is the proof in all the stories you and Henrietta spread around the farmyard?"

"It's not a lie" squeaked Clara nervously, for nobody challenged Camilla, "I got it on good authority from my cousin Deirdre."

"You know what", bellowed Camilla, Happiness is a habit - cultivate it.  That would be much better for you and your friend over there than all this gossip you seem to thrive on.  I suppose your cousin Deirdre, like you did not come from a box of Happy Eggs at Asda."

(For those who are not familiar with egg sales in the UK, Happy Eggs is a brand that is sold in Asda supermarkets over here.)

Jeudi Journal - Wrinkles

 "Wrinkles are hereditary.  People get them from their children." is today's quote from Wendy and so my journal page for Art Journal Journey is below and the story to explain it follows on.  As you can see there are birds in the sky and she is wearing a fascinator of a butterfly so that it works with the challenge "It Must Have Wings" that I set for the month of May.

"It was a beautiful spring day, the swallows swooped high in the sky and the sun shone brightly.  Bella had been to the beauty salon in the village where they had been trying different styles of make up for her impending wedding to Peter.  She wanted a fairly simple look, no startling eye shadow and certainly not a red lipstick.  She wanted it to be reminiscent of spring time as she and Peter enjoyed the countryside and the wedding was to be simple rather than lavish.

Peter was waiting outside for her and as she walked out the door of the salon he swelled with pride, she looked so beautiful.

"Hello darling" he greeted her, "have you decided on what you want now?  It's only around the corner, two weeks to be precise."

"I have" she replied as she reached up to plant a kiss on his cheek, "but it is going to be a secret as you are not to know anything about my dress, my hair or even my make up."

"I see they have put a butterfly in your hair today.  Is that something you are considering?"

"No" replied Bella, "it is for mum to consider, it's known as a fascinator and they wondered if she would like one for her hair on the day."

Just then a little girl walked past them and turned to look at the butterfly in Bella's hair.  She gave a little smile and told her mummy she wanted a butterfly for her hair too.

Peter thought this was rather sweet and he turned to Bella and said "Just think in a year or two we could be parents, have a little girl like that, or even a boy."

"Err, excuse me, I am not sure I want children just yet.  Let's wait until we are older and have done things with our lives.  Besides which I overheard someone in the salon saying wrinkles are hereditary, people get them from their children and I certainly don't want any until I am about forty.  Wrinkles that is."

"Oh right," said Peter, "we are having a family though, we did talk about it and if you look at your sister she has no wrinkles but she has two boys."

"Mmm" said Bella, "I'm only kidding, but not about the wrinkles so you had better play your part in bringing up any children we might have."

Jeudi Journal - Chocolate

 Today the quote from Wendy is "Save the earth, it's the only one planet with chocolate".  It got me wondering, is it really the only planet with chocolate?  That is something I won't know and I doubt any of you readers will either, unless you are saving up to be part of a rocket launch to some other planet in the universe.  Surely we have enough chocolate on Earth not to need us to find some on Jupiter or Saturn - but we do have Mars bars.

For my picture which had to include something from the challenge at Art Journal Journey I chose to use a black background and, although my planets are not the correct size, I made the two smallest planets, Mercury and Venus, smaller than the others.  It helped with fitting them all around the earth which, in reality, should not be the largest planet.  Here I have used artistic licence.  I am sure you will allow me.

I cut myself a circle around a mat and then punched the others with decorative punches, all were coloured in using promarkers.  The earth was coloured to represent a happy face with both land and sea on it and two birds, (to fulfil the challenge 'it must have wings') from the Dylusion collection were attached either side to look as if they were holding a banner which was made up with three popular chocolate bars in the UK.  

No story today, it is just a self explanatory journal page but does fill the criteria of having something with wings as required by the challenge I am hosting at AJJ.

I'd love to see you make a page with wings, check the main page at AJJ for some ideas and I will leave you a comment if you join in with us with your own interpretation of 'it must have wings'.

Jeudi Journal - Lightening

"My mind works like lightening, one brilliant flash and it's gone" is the quote supplied by my blog partner Wendy for our Dylusion figures to represent.  As it has also to fit in with the Art Journal Journey challenge, set by me, which is "It Must Have Wings" I had to use something with wings and so I made up a story to explain why two characters on my page have wings.

"It was a lovely spring day when Janine had been lounging in the sunshine and fallen asleep.  Luckily she had a pair of sunglasses and a sunhat on her head to help give her some protection for we all know that we should not sit in the sun for too long and should always wear protection.

Janine had been dreaming that a fairy came down and touched her with some sparkly fairy dust that gave her an instant tan all over her body and that she was on a tropical island far away from the worries of work and home.  Suddenly she felt a spot of rain land on her nose and on opening her eyes she realised that she was still in her own back yard and the weather was changing.

But hold on, who was that stood there in front of her?  It was her best friend Glenda, but Glenda seemed to be sporting a pair of wings.

"What on earth are you doing here, and why are you wearing wings?"  she asked.  "Am I still dreaming or has something happened?"

"No" replied her friend Glenda, laughingly "I've just been to my nieces birthday party, she's only three and she wanted a fairy party this year so I obliged, as her favourite aunt, and went along with these wings on.  See, they do come off.  I just thought I would make you laugh.  Have you ever seen a fairy dressed in a coat and with a beret on her head?  Come on, we had better go indoors, it is going to rain hard before too long."

Janine got up from the lawn, rubbed her eyes to make sure she was really awake and still not dreaming of fairy dust and linked arms with her friend as they made their way into the house.

"You know something, my mind works like lightening, one brilliant flash and it's gone, I just thought of something as I woke up but now I haven't a clue what it was.  My mother used to say I had a head like a sieve but I think it's more like a colander - bigger holes."

And with that the two girls walked in through the patio doors to avoid the rain."

As I had used various shades of pink and purple Distress Inks (smooched) for my background I thought it looked rather messy so I chose not to colour my figures in but leave them black and white so that they stood out more against that background.  The only colour I used was a flesh colour on their faces and arms and some grey on Janine's sunglasses.

Art Journal Journey - It Must Have Wings (Introduction)

Once again I have been asked to be a Guest Host for Art Journal Journey.  I have been working on one or two ideas for my theme, which is "It must have wings" which covers my love of Lavinia stamps and the fairies that Tracy draws herself and has made into polymer stamps.  But it does not have to stop at fairies, if you think about it lots of things have wings - butterflies, dragonflies, ladybirds and other insects; birds (don't forget chickens, hens, owls etc),  angels,  what about aeroplanes, lots of things steampunk, mythical creatures and so on.  You could even think of some buildings, the White House has its West Wing, hospitals have wings and so there are lots of wings when you think of it.  I wonder what you will come up with?

I am so looking forward to seeing what you make in your journal (please read the dreaded rules which you will find at the top of the AJJ Home Page.   Remember to link your actual post and not just your blog (instructions again at the top of the AJJ home page) and I will do my best to come and see what you have done and leave a comment for you.

My first post for this theme is from my Lavinia Journal and features two fairies, Twila and Lumus, with one of the new fledglings. Although you cannot see the wings on the fledgling you can see that both fairies have beautiful wings which I coloured with my Inktense pencils and then used Wink of Stella instead of water to merge the colours together, I just wish you could see the sparkle.  

Inks used: Versafine Clair Nocturne,  Fallen Leaves, Pinecone, Shady Lane, Paradise, Warm Breeze, Morning Mist.  Elements Lime Punch, Blue Atoll.

Lavinia Stamps used: Twila, Lumus (lge), Tree of Courage, Tree of Hope, Fairy Path, Gate & Fence, Bluebell, Woodland Fern, Silhouette Foliage, Orchard Grass and Slender Mushroom Mini.

As it is Thursday I have my page to do for the challenge between Wendy and myself.  Today the quote Wendy sent to me is "We are not Old People, we are Recycled Teenagers" and here is my page using Dylusion figures.

Diane and Sue had been friends since primary school, neither had married and so they had been very close to one another for a number of years.  Both had been teachers in a High School working with teenagers and both were involved in the Girl Guides.  Diane was a Guide Leader whilst Sue had the older girls in her Ranger Unit.

It was a cold day and the two were returning home after a Parent Evening which had gone on until quite late in the evening.

"Don't know about you" said Diane, "but I am really tired, beginning to feel my age these days after a full day of teaching and then facing a whole load of questions from parents."

"I know exactly what you mean" replied Sue, "fancy a chippy supper, we haven't eaten since lunchtime?  I don't think I could face a sandwich and I certainly cannot cook anything now.  Are we getting too old for this game?"

"Come on Sue, it's just been a tiring day for us both.  We are not old people, we are recycled teenagers and after a good night's sleep we will both feel different.  Especially at weekend when we go to the jamboree at Hay Hall.  It will be fun to let our hair down and be camping again with the others.  I can't wait to go on the zip line again, it was such fun last year."

And the two went in the chip shop and ate a big bag of chips on the way home.  

chips in the UK are known as fries over the water. but I think you are all familiar with that.

Jeudi Journal - Shoes

 "You can never have too many shoes or friends" is the quote Wendy sent to use this week.  All I could think of was having a party in my Journal - lots of people and lots of shoes. In reality I searched through my images of the legs I use at various times.  There are more female looking legs than male and so I found lots of legs, in fact I didn't use them all.  This is  linked to Art Journal Journey where Erika has got Spring Birds as her challenge this month.

I had a page in my Pan Pastel book that was already coloured and had some flower heads stamped on it with Versamark and then the colour put on with a sponge.  At the top left corner was a piece of tissue paper with letters of the alphabet stamped on it, what the reasoning for this page I have no idea but I decided to make a flower out of the legs.  However, people have grown used to reading a story with my Dylusion pages and so I had to make one up quite quickly.

"Helen was chatting on the phone to her friend Sara and they were talking about some of their other friends who seemed to have lots of money for lots of things such as exotic holidays abroad, weekends at Spa Centres and who had flash cars to drive around in.  

Now both Helen and Sara worked hard, had well paid jobs or so they thought, but neither could afford to live like their other friends.

"Mel has so much money she doesn't know how to spend it.  The other day she was on about getting turkey teeth." said Helen.

"What?  What on earth are turkey teeth?" asked Sara. A minute later the penny dropped.  "Oh you mean Turkey with a capital T as in the country" she said.  "I thought you meant teeth like the bird, a turkey, for a minute."  Both girls collapsed into fits of giggles.

"I know Mel got a lot of money left to her by her grandfather" said Helen, "That's why she had that lavish twenty first birthday party.  I didn't have wealthy grandparents and mum keeps doing the lottery but never wins anything.  Guess we weren't born to be rich."

"Hold on," said Sara, 'we have far more than she has, than that whole rich lot have.  You can never have too many friends or shoes.  We both have those in abundance, and I have my Tilly, my little bird.  And our friends are sincere and our shoes, well, some may be from the local charity shop, but we do have lots of them.  Mum was only saying the other day I had to get rid of some of them to make room for other things.  I told her I am a shoe addict."

Both girls laughed before switching their phones off, but not before they had arranged to meet down the road after lunch to show off their latest pair of shoes to one another."