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 - Chaos

 Today we have a kitchen area in Zoe's house that is in utter chaos.  The quote to be used is "Many people have eaten in this kitchen and gone on to lead normal healthy lives" and it fits in rather nicely with Erika's theme at Art Journal Journey which is "Home Sweet Home".  Not sure Zoe's friends think so.

"It was the day before Zoe's 21st birthday.  Her parents had given her a big party for her 18th and she had moved into her own apartment shortly afterwards so this time she could not really afford to hold, and pay for, a big party again.  Zoe had decided to ask her closest friends around for a pizza party where they brought their own drinks.

Carol and Angela were talking on the phone about the upcoming 21st and discussion got around to the state of Zoe's kitchen, well, her whole apartment really.  

"I'm not really sure she will bother to tidy up" said Carol.

"I think you are right" answered Angela, "the last time I was there it was disgusting.  Snowball, the rabbit, had left little calling cards all over the carpet and the whole place was full of dog hairs.  I had a black skirt on, of all things, and I was covered in hairs when I got home."

"She has no pride in her place.  If my parents had given me a huge party for my 18th and then paid the deposit on an apartment for me I would treat the place a bit differently."

"I know" said Angela "I did have a word with her when I called last week.  I dropped subtle hints about the state of the kitchen."

"Knowing you they would be subtle" interrupted Carol with a laugh.

"Yes, I know I can be a bit to the point at times but honestly I wouldn't upset her for the world" Angela continued "you will never guess what she said to me?"

"Go on"

"Well", she said, imitating Zoe's deep voice, "many people have eaten in this kitchen and gone on to lead normal healthy lives."

"Give over, since when has she fed many people?  Two dogs and a rabbit maybe, but not people"

"I know, I just had to let it go, I had had my say and her birthday was coming up so I suppose it's a case of take a bottle or two, eat before we go and just hope for the best."

And with that the two girls ended the conversation and began wondering what on earth they were going to wear that would not attract all the hairs from Zoe's three pets."

To decorate the background I used Lavinia's Glory Stencil and Della Blue Elements Ink.  Apologies for the words at the top having a typo.  I did n't notice until too late but thought the alteration added to the chaos of the page.

Jeuidi Journal - Secret

 I was going to call this "Owl be Seeing You" but decided it was to corny even for me.  Still waiting for Wendy to get herself sorted, poor Wendy is up to her eyeballs in things at the moment, especially in her craft room I imagine (I have been in her craftroom in the past so know how much work there will be).  Saying that I think I should make a start on tidying mine out and maybe getting rid of the stuff I no longer use.  Heaven help us if we decide to move!  So here we are with a page for Aimslee's challenge at Art Journal Journey.

Anyway, today is another page in my Lavinia Journal.  As you can no doubt tell I have done the main picture on card and stuck it in my journal page - this was after realising the rag paper did not work quite the same as card, and also a bit of nerves in case I did something wrong and made a mess of a page.  The kind of mess that could not be salvaged!  I did actually chop down the piece of card as it was too tall for the book so it got a chopping everywhere.

All stamps are from Lavinia and inks are Elements (for the background) and Versafine Claire for the stamping.  I tried to carry on the stamping on the page and was quite chuffed with the dandelions on the left and right which I matched up pretty close.  I also did some stencilling on the actual page.  Because I had a few comments last week from people missing a story I tried to make one for this, not as easy in coming to me as the Dylusion ones but I did try.

"Gus had met a lady owl on a dating app.  It wasn't always easy for owls to meet up and Gus had decided it was about time he had a girl friend.  He hoped it would lead to them being together for ever and ever and he was secretly hoping for lots of little owlets in time.  

The lady owl he had met was called Blondie and she was the most beautiful owl he had ever seen.  They had seemed to get on great that evening high in the old oak.  They talked about where they had been, about their families and about the other creatures and the fairies that lived in the wood.  Gus thought she had seemed as interested in him as he was in her and so he had asked her out on a second date.

That morning he preened himself to perfection and even gave his best green waistcoat a brush and decided to wear that, after all it complimented his eyes, or so he had been told.  Then he took himself off to the entrance to the Secret Garden where he had asked her to meet him.  

It was a beautiful garden with the prettiest of flowers providing a lush undergrowth and there were lots of pretty bushes and trees where they could sit and continue with their second date.  It was something new for Gus and he was so excited.  To make sure she saw him he decided to sit and wait on the notice board for the garden and so he sat there puffing his feather up and looking quite the part.

And that is where we have to leave the story, but I can tell. you it had a happy ending and lots of little owlets now frequent the Secret Garden where mum and dad finally exchanged their vows."

Jeudi Journal - Exhaust You

 I was in a bit of a rush this morning but am so late in posting my Journal page for Halle's "Ive Got a Notion" at Art Journal Journey because I had an early doctor's appointment.  8 am believe it or not when I joined the queue outside the surgery waiting for it to open.  That set me all of a "flunter" for the remainder of the morning and I have only just got around to doing something,

My sore thumb holds me up a bit, I never knew how much a thumb on the non dominant hand could be a problem.  Trying to find something to do with sewing, ie rummaging through boxes, was out of the question but in the end I managed to do a bit of cross stitch on a piece of cardstock.

"Marnie was known as the Glitter Queen amongst her family and friends, but what not many knew was that her house also fell under the spell of being a little eccentric,  Her friend Mae knew only too well that Marnie loved anything a bit different.  Take yesterday for instance ...

Mae had called to see if her friend wanted to go out shopping, or even wanted some shopping doing only to be told "No" and to "Call around tomorrow".  So being a good friend and not wanting to upset Marnie Mae went around the next day and found Marnie had been waiting in for a new piece of furniture yesterday.

There it was, a white armoire.  Not just any white armoire but a padded one with glittery cross stitching along the side and front panels, and perched on top was - a fawn!  No, it wasn't a real one, it was a plush velvet, life sized toy, beige in colour with light brown spots and a leaf which it looked as if it had been munching on.  

Marnie had placed it up to the wall and put her favourite ornament next to it - a large glass specimen jar in which she kept her pet caterpillar, Harry.

"What on earth have you been buying now" asked Mae.

"It's a white armoire but I had them embroider some glittery stitches on it, you know how I love my glitter."

"Ans what's that thing on top" Mae asked.

"That, my dear friend, is Fenella, my lovely little fawn.  I have always wanted a real one but nobody would sell one to me that was house trained so I had to settle for this little beauty.  Isn't she gorgeous?"

Mae looked over the top of her glasses, "I'll never figure you out" she said.

"Don't try and figure me out, it will only exhaust you." was Marnie's reply.

"I know" said Mae, "I've said it so many times and given up.  You are what you are, a Glitter Queen, but I love you."

And with that the two best friends had a little hug and it was time to put the kettle on."

I hope my little attempt at cross stitching will be ok with Halle and hopefully next week my thumb will be so much better and I will have time to find my sewing stuff or something.  In the meantime, thanks Halle for a lovely challenge for July.

Jeudi Journal - Cry

"What on earth is the matter?" said Mum as she walked in the hallway having heard the most terrible crying, "have you hurt yourself?" she went on to ask, as she saw her youngest, Billy, in tears as he stood by the door.

Sonia had been hoping for a lovely quiet afternoon all to herself.  It was the start of the summer holidays - six weeks of having to occupy the children as they spent summer at home - all day and every day.  Every day apart from the two glorious weeks when the family all went on holiday and she could share the load with her darling husband Bernard.  She was lucky in many ways, Bernie had a good job which meant she did not have to go out to work but what a culture shock it was when the young ones were on holiday.

That afternoon she had been so glad the sun was shining and the twins wanted to play out.  She thought she had time to sit and ponder what to do with her hair, might even have time to do her nails.  The housework had been done, everywhere was lovely and tidy, beds had been changed, sheets were drying outside and dinner was in the oven.  She was just about to make herself a lovely cup of coffee and to put her feet up when this loud wailing almost perforated her ear drums.

Billy stood there, tears streaming down his face, arms stiffly by his side, sobbing his little heart out.  Once again she asked him what was the matter, there was no sign of an obvious injury so all seemed well in that way.

"Mummm" he managed to say before more tears came flooding down.  Sonia waited patiently offering her arms out to him.

"Come on" she said, "it can't be as bad as that surely.  Nothing is worth getting yourself in such a state."

"You, you don't know what has happened mum" he managed to get out.  More tears and finally he spluttered "You know that Freddie in the next avenue, well he was being nasty to me and he knows how much I like Fiona.  Well, he said something to her, both started laughing and then he called me Shrek."

"That's probably only because Shrek has a girlfriend called Fiona" said mum.

"Yes, I know that" replied Billy, "but then he turned to Fiona and said "Don't be afraid to tell someone how you feel, bonus points if you make them cry."

"So you burst into tears?" asked mum.

"No, I managed to swallow and keep the tears inside me but it began to hurt my throat and I just walked away and then I started running and all I wanted was to come home to you.  I didn't let the tears come until I saw our house.  Do you think Fiona will know I was upset?  I don't want her to think I am a wimp."

"No of course not" replied Sonia, "now come into the kitchen with me and we'll talk about it, I was about to make a coffee for myself but let's have banana milkshakes instead and what about a piece of chocolate cake?"

And with that the two of them disappeared into the kitchen for newly baked chocolate cake and a milk shake."

This is my journal page for this week and my entry into Matilde's challenge at Art Journal Journey which is "What makes you Happy".  Linking in a little with the journal page/story I am happy when the sun is shining and I can get the sheets from the bed outside so that next time they are used they have that wonderful smell about them.  That is just one thing that makes me happy.  Being a mum all those years ago when my son was little also made me happy, I'd love to be able to have one or two of those days back again. 

My page was stamped with small background stamps in Versamark and then Pan Pastels in greens and blues were smooched on top.  As usual my Promarkers were used for colouring the figures from Dylusions.  The quote is one Wendy sent to me.

Jeudi Journal

Jeudi Journal - Chocolate

Mmm.... a lot of hard work went into this journal page.  We had to buy and eat a Terry's Chocolate Orange in order for me to have the wrapper.   Only kidding, it was pure chance that we had bought a Chocolate Orange, and in the 'dark' form as Chas prefers milk.  I am the one preferring dark chocolate - what do you prefer?

Anyway, I did think of using a chocolate wrapper when I suddenly remembered this box in the cupboard and so it got dismantled, so glad it had not been thrown away.  I went around the figure of the girl in black pen, like some Journallers do to try to make her stand out a bit as she was dressed in red also.

As you can see I gave the page a border of hearts (yes, I was going to use a different figure and have it portrait style - oops!) from one of my Aall & Create stencils and the comment comes, as always, from one of Tim Holtz' Snarky Comments Book.  I had to smile when I stuck the figure down as I had cut carefully between her legs to allow the colour to come through from the page underneath - it turned out to be exactly on a white spot on the wrapper - drat!

and so the story goes ...

"It was Valentine's Day and Naomi was feeling a bit glum.  She had just eaten her way through a full Terry's Chocolate Orange and was halfway through a bar of Cadbury's Dairy Milk chocolate.  Her boyfriend had sent her a basket, not of roses, but of chocolate. He knew how much of a chocoholic she was and he also knew that she was the kind of active girl who did not put an ounce of weight on despite her eating habits.  She was glum because Harry couldn't get time off work to take her out that night.  He was a lovely guy and was working overtime whenever he could to save up to buy her a lovely present, they wanted to get married when they were old enough, and at the moment they were looking at engagement rings.  He was sure that by the time she was eighteen he could afford the one she wanted.

Her mother, on the other hand, was not happy with her eating so much chocolate - and in one day too.  So she had voiced her opinions on Naomi's chocolate binge.  On entering her bedroom her mother had seen the discarded Terry's wrapper and was ready to have harsh words with her daughter.

"Before you start", said Naomi, "I am not going to eat any more chocolate before dinner.  I know how you get angry and think I will turn down my veggies, but I won't.  I promise."

"It's not just that" replied her mother, "one of these days you will find that it isn't as easy to lose the pounds as it is now and you will be overweight - and probably have spots.  The more you keep on eating chocolate the more you will get addicted to it."

"Oh mum, don't get carried away like that, I can give up eating chocolate whenever I want to.  Besides which Harry bought it for me because he knows I love these little treats, and it is Valentine's Day after all."

"You think that now, I can tell you, from past experience, that once you get hooked on something, like chocolate, you find it hard to give it up.  I have always had a sweet tooth and I have to be very careful what I eat.  Why do you think I mentioned getting fat and having spots?"

"Mum, you are worrying unnecessarily, I could give up chocolate but I'm not a quitter"

"That's easy to say, Naomi, but you  just wait, you will see - and by then it will be too late.  Anyway, dinner will be ready in ten minutes so you had better get washed and down the stairs by then.  No more chocolate!"

I must say I love chocolate, it is a weakness of mine and the easiest way to deal with it is not to have it in the house.  Does that sound familiar to any of you?

Jeudi Journal - Email (a nice fictitious one)

 "It was a lovely winter's night when Holly and Ivy were walking home from Santa's office where they worked in the North Pole.  They had met outside because both girls worked in different departments, Holly working in purchasing and Ivy in accounts, but, as they lived close to one another they often walked along the edge of the wood to get home.  It was always better when they could walk together and have a chat.  Ivy had been admiring Holly's new beret which was decorated much like a ladybug.

"Oh, it was one of the reps from Hamley's in London who gave it to me.  She said they are all the rage there and thought it was a nice bright red so I would like it."

"Well, it really suits you" replied Ivy.  "Have you noticed my new cape?  I decided it was a good idea to wear it to and from work so that my hands could be covered and I wouldn't get cold"

"Yes, I had"  Holly said, "I noticed it straight away and was going to mention it to you but to be honest I am feeling a bit disgruntled.  I survived another meeting that should have been an email.  Honestly at times Mrs Claus goes on and on."

"And here am I envying you working in purchasing whilst I juggle figures all day" said Ivy, "I thought it would  be  fun dealing  with all the ordering of the toys for  the children  and meeting up  with important people from all over the world to distribute them."

"Yes it is, but oh those meetings we have.  This one went on and on, through my break as usual, and it does get a little tiring.  I wouldn't swap it for any other department though and Mrs Claus can be a perfect sweetie, in fact she is a perfect sweetie but she does like her meetings."

"Guess it all comes from Mr Claus wanting to get it perfect for all the little boys and girls, and don't forget, we do get good holidays."

And with that the two girls went on their way  home talking about the usual - fashion!"

This was a delight to do and quite a quick page and story as I have had so much on that I completely forgot what day it was and had to do it in a rush this morning.  I'd no idea what to do but seeing the lovely Jo, the Guest Host over at Art Journal Journey wanted a snowy winter scene, I decided to use some hill masks and create snow drifts at the base of my page.  A blue sky with a moon in the corner and some fir trees stamped in London Fog to give a misty look, a 'bashing' of my Posca White Pen for snowflakes and the background was done.  A couple of figures and a wandering mind whilst colouring them in meant the story was forming.  I don't know where their names came from but suddenly Holly and Ivy were born and as it grew they worked for Santa.

I hope you enjoyed my little journey leading up to Christmas, we are doing the tree today so some Gluhwein and a Mince pie will be in order around 11 am.  Have a nice day yourselves and think about a snowy scene for Art Journal Journey

Welcome to my new followers, sorry I just noticed you all.  Welcome to "The Happy Whisk', to Bobbie, Sylvia and Barb, I hope you enjoy my little stories and peeks into the depths of my craft room.

Jeudi Journal - Nosey

 "Excuse me - here is your nose ... I found it in my business." is the quote being used today along with the thee at Art Journal Journey chosen by Elizabeth and Bleubeard "Collage Fodder, Food and Drink, or Both."  I think it is a lovely quote and one which I am sure lots of us have wanted to use in the past with someone who is always poking around in our affairs.

"Emma Parker was aptly named - she knew everybody's business and if she didn't, she made certain she would find out.  As you can no doubt guess she was known as Nosy Parker by al the neighbours, especially when they saw her lace curtains twitching and her nose peering out.

It was a sunny autumnal day when Sally was out walking her dog and she saw Emma peering through her curtains.   She decided to give her a wave and let her know she had seen her.  And so, without a further ado Sally waved and mouthed "Morning" to Emma.

Now Emma was a bit put out to say the least and she went to the door, opened it and went out into the road to have a word with this 'rude' neighbour of hers.  "I hope you have got a doggy bag with you, I don't want your dog fouling my pavement" she said brusquely to Sally who had stopped to let Brutus sniff at something.  "There's too many dog walkers thinking they have the right to walk past my house leaving dirty parcels for me to clean up."

Sally went bright red.  She wished now that she had just ignored the nosey parker and gone on walking.  "I beg your pardon," said Sally, "but my dog has never fouled your pavement, besides which it is on a main road and therefore the road does not belong to you, it is actually council property.  And what is furthermore I DO have a poo bag with me in case of an incident."

"You are all the same, you dog walkers" went on Emma, "why you have a dog I will never know, you have three kids and I would have thought that was enough for anyone.  Heavens knows what state your own house and garden is in.  I hope I never know."

Well, that was a bit too much for Sally, but being the polite young woman she was she simply replied "Excuse me, here is your nose - I found it in my business" and with that she calmly walked on."

I am enjoying these borders, Teesha Moore style, and so I have done one again.  It covers Elizabeth and Bleubeard's  "Collage Fodder, Food and Drink, or both" so easily.  I have tried to include lots of food and drink in my border and then counted my fussy cut figures as collage too.  There's still plenty of time to join in, why don't you pop over to AJJ and give it a try.

Jeudi Journal - Penny

"Collage Fodder, Food and Drink, or Both" is the theme to work to for Art Journal Journey this month, hosted by Elizabeth and Bleubeard.  I did link in last week, I distinctly remember seeing which number I was - and I followed one of Valerie's links.  Somehow that disappeared so I am hoping that this week this post stays on.  This week I have used collage to make a frame around my page - Teesha Moore style - as taught on a Dylusion workshop with Dyan herself.  That was many many moons ago but I think it, and the basket of food, covers collage and food for me.  Hope so. Really the figures are also collaged I guess as I stamp them, fussy cut and colour them before sticking them down in my journal.

The Tim Holtz snarky comment this week is "a penny for your thoughts seems a little pricey" and so the story goes:

Patsy and her friend, Sally, had bumped into one another in the supermarket and were now walking home through the local park.   Sally, as always, was busy chatting away, talking about Graham, her husband and the two kids and what they had all been up to recently.  Her whole life revolved around her family and she loved to talk about them.

Graham had recently been promoted at work and had a lovely new car as a result.  She was always talking about it and all the little gadgets that come with a top of the range vehicle.  Her son was very bright and it looked as if he might go on to university when he reached sixth form and her daughter really was one of the prettiest girls around.  So, you see, Sally had lots to talk about when it came to family.

She had been talking for about five minutes or so when she noticed her friend, Patsy, was awfully quiet.

"Penny for them?" she said.

Sally looked at her,   "You really don't get it do you?  You are wrapped up in your little world and nothing ever goes wrong. Graham has got that lovely new job with all its perks, Simon is Mr Brains himself and as for Petra!  Nothing goes wrong in Sally's little world whilst the rest of us have problem after problem.  You know darned well that Fred was made redundant last week yet you prattle on and on.  We are struggling  day to day and all you can talk about is your precious family.  What do you expect me to say?"

Patsy was aghast.  Never had her friend spoken to her like this and she had no idea about  Fred having been made redundant.  "I'm so sorry, I honestly did not know" she said, "A penny for your thoughts seems a little pricey."

Sally started to cry, it really had been a struggle this past couple of weeks and  she hadn't meant to snap but some people seemed to have all the luck and she felt they had none.

Patsy put her arm around her friend's shoulder and said "Come on, let's go back to mine and have a cuppa and then we can look at how we can help one another."

And with that the two friends made their way slowly to Patsy's house to put the kettle on."

Jeudi Journal - Yoga

It's nearly Christmas and all the decorations are up - I have gone a bit mad this year and put most of them out.  I am getting rid of some of them to the local charity shop (or preferably a refugee centre if I can find one locally).  I thought I would just see what I have and what I can give away.  You can see them on the previous post here.  We also have our two Christmas Stockings hanging on the cupboard in the bedroom but they are not filled as yet.  Got to get some bits to put in them (no chocolates as we have loads in our stash - might pinch some out of there and transfer to the stockings).  Are you ready for Christmas?

This week we have my idea of a bit of perspective drawing.  Never was that good at perspective when I had to teach it - good job I didn't have to do it with the higher levels at school.  I was the ceramicist in school so mainly concentrated on that and 3D art.  

Valerie has chosen 'When one door closes another one opens' as her theme over at Art Journal Journey so as I fudged it a bit last week I thought I had better do better this time and provide one door open and one closed.  So here we have two young women in the local sports hall.  No colour, just black and white for the background with the girls providing the colour.

"It is Nola's favourite means of exercise.  She absolutely loves her Yoga classes, not only do they help her keep fit but they also are a lovely way to feel relaxed.  Her friend Mandy has not yet been persuaded to join her, despite her having bought a leotard and yoga pants to wear when the girls first thought of joining a class.  Nola was looking trim as she made her way in the Sport and Recreation Centre to the Yoga Classroom when she saw Mandy in the corridor.

"What are you doing here", she asked her friend.  "Are you finally coming to Yoga with me or am I seeing things and it really isn't you?"

Mandy replied "None of my Yoga pants have ever been to Yoga" adding "and I don't think they will be going today or tomorrow or even next week.  It just isn't me."

Poor Nola just stood there looking quite perplexed, "Then what are you doing in this corridor?" she asked.

"I've enrolled for pottery" was the reply.  "Remember when we watched 'Ghost' again the other night, well, I have been wanting to do that for ages and that night just clinched it for me so I thought I might give it a go, especially as it is on the same night as your Yoga class.  That way we can come here together and maybe go for a coffee afterwards."

"Brilliant, see you tomorrow as usual" was Nolas reply and the two girls went their separate ways quite happily.

Jeudi Journal - Time

 To begin with I had a greenish page, a bit on the limey side, but as I changed my mind on what the story was to be I had to change it with some blues.  Out came Peacock Feathers and Mermaid Lagoon Distress Inks and between them I got a kind of ocean colour.

Now the rule for this page is that we use Dylusion products, we can use others but today I broke the rules and put bodies on them which are certainly not Dylusion ones.  To make up for it I stamped a border using one of Dyan's stamps - of course the heads are from her collection.

"Lottie and Eleanor are two girls about town.  Always hanging around with the 'In Crowd' they can be seen at all the best parties, in the best tea shops and the most favoured of department stores.  So far they have not joined in with 'The Hunt' that some of their acquaintances take part in but that is purely because neither girl sees it as anything other than a "cruel sport".  Cocktails are the thing they enjoy most of all, coupled with their desire to dance and visit the Theatre.  In fact they had been practising the Shimmy and the Black Bottom only that morning before setting off to the beach.

Lottie really wanted to impress Archie, a local landowner's son, and so she had bought herself a lovely yellow and black swimming costume especially for Tuesday as that was the definite day Archie went down to the water.  She had also bought herself a black satin fascinator which she wore at a jaunty angle on her neatly coiffured hair.

The two of them hung around outside the beach hut they had hired waiting for Archie and his friends to arrive, time was going on and both girls had things they wanted to do.  Eleanor was getting particularly agitated about the time and what other things were happening that day.  Lottie, on the other hand, wanted to see Archie, or, more to the point, for Archie to see her in her new bathers.  'So much to do, so little desire to do it' was all she could say as she tried to persuade Eleanor to stay just a little while longer."

I wonder if Archie did come down, and if he did, did he notice Lottie in her black and yellow outfit.  Perhaps that is something we will never know.

As I said at the beginning I tried to replicate an ocean colour, I drew a beach hut very much in the background and made a border with one of Dyan's stamps choosing the circles to represent the wheels on the bathing huts that they used to take down to the water's edge in those days.  The words, once again, were typed as there was little room for any fancy lettering.

So because we are set in the 20's I am entering this into Art Journal Journey where Wendy has her Vintage theme running for the month.

Jeudi Journal - Old Enough

 Today the words I had to work with were "I am starting to think I will never be old enough to know better" and so many times they really do apply to me.  But then I tell myself that really I am "young at heart if old in body" and it is only the aches and pains that have come on in later years that have stopped me from doing some of the things I would love to do.

Take for instance the background to this page.  It began life inked up with Tumbled Glass Distress Ink, but because of the pain I have in my right thumb I was finding putting it on with a light touch was not going as planned and it looked very patchy.  So on with a stencil and some more ink.  Well, that covered up the blotchiness but it didn't look at all right.  A coat of Pistachio paint was next, not keen on the colour although it looks good where the stencil pattern shows through a little.  Another coat of paint, this time Birch, ugh!  No that was not nice at all - back to the Pistachio.  At first it looked a bit like one of those lovely textured paint jobs that Valerie does so well but then it dried - flat!

By this time I was running out of time and so it had to do, now to the figures.  No, they won't do and the story has to be vintage so I can enter it into Wendy's challenge on Art Journal Journey.  Another think.  Yes, Bill Haley can be classed as Vintage.  If you look him up it says he was active from 1946 - 1980, surely that makes him vintage.  And so an alternative story was formed and the page was constructed.

I remember "Rock Around the Clock" coming to our local cinema and some teenagers were asked to leave the cinema for dancing in the aisles at the music.  Now I am not saying I was one of those teenagers or even a bystander but I do remember it clearly.  And so does Ethel ...

"Ethel was a terrific grandma to young Gemma, or so Gemma thought.  Always lots of fun when her gran was around, and the stories she used to tell were wonderful.  Gran had been telling Gemma about the time Bill Haley and the Comets were all the rage.  In fact he was known for being one of the pioneers of rock and roll music, and credited by many with first popularising this kind of music in the early 50's with his band, The Comets.

Gemma had loved listening to gran and her stories and listening to the music that gran played on her old record player.  Gran had been trying to teach her to jive to some of the music and Rock Around the Clock was a big favourite of the two of them.

Gemma's mum had gone to her local craft group, held in the Community Centre and she came back eager to tell her daughter about a tribute band that was coming to their town and playing at the centre in two week's time.  Gemma could not wait to let her gran know.  Little did she know that her mum had secured two tickets, one for Gemma and one for Gran.  At last she was going to hear the real sounds of Bill Hayley and The Comets.

She rushed around to Grans as soon as she could and the two of them began planning what they were going to wear and to brush up on their dancing skills.  Poor gran said "I am starting to think I will never be old enough to know better" as she felt the aches and pains coming on from her old bones dancing about in a frenzy. "

So there you are, I've done my best to use the quote which Wendy chose and also include her other challenge, Vintage, into the story.  Figures were Dylusion ones as usual and the posters were from the internet.  I added some words from Rock Around the Clock to the poster on the right to create a border.

Jeudi Journal - Receipt

This week we have a blue page, it again has an Aall & Create stencil on it - the first time I used this one I fell in love with it.  Again I tried a different font from my cake icing book.  You can be forgiven if you think it is the one I have been using for several weeks but if you look closely you will see there is a difference.  I chose this one as there are rather a lot of words to be used in the quote and it lends itself to being written small..

Oh dear, it looks as if we don't have happy faces on the page this week.  

"Angelica, opened her door to the sound of the door bell and found Esme standing there ringing her hands as if in despair.  What a sorry sight she looked, her hair was in rollers, and, despite the warm balmy day, she had a huge coat on.

"What's the matter?" asked Angelica, faking a concerned look on her face.  "Is there something wrong Esme?" she asked.

"Everything has gone wrong" replied Esme, as she started to reel off a number of things that had gone wrong.  "I wondered if you could help me" she continued.

Well, Angelica had had enough of the stories she had put up with over the past two years from Esme, she had found out on a number of occasions that it was all a case of attention seeking on Esme's part.  Lots of their friends were taken in by it and all felt so sorry for Esme but Angelica knew that this was a ruse for 'tea and sympathy' and she had had enough.  She'd thought about it a great deal over the past week or so and decided that come hell or high water she was going to let Esme know that she was no longer prepared to accept all this acting.

"Nope, I checked my receipt," she said, "I didn't order any of your bull" and with that she closed the door.  Enough's enough she said to herself as she walked into the kitchen and put the kettle on."

As mentioned at the beginning I am using a different type of lettering so that I can enter this into Art Journal Journey where the theme is "Type".  See you there!

Jeudi Journal - The World

At first when I saw this quote I was being asked to use for my Jeudi Journal with Wendy I thought of that film where James Cagney died on a gas storage tank saying "Made it Ma.  Top of the world!"  Obviously I was not going to do anything like that as the quote I was to use was "One day I will rule the world, until then I'm going to bed" but do you see why my mind went to this film?

My page began life covered with Pan Pastels in a yellow ochre kind of colour with a lilac stencil over the top.  Very faint colour, I must add, to depict worn wallpaper.  I made a window from a piece of navy card, put a brown frame around it and added a clip art (free) image of the world and some metallic stars. I then cut some curtains from lilac cardstock and added my girl.

"Donna had been to see her Great Gran.  She loved visiting the old lady and looking through her various boxes of treasure.  The old jewellery was a favourite of Donnas as she was allowed to try some of the pieces on and dance around with the paste stones glinting in the light.  Gran had been quite a looker in her day and had some of the most incredible earrings that jangled around Donna's neck as she danced and twirled.

They had enjoyed a lovely Victoria Sandwich that Donna's mum had brought along and Great Gran had bought some crumpets for them to toast.  All this was whilst they listened to Harry Secombe singing "If I Ruled the World", one of Great Grans favourites.

"If I ruled the world, Every day would be the first day of Spring, Every heart would have a new song to sing, And we'd sing the joy every morning would bring".  The words were echoed in a voice that had once been true but now had a slight tremble to it and Donna was filled with love for the old lady.

Donna often joined in, now almost knowing the words to the whole song having listened to it so many times, singing along "My world would be a beautiful place, Where we would weave such wonderful dreams, My world would wear a smile on its face, Like the man in the moon has when the moon beams".

Turning to her Great Gran she said that one day, she would make sure the world was a lovely place to live in, where everyone was happy and loved everyone else, where there was no hatred or pain.  One day, when she was Queen.....

That night, when Donna went to bed, she stared out and imagined she saw the world outside her window, humming the song in her head.  "One day I will rule the world, until then I'm going to bed" she said, as she closed her curtains."

Because I wanted this to fit in with Art Journal Journey's theme of "Type" I decided I would try a different kind/type of lettering and so this rather dominates the page today.  I have often thought I would like to try my hand at calligraphy but I just don't have the patience these days to spend hours practising the strokes so I tend to use my cake icing book and bluff my way through some of the fonts there.  I think all my Jeudi Journals will feature a different type of lettering (or font) this month.  Next week, in my Jeudi Journal, you will notice a real difference.

Jeudi Journal - Problem

 "It was a lovely summer day and Samantha was out in the garden.  Samantha had been going to Slimming World and had shed quite a few pounds as a result so she was feeling quite good about herself,  In fact she had had a few admiring glances from the local builders who were working quite close to the nursery where she worked.  I wouldn't say things had gone to her head but she had decided to buy herself a new swimsuit and a pair of shoes which almost were a perfect match.

She decided that sunbathing was the only activity for the afternoon but as she had finished reading her book she could only think of one thing - inviting her best friend Maxine around for the afternoon.  They could have a good chat and listen to some of the music that they both liked, her parents were out shopping, and they could have the music as loud as they wanted.  She could get all the 'goss' and a nice tan ready for the disco that evening.

Maxine said she would be around but it might be an hour or so before she got there as her mother wanted a couple of small jobs doing, so Samantha took herself upstairs and started experimenting with some new make up she had bought for that evening.  She could get Maxine's thoughts on whether it was suitable or not.  She rather liked the sequins that went underneath the eyes and the pendant looked particularly good when worn on her head.

Maxine arrived and took one look at Samantha. "What on earth are you wearing?" she asked.  "I thought you were, err, we were, spending the afternoon in the garden, listening to some music and having a chat about tonight".

"I just thought," began Samantha, "that I could wear these sequins and the pendant - like this tonight."  "I thought you would love them and maybe want some of the sequins for yourself."  "Whatever we do we must outshine Jo and her friends and they won't have got anything like this to wear."

She then went on and on about how she had always wanted to outdo Jo and her friend, Fran, and this was the perfect opportunity.  They had not seen one another for the whole of the summer recess and therefore the other girls did not know about the weight she had lost and she was feeling really good at the moment so with a tan and this new makeup she would easily outdo the others. Particularly where the boys were concerned.

Maxine sat and listened totally lost for words herself.  What on earth was the matter with Samantha - it was all this weight loss that had turned her head.

"I don't know what your problem is but I know it's not mine" she said, "I think it is time for me to go home if you are just going to go on and on like that.  To be honest if it is going to be a popularity contest tonight you can forget me joining you.  I cannot do with catty people and since that weight loss you have changed so."

And with that Maxine left and went home whilst Samantha sat there with a dumbstruck look on her face -  and a sequin coming off and slipping down to her chin."

I am entering this journal page into Alison's challenge over at Art Journal Journey.  It's almost the end of the month which means Alison's challenge is nearing its end but hopefully this scene will fall under the umbrella of Summer countryside for Alison

Background is Pan Pastels with a Janet Klein stencil used with PP's to give the appearance of flowers in the garden and a Dylusion stencil up the side.  Figures coloured with Promarkers.

Jeudi Journal - Patience?

This is a new Journal that I have just started and I covered the whole page with Fossilised Amber Distress Oxide and then used Twisted Citron over the top through my new stencil from AAll & Create.  It was a free gift that came with a stamp I had bought from the new release by Tracy Evans.  Saying that the stencil is by Olga and is called Enchanted Garden.  I don't often use stencils like this, preferring simple geometric shapes like circles, triangles, triangles, squares etc but I am sold on this one so can see more purchases coming on before long.  Thanks Abs and the team for my lovely freebie.

"I had my patience tested - turns out I'm negative" is the quote we are using today.  Something we all go through from time to time.  My story today features Saffron and her little sister Jennifer ...

"Saffron was feeling particularly good about herself and the day.  The sun was shining, the birds were singing, butterflies flitted about in abundance and all was well in her world.  In fact she felt so good that she offered to take her little sister, Jennifer, Jenni for short, out for the morning so that mum could get some jobs done around the home.  There was always so much washing to be done in their household that she thought it would be good for mum to be able to get it done in relative peace and quiet and get it out on the line to dry.  Nothing smelled nicer than sheets that had been hung out to dry.

Mum was thrilled and so the two girls set off to one of the local National Trust properties that had lovely gardens.  It meant Jenni could run about and, hopefully, tire herself out a bit so she would sleep that night.  Before they left mum had given Jenni strict instructions on how she had to behave for her big sister, Saffron, as well as reiterating the rules of the countryside.  

Well, as you can guess, things went wrong and it was not long before Jenni was running about and picking flowers.  She came running back with a small bunch, thrilled to bits and wanting Saffron to carry them home for mummy'.  Oh dear, you are not supposed to touch the flowers!  Saffron had to put her 'big sister' hat on and admonish Jenni for picking flowers.

"Mum told you not to pick flowers, she explained to you how they are there for everyone to enjoy" she said.  "I told you again when we got here. That's it!  We could both get into trouble if the gardeners saw you and what you have done.  We are going home now and I won't be bringing you anywhere like this again for a long time.  Not until you know right from wrong."

And with that the two girls set off back home where Saffron told her mum "I had my patience tested - turns out I'm negative."

Because I have got such a sunny background and there are flowers and butterflies on the page I am entering this into Alison's challenge over on Art Journal Journey where the theme is 'Summer Countryside'.  See you over there!

Jeudi Journal - Bossy

 For today's page we have the quote "I am not bossy, I just know what you should not be doing"  and today we are visiting the household once more where Mrs Cat is annoyed somewhat with her husband Mr Dog.  The one saving grace is that the children are all away at summer camp so have no idea that everywhere is filled with Mum shouting at Dad.

It was a silly argument that the two of them had this morning.  Dad had been up for promotion at work and he had been granted an interview.  Luckily with the children being away at summer camp the two of them had spent the past two evenings going through his interview techniques.  Mum had been a great help, having worked as secretary to the recruitment officer at work.  She had typed enough letters and helped screen applications to have some sense of what was required and what not.  They had the interview questions and answers down to a tee, or so they thought.

Come the morning of the interview Mum was outside doing her usual weeding in the garden when out walked Dad.  "What on earth are you wearing?" she asked, as she looked at him.  "Thought I had better get dressed up and make a good impression" was the reply.  Mum started laughing, and that was like a red rag to a bull, Dad dug his heels in demanding to know what was wrong with his outfit.

"Well, for a start off you don't turn up in a bow tie, and that waistcoat is totally unnecessary, and what is that orange spotty thing you have on top?"    "You've got spots, stripes and checks all in the one outfit and that is a complete 'no no' for an interview.  You look like you are going down to the local club for a game of snooker".

Dad looked chastened." And that is where we are going to leave it.  Did Dad go indoors and get changed, and did he get the promotion?  

I wonder.

Erika suggested I could still link this to AJJ where the theme is 'Summer Countryside' as chosen by the lovely  Alison of Words and Pictures.  So on her suggestion, because mum is dressed nice and summery and there are leaves growing up the side, the two of them must be "having words" in the garden.

So I am linking this up to Art Journal Journey once more.  Thanks Erika.

Jeudi Journal - Don't Come Back!

Well, this week we have the quote "You go girl - and don't come back!"  Not very nice when someone says this to you is it?  But nevertheless this is the quote from Dyan this week that I had to work with.  Not easy with the images I had to play with but here is my best attempt at illustrating this quote.  I am getting towards the end of this journal - only five more pages and it is completed and will be put away with the others, so it is getting increasingly difficult to scan the pages hence the dark line at the top.

"Cheryl and Shirley had been best friends since school, they told one another everything and always kept secrets for one another.  Everyone said they were very close, almost like sisters, twins in fact.  So that made it all the ore terrible when they had the big falling out.  

Cheryl had found out that Shirley was getting married, she knew it was on the cards because Shirley and her boyfriend, Zac, were the 'real deal' - totally inseparable most of the time.  It hadn't impaired the friendship of the two girls because Cheryl got along so well with Zac.  In fact the three of them often went out together when Cheryl didn't have a boyfriend of her own.   What hurt was that she had found out from another friend, Shirley had not had the decency to tell her best friend first of all.

She had always imagined that Shirley would ask her to be her main bridesmaid, to be honest Shirley's mother had always thought so too.  When they were younger they had talked about their weddings and what colour the bridesmaids would be dressed in.  They'd taken it in turns to wear the old net curtains they got from Cheryl's gran to wear as a veil, and they'd made daisy chains to wear on their heads and bouquets of buttercups to carry.

So, they had met at Cheryl's house to go shopping, as usual on a Saturday when neither were working and Zac was at football.  Then who should come walking past just as they were about to leave, but  Zoe, a friend from work who stopped and congratulated Shirley on her upcoming wedding.  Shirley was a bit embarrassed and poor Cheryl did not know where to look and she found herself feeling quite sick for a moment or two.  The three girls carried on chatting for a while, Cheryl hardly joining in as her head was full of questions for her friend.  And so, when Zoe left them Shirley said "I'm sorry, I was going to tell you".  

"When?" asked Cheryl, "When the invitations went out?"  The two girls stood there and many a harsh word was spoken until Shirley decided that she had better go home.  "You go girl - and don't come back" was Cheryl's reply.  It would be quite some time before she forgave her, thought Cheryl." 

No similarities to anything in my life here this week.  In fact I don't know where my stories come from, I just make a start and they evolve.  No previous thoughts involved and certainly no preparation.  Now why don't you prepare to have an "extravaganza of beauty" and go and look at Art Journal Journey where the theme is "Butterflies" as set by the lovely Mia.  There are lots of pretty pages for you to look at - and who knows you might be inspired to join in.

Jeudi Journal - Disguise?

We have gone a bit lilac today for our post - once more using Shaded Lilac Distress Ink but this time with a border in a slightly darker shade (Wilted Violet) all the way around.  I am entering this into Art Journal Journey where the topic is Butterflies, as set by the lovely Mia (Crafterista) for the month of June.

I haven't been on the ball during lockdown and now that things are changing, in most parts of the country, although we still should be wearing masks and social distancing, I find a quote that fits the bill of a figure wearing a face mask.  "Well, here I am disguised as a responsible adult" is the quote for today which finds our figure stating that she is in disguise - arms stretched out as she makes the statement.  Not sure what the little chick thinks at the bottom by her feet.

"It was a lovely day, nice and warm, butterflies buzzing around in the sky, Stella and her friends had been laughing at some of the things they used to get up to as children.  Annoying the neighbours by playing 'knock and run', chalking a hop scotch diagram on the patio that dad had just jet washed and tearing holes in their jeans from climbing walls and things.  

She remembered the time David had said that the van parked in his father's yard was for him to play in.  David had bumped his head which resulted in a nose bleed, hastily mopped up with the coat that was lying on the back seat.  It was only when two guys came walking into the yard that David had come clean - it was their van and therefore must have been the guy's coat.

In their hurry to get away, Stella had got stuck on the top of the yard railings and David had yanked her down - but her best skirt had got ripped as a result and so the two of them had hidden out for what seemed ages before they dared go home.

It was incidents like this that they had been swapping, sensibly distanced whilst they talked of course, when Stella suddenly saw the funny side of them all wearing masks.  So she said "We could do it all over again."  The others looked at her as if she had gone mad, until she said  "Well, here I am sensibly disguised as an adult".  They all laughed, but agreed, the masks were a good disguise.

(This is almost a true story, but it wasn't just blood on a coat that we did damage to - plus it was true about the skirt - it was my new tartan kilt and mum made me wear it afterwards - with a patch on.  Gosh that was a long time ago.)