Jeudi Journal - Include some keys

Sorry, rather than an overabundance as I am always doing this time you get ONE KEY.  Had a bit of an upset stomach so have been in bed all day with tummy ache and my legs are a bit swollen from being on them too much.  Sorry there is not more on here than there is.  It looks better on the page than it does here.

This young lady has just turned 21 and, if you are old enough to remember, that used to be the 'coming of age' and was associated with a key.  So you can just about see she has a key in her hand. Wonder if she has a door to open?

Again a pre-existing background but I noticed it had some blots on it which I rather liked.  Again a Dylusions figure, this time kneeling down and to give the appearance of her holding the key I stamped a second image, cut out just one leg and placed the diecut (Spellbinders) key behind it.  The image was coloured in with Promarkers for speed and ease.

Not sure if 21 does gain the key of the door any more, it could be eighteen now for all I know but in this case I am still using the lyrics from the song for inspiration.  Off to see what Wendy has done in a short while when I drag my body out of bed (having a lie in, well resting my poor aching legs and tummy).

WOYWW 399

It's Wednesday, time again to show our workdesks and join with Julia on the mission to catch up with crafters all over the world and see what they have been up to.  If you haven't joined in before follow the link above and see what it is all about.

First of all let me apologise to anyone who I did not visit last week. If you knew the problems I had. Firstly the internet was so slow that it kept timing out.  Then there was an issue with comments not going through and it timing out.  Some links (like Lindarts) took me elsewhere on the first attempt, got me there on the second, and then would not let me comment at all (which was going to be a copy of what I had said a time previously)  (I tried 7 times to comment on your blog, honest - So apologies, it was not for lack of trying if you did not get a comment.

Secondly, I wish LLJ and Gordon all the luck in the world with their move to Wales.  Am sure they will love it, imagine living by the sea and in a place with lovely memories.

Well, you came to see my desk but it has not changed much from the last time you saw it so here is a different view for you

Another box waiting to be painted, currently only got a coat of Gesso on it and a package to the right hand side which is a fabulous box that I won simply ages ago on Facebook which I fully intend to make my next project.  This is going to be painted a kind of lacquer red for a Chinese design.

In the meantime, have a nice day and follow the link above to join in with the fun, we have had some lovely new people join us recently so there are lots of newbies to visit as well as the old hands.  See you over at Julia's first of all but here is an email I received from a friend in America and I wondered if any of you would be interested:

"A buddy of mine has two tickets for the 2017 Super Bowl Game in Houston.  He has a luxury suite reserved at the stadium, plus airline tickets valid from any US airport, a hotel suite and tickets to attend two pre-game parties.

However, he somehow failed to realise that the game is scheduled for the same day as his wedding. So he can't go.

If you are interested, and if you'd like to go, instead of him, it's at St Peter's Church, in New York City, at 5 pm.  Her name is Louise.  She's 5'4", about 125 lbs a good cook and makes $180,000 a year as a stockbroker.  She'll be the one in the white dress."

Jeudi Journal - Green is the Colour

This challenge appeared a little sooner than was first programmed because I thought the intended one should go elsewhere.  Cue, a bit of a rush.  More so for me as I had to think up six layouts to cover my trip abroad when I was going to stay with a friend.  Somehow the brain stops working and the enjoyment is not quite the same as you near number six (or five).

Anyhow here is my journal page for Green.  As you can see I coloured everything in shades of green. The figure was an experiment.  My friend, Mary, had bought me some Watercolour pens.  Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers" to be exact and they are gorgeous.  Jennifer McGuirehas some tutorials using the pens on You Tube so be sure to watch.  She does say that they work best, they are watercolour brushes/pens, on watercolour paper and so when I used them on my thin cardstock they did look a little blotchy but I don't mind that in my journal.

Here is my page

Just a bit green eh?

Trouble is I had the song about Mr Bluebird sitting on her shoulder going around and around in my head and when I did a search for it I found it was Zip-a-dee-doo-dah!  No room to write all of that so I am relying on all of those around my age to remember the song and sing along when viewing this page.

Wonder if Wendy knows it?  Over to her blog to see what she has done when I get time as I am on my first day at Creativation (ex cha) and not sure how much time I will have back at the hotel.  It is only a class day but I am super excited as I am with Andy and Tracy and another class tomorrow with just Andy.  The floor does not open until Saturday so I should get some 'own time'.  Fingers crossed!

WOYWW 398

First of all may I extend a warm welcome to Sarah, my newest follower.

This is my workdesk as it appears this morning.  Nothing much to see. As you can see there are still the brushes that were on it last week but I have packed the brushes I want for my workshop up in one roll and stuck all the others in this one - just to keep them tidy for the time being (far left).  The crackers are still there with some cards in front of them that I found in a box in another room and my business cards in front of them (having had glitter glue added to make them a bit blingy).  Two amazon boxes have at last had a coat of paint but need a lot more work on them as yet - next month I guess.

I did find a card for Robert, in America, as it will be his birthday whilst we are there.

Haven't had any time for making things these last few days as there was too much to do in other areas.  My half sister rang up from Australia last week and dropped a wonderful bombshell, she said she will be coming over in February for a quick visit.  We haven't seen one another for almost 40 years or thereabouts. Must ask her how old she was when she last came over, I am sure she will remember better than I do.

Needless to say I began the eternal spring clean of the bedroom down the other end of the bungalow in readiness for her stay.  Gosh, it is all happening all of a sudden.  Am so looking forward to seeing her.

Well, must dash as things to do, people to see etc.  Take a trip across to Julia and see what she has to say and then link up with some of the others on WOYWW.  Hope she is feeling much better as she was suffering with a cold or the flu last time I heard.  See you later!

Friday's Smiles 203

Once again (it only happens occasionally) I am joining the lovely Annie with her "Smiles".  Just had to do a post to show her that I had, indeed, knitted a jerkin for my little friend Spencer.

Now Spencer came to live with me years ago, courtesy of a friend in Milton Keynes, and as he was an M&S little bear he had to be christened Spencer.  Spencer has a small wardrobe which I have managed to collect along the way, some of you may have seen him wearing his sombrero which my American friend, Maria, bought for him in Olvera Street, LA a few years ago.

I decided this Christmas it was time he had something new so he got a hat knitted and his friend also had one.  Here they are modelling what they got

They both got a new hat for Christmas and then Spencer got a rather long gilet, to cover his bottom, and his girlfriend got a skirt.  She cannot wear a top as her arms are firmly clenched (stitched) so I cannot put her arms through anything.

She is the second girlfriend he has had as the first one was rather a bully.  She was always kicking him off the seat they were on and I kept finding the poor mite on the floor.  Now he seems much happier and they and their little pig toy (it is a light for the night) will now be ready to face this cold weather we are experiencing when they go out anywhere.

So "thank you Aunty Annie for the pattern for the gilet and hat" says Spencer, and now we will link up to her Smiles.  Hope this has made you smile too.

Jeudi Journal - Include a Flower or Two

No idea who came up with this but it kept me busy all over Christmas.  Yes, I was stamping flowers and cutting them out and colouring them with .... my Polychromos.  Ooh I did enjoy myself. And I could manage to occupy my mind when my back was bad by sitting bolt upright in bed, pressing my back against the pillow and headboard and tucking elbows into my sides then crayoning away.

Think you can see that by the number of flowers and leaves I have included on this spread.

These are all the flowers I coloured with the Polychromos that my BFF had bought me for Christmas. I love them and so enjoyed mixing colours by putting one layer on top of another.  Great shading can be achieved.  The flowers are all from Dyan's Dylusion range and although they look huge there is a bigger flower head on the sheet which I didn't use.

Floribunda is the name of this young maiden.  She is wearing a floral hat and has her name all around her as well as down the side of the page.  Just so you won't forget who she is.  One thing you can forget if you notice, and that is her gloves that are shaped like cat paws. Apparently she has a thing about cats, loves them and likes dressing up as one occasionally.  She also has a thing about flowers and asked for a 'bouquet' - imagine her surprise when she received the flowers to the left of the picture.  Do you think someone took her name too literally?

Off now to see what Wendy has done this week.

WOYWW 397

Are you a member of this wonderful group of friends who dare to show their desks each Wednesday? If the answer is "no" then I urge you to join in the fun and bare all on a Wednesday morning by popping over to the Queen of Deskers, Julia, and meeting, and making, friends all over the world.

Well, here is my desk.  I am getting ready for a workshop I am attending next week and need to sort out which brushes I am going to take with me.  In fact they have been laid out like that since yesterday tea time when I could not find the photograph to give me an idea of the sizes I might need, Then I got a lengthy phone call and before I knew it it was bed time.  My desk says it all.

That is it for this week - nothing to show as I have been busy trying to get ahead with my 'Jeudi Journals' for every Thursday when Wendy and I complete another page in our journal started such a long long time ago.

See you over at Julia's!