Jeudi Journal - A Landscape - THIS TIME

Well, everything that could thwart me thwarted me!  First of all my doctor's appointment got cancelled and I had to see someone else at 10.45 am not 3 pm as originally planned.  Then just as I was about to set off I noticed a message on my cell phone from Andy asking if he could sleep over again - four hours after the original message. Nothing I could do - if he was asleep I would waken him - oh heck! Felt like a failure mum!

Next thing I needed some cash out of the machine -  I cannot find my credit/debit cards anywhere. Massive look around - I obviously hid them well this time!

Off to docs, home to look for cards (journal had gone out of head by this time), then a phone call from Andy - could he come up?  Oops, the bed had been stripped and the bedding was on the line - it was dry so no hunting for another set.  Still no cards!!

So at long last I have done my journal page for "Landscape" and it is just what was in my head to do last week, just that I have done it late. Sorry ...

Here it is ...

A quickly brayered background in greens and blues, a bit of stencilling, some stamping and then some Dylusion figures.  The idea is that Miss Purrdy is painting a landscape (Stampscapes to us) with her stack of canvasses on the floor to the left and a portrait of her model/muse top left.  She much prefers portraits (especially Dyan ones) to landscapes.

Have already visited Wendy - and love her double spread.

Jeudi Journal - Landscape

You can be forgiven for not believing your eyes, or my title, and yes, you are right - this is not a landscape.  Remember last week I did not have time to do my 'fashion' page, well this week I threw in a little extra and did this.  The stripy bits down the side are cut pages so it will grow as time goes on. There is actually something beneath the flap to the left of the lady in red.  I almost called her "Audrey" as her outfit reminded me of Audrey Hepburn.  Something will appear on the inside of the flaps as time goes on, or as I get time to do something.

In the meantime I have had to think of what to do for Landscape. Obviously we refer to paper as "portrait" or "landscape" and I guess if we have the long side running across the top it is correct for a landscape but I really did not want to use my page in this way.

It might be a tad late but it will appear - honestly!

WOYWW 414

Morning - and what a lovely morning it is - much better than last Wednesday when I was full of doom and gloom.  Procedure over, another in 14 weeks though (UGH) but let's put that to bed for now.

Had to show you this first of all.  It was packed away in a box and is the first (one and only actually) Friendly Plastic Mask I made.  This was under the guidance of Liz Welch at a workshop in Oswaldtwistle (Topaz as was - Dawn Bibby's original shop) and little did I know then that Liz would become one of my greatest friends.  I am going to have a go at making another before my FP turns to 'snappers'.  You should see some of the masks Liz has made - she is one uber talented lady and the best thing is, she is pure sunshine inside and out.

Went to Port Sunlight on Saturday and met up with Shaz who introduced me to Sarah.  Unfortunately I missed Cara but here we are at lunchtime.

Sarah (purple top), me (grey top) and Shaz (black top)

If anyone wants a laugh join me on Friday with some more photos (I cried laughing when I saw them) of me trying to get a photo of Paddy's Tutors.  That is Paddy to my right with the long hair, Lynne is next to her and Sarah and Helen are counting money with Chris (Pearshaped Crafting) who was the photographer for Fridays photos.  Not a clue what she did but the photos are so funny.

The craft room is progressively getting emptied and all the other rooms are progressively getting messed up.  Sunday evening saw the alarm having a bit of a silly do and making funny noises when we activated it.  Then Monday it was fine.  Not wanting to chance things I rang the alarm company and arranged for them to call either late Monday or Tuesday.

A trip to the anti-coag clinic - two telephone calls on each mobile - the alarm was going off.  Luckily we were on our way out of the clinic when the phone rang so we hastily made our way home and decided to stay there rather than go anywhere.  What has this to do with crafting?  Well, nothing really but it sent me into a frantic plea for the house to have a "bit of a clean" before the alarm people came - not easy when boxes are piled everywhere.  

Like this

  

Behind main door

(towels on the floor to protect it)

His Study
(his desk emptied for me to work on)

Utility Room

Back Porch

Still Back Porch - to side

Got lots to empty yet from the craftroom - woe is me - where will it all go?  The only thing I did not take a photo of is what is remaining to be moved and the spare room window sill (where we will end up sleeping).

Doing this Tuesday evening as I have just had a phone call from one son who is on nights this week. His neighbours are having some work done and he cannot sleep during the day at home so he wants to come here tomorrow for a day of sleep.  Just had to make room for him in the spare and make the bed up.  What are mum's for?

Off to bed now, up early in the morning for one 6'5" son - and WOYWW of course.  See you at Julia's in the morning.

219 - A Smile with Annie

Lots to smile about today - procedure over and done with - end of!!  

Whilst waiting to go to Theatre I did a bit of doodling on my newly started Mini Journal so, armed with a white pen and a black pen, the latter of which did not work, I did the doodling. I had gone to a Mini Journalling class with Kate Crane at weekend and although we did not do the work in our journals we did the technique of covering a page and cutting it up into smaller pieces and then doing something on them.

Well, I put my knowledge (ahem!) to work and began painting, brayering and stencilling on some of my pages on Wednesday to while away the time.  

Last night, because I did not want to sit much I did a little bit of stamping on some of the pages with my tiny background stamps used for just that purpose.  This morning I stuck some of my already coloured images (another Wednesday night thing) on to a couple of the pages and came up with some writing for them.

Here they are although the colours are much stronger in real life. Hope they make you smile:

a Stampotique Image - with and without the bunches

The one on the left is a Tracy Scott image for Stampotique and he really is called George.  I am not referring to my dear friend, twin George.

Now is the time to pop along to see Annie and have a smile at her lovely flower pictures - a riot of colour in her lovely garden.  Drop in on the others too - I have that treat yet to come.

Jeudi Journal - Fashion

Yesterday came around too quickly and I was not prepared for my journal at all.  I had such high hopes of a decent journal page but then there was not the time.

Luckily I had this page almost finished so with a bit of white pen, a few words and an apology, here is my Fashion page.  You see yesterday (or today as I write) I have had to get myself ready for a visit to the hospital for a procedure which I am not at all looking forward to.  Suffice to say I have been on a low residue diet for a week - alien to all that I eat normally - I long for a nice crisp salad - in fact as I am writing this I long for anything.  Nothing to eat since 9 am this morning (Wednesday) until a slice of toast, when it is all over, tomorrow lunchtime.

In next to no time I have to begin drinking this absolutely awful stuff in order to have my procedure, tomorrow, Thursday.  My evening will be taken care of ...

So here it is - my Fashion page with apologies to Phillip Treacy and all the other milliners around

WOYWW 413

You don't want to see my craft room?  No, you don't, not really.  It is almost empty now.  But where am I going to put the remaining things?

Got a procedure on Thursday morning so decided to have a rest Tuesday afternoon and all day, today, Wednesday so I won't be too 'cream crackered' and therefore liable to infection or something.  Had a few cards to make so set myself down with the Heartfelt Creations dies and stamps and made three cards.  One I cannot show you as it is a birthday card for Saturday and she does peek on here but the other two can be shown.

This is a "Thinking of You" card for a friend.

and a "Thank You" card for my Physio who moves to the District 

on the 8th

I was so tired when I was making these, enjoyed the colouring in with my lovely Watercolour Pens from my dear friend Mary in America but not so sure about the flower making.

OK so you came here to see a desk - well you did ask politely so here goes:

Still stuff hanging about but look at the floor area - clear!

My empty cupboard

Just has 'essentials in use' on shelves

Other cupboard still stuff to move - black drawers have now gone

That's it folks, too tired to bother with anything else - got to have my bacon and egg breakfast - last meal for over 24 hours!  Tsk!  Go and see Julia and visit some others with nice things on desks. Please.

Jeudi Journal - a Portrait

Not too happy with today's efforts.  I have got into the habit of leaving things until the last minute and this was no exception.  I knew I probably could not do the subject (a Portrait) in my Thursday journal which is mainly Dylusion stuff, so I had made my mind up, and discussed with Wendy, about doing a portrait in one of our other journals.  Mine is my Tracy Scott Journal.

Well, last night I sat down and happily tore away at two pieces of decorative paper and stuck them down as a background, leaving an oval space for my face to go.  Then I gave it a wash of various colours, watered down fluorescent pinks, greens and oranges.  Wish I had left it and had the white torn edges showing - ah well.

Then I did a bit (read "lot") more tidying in my craft room before beginning on the face.  Well, that was it!  Yes, I could draw the face - and even experimented with the eyes giving them more of a Jane Davenport look, or so I thought.  But how on earth did I paint my faces?  Where were the paints?  To cut a long story short I made do with what I could find and after lots of Titan Buff, White and Yellow Ochre I managed to get something resembling a face. Now I just need to tidy up and put one or two bits of paint in her turban.

That's made me think - when my craft room has gone and I cannot find anything maybe I should try just painting faces - but first find my paints!