A Little Furry Rabbit for Art Journal Journey

It has been a week since we saw photographs of our Queen, Elizabeth II, appointing our new Prime Minister.  Little did we know when we saw Her Majesty's smile that two days later we would be hearing that she had passed and we would be welcoming a new Sovereign, King Charles III.  It has been a very sad time and her passing has touched the lives of so many as has been shown on television each day.

I was surprised at how touched I became and have had many a tearful moment as I watched things unfurl on our TV.  I marvelled at how her children, grown up they may be, held themselves when inside they must be hurting at the loss of their Mother.  And how wonderful was the new King as he got out of his car and walked over to the waiting crowds to shake hands with some of them.  Of course I enjoyed seeing William and Kate on their walk about, what a wonderful Princess she has made, such a beautiful looking couple. 

On Sunday last I went to a Craft Show in Harrogate, West Yorkshire and there I saw one of my favourite guys, Abs from Aall & Create.   I hadn't seen him since before the pandemic so it was lovely to go and meet up.  Luckily for me the show wasn't busy first thing in the morning so I got to spend lots of time talking to him and enjoying his company so much.  (And had a long chat with Debbie too who I have not seen for ages). So today I must feature stamps from Aall & Create including the light bulbs (387 Steampunk Alchemist) which he uses quite often in his own work (and which I so admire).  Abs,  I have done my best with the light bulbs, honestly.

As I am linking to my theme at Art Journal Journey I had to feature 'fur' and what could be furrier than a lovely rabbit?  I love this image by Bipasha. (529 In The Wild).  The flowers are from 'Lotus Cluster' (stamp 441).

I began by sticking some bits of text on the page, you need to look closely, and then I went over with a turquoise acrylic paint and stencilled one or two ferns in a deeper blue before adding my favourite tiny crackle stamp in Versafine Nocturne.

I hope you like this page and look forward to seeing something you do at Art Journal Journey.

WOYWW 693

Almost forgot to post.  Have been glued to the television watching all the happenings in London.  So sad to see the Queen coming home to the Palace.  It's been a teary time since last Thursday when the news arrived of the passing of Her Majesty.  Almost unbelievable that we saw her with her new PM on Tuesday and then heard of her passing two days later.  I feel so for her family having to put on such a brave face when all they probably want to be doing is hide away and let their grief pour out.  What an example of courage they all are.

Anyway, I am going to have to be quick with this post for WOYWW,  I need to get to bed as I am up and out early in the morning (chiropractor - needed so much). Unfortunately my desk does not contain much activity as far as "making" is concerned.  I have spent the last two days, and more, re-cataloguing my Lavinia stamps.  Not all Lavinia but some that are similar and can be used alongside them.  I have not been concentrating that well and discovered some have been done twice, maybe what has been going on has had something to do with it.  Anyway, here is my desk - or at least the little table I have taken to working on.

At the back are the stamped sheets inside the laminating sleeves waiting to go through the machine.  In front of them are the actual stamps piled up on their acetate sheets.  That is my Versafine Claire Nocturne pad and the dirty thing in front is my babywipe - yes I get as much out of one as I can.  The red bit is my foam mat I use to stamp on.

On Sunday we had a day out in Harrogate.  Haven't been there in ages and certainly not since before the pandemic.  It was lovely to go and visit the town but to begin with I went to the Craft Show for two hours on my own solely to meet up with a couple of friends I have not seen in ages.

First stop was AAll & Create where I could not wait to see my friend Abs.  He is a lovely guy and it was as if we had only met the day before.  I was lucky in that it was early morning and the crowds had not descended so I got at least an hour to chat with him and look what he made for me (below).  He was demonstrating Oxide Blending and his stamps, of course, on circles of card he had pre-cut.  Just for me he used the only big circle he had so this is my special - but it is what he wrote on the back that means most to me.

The next stand just happened to be Stampers Grove and the lovelyn Jo Rice was demonstrating.  It was lovely to see her as she had been to our club the month before doing a class for us.  I had a good old chin wag with her too, and found out that Lisa, who works on the stand with her remembered me from way way back when I did a workshop one Sunday for Happy Stampers.  She said she still has the little book I made with them.  That was in my early days of workshops so I hope I was ok at that time.

Then it was time to see Amanda from Honey Doo Crafts.  I was hoping to see her mum, Kay, as well but she had not travelled up to the show this time.  However I will see her soon at another show they are going to be at.  We had a good old catch up and put the world to rights between us until my cell phone buzzed.

All too soon it was time to go and meet up with my other half and spend the rest of the day with him in and around Harrogate.  The sun was shining, it was a lovely day and we stopped for lunch and then had a trip to Betty's Tea Rooms before setting off home.  I just hope we managed to walk off those calories before they settled too comfortably on my hips.  For some reason they never stay with him!  Not fair.

BTW I have another post scheduled for 7am - it was created a few weeks ago but for reasons was posted today.  I'm not going mad posting twice on one day - there are reasons.

Art Journal Journey - Erté

Erté, or Romain de Tirtoff was a Russian born French artist and designer known by the pseudonym Erté from the French pronunciation of his initials.  He was most famous for his fashion designs and was often called the "Father of Art Deco".  He was also a costume and set designer, and some of the most notable silent films he worked on included "Paris", "Ben Hur" and "Dance Madness". (Wikipedia)

When he was 15 he went to Paris for a year and whilst there he designed "Demoiselle à la balancelle" an Art Nouveau piece which he did not include in his biography as he thought it uninteresting.  I beg to differ as I love the piece and am sure many people do.

His decision to move to Paris, in 1910, was made despite objections from his father who wanted him to continue the family tradition and become a naval officer.  He assumed his pseudonym to avoid disgracing the family.

In 1915 he secured a contract with 'Harper's Bazaar' magazine and launched his career designing costumes and stage sets.  Between then and 1937 he had designed over 200 covers for 'Harper"s Bazaar' as well as other magazines.  He is, though, perhaps most famous for his fashion designs which captured the 'Art Deco period in which he worked.  On Broadway the celebrated French chanteuse, Iréne Bordoni wore his designs.

This is one of my much loved Erté stamps which depicts "Fur" in two ways, firstly there is the dog,  and then the lady is sporting a rather elegant fur collar on her outfit.

Crushed Olive and Scattered Straw Oxides were used for the main background, again with several of my small background stamps.  the teal background page has a Lavinia stencil in Vintage Photo across the base and up the left side.

I  hope you like the elegant figure of Erté and it gives you an idea for a journal page of your own for Art Journal Journey.  Hope to see you there with Fur and/or Feathers.

It's a Bird at last

I am sure you were beginning to think I was never going to post a page showing a bird and with a theme like 'feathers' it seems an obvious choice.  So here is one of my bird pages using Aall & Create stamps by Tracy Evans and a design similar to one that Tracy has used as a card.

My journal pages are off white, almost cream and the background for this was done using Broken Circle, a stencil by my lovely friend Abs, with Vintage Photo Distress Oxide brushed through.  Love his stencils.

I then stamped some circles from Foliage, in Nocturne down the left hand side of the page, followed by some of my favourite numbers (Splattered Numbers),  as first and second generation in Gathered Twigs DO.  

Finally I stamped in Versafine Clair Acorn the bird from Birdsong and some flowers, from Flower Moments, which I coloured accordingly and fussy cut out.  Words also by, you guessed it,  Tracy.  

So this is my next sample page for Art Journal Journey where I am guest host and have chosen 'Fur and/or Feathers" as the theme.  I look forward to seeing something you do, it is lovely to see your work.  Remember to check the rules.

Jeudi Journal - Drink!

This is the last quote from the list supplied by Wendy and next week we start on a new set taken from Tim Holtz' Snarky Comments.   Today we have the quote "I used to drink but that was hours ago".  

"Betty and Bettina were two sisters.  Why on earth their mother had decided on two names so similar the girls never understood.  Bettina often found her friends shortening her name to 'Betti' but then it sounded just like her younger sisters name and if they were together with their friends it could become a bit confusing.  

They both liked to go for walks with their dogs and meet up.  You see, Bettina had moved into a flat with her boyfriend so the girls did not see as much of one another as they used to.  Betty had been going out a lot with her friends, to cinemas and discos - mainly discos, and it was there she had met this young guy, Marcus.  Bettina was eager to hear all about him and hoped that she might get to meet him soon.  In fact she had asked her boyfriend if he would mind if they held a little dinner for her sister and the 'new guy'.

"I was wondering, well, we were wondering, if you and Marcus would like to come around one evening for a curry or something.  You know how much I want to meet this new guy of yours." said Bettina.

"Sorry" replied Betty, "but it just isn't going to happen.  I've given him the big heave ho."

"No," said Bettina, "You've only been seeing him a few weeks, what on earth went wrong, and why didn't you tell me?"

"Well," said Betty.  "It happened a couple of times.  The first time was the week before last and then twice this last week I smelled alcohol, rather strongly, on his breath.  No girl wants to kiss a man who smells of alcohol like that and so I was a bit put off the first time.  When it happened again I hesitated from saying anything but the third time I also noticed he was a bit off balance.  He kept talking a lot and I noticed a slight wobble in his voice."

"No" said Bettina.  "What happened then?  Was he drunk?"

"No, nothing like that, he wasn't falling about or anything but I asked him outright 'have you been drinking, are you what my dad would call a 'boozer'?  And guess what he said?  He turned and said "I used to drink but that was hours ago.  Well that was it.  I didn't want any more to do with him.  I don't mind a drink or two myself but he obviously drinks a lot and to think he had been having a pint or whatever just before he came out with me.  Ooo, I was so cross."

"What happened next?" enquired Bettina.

"Oh, I just left him standing there and went and caught up to my friends and we all went to the disco.  We are planning on going to a music festival next weekend, taking tents and all that kind of thing.  I might meet a nice guy there, who knows."

The theme at Art Journal Journey this month is 'Fur and/or Feathers' and this page and story has a couple of dogs on it so I am entering this into AJJ today.  I made a background with Distress Inks: Squeezed Lemonade, Scattered Straw and Dried Marigold.  Then I attached my figures and drew a wiggly line around the edge to create a border.  Hope to see you over at AJJ later with your journal page.

WOYWW 692

Don't know what your weather has been like but it has been a little mixed up north with some lovely warm sunny days followed by wet ones and then sunshine again.  It's a bit hit and miss at deciding what to wear so I am getting as much wear as I can from my summer wardrobe at the moment before it gets packed away again  There's a definite autumnal feel about the early mornings though.  Thankfully the leaves are not dropping around us but it won't be long now before they are.

My desk, again, is a packed up one and went from this

To this in no time at all when I wanted to serve dinner.

I've been playing with my Lavinia stamps.  Being new to them I need lot of playtime in order to get some kind of pictures like those who use them regularly can do.  I think it is going to take a while.  I did, however make this little Thinchie book with Jo  Rice recently.

The two images not stuck down are for the front and back.  The one on the left was using Brusho's and the one on the right was watercolouring.  Both were still drying out when I took the photo.

On Monday we had a little trip out.  Unfortunately my Rollator got damaged because someone who shall be nameless took it down some steps for me, came back to help me down (the handrail was very rickety) but did not put the brake on my Rollator.  Suddenly it started moving towards the edge of the prom and fell down about 8' onto a stony beach (stones not pebbles).  It still works but no longer will it fold down nicely to fit in the car.  When we got back he checked to see how much it would cost to replace - £497 - OUCH!  I think I will try to get it fixed.

Anyway, we visited the little church on the headland, so beautiful and with a lovely man looking after it and then walked back through the village to the car.  On the way back I saw these little pigs (they are sitting on the wall)

and this huge plaque in the heart of the village

This is a beachside cafe - unfortunately it was not open but Alice fans might like to see it exists

and one of the many carefully tended gardens by the roadside which had this birdbox and plaques

I now wish I had taken some photos of the beautiful cottage gardens.  As it was such a lovely day most of them had their doors open and to do so would have felt like I was intruding so I didn't but they were so picturesque I guess they are used to being photographed.  Maybe next time ... with a new Rollator (only kidding).

So has anyone any idea of where I was?  The large plaque is entitled "The Spirit of XXX" so someone might know.

Will leave it there for this week and I just hope I can link to Julia and WOYWW as the internet is not good where I am.  I have been having to comment on Art Journal Journey where I am guest host for the month each day and so I have been up at 6 in a morning in order to get a signal.  Maybe I will be lucky this morning and able to link in to you all.  Should I not get to visit you for a day or so don't worry, I will be there as I should be home shortly.

Toodle Pip!

For those who knew Jo (Pritchard) her youngest daughter Claire, has been in touch and we have renewed our friendship and I think we'll be keeping in touch in the future again.  Jo was cremated on Monday. RIP 

Art Journal Journey - Foxy

 

Definitely fur today.  A fox who has the accompanying words "Walk on the Wild Side".  This is an image from Aall & Create drawn by the lovely Bipasha.  If you look carefully you will see that the fox has a pair of spectacles on but for some reason I cannot get a very good image.

To begin with I put some torn pieces of paper on the page and then gave it a wash of blue and white paint, resulting in a mottled effect with the blue going lighter in the main and some areas of white showing.  Again I used my small background stamps randomly over the page, some stamped as second generation to give a lighter effect giving the appearance of  depth to the page.  

The flowers were coloured with Inktense pencils used as watercolour.

Again I hope this page provides some inspiration for you to work with and look forward to seeing you at Art Journal Journey soon.