Foliage - Journal

Another scheduled post because I knew I would not have time to do one in a day after such a long journey from America.  My choice this time and two colours - namely Chocolate Brown and Ochre, the latter of which is not a Dylusion colour so I used my Amsterdam paints.  

I began with a border of leaves on two pages (oops Wendy, sorry again) in Chocolate Brown and I introduced a third colour White, on top.  Then I stamped some foliage from "Oodles of Foliage" and did three of them as cut outs to create a bit of dimension.  Would have done more but they were so fiddly to cut out and I didn't have the time before I went away.

I used my Promarkers to add some colour to the stamped foliage across the bottom of the page but found they did not work very well over the paint which, rather than give a finish with 'tooth' it was more of a glossy finish.

I then used one of the large figures for a bit more impact on the left hand page and gave her a big head which didn't have hair so that it fit on my square journal.  Mmmm ... disadvantage of working in a smaller journal.  But then I gave her some glasses and I felt that made up for the lack of hair.  Love those eyes.

A smaller figure on the right and the addition of some words (note how 'belief' is mis-spelt above) completed the journal page(s).

I haven't hardly used this "head' before

and the two pages together make the words have sense to them and complete the layout.

Apologies for the shine on the right hand side and also for the curly side to the page.  Late afternoon photography on the bedcover.  Since scheduling this page I have added some glitter, yes me adding glitter (I am not a glitter person at all) to the small girl's eyes and also to the eyebrows on my South American page.  Whatever is happening to me, am I a convert to glitter?  Martine, hit me!!

WOYWW 453

Came home last night and what a shock - weather alert!!!  Left LA basking in 86 degrees arrived home with it mighty cold at 34 degrees.  Cannot get warm and am full of a cold.

Long journey with a layover in London of two and three quarter hours.  We had left my friend, Mary at 11.25 am Monday to catch the 12 noon Fly Away to LAX for our flight at 4.50 pm and we arrived home at about 4 pm the next day, Tuesday.  You work that out, my brain is frazzled and I have a stonking cold in my nose, sore throat and upset tummy.  Imagine all that travel feeling like that.

As a result my WOYWW for Julia and all the lovely deskers is very short and sweet.  I will probably have jet lag so not a clue when I will be linking up.  Could be on time, could be late.  All I know is that things are dumped on my desk, clothes (all washed and tumble dried - thanks Mary) are dumped in the far room, I've been dozing and I am wide awake again.

However, it is so cold in the house despite heating belting out in every room, that I don't know when I will begin to tidy my craft room - maybe when I have had a good - proper - sleep.

So for now working from the left - Sizzix cards made, coloured pens I took plus Dyary (didn't do it),  Kelly pens peeking out underneath for my friend Lorraine (she asked me to get some with a coupon which I had to download so Valetta let her have hers), Craft container with wheels I bought from Joannes and two 'flower thingies' for hair from Chinatown which I bought for pulling to bits and using somewhere - just because they are so pretty.

I'll show you more next week when I get sorted.  Byee..

Journal - Tear Drops

Vibrant Turquoise and Fresh Lavender are the two colours chosen by me today - along with the subject "Tear Drops".  As you can see the Fresh Lavender when mixed in with the Vibrant Turquoise hardly shows but I can assure you it was there.

Once again I have used the stencil I bought in Amsterdam but this time I have used more of it and you can see the diamond shapes from the centre of it with the little blotches now and again..

I also used one of my favourite 'heads' from the Dylusion range and popped her on a body that doesn't really belong to her - she had to have her shoulders cut off for this layout.

I know we don't count black as a colour really but in this case I am calling it my third colour for the background.  OK!

Had a mad panic as I thought I had made a real mess of the scheduling of posts.  I could only see one more scheduled post and that was for the next one. I knew there was supposed to be two.  Phew!  I had the photo in my folder.

WOYWW 452

Well, I hope I managed to comment on everyone's blog last week who commented on mine at least.  Did you all catch my CHA (now Creativation) posts?  Weren't the top hats something else!  Got to do one of those myself when I get home.

I cannot believe the weather here at the moment.  For the past couple of years it has been cold and wet in January here in Sunny California but this time - WOW!  Saturday was 86, Sunday was just a degree or so cooler and it has been up in the 80's ever since.  So nice sat out on Monday morning having breakfast at 8am.  Sorry if I am making you all jealous in the UK.  I will be back and suffering soon.

I went to Michaels in a district of Phoenix with Valetta and got my friend some "Kelly Creates" pens.  Then having seen Kelly at the show I decided I might need some myself.  Unfortunately I got 40% off my friend's but only managed to get 20% off mine.  Also got myself a book to give the lettering a try on the plane when I go home but had to have a go this morning.  So that constitutes my desk for today.

This is Kelly doing her lettering demo

and now, my desk today

new purchases - stamps were so cheap

Who knows, if I practise enough I might become almost as good as our Shaz in Oz at calligraphy, but I will need lots of practise.

Guess I could finish off with some more pictures from Creativation:

This doesn't need any introduction

Graphic 45 always do beautiful displays

Another canvas by Antonis

for my fabric friends - counted cross stitch

and for Deena fans

That's it folks, will finish off my Creativation pictures another day - off to check out Julia and see what she has been up to - then to link up with my friends.  See you later.

A Bit More Creativation - Ranger Challenge

As promised the other day I will continue with my Creativation photos and show you the fabulous top hats featured by Ranger.  These are from members of their Design Team and I must have a go when I get home.

Aren't they wonderful?  It would be hard to choose a favourite wouldn't it?  Some fabulous work gone into these with everyone.  Congrats to the Design Team.  Sorry a couple of them are a bit dark.

Hope you enjoyed seeing them on here as much as I did at the show.

Journal - Dots

My choice - for this one I chose to do an unpainted background using Vintage Photo and Squeezed Marmalade.  Well, I had to have some Distress Inks in somewhere.  I was a little disappointed that the Vintage Photo did not show up more, it really was hard to get some colour on the page, despite reinking the pad.  Anyway, we kind of got there and I added some circles through a stencil designed by my friend Tracy Weinzapfel, which I love.  It is called "Bubbles" an easy to remember name if you have ever met Tracy.  For the stencil I introduced a third colour - Aged Mahogany.  A firm favourite of mine.  Luckily "Bubbles" has lots of "dots" as well.  A few more through an un-named stencil on two corners with Ground Espresso (so I cheated and used 4 colours!).

Then I got stuck!

Suddenly inspiration struck.  I have a friend called "Dot" and so I could have a character called "Dot" - now what to do with her and which one to use - it is not 'my' friend Dot so no look-alike needed.  In the end I put two figures on, the one on the right is Dot.  She is obviously taking her grey cat for a walk (telling you the colour as it looks white on here) but he certainly does not look pleased does he?

Wonder what Wendy has done???

WOYWW 451

Today you can see a different craft desk to the one you are used to.  Even different to the one you see all the time I am in America.  I am now in Arizona at the home of Ralph and Valetta - and Valetta has a gorgeous craftroom.  Both worked for Disney so I was in love with their new home (they moved from California to outside Phoenix) which has lots of memorabilia in it - but that is maybe for another post.

Here is Valetta's craftroom, right next to the guest bedroom where I was staying.  She so wanted me to do some crafting but it just never happened - but we did shop!

Look at the paint storage!

Ralph put this storage up for Valetta whilst we were at Creativation.  It is so nice for her to have it all to hand now.

Well, lots more to show you, stick around another day - I will show you some more Creativation pictures another day and some big wreath pictures from the most incredible ribbon shop near to Valetta's.

Pop along to see what Julia has in store for you today and then go and see what other crafters are up to.  Bet none have changed a desk for one in Phoenix this week.