How does my garden grow?

Well today I took advantage of the sunny weather and planted some potatoes and tubers.  I've never grown potatoes before (so wish me luck) but how could I not buy these from Wilkinsons.

These packets were 75p each!!

The Ranunculus looked so pretty I had to have them

(hope they grow).

Took this photo earlier tonight 

 my vegetable area has begun.

The cardboard photos have been replaced with some copper labels now so it looks a little more organised.  I still need to do lots more but that will have to wait until another day.

Also wanted to show you this gorgeous bracelet my friend Kath made and sent to me this week.  Isn't it fabulous?  Thanks Kath x x

   

Well I hope this weather keeps up and you all have a lovely week ahead.

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art for a friend

Hi folks just wanted to show you this mixed media journal page I completed in my friend's journal.  I know Gez has received it so I can show you now.

I've used Caran d'Ache Crayons, black gel pen, waterbrush, white Posca marker, glitter, rubber stamp and clear embossing powder (bottom right hand side and on the red tips of the stalks)  this has given the areas a shiny and strokeable feel.

You can see it a little better in this photo.

I was quite pleased with the way this came out and in such a small journal too.  I do love the vivid blue with the purple.

Thanks for stopping by my blog and I hope all those in the UK have had a great Bank Holiday weekend.

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Mini journalling

A double page spread to show today in my mini journal made for me by Dawn x

I stamped She Leaped stamp and embossed her then set about colouring her in with my Copic Sketch Markers.  Lots of Distress Ink from a pad rubbed onto the pages with the foam rectangles (can't remember what these are called lol) and my rollergraph stamp in a paisley pattern rolled across the two pages for some depth.

I then found my embossing pen and glitter and had fun with both of these to create some shine and shimmer.  Think this is my new best thing to do tee hee so you might be seeing more of it on my journalling.  Thanks Tracy for the tip. x

Thank you for popping by.  Hope your weekend was a good one despite the rather cloudy weather.

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Third week of April

Here is my Project Life third week of April page.

I found some patterned card I won on Queenie's blog, wow years ago now and knew that if I used it on this project I would still get to keep it (tee hee is that being selfish? mmmmmm)

I would like to get more photos in my layouts in the next few weeks but our printer needs more ink so will have to buy some before I do next weeks.

Thanks for stopping by my blog and I hope the sun is shining down on you.

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Circles update

After watching Rach 0113 Mixed Media Journal Page - Dance in the Rain I was inspired to get my pens out and finish this.  

 

 I used all these tools and mediums (oh plus white acrylic paint, roller and gesso not shown) below.  Can you see the old face cloth?  I use is to clean my waterbrushes between colours.

Well at the moment it looks like another sunny day so have a pleasant Sunday folks.

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Sunshiney Day

. . . and long may they stay like that.

Today I have two very quick birthday cards to show you.  They needed to be quick as my daughter was leaving to catch a train and I only had half an hour before she went.  

Last Minute Minnie strikes again.....

 I must admit though that I had already coloured the 'she leaped' stamped image in and had only to find a background, stamp the sentiment and doodle.

Snoopy and Woodstock are one of my recent purchases (I do love Snoopy) and used Copics to colour them in, mounted them on some yellow glitter card and Bob's your Uncle as they say.  tee hee

 And last but not least I bought these today .... Crocs

(not everyone's cup of tea) but boy are they comfortable and at only £14.99 from T K Maxx I thought a bargain too.

Hope your weekend is going well too?

Thanks for dropping by.

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Two weeks

Well I didn't manage to add to my journal page of yesterday but I thought I would show you the first two weeks of April in my Project Life journal.

I've used scraps of patterned and plain cardstock for these and bits and pieces I've been saving (don't know what for) but now they are being used. 

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Layers

It was back to work for me today so you would have thought that last night I would have gone to bed early, but no I was up til gone midnight colouring this portrait. hahaha.  Amazing how it can be very addictive adding layers. :)

 

  

Today I covered over the crayon circles with white acrylic paint and tonight I hope to doodle some more whilst watch "Made In Chelsea"  haha.

I have now realised that the next journal I buy won't be a spiral bound one as I can't do a double page spread very easily as the wire gets in the way.  The left-hand page is also covered in crayoned circles.  I might even treat myself to one of these oooo swoon.  

Thanks for dropping by.  

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Front Cover

I decided to have a go at Project Life 2013 but rather than buy all the prepared stuff I decided to do my own thing.  A bit like the 365 calendar challenge I did in 2010 a la Kate Crane.
  
I know I've started later (3 months missed already tee hee) but here is my cover page. 

Some kraft cardstock, Unity stamp She Leaped and various Faber Castell goodies I received from Kim 7th January 2013.  Together with a linen heart. 

 

update . . . I CAN change my mind

I blogged this page I started last week but I decided to change it as I wasn't happy with it.

And have done this instead.  I'm still a little unsure about my handwriting and I might change this again.  But as the journalling says I can change my mind whenever I want to.

 

Willowing Arts

I have just signed up to a free class over on Tamara Laporte's wonderful site Willowing Arts and today I learnt how to draw a face and started learning about shading.  Here are the results,

I am pretty pleased with the sketching side of things from today but my shading needs plenty of work.  I feel she is very orangey above the eyebrows and forehead LOL but I am well happy with the eyes and the lips.

In this mixed media page I used :-

Caran D'Ache wax pastels & pastel pencils

white acrylic paint

Gesso

Aquarelle watercolour pencil (thanks Kim)

Tando mask

Papermania Butterflies stamp

Anna Griffin stamp

various ink pads

Thank you for reading my post.

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Ten Minute Tuesday

. . . that is the challenge over on the biskit barrel blog by the very talented Vicki, her doodles are amazing.

Having some time on my hands i decided to have another look at the face I began Friday night.  I wanted to add a little more detail and after chatting to friends x and watching youtube videos I was brave and had a go.

 The face on the right has been tweaked and not only by adding the yellow background.  I will add some text or something later on when I decide what to do with it.  I still have quite a way to go but I think there is a little improvement. lol

Next I wanted to have a go at a technique I read about in Kelly Rae Roberts book "Taking Flight" which I found in my wardrobe (don't know what it was doing in there!!!)  LOL  

I didn't have all the right equipment so just sort of used what I had.  This is my first attempt at a background like this and I need alot more practise and some new acrylic paints as my Adirondack Dabbers have solidified.  

Again I don't know what to journal about on these pages in my mini journal made by Dawn (thanks lovely x) but inspiration will come to me I'm sure.

I'd just like to thank Gez for giving me some tips and advice whilst I had a go at this.  Gez your work is amazing and I WILL keep practising hahaha.

Easter hare

I found this hare that I made sometime ago but he didn't have a face so I decided to embroider him one.

I'm pleased with the eyes and nose but the mouth looks a little wonky.  I might rework it, but I wanted to blog it today for Easter.

 

I've just noticed that my hare does have a striking resemblance to Deputy Dawg. lol

 

♥ Happy Easter everyone ♥

Oil pastel tryout

Last night I got my oil pastel crayons out and had a go at a face.  I blended the pastels with my fingers so got a bit mucky but that was fine.  I did however erase her nose several times hahaha and had to draw it back in with a colouring pencil.  

Anyway I was wondering what you creative types used as a pen to outline eyes, noses and lips once you have used pastels?  Or am I using the wrong type of pastel for this job?

Any tips and hints would be welcome.

Have a happy Easter weekend.

♥ x ♥

Comic Relief 2013

Went to work dressed in red on Friday for Comic Relief.

Lots of fun and money was raised for this great charity.

Oh and some cakes and biscuits were eaten too. :)

World Book Day 2013

Hi there

it took me a week to make this Very Hungry Caterpillar costume from three jumpers and a skirt that were heading for the Oxfam charity bag (sorry Oxfam).  I wore it to work on Friday although the papier mache head was very warm inside so didn't keep that on all day haha.

More practise needed for my sewing machine skills but heyho you have to start somewhere don't you?

Oh wow nearly the end of January and this is my first post of 2013!  Not a very good start but very apt for me to blog this page. . . . 

The prompt from my friend Kaz, on my favourite craft forum, Bubbly Funk.

I do hope that by completing this page in my journal, it  has given me the kick up the bum I needed to get my crafting behind into gear.

- ♥ -

First of January 2013

Just wanted to wish everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.

22 Days of Gratitude

I've been very busy since I last blogged and also had a birthday.  I wanted to share these journal pages with you that I completed on 22nd November as Lindsay's challenge of 22 Days of Gratitude.

The background has been coloured with Distress Ink pads and the shapes, stencilled on with the same Distress Ink pads.  Some doodling (there is even more since the photo was taken) and there, the page is finished.  I have many reasons to be grateful and count my lucky stars quite often.

Sending love and hugs to you all.

-  ♥ -

 

Busy, Busy

A reindeer in the trees for my Christmas card for today.  It's rather a busy card with the patterned paper in the background but I rather like it.

More dictionary pages used this time to make trees.

Thanks for visiting my blog today.

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