Art Journal Journey - Bethlehem

It's the last day of 2021 and also the last day of Valerie's theme at Art Journal Journey "When one door closes another one opens".  I have only managed to do my weekly Thursday Journal page linked to the theme apart from two in a small journal - one shown yesterday and this one today.

This one uses the image bought for me by my bff after she had seen a Christmas card I had received and fallen in love with from another friend in America.  I am thinking that this is an imaginary scene of Bethlehem.   Several houses have windows showing lights coming from them and there are some doors (coloured green) so I am hoping Valerie and the moderators at AJJ will accept this as another entry.

Again it is in my small 4" x 6" journal.  I first of all coloured the page in Broken China Distress Ink and then stamped the image on a piece of cardstock, coloured it in with my Zig pens and tore it down one side.  I wanted some bright gold paper and was convinced I had some somewhere but could not find it.  However I found some text where I had embossed the edges in gold.  I just used the edges tearing close to the text so that it did not show.  For the other side I used some paper that I had printed on my Gelli Plate long long ago and tore that also.

I tried various images, Tim Holtz Paper Dolls, Stars, Flowers etc but nothing seemed to work alongside the image in the bottom right hand corner so I decided to leave it until something caught my eye at another date.  I would like to find the word "Believe" in the same lovely text that my friend used on her card - that is probably what I am searching for in my mind.

So here I am, wishing you all a Happy, Peaceful and Healthy New Year and entering this into Art Journal Journey on the last day of the year.

Jeudi Journal - Scales

'Dick and Dom had had a really good Christmas.  Lots of parties, lots of food and so many chocolates brought back by Mr Claus from various parts of the world he had travelled to on his Christmas journey.  They particularly liked the Belgian and the Swiss chocolates but in truth they enjoyed them all.

The Soiree with Mrs Claus had been wonderful.  In her husband's absence she had dressed up in her best and gathered them all around the tree singing Christmas Songs and then she had gone into a big sack that Mr Claus had left as she handed out presents to all the elves thanking them for their hard work throughout the year.

You probably don't know but the elves are divided into little groups of five and each group is responsible for one of the reindeer.  So one member has to go and clean the stable out where their particular reindeer sleeps and then they hang a stocking up.  At the Soiree they are given a gift for a reindeer as well as their own, and each group gets a new animal every year.  Dick and Dom's group had been responsible for Dancer this past year so imagine their delight when they found they were to be responsible for Rudolph this coming year.  That was a real honour bestowed upon the group who had worked hardest over the year producing the most toys.

It was now past Christmas and the two little elves were off to sing Carols before they had to return to work.  Most of the elves had spent after Christmas in their own little homes and hadn't seen one another for a few days.

"I wonder if the others have put as much weight on as we two have?" queried Dick.

"Of course they will have", replied Dom, "You know what we Elf folk are like for all the lovely Christmas Fayre we get.   We work so hard we don't know when to stop eating in the holidays.  I think you have a tea belly - at least you look like that - a tummy like a giant teapot."

"Hey!" said Dick,  "Are you getting to me about my teasmaid.  Look at yourself in the mirror, and don't forget to set your scales back 10 lbs."

And with that the two elves set off laughing into the snowy night for yet another night enjoying themselves.  Afterall it would soon be New Year's Eve and then time to get back to work in the toyshop.'

I hope to see you over at Art Journal Journey ready for another year of delightful themes for us to portray in our journals.  Thanks Valerie for this one which has made me write stories about Dick and Dom (sorry Wendy, I know they have been long), wish I could have done more pages but Christmas got in the way a bit.

So all that is left to do is wish everyone a Happy, Peaceful and Hopefully Healthier Year Ahead. 

Art Journal Journey - A Door

Over at Art Journal Journey it is coming to the end of Valerie's theme of 'When One Door Closes Another One Opens" and today I am entering a page in my new (old really as I have had it a long time but never used it) Journal.  It is a small one, around 4" x 6", and each page is of hand made paper, or it looks like it is.  It is divided into five signatures, two slim ones back and front and three thick ones in the middle.  It has a leather cover and a neat little closure.  It also has a canvas bag that it sits in but I left the bag at home (I am at the caravan in The Lakes) and just brought the Journal away with me.

I also brought a couple of images with me to the caravan and this one was of a doorway, especially for Valerie's theme

This doorway (the stamp says it is a doorway) is an image from Aall & Create which I stamped with Acorn ink.  I then used my Zig Color Pens in shades of brown and greys to colour it with a tiny bit of blue to represent sky.  I had no idea what else to do for the background but found a piece of card with Citron Distress Ink on it and some leaves stamped and coloured in with Forest Green ink plus a bit of white pen.  This conveniently was the size of the page and so here we are - my latest entry for Valerie's theme at AJJ.

Hopefully my Dylusion page will post tomorrow and I will be posting another one in my tiny journal on New Year's Eve.  So see you over at AJJ soon.

WOYWW 656

Hope you all had a lovely Christmas, if you celebrate it, and Father Christmas was very generous to you with his gifts.  Any crafting products?  I got one polymer stamp which was the only one on my list and I think someone probably thought I had enough craft stuff and they should not add to the clutter in my room.  I did have a storage thing on my list but didn't get it, wasn't sure if I had anywhere to put it should it arrive so maybe that was not a bad thing,

Well, Christmas is over and we are awaiting New Year to come in now although there is not that much to celebrate with this damned Covid/Omicron about.  I guess those of us who are 'free' from it should celebrate that fact and be glad we are ok.  

Now I have a different desk for you

I am working in a different journal.  This is one I have had years but never used it because it is small (about 4 x 6") and now that Art Journal Journey have changed their rules and accept small journals I am starting to use it occasionally.  It will be a very mixed bag, no particular theme or anything.  It's a shame you cannot see it as it is quite an attractive book, leather bound and it has a nifty closure on the front.  There are three images, the top one is the stamp I got amongst other gifts from my bff.  

As you can see I am working on the dining room table - in the caravan.  yes, we came away for a couple of days between Christmas and the New Year.  Even though the site is not closing we are draining down for the next couple of months just in case the weather changes.  We don't want to risk burst pipes or anything.  The pens live up here and are part of my craftroom (the spare room - and one of the beds - the mattress has never been used and is piled up on the other bed.). Here is my 'craft room':

I have lots of storage boxes and each is full of various crafting materials.  Those nappy boxes are from my cake icing days and the grey curver box was a freebie from my bff not long ago.

Well, it is a beautiful day so I am not spending time inside.  The painting of those bits can wait until tonight when it goes dark and then it's back home in time for new year coming in.  I would love to see what you all have to show us on WOYWW and I do hope you all had a Blessed Christmas.

This was the view from our door yesterday morning as I looked out and to my right (well lunchtime really, I slept until 10 in the morning (shock horror) - it is holidays).  It looked as if the trees were hanging in jewelled ornaments but you will have to expand the photo to get the effect.

It did look pretty special

Happy New Year to You All and God Bless

Jeudi Journal - Drink

May I first extend a welcome to Jawad who has become my latest follower.

Gosh another week has just flown by and it is almost Christmas for us all who celebrate.  So I am sharing my Journal page with you and entering the challenge again at Art Journal Journey where Valerie has chosen the theme "When one door closes another one opens". Had to have a bit of a Christmas theme to my Journal page today and so I bring you my Christmas Story:

"Dick and Dom, two of Santa's mischievous little helpers had just finished their shift in Santa's workshop and were standing in the open doorway having just waved him off.  It was nearing midnight on the eve of Christmas and Santa had just set off in his sleigh leaving the elves to tidy up, clean up and close up. There had been the usual Christmas party with dancing and lots of mince pies, chocolates and a glass of sherry for those who wished to partake, orange juice for the others.  Some had gone off to tidy up the stables where the reindeer were kept, some had gone to help Mrs Claus get ready for her husband's return next morning.  Poor Santa would be exhausted and ready for his bed after a good old breakfast of bacon, egg, sausage, tomato, mushrooms and fried bread and the reindeer would want their bedding to be nice and clean so they could just lie down and go to sleep dreaming of all the carrots they had eaten enjoying a good old rest after their miles of flying all over the world in one evening.

Dick and Dom were assigned to cleaning the workshop, because, we all know that work begins again on the second day of January for Santa and his elves and the workshop needs to be tidy again before any toy making can begin.  So the two of them had been busy scurrying around putting things back on the shelves, sweeping the floor and making sure all the decorations from the party were back in their rightful places.

"Phew," said Dick, the one in the spotted top with the black kipper tie, "Am I glad that is over for another year.  Each year we seem to have to make more and more toys and that means Christmas Eve is busier each time packing all the things in the sacks and making sure all the little girls and boys get what they want on their Christmas List.  Don't know about you, Dom, but I am feeling pretty pooped and ready for bed now."

Dom was wearing his striped top which he thought matched his socks and he was sporting a white kipper tie.  Sometimes the others got the two of them a bit muddled up as they were identical twin elves, and so the boys, even though they were full of mischief most of the time, wore different clothes so that other elves could tell who was who.  This did not always work though as sometimes they would pretend to be the other one and totally confuse the whole workshop.  They never did it on Christmas Eve though, that would cause chaos and upset the children if they got the wrong presents.

"Well", said Dom, "I am going to stay in bed until lunchtime and I am going to drink tea all day long until we go to Santa's in the evening for the sorry."

"Think you mean the Soiree, besides which you can't do that" said Dick, "You can't drink all day if you don't start in the morning".

"Course I can" replied Dom, "I got a 'Teasmade' from Santa this year and that means I can drink tea from the minute my eyes open until I close them again.  That will be my favourite pastime on my days off from now on."

"That's ok" said Dick, "providing you waken before lunchtime."  And with that the two of them closed the door on Santa's workshop and made their way across the road to home."

Goodnight and a Merry Christmas to All from me - and Dick and Dom!

WOYWW 655

Well, this is our Christmas Posting so here I am Wishing You All a Very Happy Christmas.  I do hope that everyone stays free from this latest variant of the Covid virus which seems to be spreading at an alarming rate throughout the country and beyond.  No parties for us this year, just a nice little family gathering at ours.  Think New Year will be much the same too.  Keep it in the Family.

The shopping is done, the cake is iced, presents and cards are all sent out.  I've even had my tomorrow's Art Journal blog post ready for almost a week now and I've managed to fit a Christmas story into the quote used this week.   I had my MOT done yesterday (Chiropractor and Podiatrist) so my craft room is ready to be tidied up and next year's cards are ready to be started.  I kid you not!  My bff fell in love with one of the cards I got and when she found the stamp on the internet you had to order two - so guess who got the other one?  A lovely surprise and a lovely bff.  

Had to go to the garden centre for our eggs the other day and got tempted by this decoration.  We usually buy ONE for the tree each year but this year didn't bother until I saw this.  Went back to the garden centre yesterday and guess what - 50% off all decorations!  Typical!

And so today I am keeping this short and, well, short.  Here's my desk all ready for you my WOYWW friends:

Just a mess - not really touched since last week

Apart from a bit more stuff

MERRY  CHRISTMAS

Jeudi Journal - Yoga

It's nearly Christmas and all the decorations are up - I have gone a bit mad this year and put most of them out.  I am getting rid of some of them to the local charity shop (or preferably a refugee centre if I can find one locally).  I thought I would just see what I have and what I can give away.  You can see them on the previous post here.  We also have our two Christmas Stockings hanging on the cupboard in the bedroom but they are not filled as yet.  Got to get some bits to put in them (no chocolates as we have loads in our stash - might pinch some out of there and transfer to the stockings).  Are you ready for Christmas?

This week we have my idea of a bit of perspective drawing.  Never was that good at perspective when I had to teach it - good job I didn't have to do it with the higher levels at school.  I was the ceramicist in school so mainly concentrated on that and 3D art.  

Valerie has chosen 'When one door closes another one opens' as her theme over at Art Journal Journey so as I fudged it a bit last week I thought I had better do better this time and provide one door open and one closed.  So here we have two young women in the local sports hall.  No colour, just black and white for the background with the girls providing the colour.

"It is Nola's favourite means of exercise.  She absolutely loves her Yoga classes, not only do they help her keep fit but they also are a lovely way to feel relaxed.  Her friend Mandy has not yet been persuaded to join her, despite her having bought a leotard and yoga pants to wear when the girls first thought of joining a class.  Nola was looking trim as she made her way in the Sport and Recreation Centre to the Yoga Classroom when she saw Mandy in the corridor.

"What are you doing here", she asked her friend.  "Are you finally coming to Yoga with me or am I seeing things and it really isn't you?"

Mandy replied "None of my Yoga pants have ever been to Yoga" adding "and I don't think they will be going today or tomorrow or even next week.  It just isn't me."

Poor Nola just stood there looking quite perplexed, "Then what are you doing in this corridor?" she asked.

"I've enrolled for pottery" was the reply.  "Remember when we watched 'Ghost' again the other night, well, I have been wanting to do that for ages and that night just clinched it for me so I thought I might give it a go, especially as it is on the same night as your Yoga class.  That way we can come here together and maybe go for a coffee afterwards."

"Brilliant, see you tomorrow as usual" was Nolas reply and the two girls went their separate ways quite happily.

WOYWW 654

Another week gone by and another week closer to Christmas.  Also another week for WOYWW.  Why not join us.  Got a poorly hand, arthritis in the thumb area and all the crafting has finally put paid to it and it is 'proper poolie' in its little splint so not much typing this week.  Lots of photos though.

This is our tree, decorated by my other half  I just did the flowers.

The fireplace in the Lounge:

The crib which I love, it really shimmers

My Advent Calendar which I made with little figures collected in Dusseldorf at the Christmas Market one year and a Father Christmas at the side:

Father Christmas ditched his sleigh

Now finally my Desk with a broken Crib Scene which I am slowly repairing (the Repair Shop has nothing on me).  So far I have got the shepherd, the little lamb, repaired the lower palm tree but the upper one refuses to stick.  Tried Super Glue, Gorilla Glue, Gel Medium - it needs something that bonds instantly.  Just my last card on my desk with the Gel Medium setting overnight on it  It's another 'deliver only' because of the 'bits' on it.

One of my friends thought my fir cones were angelwings.  Do they honestly look like that or can you tell they are fir cones?

I have done a little bit of crafting.  My December ATC's for my bff - she chose "Butterflies" for this month.  She doesn't come on here so won't see them before they arrive.

Have a Good Week!

Jeudi Journal - Wi-Fi

 It's Thursday again and time for another visit to my Journal and to Art Journal Journey where the lovely Valerie has chosen a great theme for the month - "When one door closes, another one opens".  I love doors and am hoping to do some pages for this now that my Christmas cards have been made (just one to go) and my Christmas Cake is soaking in brandy.  Yes, only just got around to making it this week.

The quote for this week I had to work with is "Wi-fi went down for five minutes so I had to talk to my family - they seem nice."  It's taken from a book of rubber stamp sayings that I once picked up whilst at CHA in America.  I knew they would come in useful one day.  So how did I mix the two - the quote and AJJ - well today we are inside someone's house, we have gone through the open door to find the family gathered inside.

"Vix, real name Victoria (but don't ever call her that, she detests it) is a typical teenager who spends most of her time in her bedroom playing on her computer.  Mum, dad and big sister, Elizabeth, rarely see her except at meal times or if she wants something.   It is usually only then she pops along to see which of her parents is in the better mood so she can sweet talk them into letting her get something, usually another computer game.

The whole family joke about it, tell everyone there is only one daughter in the family because the other younger one is rarely ever seen.  Obviously this is said as a joke because they love both Vix and Elizabeth equally and both girls are very precious to them.  Ever since Vix came on the scene they have never given one girl any more than the other one; if they spend £200 on Elizabeth's birthday the same is spent on Vix when her birthday comes along.  It is a very happy family and both girls know it.

The other day Vix was talking to her friends, some of whom were having a little grumble about mum and dad or a sister they had.  This annoyed Vix who was very loyal to her family and so she decided to "shut them up, once and for all".  Casually into the conversation she threw in a one liner 

"Wi-fi went down for five minutes so I had to talk to my family - they seem nice" she said, with a straight face although she was gripping her jaws together to stop herself from smiling.

The girls all stopped their grumbling and looked at her, mouths slowly dropping open.  Never did they think that Vix, of all people, would not really know her family.  Vix began laughing and they realised she was not being serious but it did make them step back and think about their own families.  Maybe they won't grumble quite so much when Vix is about again."

WOYWW 653

Another Wednesday nearer to Christmas and only one card to make.  This week saw me at an online funeral for my cousin's husband, so sad - and his daughter, my lovely niece, did a super job of writing a poem about his life.  He really was a lovely guy and I will always remember the Bacon Muffins I used to have, that he made, on Christmas morning when I went to watch the little one open her presents all those years ago.

Then I went and made my Christmas cake.  A bit late for "feeding" so it's in a bath of brandy - to be truthful it has had loads of  it brushed on the top the base and the sides and it is now in parchment paper and clingfilm.  The tree is up, to be honest it went up last Wednesday and I have put more decorations out than usual this year and when Christmas is over a lot are going to the charity shop if they will have them.  Had a zoom on Saturday and friends were saying that lots of charity shops are not taking goods because of covid so we will have to wait and see.

As you can see my desk is clear of most things,  Just some boxes that have Christmas related stuff in and my Promarkers with my flesh ones on top far right.  So that's pretty boring isn't it!  Next week, when I can be sure all my Christmas Cards have been received I will show you some photographs of the cards I made this year.  

Well, that's the shortest post I've done on WOYWW I think.  Show us your desk and link in and I will come and visit you if I can.  Now to open my Advent Calendar doors for the past five days - ooer!

Jeudi Journal - Through the Keyhole

Well, it was only yesterday morning that I found out that Art Journal Journey had "When One Door Closes Another One Opens" as its new theme chosen by the lovely Valerie of Bastelmania (not only do I like her new theme but her blog header is gorgeous).  Love the theme as I love doors but one thing was that my quote for this week for my Dylusion Journal was "No my craft room isn't messy I just have everything on display".  Luckily I had not started thinking about it and so after a quick consultation, with myself, I came upon the idea of making a keyhole.

To begin with I didn't think things through and I just drew a rough keyhole shape and then put random strips of paper, card down to represent wooden slats in a door.  (sorry about the shadow of my hand taking the photo).

Once all was stuck down I trimmed the edges and then painted the whole page (except the keyhole)  brown.  Whilst I had my phone with me I took a photo of my craft room wall that has all my inks and if you look closely you can see some of my work at the top of the page and on top of my inks near the bottom.  That is Spencer, my little Teddy Bear, sitting in his deck chair alongside some of my small hand made books and above him a lovely felted rabbit my friend Cindee sent me from America that she had made.  The picture just below him is of my little dog, Oliver, sadly now passed, that I had made into a rubber stamp when I won a competition for the cutest pets.  The blank part of my wall on the right is bright pink, I have no idea why it turned out such a murky colour.  Anyway, a story?

"Wanda had a lovely big craft room that her father had set up for her.  It was made up of kitchen cupboards, all matching and just looked like a dream kitchen that someone might have in their home.  She loved it and spent every waking hour in it making various crafty things. She had a station for her die cutting, a place for her card making, and an area with a sink so she could do messy mixed media crafting and endless storage all behind closed doors.  It was always tidy but there was a plan of the room for her to remind her what was behind each door and she had planned it all out so carefully.  

She wasn't at all boastful about it and invited her friends to come and craft with her on the big tables set up in the centre of the room on many occasions.  In fact the girls had great fun playing there, taking their own products whenever they could but using Wanda's when they didn't have something of their own.  Wanda was a lovely girl and did not mind sharing her things with any of them, after all her father was quite wealthy and she had most things she could want.

Cara, on the other hand, didn't have even half as much as Wanda but she was thankful that her mother allowed her to have her big brother's bedroom when he left home for College.  True it still had his bed in and a chest of drawers but she had set up all manner of shelving made from anything she could get her hands on to use as storage for her things.

Cara had invited Wanda over to her house.  It was nearing Christmas and mother had made the most delicious mince pies you could ever wish to eat.  The smell of fresh baking permeated the room and made Cara feel so proud of her mum.  She was a bit worried however.  Knowing what a lovely room Wanda had she felt that her room, which she loved and thought was well set out, might look a little 'grotty' to her friend.

Cara stood inside her craft room, with the door closed and as she heard Wanda and her mother walking up the stairs she looked around nervously and said to herself "No, my craft room isn't messy.  I just have everything on display".  And with that she opened the door to see her friend standing there with a big smile on her face and realised when you have a true friend nothing else matters, just friendship.

I hope this is acceptable for Valerie's theme at AJJ so it is fingers crossed that my peep through the closed door works for her and the moderators.

WOYWW 652

Well, it's Tuesday evening (WOYWW tomorrow) and I think, only think, I have finished all my Christmas Cards.  Let's say I hope I have.  Except for "him indoors" that is.  Need to get the list out and start writing in the cards.  It is the start of Advent tomorrow and we should be thinking of getting the tree from the loft and putting it up - that will take at least a day.

So my desk today - the blue thing is my Pergamano stuff (parchment, tools etc) as I started a card for someone and haven't finished it - maybe next year.  Then a pile of stamps - again not finished the card so maybe next year, at the back a poinsettia stamp I have had years.  Got it out this time and it has gone all shiny, real red rubber - never had that happen to me before.  Won't stamp properly might show you later.  A stamp turned over because I have used it and you might get the card.  Some offcuts of card, a tissue (to wipe the acrylic block I keep finding ink on, what do I do wrong?) some glue (must order more I am almost out) water spritzers, Post It notes, pencil, Christmas card box with small Misti on top and more stamps that I am using for the verses/words.  Think that is it!

Should be tidy in a minute or two but not tonight, I have had enough!  Pretend Gluhwein and a Mince Pie, feet up and a bit of TV for me before an early night if the tree is going up tomorrow.

Well, it's back to mask wearing for most, not for me as I never stopped when in shops.  We might have known we would have another variant for Christmas.  The news is so sad at the moment, the poor people who have had their electricity etc off for days (especially the Care Homes, that was so sad seeing the carers doing their best to keep the old folks warm and fed from food they cooked in their own homes).  The migrants who are risking their lives to cross the Channel to this "land of milk and honey" and the ones who lost their lives the other day.  So sad.  

Here is my damaged stamp.  Can you see in the centre where it is kind of shiny - the rubber has changed to being smooth and on the paper in front of it you can see how it stamps now.  Such a shame as it was a much used and loved stamp.  Has this happened to anyone else out there?  Does anyone know why it happened - I always clean my stamps  when I have used them.

On a happier note I will share my first Christmas card received from America.  Now Cindee always makes beautiful cards, she spends ages deciding what she is doing and I save them all each year.  This year we have one that has a wheel at the back (beautiful finish to the back of the card too) which you turn and it reveals a different picture.

Closed

Open

even the envelope had something on it

Happy Advent!