Just because...

I love this face stamp from Inkylicious, and I love making tags and this stamp is going to get a lot of use! Here I've smooched the tag in a distress mixture of Weathered Wood and Worn Lipstick then sprayed with Perfect pearls. The stamp has a lovely swirl on one side which I used separately at the top then the face part of the stamp at the bottom using grey ink. The peace stamp is part of a Lost Coast Designs stamp. I then used some mop up kitchen roll to make torn leaves around the edge(phaffing about as hubby puts it)

 Some ribbons and layered flowers from my little collection that I have up here just finished it off.
Earlier in the week Hels Sunday Stamper challenge was about faces, I hope I'm not too late with this but we went off to the Dickensian Festival in Ulverston today and stayed longer than we intended - an event well worth attending!
Thanks for looking, Chrisx 

October over, November new

There was I, all set to show you my new pages when I realised I hadn't taken a photo of October's pages and it was too dark to take any photos 'til today.

This is for Kate Crane's 365/2011 journal challenge. I am amazed that I've kept up with this, but like lots of others I really enjoy doing it! 

Here is how November's pages started, I was thinking 'fireworks' and just started by smooshing in distress inks in black soot, faded jeans and dusty concorde then a quick spray with Perfect Pearls mist -blue smoke, then splashed a water brush over the end of some NeocoloursII to make splashy fireworks. I then ran the brush over the page in swooshes. When it was dry I rubbed some black soot ink around the edge.
I then chose some bright papers stamped with a little snowy, starry stamp from Hobbyarts using a Big and juicy pad.
It was only as I started to stick the papers down that I started to recite the old rhyme, Remember, remember, the 5th of November, Gunpowder, treason and plot...and thought that Remembrance day should have place in these pages, especially as we have a special date 11.11.11. 

Hence, along with the stickles fireworks I have Mort with a poppy!

It looked a bit empty so I drew in some silhouette houses

 Had to use the computer for the words as when I was writing it  I made a spelling mistake,he'he!!Two identical words and I make a mistake....

I'm still busy trying to sort the 'stuff' we seem to have collected over the years and I'm almost ready for the boot sale on Sunday(thank goodness it's indoors as the forecast isn't good) I know that is by no means all we have to sort - I've only been looking for potential boot sale items recently. Meanwhile there is no news on the flat front, just waiting for paperwork to be completed.

Will try to get back soon with some more of what I've been up to, meanwhile I hope to get to have a peep at how others see November. Thanks for looking, Chris

Yes,yes,yes....

It's ok I haven't gone all When Harry met Sally, this is because I've completed my pages in time for Dawn's Journal's Journey challenge. I love being part of this, if you want to know more either click here or on the button in my sidebar (thanks Dawn - I did it, yay!)
This month the theme was Autumn and Nature. As I'm a big Kinks Fan this had to be my starter!!!

 Layers using distress inks and perfect pearls over a mask(whoops, can't remember what, I started this ages ago), a peel off, then drew in leaves and berries, words written onto a page from an old gazeteer.


This last two weeks have been just a little busy, and with hubby off on half term last week too. We did get away for a few days but came back to a pile of sorting out so we can do a boot sale this weekend - a bit of an ongoing job too as I'm determined to have a big clearout while we can - I was quite shocked to find that boot sales now start 6.00 in the morning!


I did find some time to craft while we were away and will try to get to show what I've been doing later this week.


Thanks for looking, Chris

Late again!

The story of my life, however well intentioned I invariably end up late! I love taking part in Kate's 365/11 journal and at last I have taken photographs of my pages.

October's pages, which I've had to start filling in already, started out like this

I used my lovely Dylusions paints, I only have a few colours so lots of mixing involved, splodged on to the page with fingers then stencilled over using(mixed) shades of brown, then sprayed with Perfect Pearls heirloom gold.
Cut squares out of some scrap and some free papers, Stampotique mushrooms, coloured with promarkers, lettering written onto Hero Arts leaves. I will probably add some more to this, not sure what though, maybe see what the month brings!!!
My completed September pages...

Off now to look at as many others as I can!
Thanks for looking, Chris

Journal starters

I had a job getting started yesterday with 'the task', so what to do but make some backgrounds and chill first! 

This one using a Big and Juicy Happy Birthday pad on my craft mat, sprayed with water then smooshed around, then sprayed cosmic shimmer paint and twinkling H2Os with a paint brush, a bit of stamping with Kaisercraft background stamps and I was beginning to feel more worklike! 

For this one I use the same process using the Hydrangea B&J pad,another Kaisercraft background stamp and Perfect pearls pearl mist.

I also ended up with this lovely piece of mop up paper:)

Looking forward to using these but had to get on and even though I hardly stopped there's still looooaaaads to do!! 

Craft today at Sale, looking forward to seeing everyone and we're sewing today, should be fun!!

Thanks for looking, Chris

August, September

Ok, so I'm a little eensy bit late, but I have a cracking excuse...
Here are my August pages for the 365/2011 calendar. If you don't know this is part of a calendar challenge run by the fantastic Kate Crane and you can find out more here.

Sad to say but Summer ends this month, so my pages are a goodbye to Summer with Rainbow colours using my fabulous new Dylusions paints.
I sprayed with perfect pearls mist and flicked some watered down broken china distress ink over the top of my yellow journal squares. The sun is an old favourite of mine from Rubber Stampede and the silhouette flowers are Hobby Art.

Oh, my excuse, I think we have found a flat and we've been just a little bit busy(and will be for some time methinks....an awful lot of downsizing to do!!)
Thanks for looking, Chris.

Three sided coin anyone?

I've got a dilemma, I'm going to a Kate Crane(yes,the Kate Crane!)workshop with my friend Sarah and I'm supposed to take a small journal.The thing is I don't know what to do....should I take one I've started already...or should I take said 'one I've started already' and turn it upside down and start from the back....or do I take a new one(I do have one that I bought as part of a special offer)? I'm also so excited that I'm not thinking straight at all and with de-cluttering, thinking we may have found our new home and having our decking re-vamped - it's now a lovely shade of green thanks to hubby and eldest son, I suppose come Saturday morning I'll grab both and decide when I get there!


It was our anniversary on Tuesday and my son who was staying with us went off with my grandson for the night to go camping(in his words "to leave us lovebirds on our own"!!)It was nice to go out and not feel guilty about leaving them with baked beans on toast he!he!We found a lovely pub, 'The Lunesdale Arms' in Tunstall near Kirby Lonsdale and had a fabulous meal in peaceful surroundings! 


I didn't have much time for crafting other than make fish and sharks with my grandson - lots of shiny stickles involved(a very aptly named product where my grandson is concerned!!!)

I did however complete a journal page that I'd already started.One night I went out onto the decking and looked up and through the stars could actually see the Milky Way - I know....small pleasures, but it inspired me to make this page.
The background was a very bright pink but by the time I'd added Weathered Wood and Faded Jeans distress stains and let them move around before spritzing then mopping up, then dabbing Corduroy Distress ink around a star, sprayed everything lightly with Silver Perfect Pearl spray and stamped with some spotty Kaisercraft background stamps I was happy enough to add a Crafty Individuals image and add some words and a bit of doodling!


So, tomorrow we are off for a couple more viewings to confirm (or not) whether we are actually going to make a decision!!


Thanks for looking and Thank you too for your comments, they are much appreciated, Chris     

Oops!...

...I'm just a little late this month(we've been away again)with my pages for the 365/11 journal challenge, organised by the talented Kate Crane (if you want to know more about the challenge click here)
Here are my July pages completed..... 

and here are my August pages ready. I've 'sent' Mort and the twins(you didn't know Marci had a twin?LOL. I think she may be called Darcie!!)to the seaside. Sorry about the reflections but weather here is awful for photos.

I used Crafty Individuals stamps along with a (very old) freebie from Craft Stamper for the shells etc.coloured with Cosmic Shimmers and Perfect Pearls, and of course the brilliant Stampotique characters Mort had a pincurl and Marci. The beach huts are the product of a woman with too much time on her hands(lol) cut individually and coloured using NeocolorsII.


Looking forward to a few seaside days myself this month - weather permitting! Have fun yourselves! Chris.