brusho in my journal

I have been playing ...

... with my latest toys - the brusho inks that everyone is using!  Who knew that this stock item in every primary school art cupboard could be so much fun!!

Whenever I use something new I start with my favourite colours - just lovin' that turquoise!!  Because it's an ink powder, splashing spots of water on the page and dabbing it off (one of my favourite techniques of the moment) doesn't work once the ink is dry, but I managed to catch it before it dried and got a lovely effect.  I'm happier splashing water on my pages than bleach!

I think Nina looks right at home on this double spread journal page, and Daniel's circles give lots of choice for a sun!

Stampotique stamps used

Nina  #5824  by Magda Polakow

When I grow up  #8993  from Carol's Collection

Circles cube  #6184 by Daniel Torrente

Daisy daisy  #3002  by Jo Capper-Sandon

romantic text  #10028  by France Papillon

2 nuages (Fr)  #9248  by Janet Klein

each life needs it's own quiet place

...and mine is definitely amongst my paints, papers and rubber stamps!

This tag started off with a sponge ink base that I didn't like so I tore it off, and decided I quite liked the effect.  I'm going to add it as a page in one of my small A6 journals.  It nearly looked like this

... but in the end, decided to include Gucio.  Sometimes it's so hard to know!

Stampotique stamps used:

Gucio walking  #5821  by Magda Polakow

Daisy, Daisy  #3002  by Jo Capper-Sandon

Quiet Place  #3011  by Jo Capper-Sandon

the art of practising gratitude

"The benefits of practicing gratitude are nearly endless. People who regularly practice gratitude by taking time to notice and reflect upon the things they're thankful for experience 
more positive emotions, feel more alive, sleep better, 

express more compassion and kindness, and even have stronger immune systems."

http://www.happify.com/public/articles/the-science-behind-gratitude/

I've wanted to keep a gratitude journal since reading Ann Voskamp's excellent book 'One Thousand Gifts' but I'm not great at keeping 'proper' journals or diaries, or calendars even ;)  But I find a challenge is a great boost to creativity so I was keen to join in with Bernice's challenge to practise gratitude for 21 days in May.

This is a fabulous blog with, amongst other things,  quotes, videos, songs and a creative technique to try each day.  I am only up to day 2: be positive, but that's ok because today's words are 'be kind to yourself' and I've had a minor gynae op so haven't been able to do much, and there's really no pressure to get the journal pages completed (plus you get the weekends as catch up time!)

I'm using a diary that I bought at the start of the academic year and have set aside the May pages to write in every day.  I'm using the other pages as journal pages.

The creative challenge for day 2 was to use bubble wrap to print with.  For me, 'being positive' is about looking at the good things in life so I cut my bubble wrap into cloud shapes and adapted the traditional 'silver lining' saying!

It's not easy to see but I added some silver stitching to the white stitching around the cloud.  [That's all I managed to do today, I now have my feet back up!!  I don't think journal pages have ever taken me so long!]

Stampotique Stamps used:

Raindrops by Madga Polakow

Dog by Roc Nicholas

Stampotique blog hop celebrating the new releases

Welcome to the Stampotique blog hop!  Thispost will remain at the top of my blog whilst the hop is live.

Kim kicked it all of on the Stampotique Designers' Challenge blog so if you didn't arrive here from 

Kaz Boughton's blog 'Slightly Wonky Crafts' 

then please head over here to start the hop (after you've finished visiting me of course ;).  

We are celebrating the launch of the new images released today, which, if you are a fan of our Facebook page you may already have got a sneak peek!  There are lots of images from our favourite stamp designers and we welcome our newest designer, Magda Polakow, who is also a very talented member of our design team.  I've used her raindrops on my altered envelope :)

new release Stampotique stamps used:

raindrops   #5820 Magda Polakow

sunflower lge  #9256 Janet Klein

sunflower medium  #9257 Janet Klein

french journal page  #10015 France Papillon

bike text  #9255 Janet Klein

....and I can see the french journal page being a new favourite!  I have to say though, it was very difficult, choosing which stamps to use to make a project for the hop, there are so many lovely new ones!!  I've already added some more to my wishlist.

Don't forget to leave comments on each of the blogs for your chance to win some goodies - we will be randomly drawing two winners for a $30 gift certificate for Stampotique stamps at the Stampotique online store.  The new stamps are available over there now. There's also an extra chance to win over at your final destination, the Stampotique Designers' bloghttp://stampotiqueoriginals.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/call-for-stampotique-creations.html, where there is also a special announcement.

Thanks for visiting!  The next blog to hop to is 

'Made by Chook' 

where you'll meet the very talented Corrie Herriman.   Blog hop winners will be announced on the Stampotique Designers' blog when the next challenge is announced, on April 23, 2014. 

new release stampotique stamps used:

Gucio walking  #5821 Madga Polakow

barcode  #10019 France Papillon

Barcode text  #10020 France Papillon

french journal page  #10015 France Papillon