more inkiness in my moleskine planner

 I finally got my photos sorted :) I can't remember where I saw the idea of using deli paper/greaseproof paper to cover the diary part of my journal but it is a fab tip!

DLP challenge: Under Paper

The above page is one of my favourites.. I just love how it turned out; it got a lot of inspiration from Robin-Marie's work

DLP challenge:  When not to Stop

The following week is when the diary part of my planner fell by the wayside...I was so exhausted post OFSTED!

It's not one of my favourite pages I have to day.  It was a real challenge, to just keep layering and layering...and challenge is good!

I often use a double sized piece of card/watercolour paper for these challenges, then fold them in half and use the DLP challenge on one side and Documented Faith on the other (although I've not been able to manage many of those)..

...but it's there ready and waiting!

DLP challenge: Layers you will love - cover up good stuff

Back to loving my pages again but this time ignoring the challenge prompt!  I completed this one whilst away in Saltburn and used some seaweed from the beach as a mask..

This was another double spread before folding it in half and adding it as a tip in.  I have to say, I highly recommend DLP, and the girls who run it are so generous in their time and energy - it is free!

That's all for today though folks, week 8's pages coming up in another post.  They were inspired by the Cardboard Crush workshop by the DLP team, Art to the 5th Academy; I can recommend it!

creative wrapping

 It was one of my very best friend's birthdays last weekend and although I'd bought part of her present, I made the rest.  It was a handmade present that grew and grew and I'll share it in another post, but today I'm sharing the fun I also had gift wrapping it!

After splashing paint and ink around on some paper along with some doodles and rubber stamps I added some double sided adhesive sheet to the back of part of it, punched some circles in the style of Roben-Marie Smith and used the circular stickers I created to hold down the tissue wrapping paper.

I then added some more to a tag, added some collage and a declaration of truth, punched a hole and added some thread.  Now, can you guess what the present was?!!

Gelli Play

 I got to play with a Gelli Plate today :)

I have to say that I hadn't been tempted by one in the slightest...until this week!  I signed up for the '21 Secrets Art Journaling Workshop' a while ago and recently watched Roben-Marie Smith using a Gelli Plate in her journal....and LoVeD it!

 Sue and I had planned a playday today (we've not had one for aaaaaaaaages!) and Sue suggested we play with her Gelli Plate :)  I now need to purchase my own lol

 We spent a couple of hours making papers and printing pages in our journals, stopped for lunch then did some creating with our papers.

[I also got to play with some of Sue's stamps and stencils :)]

I love the textures you can create with the gelli plate.  All I added to this envelope was the flower, the tiny stamped circles and three green paint circles (using the pritt stick lid) and the words 'native graciousness'.

Glassine envelopes are FaB to work with in conjunction with the Gelli Plate :)

 Finally, this envelope came about because Sue found an ant stamp which was just too fun not to use!!

PDCC#47 is sponsored by PaperBagStudios! How cool is that :)

I was very excited when I found out they were sponsoring us, then when the stamps came through the door I was almost jumping up and down - they were on my list to buy as soon as they entered the UK :)  [You can buy them at The Stamp Attic now by the way :)]

It's my choice of colours this week and when I saw this picture I just fell in love with the house!  Isn't it gorgeous?  And the white picket fence with the bright red geraniums just looks stunning...and warm!  Not like the wet and windy weather we've been having for the last couple of days!  If anyone would like to share a photo of where they live, I'd love that!  When friends and family go away to foreign climes, it's photos of everyday houses and shops I'd like to see, even more than the famous places.  But it's rare that they take that kind of photo.

I made a 3d house from foamcore and painted it with a turquoise emulsion paint!  Whilst collaging the pieces I had the idea that the circular date stamp would make a cool tree.  It's leaning slightly to the right, but I'm still pleased with it lol.

I kept the side of the house limited in colour so it was obvious which was the front but I think it needs some red to 'lift' it a little, even if it's only a little red heart hanging from the roof, or red doors and windows.

Roben-Marie Smith, designer of these gorgeous stamps is our guest designer over at The Play Date Cafe, so head on over to see her piece, and those of my fellow designers.  It's really good to see these very 'grungy' stamps used in a very different way as designers who wouldn't naturally choose these images have produced some fabulous pieces! :)

 Julie Ranae

Suzanne Czosek

Andrea Ewen
Savannah O'Gwynn
Lisa Somerville
Ruby 2 Shoes

[Apologies for not visiting pdcc entrants this week just gone, my excuse is in the previous post!  Normal service will resume next week :)]

play date cafe challenge #36

Aren't these colours so pretty?  I just love that Julie and I have different favourite colours, it gives such a nice balance in the cafe :)

There's a little mini challenge within the challenge going on so if you are a fan of Tim's bird cage die cut, head on over to the other girl's blogs.  They have some GoRGeouS inspiration going on there!

Suzanne Czosek

Stephanie Kraft

Lisa Somerville 

[by the way UK friends, Lisa has an article in this month's Craft Stamper :)]

Ruby2Shoes

Julie Ranae

 As soon as I saw the colours though, it made me think about how red and pink just didn't go together 10 years ago; it's definitely a new, acceptable colour combo.  So I worked on a journal page.

I love red shoes, and would have loved a little tiny pair of 'mary janes' for Sophie when she was little.

The trouble was, ten years ago, when Sophie was three, she adored wearing pink.  And back then, you just didn't put red shoes with a pink dress!  How times change...

I'm planning on more little story pages like this which I'd like to bind into a book, inspired by Roben-Marie Smith's graffiti book that she did on a Dina Wakeley workshop.

Lots to see over at the cafe today.  We've had a makeover, have new badges, a guest designer, and see what Sav made otherwise she's going to feel left out! :)