a tag and an apron

Being ill just after Christmas is rubbish (I've had some kind of sickness bug) but after a couple of days reading, sleeping, perusing Pinterest and watching i-player (I don't know what I'd do without my i-pad!!!) I was well enough to sit up and play with my inks and stamps.

I used some Tim Holtz stamps from the 'mini muse' and 'purely random' sets, enjoying adding tiny bits of detail to the background of my manilla tag.

I just couldn't resist finishing it off with a scattering of hydrangeas.

Now all the presents are opened I can share some sewing I did just before Christmas for a friend of mine.  She loves 'dottie angel' so I decided to make a dottie-angel inspired apron.  It includes a little up-cycling - I found a denim shirt in my fabric collection and used the button edge to make the ties and the pocket as an extra pocket on the front.

finally started making my Christmas cards!!

I bought this little Starbird from Art from the Heart in plenty of time to make my Christmas cards but I always end up making them 'on demand' or after I've finished work for the holidays.

It's partly because I need that adrenalin rush to get my act together, and partly because I'm so busy at work at this time of year that I just don't have the energy.

I love CAS cards at Christmas, and also love to add a little bit of stitching.  The washi tape is from hobbycraft and I coloured the bird with derwent inktense pencils.  I also made myself a little tag :)

Happy Christmas everyone!!!

numbers in my art journal

Started a new journal this morning.  This one's A5 in size.

I stamped some numerals and text, sprayed through a stencil then added patches of ink with my baby wipe, and by directly spraying onto the page.

I had a scrap of paper with 'row of numbers' stamped on it so I added this to the page before piling on a variety of rub-ons and some scraps of numbers from packaging.

two

I love these little clouds by Stampotique.  I love words and numerals so had a quick play with a tag and the theme 'two'.

The balloons are from the image 'Upward Bound' and, along with the numeral '2' on the 'row of numbers' were highlighted with Diamond Glaze.

Friday girl at Stampotique

Back in September I responded to Stampotique's Design Team Call and how I've kept the secret for so long I do not know!!!!  I am thrilled to be one of seven designers who will post weekly on the Stampotique Designer's Blog - I'm the Friday girl :)  Check the post here to meet my fellow designers.

There are two teams over at Stampotique, and the other one leads the challenges.  You can meet those guys over on the Stampotique Designers Challenge blog.  So come 2014 there will be tonnes of Stampotique inspiration out there!!

I had a little play with my new stamps in celebration of the news, challenging myself to ONLY use Stampotique images :)  This is a large tag from PaperArtsy as I wanted the little rabbit to have a large area of sky in which to float!  I slightly misquoted Mark Twain to make the quote applicable:

"the air up there here in the clouds

is very pure and fine, bracing and delicious"

Mark Twain

Stamps used:

Stampotique Upward Bound

Stampotique Row of Numbers

Stampotique Abstract Foliage

Stampotique 2 Nuages (Fr)

Stampotique Journey Collage

Arts and Faith Weekend, February 2014

For those of you who are regular readers of my blog, you'll have noticed that I have been combining my Christian faith and my art journaling a lot more recently.

I have been a part of the Arts & Faith Network of the Chester Diocese for a while now, since their 'Breathing Space' event a couple of years ago, and I'll be teaching at their next event in February next year [see details below]

"Building on the success of its previous workshop days, the Arts & Faith Network is extending its ‘Breathing Space’ format to a weekend for Candlemas, entitled ‘Light Work’ on 1st/2nd February 2014, at Foxhill Conference Centre, Frodsham.

The weekend offers an opportunity to work with local Christian artists and teachers [I'm one of them!!!], including Guest Speaker, sculptor Stephen Broadbent, as well as worship and prayer with an accent on creativity, and time to relax and chill out, maybe with a wintry walk in the grounds. Workshop activities offer a choice of creative writing, and singing, alongside a range of hands-on art activities [including art journaling!]"

And the best news?

There is no charge for this event.

Residential places are limited, so prompt booking is advised. Some day places are available.
For further details and booking information please contact Jane Hood: email jane.hood@chester.anglican.org, or telephone 01928 718834 ext 257.

Teaching journal play, and a Christmas song

At the end of October I taught a journaling class to a group of fabulous people, some of whom I'd met at New Wine this summer.  It was an amazing day.

There was a huge range of experience amongst the group of fifteen - some people didn't consider themselves 'crafty' at all, others brought yummy stencils and inks along with them as they were already confident 'crafters'.  Art journaling was new to almost everyone.

Unfortunately I only took a couple of photos.  I get so caught up in teaching I forget to take them!!

I'm sure I've said this before, but one of the things I love about teaching is seeing people move from being fearful of the paint, the white page etc, to having a great time just playing, and discovering how free-ing and relaxing this is.

We all started with an A3 piece of paper which we folded into a little book then journaled on each page.  I worked on a few pages as samples for the day, adding in extra pages and tags [by the way, that coloured 'ribbon' was white, I just sprayed it with Dylusions to get the colour I wanted - much easier than taking lots of different coloured ribbons to a workshop!!]

I still have some pages left to work on... 

...but I've been mad busy at work and I think I'm using all my creative juices up in the classroom!  I've just finished a sheep costume and a spider costume for the song we're singing as part of the nativity play.  Yes, a spider, I'm sure there must have been spiders in the stable.  I wrote new words to Blondie/One Direction's song 'One way or another'

[WARNING: linking these lyrics to the tune may cause that tune to stay in your head for a looooooooooooooooooooooong time!!]

Down in, in the stable

Who will we see there

with baby Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus?

Down in, in the stable

Who will we see there

with baby Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus? (rpt numerous times!!)

Donkey, spider and cat

Dog, mouse, sheep and a rat

Let's see who's around!

Down in, in the stable

Who will we see there

with baby Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus?  etc

Last year I put new words to Mamma Mia, which has taken some matching, but I'm pleased with the result, especially since we can sign a lot of this song easily!!