So this is the 1st time I've been here for ages. I'm going to have to try and make more effort. But in between broken laptops, frozen tablets, naff batteries and teeny tiny phones, it's hard work to get on here long enough to blog. Wish me luck that this battery holds out.
I decided to take part in a challenge over on Go Tag Thursday by Sandie Wright from Here. Go check her out. This is the 1st challenge and the theme was 'Anything goes'. So after hot glue burns and inky glued fingers, plus a camera that won't upload, this is the best photo I can get on my tablet. Gadgets just don't like me at all!!!

The challenge runs from Thurs. 6am to Weds 12pm. So I've got a few hours to figure out how to upload it to Sandie's blog before time runs out. Next week's challenge start tomorrow and is on the theme of 'Time'. Why not come and join in?

I joined a swap over on the FaceBook 'DLP & 52' Friends page. It's called Chopped Art. The idea is that you & your partner send each other 5 pieces of ephemera, i.e. background, hearts, circles, buttons & words cut from a magazine. Then you include 5 pieces of your choice from your art stash. You either keep the 5 pieces and add 5 of your own or use their pieces to create an art piece and send it back to each other.

Here's the envelope i received yesterday.

And after adding a few embellishments of my own, this is what i came up with.

I enjoyed doing this. It was fun to put together.

Looking Forward

I'm so pleased to announce that i am now a member of the design team over at Crafting with Colours. I was asked this morning if i wanted to join and it has been such a boost to my ego as i haven't had that much confidence in myself or my art for a long time. But Teighan thinks it's good enough for me to join their team. So that has really made my day today. I haven't done anything 'arty' for a long time. Apart from the odd ATC here & there. So i have been looking for something to give me some purpose.

I have also joined a few Facebook Groups to help with my art Journalling & creativity. There is My Life, My Story, Journal 52  Reveal You in 52, Journal Journey then finally there is The Documented Life Project. Which i joined last year but never followed through with. And they are all free. So it looks like i am going to be busy in my craft room next year. But i really needed something to kick start my mojo again cos it's been on strike for far too long now.

This year has been the worst one for a long time. It comes very close to the year i lost my Son. I have lost Family & Friends cos of their selfish behaviour & because i refuse to take crap anymore from people. And so i have had to cut people out of my life for my own sanity, well being & mental health. Here's hoping 2015 is going to be one of the best yet. I am in a good place with my marriage to the lovely Ian. My Saviour. We moved into a nice little house after being in crumby little flats & i finally have a craft room of my own. Life is good. And it's about time too.
So here's to a great Christmas for everyone and an even better New Year.From me & the Jolly Fat Man. Sorry, i meant Husband of mine, Ian. Whoops! I always get those two mixed up. 

So here are the colours for SOC week 3. Grey, Lilac & a splash of Plum.

 

And here is what i came up with.

 

I decided on another Journal page and started by painting on Grey and Lilac randomly, then layered with different stamps. Added some grey, white & plum punchinella spots which i outlined here & there. Then added a Butterfly that was stamped onto tissue paper and stuck to the page with Matte medium & outlined lightly with a black watercolour crayon. My biggest influence for this page is Betty Franks Krause. I luv everything she does. Hope you like. x

Ok, so it's been a while since i have blogged. Not that i'm sure anyone ever read it anyway. Who knows. So this week saw the start of Summer of Color 4. Check it out HERE. The colors to use for the first week were Aqua, Yellow & a Splash of Hot Pink. I may have used a little more than a splash tho. Not sure, but anyway, i like it & in the big scheme of things, that's what matters. It is done with mostly Acrylic paint, cut out Butterflies, pieces cut from Amy Tangerine papers, a few die cut flowers & a Micron pen. My entry is an Art Journal page & 'Voila', without further ado, here it is. Hope you like.

I'M MOVING!!!

Yep, that's right. Yet again i am moving. We are finally getting out of this mouldy old flat on the 13th floor and moving to a downstairs 2 bed clean fresh & bright flat. With a decent sized garden that is all mine. I cannot wait.

It's amazing how much you take for granted. I will have a washing line for the 1st time in 2 years. It's not the same hanging it out on the balcony. For one thing it could be a little breezy on the ground but blowing a gale 13th floors up & if my washing blows off, i never see it again. It could be anywhere. I can see the ferry from Hull to Rotterdam from where i am, so if the wind is right it could get carried off to the Netherlands.




So everything is going to get packed. I don't think i ever got unpacked from the last move. The only art stuff i am keeping out is my Art journal / Junque journal kits. So i always have a pen and paper to hand. If that's all i have, then maybe i will journal more.

I joined a PIF on Facebook. It was a Spiritual Pay it Forward for Valentines Day, and you had to offer your PIF, anyone that wanted to receive it left a comment and you sent it to whomever you were drawn to. There were lots on offer from paintings, spiritual distant healing, Reiki & Angel card readings as well as crystals jewellery etc. I offered a handmade Angel bookmark. I was drawn to one lady that had the same surname as my Mum's maiden name. And then when i saw her profile, she actually lives in the same town in Yorkshire as where i was born & grew up. So it had to be her. I wonder if we're related in any way. I hope she likes it.






It's almost five years since my beautiful Son, Eric died (Mar. 8th) & yesterday my best friend brought me this gift. I cried so much when i saw it, she thought she'd upset me. But they were loving tears. She is so special with such a loving heart. This gift means the world to me.

So wish me luck on the packing. Hopefully i will be back before we move with some journal pages to look at. xx

Bits of life.

Well guys, here i am after goodness knows how long. Life has been up and down. Last year was my 1st as a scooterist. Well, i was actually sat on the back of my Husbands Scooter. But now i own my own. I need to get my 1st licence, do my CBT, (compulsary bike test) and i am on the road. I can't wait, although i'm nervous too. I wanted to be ready for the 1st Rally of the season in Scarborough at the end of March but that won't be happening. Skegness is a no go either cos my Step Daughter is due to deliver her 3rd baby, Euan, on 7th May & we are having the other kids while she's doing all the hard work. So when i will actually ride to my 1st rally i'm not sure but just nipping round town is all i will be managing at 1st. At least i will get some practice.


Sadly i lost my luvly Mum to a brain hemmorhage in Sept. I miss her so much. And although i loved her & do still, i realise now just how much. I didn't show her enough.We weren't that close really, not the Mother,  Daughter relationship where she was like my best friend, as i would have loved but she was always there for us. I wish i had told her more what she meant to me. And wish i had done more. RIP Mum.

 

I did'nt have any internet connection for a few weeks, so thought i'd get on with some crafting. But did i? No i did not. Apart from a handmade book that i made as a gift for my friend Mandy Lou. I have just put the finishing touches to it tonight. I was inspired by Jennibellie's videos on Youtube, Amy Tangerine's day books, Smash Books & Junque Journals so this is my interpretation of all of them rolled into one.
I have had a lot of fun making it so i hope you enjoy looking at some of the pages.

 I am thinking of making some & selling (hopefully) on Etsy. Along with a few small canvasses & whatever else i create.

 I have had a lot of fun making it so i hope you enjoy looking at some of the pages

I always wonder about these videos on Youtube. Everyone seems to know exactly which peice of embellishment or peice of paper, however small came from. But i just don't. So if you like any of the papers and want to know where they come from. Then don't ask me. Enjoy!