Nearly Weekend

Hi Everybody!

It's still cold and frosty here, but we have had
sunshine and blue skies, and that's always
something to be thankful for. My ribs are still very
sore, but definitely a bit better than last weekend -progress!
I was out shopping today with my nice neighbour,
so I have all I need and he even carried it for me.
 I struck lucky to find such a good neighbour!

Today I am sharing a mixed media 12" tag I made. Once again I
put down loads of layers of paint, scraps and fibres, added a metal key-
which just happened to be on the table, some little texture balls etc.
I printed out one of my men, crackled him, and then outlined
him with brown pastel chalk. The tag was then sewn to
a corrugated background:

I started off by gluing a strip of torn cardboard to one side,

smeared it all with gesso and stamped into it:

Here the layers are growing - a lot is hidden when it is

finished, but that's good:

I added the stenciling using 2 new ones from Annette.

The little balls are mixed with embossing paste.

The hardest thing was twisting the top off the jar, and they 

shot all over the floor, which caused my exclamation of

'Oh b*lls', and this time it wasn't even swearing!

My man is in place, just needs to be stenciled over:

Detailed views of the finished piece:

I am linking to Paint Party Friday, More mixed media challenge,

altered eclectics and Simon Monday Challenge, chill out.

These photos were taken from my balcony this week:

And my amaryllis keeps on getting lovelier day by day:

Here's wishing you all sunshine and flowers in your lives.

Take care, have a great day,

and thanks a lot for coming by!

Another new Journal

Hi Everybody!

I've just been watching the sun rising, and although I
watch it very often, it's a new miracle for me every time
I see it. I am feeling a tad less achy, too, for which I
am very thankful, and really slept through the
night - another miracle!

I Have been working on this journal for 2 weeks now, and it
is finally finished, with a little help from my neighbour, as
I can't use the paper cutter or bind-it-all alone just
now. It has 20 sheets of A4 water colour paper inside, and
I am looking forward to filling it.
The covers were made from the backing of a
pad of paper, that thick cardboard is always too
good to waste! After pasting it with tissue paper to give it texture,
and adding some bits of string which were flying about
on my table, I gave it a coat of thick gesso and then sprayed
it with some home-made colours. After that I built up layer on layer of scraps, stamps, gilding flakes,  various glazes, including some
crackle glaze in
parts, then some stenciling and doodling:

The reverse side, which made the inside covers,  was

painted white and then covered with some lovely

handmade and embossed paper:

It opensflat which makes it easy to work in:

Here some detailed shots:

This is how t started out after pasting the first tissue layer:

I like this stage, too, before it got collaged:

Here it's on it's way:

 This was the back cover before it got it's final glaze:

I am linking to Art Journal Journey, Erika's lovely theme 

of 'Tell me a story', and to Paint Party Friday, and to

Simon Monday challenge, chill out, as this sort of

work is my art of chilling out.

And I just have a few balcony shots today, as I stayed home

these past days:

My Amaryllis is progressing, too:

Have a great day, take care

and thanks a lot for coming by!

This, that and a Mouse in a House

Hi Everybody!

For Art Journal Journey, Erika's lovely theme of

'tell me a story', I have a hybrid page. I started with a gorgeous 

grungy background from Foxey Squirrel, and then added various 

elements and photos. Mr Umbrella man is there as

time traveller, and is wondering  what's up -

why are the girls wearing sunglasses? Who lives

in the house? Who's standing behind the window turning 

his back to us? Whose book is that on the steps? 

what's in the barrel? Do you know any answers?

Yesterday I got a parcel in the post. It was sent to me

from Sandy in Florida. She sent it on December 5th 2016.

I don't know why the post didn't 

get it here more quickly, but I was  💗VERY 💗happy

to get it in the end.

Inside I discovered this wonderful little mouse lady from

'wee forest folk':

Then  I remembered that Sandy had sent me a kit for a little 

house a couple of years back, and put it together

to make a Mouse House. It still needs another

coat of paint inside, but I wanted to show you. 

Thanks 💗Sandy💗, you are a darling!

Some views from my balcony:

And my amaryllis has grown 28" in 10 days and

is starting to open:

Have a great day, take care,

and thanks a lot for coming by!

T stands for This, that and TIOT

Hi Everybody!

Hope your week got off to a good start.

After my fall on Saturday I got awful pains in the 

night, so dragged myself to the ER Sunday morning.

I have 2 cracked ribs, and as well as the bruising on my

knee, I am developing a black eye with a matching

nose - I must have kissed the ground with power!

Pity it's not carnival, it would make a good

disguise....And as I am not allowed to lift anything,

or bend, or do housew**k, I am happy that there

is something positive to report.... And I have a few weeks

to read, do some crafting, watch old films etc -

'Always look on the bright side of life.....'

On Tuesday we are starting a new Challenge at TIOT -

Anything but square.

As always, you have 2 weeks to link your creations to us,

and projects of all formats are allowed, as long as they fit the theme.

I made a mixed media tag (8"), using lots of elements which are 

not square. As usual I used my clear-the-table-technique, 

AKA everything but the kitchen sink - scraps of old 

letters, paper napkins, stenciling, stitching and more:

And I have another not square piece.

I altered a Moleskine A5 journal I got

for my birthday, using a piece of my vintage, rusty linen

from the erosion bundle and an iron-on

beaded owl - quick and simple:

I am linking the journal cover to Art Journal Journey.

And today is also Elizabeth's T stands for Tuesday, I would like 

to welcome all of the nice ladies of the T Gang.

This was taken on New Year's Day. People take their Sekt down

to the Rhine, use the bottles as rocket-launches,

and then leave all their garbage behind them

when they stagger home!

 I like to bake a tray of spice bars each week, they are cheaper

and better than shop cookies. These were

filled with strawberry and ginger jam - help

yourselves:

I had an English visitor and made 'Toad in the Hole',

sausages backed in Yorkshire pudding batter:

 And lemon cake and cappuccino are high on my list of faves:

I was fascinated to see men working at the top of the old mill

last week:

And the moon this week was really magical:

Have a great day, take care,

and thanks a lot for coming by!