In the beginning...

Boy am I behind again now!!! Sorry.

I joined Sketchbook World Tour 2013, and my sketch book arrived on Friday, so I've been doodling away like I don't know what :D

I won't post all 32 pages til they are finished, end I will make a new page for them when I do.

Here is one of my pages in progress...

Not sure it's finished yet :)

I decided to make a story in pictures about this little character that grew out of my doodles.

Hope you will like it when I'm done(it has to be in the post by January 15th)

Enjoy :D XXX

Passionate encounter :D

I don't normally do product reviews, but I have to share this cos it's AMAZING!!

Now I am sure a lot of you are going to say "Grief Gina...do you live in a cave? We already know about this product!", but just in case....

Today I felt an urge to visit Meadowhall shopping centre( I know...on a Saturday  during the run up to Christmas ), but in I went, AND i allowed myself to be propositioned by a very nice young man selling soap products.

I don't use soap......" may I suggest you try this product...no chemicals other than natural dead sea salts?"

So... a nice young man wants to hold my hand...in public! Can I say no? Not likely :D 

Now friends often compliment me on my finger nails, and I rarely use product on them, but they are looking a bit dull and ridged....30 seconds using the buffer in this kit and my nail was super glossy and totally smooth, like it had a layer of glossy clear varnish....

I treated myself and bought the one scented with Patchouli/Lavender/Vanilla

I couldn't stop stroking my nail all the way home...

and trying to take photos to show you how incredibly shiny  it is compared to the others...

Hubby, sceptical as ever, insisted on doing a second nail him self..." That's amazing!" is words.

I have washed the pots and scratched my head  and all the other things we try to avoid doing when we have lovely fresh varnish on ...and it is still smooth and shiny!!! It was supposed to be going away for Christmas  but I is keeping it :D ...and I am so impressed I am going back next week to buy a kit each for my mother and MIL.

Enjoy :D

Oh....the company is called Soap & Co

A most wondrous Time of the Year!

One of the very first items I bought from Hobbycraft when it first arrived in Sheffield was a "Build your own clock" kit. It had 4 face panels representing the different seasons, and you had to colour the images yourself. I was very "colour-shy" when I started crafting, and so used muted watercolours to decorate my clock, but....I has changed...I likes stronger, deeper colours these days, so it was time to revamp. And this is how it looks now, much richer, warm and welcoming.

I decided to try using promarkers over the watercolours...

and I think you'll agree the colours are much stronger and smoother.

You should now be seeing side by side comparison pics...but blogger keeps rearranging them :S

And  all 4 panels together...

Now I just need to make/acquire a nicer frame :D

Enjoy XXX

Use your own art!!!

Today I wanted to make a gift for a friend. I had bought some cotton bags from Hobbycraft, at £1 each it would be silly to make my own, but extremely good to decorate with my own art!!

So I selected an image from my file of a card I made a year or so ago, and printed it onto "iron on transfer paper". When cut out it is 8x8 inches.

This is the reason I own an iron....

Follow the instructions in the transfer paper pack VERY carefully, and never throw them away as some papers require printing as a mirror image and some just print as normal.

Remember to let the transfer cool before peeling....

to reveal your personal and totally unique image :D

I can now add decorations to jazz it up even more...

but as I sew by hand, this bit will take a while :D

Enjoy :D ...and

USE YOUR ART!!!!

You know me so well!!!

OMG!!!! Magaly Guerrero!!!!

You crazy Witch :D

First time I went out in ages yesterday, and of course that was when the postie tried to deliver a parcel :S

Hubby went out at 7 am this morning to collect it from the depot...and it was from Magaly.

As I opened it the gorgeous smell of old roses greeted me...underneath, an equally gorgeous novel(which I am going to read).

Under the autumn leaves and dried rose petals, more goodies :D

This gorgeous brass sun dial, who's motto reads

"Grow old along with me, the best is yet to be"

and a fabulous metal framed motivational poster :D

All wrapped in scrunchy autumnal splendour :D

I have to try and uncurl this humungous maple leaf without breaking it ...perfect for ....oow, was going to say journal page, but I can hear a large canvas screaming at me :D

Thank you Magaly...love them all :D XXX

Lady Ophelia left adrift

Week 46 of Darcy's 52 Postcards for 2012, and the country this week is TIBET.

Miss Francesca point blank refused to let Ophelia travel so soon after giving birth, so they have remained in Monaco while Richard is away.

The national flower of the Bhutan Plateaux is the Blue Poppy

"My dearest Lillian,

Richard has gone off to TIBET, to visit with Thubten Gyatso, the new Dahlai Lama. Apparently he is planning to reform the life of the Tibetan people, who have been quite fiercely subjugated by their Chinese neighbours. So Her Majesty has sent Richard to offer our support.

While I am waiting for his return, I will tell you the adventure of Henry's birth. Being in a coastal resort, Richard asked for a British naval ship to dock close by. This was where Henry was born...on board ship...which they tell me counts as British soil!

Unfortunately, the ship's doctor was not practiced in the needs of a birthing woman, and Miss Francesca had to take complete control of the situation. WHICH SHE LOVED! There being no other women on board, she made Richard her assistant. I was next to useless, and almost hysterical with laughter as she ordered him around. "Do this...do that...hold this...!" And when she handed him the slimy bundle that is his son we thought he was going to faint!

Afterwards, Miss Francesca made Richard a cup of tea with brandy in, and told him he had done brilliantly. His face was adorable...like a little boy that has just pleased his favourite Aunt.

For myself, I found the experience very enjoyable, and am looking forward to providing Henry with many brothers and sisters.

Your very happy friend, Ophelia xxx"

" My darling Ophelia,

How unfortunate that Sir Richard had to leave you so soon, though at least Monaco is a beautiful place to recover your strength.

It is very fortunate indeed that Miss Francesca is with you. She has yet again proven herself worthy of a medal. I too would have been useless to you, having no experience in the matters of childbirth. Tell her I am forever in her debt, and there will always be a place by my fire for her. As for poor Sir Richard, I am sure nothing in his military service prepared him for such an  experience...with the exception of taking orders.

I am less fearful of your travels now they are nearly over. Will you be home for the Christmas celebrations or to see in the New Year?

Stay safe and warm, and kiss Henry for me.

Your ever devoted friend, Lillian xxx"

Enjoy :D XXX

2nd post today!

As promised from earlier, the journal page I was working on for Dawn's Journal Journeys challenge 13 "AUTUMN"

Autumn makes me wish for bonfires...haven't managed one yet this soggy year :S

adding paint in layers, rubbed off again with kitchen paper...

Cut out paper dolls, and highlighted with sakura souffle pen.

You can just make out where I used the dolls as stencils with sooty black distress ink on opposite page.

The journalling reads:

My childhood memories are filled with images of bonfires...

Not fireworks and feasting...but 3 little sisters, dancing outside on dark nights with no fear.

For in Autumn we celebrate!!!

Enjoy :D XXX

Karma at work :D

So I call in the local charity shop, and the nice lady is back...Yay!!!

Yes she would love some homemade Christmas cards to sell...so I get stuck into my Anna Griffin stash.

After this I was planning to work on some art journal pages...and guess what?

Knock at the door...Mr Postie says "parcel for you :D"...

And these gorgeous goodies fell out, from Dawn of Journal Journeys  :D

Look at the beautiful tag/notecard, thanking ME for playing along with her!!!...and that is an A5 soft black strokable  sketchbook!!!

Now I totally have to get some journalling done :D Thank you Dawn :D XXX