Don't judge a book................Journal Page.

Hi everyone as we say farewell to the Olympics and Paralympics here in the UK, I just wanted to say how much I admire all these young athletes, from all over the world, with their dedication and their skill. They've been an inspiration to the world that we are all equal and we can do anything we set our minds to. I didn't get down to London as it would have been too much walking and stairs everywhere but I followed it on the TV and loved it all.

Here in Wellington, Shropshire we're having a Book and Poetry Festival this month and I did this journal page in my New Beginnings Journal, after reading some of the poems and short stories already written. They have a book trail going on in the town centre leaving clues to words or phrases from different books for you to find.  There's a prize for those who find them all too.
I haven't been able to do much PV work lately due to my arthritis, hope to be back up to speed soon and hopefully do some blog hopping to see what you've all been up to.
Thank you for looking and for your comments, I do appreciate them. x

New Beginnings! - Journal pages in my old Wages Book.

I'm trying to be positive about my situation and have started this journal to record my thoughts, feelings and affirmations.. I went to a weekend of workshops with Dina Wakley at Art from the Heart a few months ago.  She encouraged us to draw our own portraits, (not very good ones in my case) which incorporates my own drawings with some of the poetry words she gave us to use on our Poetry in Motion books.  I've nearly finished that too and will put that in a later post.

The poetry words say .... Dream has shaken it's sheets out, a freshness (discarded) restored. Can't you see this lame heart dances, muted rhythums let loud beats out. Scared hopes being reassured, can't you hear - this dried heart sings?  My own words read....... Am I the Devil for leaving or a Saint for staying so long?

On this page I used some digital download papers from Dyan Reaveley from AFTH.

My writing on this page reads...... I want to be independent and not reliant on anyone else.  I need to stand on my own two feet and pay my own way. I want to be in a happy place, happy in life, interacting socially, being with friends creating art and being at Peace with myself.  I drew the face on a piece of spent tumble drier sheet which I cut out and stuck to my page with PVA.  That way I retained the see through quality so you can still see the page beneath. I've added more words to the page since I took this photo, FOCUS ON WHO YOU WANT TO BE, NOT ON WHO YOU WERE!  Thank you for looking. xxxx

My Time Travel Journal!

The top picture is the view I have from the front room window atm. I'm house and cat sitting for my daughter whose gone away. It's not very warm today but this was captured last night before the sun disappeared.
I started this page in response to the Stampotique Challenge to alter a journal page 2 weeks ago!! I say started, as I missed the deadline to submit my page, (story of my life lately). I don't have any of their stamps yet, (will soon be remedied) but this challenge let you use any stamps. I bought the pack of memorabilia from The Train Museum in York while I was visiting in December, which contained lots of cards and tickets and also this cute little Rules Book. Just crying out to be altered!!! Yes my thoughts exactly. I've been really busy collecting bits and pieces to put in it and sort out some sort of order but scrapped this page to start me off. The quote at the bottom is from the Dylusions downloads. Other stamps from the collection I have. Hope you like it and thank you so much for looking,

Off to the National Motorcycle Museum today!

I'm taking a day off and taking some friends to a craft event at the Nat Motorcycle Museum today at the NEC, nr Birmingham. No idea what it will be like but we can look can't we. Better not spend too much though or I'll def need a new house.. He he.

Another page I did all these a couple of weeks ago in one afternoon!!! Thaks for looking and leaving me a comment. xxx

More journal pages!

On the first page I used one of Dyan's Downloads and made a body and hands by tracing around some chipboard shapes onto patterned paper. I added arms and legs and cut out some boots and hair to finish my bouncy self. Hope you like it.

The second page just morphed from a spill of orange liquid ink into the chaos you see. I'm trying to tidy my neglected craft stash into some sort of order this week. My home life is in chaos with hubby getting worse by the day and every time I've made something lately I've just shoved everything into the boxes without sorting it. I suddenly realised it was taking me longer to find stuff than it did to make it so it was time for a BLITZ. Hope you can see Kate's influence as I'm lovin her DVD's.

Thank you for looking and I'd love to hear from you too, so I can look at your work. Love and hugz xx

My new journal pages.

Hi everyone who looks at this post. This is a new art journal I've started "All About Me" which will hold my history, childhood memories and present day thoughts in no particular order of presentation here. I did put this page as no 1 then proceeded to do the back pages! How daft is that??? I've also added some in the middle so I'm thinking it will be naturally divided into 3 sections which will form the whole book. The Journal is A4 bound which I'm going to cover with a technique used by Kate Crane in the Craft Stamper of using Art Canvas on a roll. It looks just what I would like to use for the cover. Now I need to psyche myself up and go to brave the shops in town to buy it!!! I hate town these days, too hot and crowded with busy people!! Not for me but needs must. Failing that I'll have to research if I can buy it on-line, I think. My friendly mail man is getting used to me thrusting a bleary eyed hand, out of the kitchen window at 7 am in the morning to receive the latest purchase.


We've just had a welcome morning of rain in the Midlands, which has not even been enough to soak through the top layer of soil in the allotment. Could do with a good 3 days of it to swell the potatoes, beans, etc but we have to be grateful for what we've had.

It came home to me this week just what a mess we'd be in if the allotment was our only source of fresh fruit and veg. We've been neglecting it a bit due to health and family problems, and as we can only use watering cans to water the plants, which is exhausting and time consuming, the plants have suffered over the last 2 week's lack of rain. The outer leaves on many of the green crops have turned white, the potatoes are tiny, and the poor brassicas have been decimated by hungry birds, leaving quite architectural shaped stems which look like skeleton umbrellas. How would we survive without our store of veg in the freezer and the local supermarket to pop down to?? After watching the footage coming from some parts of Africa it makes me realise how lucky we are here in the West, so I've made another donation to the fund for Save the Children.

My husband has started to lose his sight this week, ascehmic neuroma the doctor said. It may be part of something else which he's being tested for atm. Years of alcohol abuse are finally catching up with him and he's a bear to live with!!! Art and Journalling is my escape! Wow this is a long post, have a gold star for those who got to the end. lol Thank you and I really appreciate you looking.

The finished page - using Kate's new DVD.s

Here's the finished page using Kate's new DVD's. I enjoyed making this, just started a new journal which I will keep for Kate's practice works.

First page using Kate Crane's DVD's which are brilliant!!

The first thing I've done for weeks, using Kate Crane's new DVD's. Hope I've done her justice. The DVD's are really great and take you through art journalling from the very beginning. I've picked up so many wonderful tips from them. The page is ready for journalling which I'll post over the weekend.