Journal Pages

It's been a while since the last journal from the International Journal Swap came through but this one is the latest. The theme is Connections and I chose to interpret it with the connections between the 12 artists taking part in this round robin.

I made small journals representative of the journals travelling around the world, between us, and used postage stamps to illustrate one of the ways in which we communicate, email being the other.


The small journals have themes, including India, Vintage and Postage Stamps. On putting them on the page I realised that I would have to find a way of closing them otherwise they would get crushed when the journal folded so I came up with attaching ribbons to the backs of them so it could be tied on the front, securing the tiny journals closed.

I had great fun using some of my favourite colours, in acrylics, alcohol inks and glimmer mists and used a plastic doillie as the stencil for the molding paste.

Last I heard my own journal was in the States and it's coming closer to it coming home. Can't wait to see it. This journal was bulging with beautiful work and it was difficult letting it go but it's now winging it's way to Lichfield to the next artist :)

Lots to Do

The latest journal in the International Journal swap is with me and my entry needs completing today so I can post it on tomorrow

I've laid an initial background of vintage book, music sheets and atlas pages

Above are my journals from the journal making class, hoping to get on with decorating the pages later.

And hoping to get some more canvases prepared. I've been reading Pam Carriker's book Art at the Speed of Life and one of her tips is if you're going to prepare one canvas you may as well do more whilst you have everything out and a gluey brush - hearing you Pam :) Then when the muse visits I can get straight on with the project.

3 little kitties sitting on a vintage book

These ATCs will be winging their way to Australia tomorrow for a swap on Milliande. I got the words from a vintage romance novel, nothing to do with cats but thought they fitted perfectly.

Billyboys Latest Exploits

Here he is, sitting on the china cabinet, grubby pawed, no idea how he's got that, hoping I open up the cabinet as he knows I keep his cat nip in there, as well as my crochet, and he does love a ball of real wool. But I digress....

I got a text from a friend/neighbour over the wall from me with a picture of a cat sitting in one of her hanging baskets. Is he one of mine, she asks. Yes, that's Billy I reply! What next??? Good job she likes cats and likes mine paying a visit.

Bluebell Woods at Easter

Went over to Bluebell Woods yesterday for a walk with some friends. The bluebells are really early this year and the ground was a sea of blue.

You just have to walk through them, it's almost magical and with us for such a short time

My friend gave me some lovely, yes, they are gone already, chocolate bunnies in a lovely cup and saucer, now esconced on the dresser.

And her daughter gave me some super little wooden cats with bells round their necks, (can't think why she thought of me, lol) in a darling little drawer string bag. I felt throughly spoilt :)

Hope you've all had a great easter, and if in England are looking forward to the next long weekend as someone or other is getting married??

Spring ATCs

My spring themed ATCs are now winging their way to the states for a Roses on the Table swap. I really enjoyed making these fairies. I found all the words in a vintage book about travelling around Scotland. The background of glimmer mist and acrylic paint was then overlaid with a paper napkin/tissue supplied by Carole in New Zealand - many thanks Carole!

Happy Easter

Ahhhh, the thought of the next 4 days off is delightful and much needed. Time to be creative and recharge my batteries. Hope you all get a chance to relax this easter time.

Above is an ATC I made for a swap over on Milliande, the title of which was Something Fishy. The title of my ATC is 'Daphne pondered .... if she could carry off the new Mermaid look'. Now just got some Spring themed ATCs to finish for a swap on Roses on the Table, you might get a glimpse of the tomorrow :)

Sunday in the Garden

The bluebells are finally coming out and it was the perfect day for a bit of work around the garden. I've put in foxgloves and oriental poppies, both I hope will self-seed.

The cherries are in blossom and really hoping for a bumper harvest of morrellos this year; last year's cherries dropped off in a really dry spell.

Just adore this red crab apple blossom, wonderfully vibrant.


I've also planted a miniature lilac. I just had to buy it down the garden centre this week, as it reduced me to tears as my old cat Freddie used to love lying in the one I had at the old house so I bought it in memory of him. It smells divine.

Of course I was working under supervision and my work was scrutinised throughly by Archie,

then Mickey checked that the cat walk-ways across the bed were still accessible despite the influx of plants,

and Merlin checked out the newly pressure-washed decking and found it perfectly adequate for a bit of rolling in the sunshine!

Spring Fairy ATC

The inspiration for this Spring Fairy ATC came from a request at Christmas to make an angel hanging ATC for a friends mum. Ashamed to say that time has gone by and I'd not gotten round to it, so yesterday was the day. As it is going to hang in her toilet all year (this toilet is a little palace with chandalier I must add) I decided not to go too christmassy but then when I looked at the angel I decided that she was actually a fairy. I can't put my finger on it, maybe too small a wings?? So hope she likes it. The bead at the bottom really catches the light and shines rainbow colours so hopefully will match the chandalier. It was an old earring but I'd lost the other one.


This is the wonderful japanese book I won in a prize draw over on Caroles blog Madness and Mess, I love it, really looking forward to using the pages in my journals. She was a dear and sent me some gorgeous napkins as well, and a key stamped on some fabric. I'm really enjoying her journal class, there is still time to join in if you want to.

Just love the stamp on the parcel as well. Have a lovely spring day all. I'm off to a friends for an art day. We both bought some lutrador at last years Knitting and Stitching show and haven't done anything with it so far. So today is the day, heat guns at the ready......

24 degrees

Today has been a glorious spring day with temperatures reaching 24 degrees. Now to those of you in warmer climes that might seem nothing to shout about but over here in England we are happy if it reaches 24 degrees at the height of summer let alone on an early spring day.

So I thought I'd share some of the colour in my garden at the moment in celebration of the day.



This blossom was snapped whilst I was working out of the office this afternoon and the shadows of railings on my walk to another centre. It reminds me of lacey edgings or maybe the inspiration for a future stencil.


Hope you're having glorious spring days wherever you are :)

New ATC swaps and Journal Pages

Firstly here are a couple of gorgeous ATCs that I received in a private swap with Lorna at Artymess, and I just adore them. They are so textural and full of visual interest, the blue one is mostly velvet, lovely to stroke, with the word 'Eternity' stamped in the metal piece.

Here are the two ATCs that I sent to Lorna, a Marie Antoinette complete with hanger and dangly jewels and a Tea Time? ATC.

These beautys dropped through my letterbox on Friday, the latest swap from Roses on My Table, with the theme of love. I love the variety of techniques and expressions of love. Here are mine for the same swap in an earlier post.

Finally, as the light was fading tonight so sorry about the gloomy photo, I started work on the pages for my fabric journal course. I'm going to work on a couple of journals at the same time as I was having major difficulties in deciding on just one theme. So one of them will be a vintage/shabbychic/dressing table kind of a journal entitled 'Pretty in Pink' and the other journal will have the theme of India, with vibrant colours and sari fabrics. If you fancy joining in on the Journal class just click on the image on the sidebar and you'll get more details.

So above I'm working with strong coffee to age the paper, then waste not, want not I'm dying fabrics in the coffee liquid that was left over - studio smells like Starbucks now, lol. For the India journal I've been spraying acrylic washes and glimmer mists so far but think I need to be a bit bolder with my colour but lost the light and so will assess it better tomorrow.

Birthday Boy Archie

Unfortunately in a senior moment I left the door to the bathroom open and Archie, always having an eye for a chance, nipped in and made himself at home on the pile of bath towels on the washstand. He was three yesterday, it's two years since I leapt out of my card and grabbed him off my street. Not a regular occurence I assure you, but he'd been pointed out to me as a stray only the evening before and as I was heading to the vets anyway I took him along to see if he was chipped. He wasn't and despite advertising him no one came forward. I still can't believe that no one came for him, he's a beautiful boy, beautiful looking and beautiful character.

So Happy 3rd Birthday Archie Padstow!