Circles and new stamps!

Hi everyone, I can hardly believe it  - the sun is shining again! We're quite busy but getting through things much quicker now! Yesterday was a day off though - we went to Lyme Park (amongst others things) for hubby's birthday and although chilly in the shade had a lovely walk.

As I mentioned in my previous post we went to the Stamping Together show at Port Sunlight on Saturday. 

Kate Crane was there demoing her new stamps for Paper Artsy(you may remember she used to design for Carabelle Studio who stopped trading last Autumn)

Her new stamps are wonderful and of course I bought some!

I also bought some new paints - Paper Artsy Mattints - they're so lovely to use.

The only mistake I made was not buying all of the colours! They do mix well though!

I tried them put by painting lines in different colours over my page in both directions which is how I found out about the colours blending. Next, for some contrast I used a trusty old stencil, covered it in Black Oxide ink, spritzed and pressed it onto my page.

The stamps were all stamped onto art paper, coloured with the Mattints and cut out along with an Alison Bomber quote.

I added some pink spatter to the girl tag and black over the page.

Here are the stamps I bought 

Here's Kate with her brand new PaperArtsy release - she had been allowed to show them pre-release. 

Now they are released I am happy to link this to Valerie's Art Journal Journey theme 'Geometric Forms'

I will also enter at.. 

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Simon Says Monday Challenge - Up In The Air

Thanks for looking, Chris

Shaping up...or not!

Hi everyone, it's all happening here! We have had workmen just outside creating a lot of dust by using a grinder, the mess they created is still to be cleaned up and the rain on the dust turned everything to a white mud. Fortunately the sun has been shining for the last two days, although the temperature hasn't risen so much.

I have had yet more changes to my medication following seeing the nurse - my sugar levels weren't dropping and test results showed a hormone problem which means I am now having weekly injections. As I only had my first one on Friday it is not showing much change in my levels as yet.

However I did get to visit the craft show at Port Sunlight. I got a few sneaky peeks at some new realeases coming up too. Yes, I did have a little spend too. Earlier in the week we had a little bit of sun that allowed us to visit Tatton Gardens before the afternoon deluge hit, huge hailstones too!

I made this page over several days for Valerie's 'Geometric Forms' theme at Art Journal Journey.

  I covered the page with squares and rectangles using scraps of paper.

Next came a coat of white paint and some squared washi tape. I used a stamp I have had for a long time, bought in France, it had some shapes on that too. I added some triangles with a stencil and some text with a stamp.

Thanks for looking, Chris

Inspired By A Song

Hi everyone, we're all singing away at Try It On Tuesday this time - our new topic is  'Inspired By A Song' I'm sure at least one of will give you your 'earworm' for the day! Please take a look at the songs that inspired the Design Team.

Many years ago I went on my first date with my hubby, we went to see the Lion King at the cinema and since then I have seen two different stage productions. One of the most beautiful scenes is where all the animals appear to the song 'The Circle Of Life'

I stamped the Pink Ink lion and drew round a lid to get the circle. The background was made with Neocolourll watercolour pencils and a random shaped stamp using VersafineClair ink. I also used the Neocolours to colour everything else. The birds, animals and trees are all stamps by Crafty Individuals.

I wrote the song title and stamped and outlined the word LION, also in the Pink Ink set.

I am looking forward to seeing which song you choose, and maybe give me my ear worm for the day!

The Try It On Tuesday challenge runs, as usual, for two weeks. For rules please check here.

I am also joining Valerie at Art Journal Journey with her 'Geometric Forms' theme.

Thanks for looking, Chris 

Just Doodling.....

Hi everyone, that's all I've been doing some days. Just when I think all is sorted I have a blip. I am now wearing a sensor again and due to see the nurse tomorrow. The sensor doesn't seem to work well at night and I had one very disturbed night when it sounded an alert four times. Since then I have checked levels with my manual tester and found that there is no need for alarm so I switched it off the following two nights and will tonight too!

Doodling, doing some cutting out and making some mini pages has kept me going art wise. 

This is my favourite doodle page so I'll show you it first.

The words in one of the large circles says 'Going around in circles' I used various mediums to colour the circles - ink, water colour paint and watercolour pencils. I used different pens to doodle with too.

Valerie's Art Journal Journey theme is 'Geometric Forms' and I am joining in today with lots of circles.

Thanks for looking, Chris

Calendar pages squared up!

 Hi everyone, I am a bit late with this but here it is. I've used large and small Aall and Create stencils with lots of squares!

I have use Aall and Create stamp sets, one from Tracy Evans and the other from Bipasha. 

I chose the sunflowers because of the lack of sun in these parts and today, although we have had sunshine we have had heavy showers and howling wind at times too - definitely April Shower time!

Here is last month's calendar if you woud like to see it.

I am joining in with Valerie's Art Journal Journal theme 'Geometric Forms'.  

Thanks for looking, Chris

Rainbow Colours!

 Hi everyone, it's  time for a new topic at Try It On Tuesday. We are looking for 'Rainbow Colours' in your entries this time.

Please take look at the TIOT blog and see the fabulous rainbow colours the Design team have used.

I used a stamp with circles and text on it that I inked with Distress Ink then spritzed before stamping.

The figures are Jane Davenport washi tapes to which I added some Funky Fossil rub ons. The words are from a very old book of Velum quotes.

I hope you can join us this time at TIOT. We would love to see more rainbows!

Thanks for looking, Chris 

I am also adding this to Valerie's 'Geometric Shapes' theme at Art Journal Journal

Not Geometry!!!!

 Hi everyone, actually no, not really - but 'Geometric Shapes' are what our new host Valerie of Bastelmanaia would like to see on your pages at Art Journal Journey this month. 

Before I show you my page I would like to thank all of you who entered my March challenge and left me so many lovely comments.

Now Valerie would have been happy with just one 'Geometric Shape' but she is happy to see as many as you wish to add....which is just as well because I have added lots of my chosen shape - the hexagon

First of all I sprinkled some Leafgreen Brusho through an Aall and Create stencil taking care not to hit the four larger ones and then spritzed with water. When the page was dry I used a water colour pencil to draw in the larger hexagons and a water brush to drag the watercolour across. I then used a Bipasha hexagon stamp (Aall and Create) randomly over the page.

The fruit images are PET tape by Freckles Tea - one of my favourites. Finally I added some Dylusion words and outlined them with bronze gel pen and used a water brush and pencils to frame the page

I hope you can join us at AJJ this month. Please remember we do not accept Cards, Tags or ATCs as entries - unless of course, they are part of your page (the rules are here if you want to check)

Thanks for looking, Chris