Testing the Water

So, obviously, it has been a while and a lot of life has happened (but not as you know it Jim).  

I've had a long break from crafting online for a fair while because of family commitments but, what with the dreadful Covid 19, lockdown and everything, what can I say - I have had a lot of time on my hands.

Anyhoo, the forums where I used to swap art either no longer do swaps or have moved over to Facebook.And so, much to my horror, I've had to set up a crafting Facebook profile so that I can resume my Artist Trading Card (ATC) swapping addiction.  I dislike Facebook.  Intensely.  Although I won't go into the reasons here and now.

The very first group I asked to join was a no-brainer - ATC Swap UK.  Although the physical swapping isn't happening, there is still a monthly subject and I've been able to make each month retrospectively back to March.  Oh the rediscovered sheer joy of ATCs - oh how I've missed thee *insert choir of angels*

March was "Birds" - these ("The Early Bird Catches the Worm") were stamped then  coloured with Promarkers.  I'm not the best colourist, but can't be faulted for effort! 

April was Fairies and these are my "Skull Fae" offering.  Stamped, coloured, cut out and added to background made using Holtz distress inks, more stamping and 2 little extra added - small Believe bingo card and Enchanted Kingdom entry ticket, again stamped and cut out.

May had an interesting slant - no subject, but the ATC had to be an easel, a first for me.  I added die cutting to these along with stamping, distress inks and a fun embellishment technique - faux stamps.

June had a choice - Home Town or Weather.  I chose Weather and proud to say I used a stamp that I'd not used (other than for my stamping catelogue) since the day I bought it years ago.  I have a lot of those *rolls eyes*.  Oh the fun I had using mixed media techniques, ending up covered in paint and mica and hubby moaning about the sand that went everywhere, heh, heh...

And so I'm all caught up and ready to post.  Can't wait to start receiving other crafter's art to my collection.

So it has been a fair while since I posted - work, work and the Real Life Roller Coaster that scares the living daylights out of you occasionally , yada, yada, yada. 

 

Anyhoo, this is the last of the pages made for the "CJ that's a Swap".  Annette (Voodoo Vixen) chose "Words and their Definition" and I dug down deep in my stamp collection and found a large dictionary stamp, Anniversary stamp, couple, marriage certificate and ticket stamps. 

These were layered on a background paper with lots of distress inking tearing and embossing.  painted die cuts, fabric hearts and butterfly and roses finished the complementary colour of the woman's dress. 

I promarkered the couple stamp and clear embossed the image for effect.  I used music ribbon (that I don't remember buying!) and final touches involved using glossy accents to highlight various nouns from the dictionary stamp et le voila.

Here's to the same level of mojo in residence when I made this!

Art Journalling With Intent

Wow, obviously not as puggled as I thought and that idea made it from brain to page.  I've really been working up to Art Journalling (two "l"s, you'll notice).  As I have enough "stash" to open a market stall, I want to use paints rather than buy any stains or stuff, currently being promoted right left and centre ("re", you'll notice) and have been practising backgrounds with varying success.

Now my fellow Doll, Lou, has an appreciation of diverse art forms fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on her/your opinion on the picture...).  So, art journalling it was for her page on the subject of "Silhouettes and Songs".  The thinking was to pick a song title or words from a song for inspiration and create a page around this, a silhouette(s) to be the main design feature. The Beatles' haunting song "While my guitar gently weeps" proved the perfect subject and this is my interpretation, art-journalling-stylee.

The Garter

I've spent the last 2 days working in Lincoln and had a horrendous journey home in the torrential rain.  Fortunately we finished earlier because of the depressing forecast.  This gave me time to complete DorothyAnne's page. 

I had already distress inked the background with blues and purples, found the image and made the black garter.  After embellishing the background with embossed stamping and glimmer mists, I added the image, garter, words and added the gems with my new Hotfix toy ..... I've been gemming everything in sight since I had it, heh, heh, but hubby won't let me near his car with it .... (just can't get the husbands these days).

I'm on a roll now and started the next one, albeit only in my brain.  It may take some time, though, I'm feeling particularly puggled at the mo!

Fun at the Beach

No, not me, only in my dreams.  The flipping weather this summer has been absolutely pants and it must be getting lots of people down.  Hey ho.

Anyhoo, the weather was my inspiration for my latest page in the CJ that is a Swap for my fellow Madonion, Karen. 

Karen's subject was "Fun at the Beach" and for a while I was completely stumped because everything I started (including painting a lighthouse, don't ask) just didn't work out.  So, happily browsing the Internet, I came across this wonderful lady, complete with shell costume - sorted!  The image was promarkered then UTEE embossed.  The background was created with Holtz distress inks, stamping, embossed stamping and Sizzix die cuts.  The dymo words ("I hope two hatpins will suffice" she thought) were added then glossy accented.  Despite all my angst in the creation thereof, this page makes me smile. 

First challenge - to post it - and second challenge - on to the next page!

June Already ...

I turn into my own mother when I say "where on earth has the year gone already?"  Still, this was me just 3 weeks ago after another hospital emergency admission and have avoided again what I fear will be the inevitable surgery.  SIGH.

Still, seeing friends Thursday and Friday then the girly day out on Saturday  being pampered with luxury facial was Just the Business. Followed by the obligatory lunch of course - managed to force it down somehow.

My mojo seems to have been as heavily medicated as me and I have really struggled with anything crafty.  But, the devil making work for idle hands and thanking the Lord for smart phones, during my long week in hospital I spent many a happy hour surfing the BBC Food site.  The result was a reclaimed love of baking followed by an expensive visit to Lakeland to replace some of my antique-no-longer-fit-for-purpose bakeware and a willingness to weigh everything in sight except me!

Mojo finally recovered and today I finished my Jubilee, Best of Britain, jigsaw puzzle swap.  I found some lovely silvery London background paper and the red and blue colours reminded me of the Underground logo.  Doing some digging I was amazed to discover that world's first underground tube railway was the Tower Subway beneath the River Thames south of Tower Hill in 1870.  Amazing.  And something to be very proud of. 

Minature copies of today's Tube map are tucked under the raised logo on the jiggie pieces and signed on the reverse.  As I realised with my only other jigsaw swap, the signatues on the back disappear when it's mounted!  Having seen some of the other contributions I can't wait to get the whole swap back.  All I have to do now is post mine .......

A CJ That's a Swap

No, it's not me being puggled, I really am in a CJ that is a swap.  Usually, the description gives it away - a Circle Journal - a Journal doing the Round Robin, in a Circle - geddit?  But not this time.  One of group, the lovely and talented Voodoo Vixen, (check out her latest tutorial on ageing paper) lives abroad.  So, we have a participant list, post to the next person on the list, then the one after that, and so on.  Even my puggled brain can cope.  Mostly.

 

Firstly, the Guilt.  I'd already received 2 beautiful pages on my chosen subject - the Fae - and I hadn't even started my first.  Okay, the severe concussion incident did not enthuse my crafting juices.  Recovery was  followed by trip to Eye Casualty and back again the following week because it hadn't cleared up, by which time there were no juices whatsoever.

The first page received from the digitally talented New2this (March 12th post) included both purply colours and butterflies - 2 of my favourite things. The photo above of my next page from buddy Lou does not do true justice to all the sparkly bits.  Sparkles and Bling - mmmmmmm!

 

So, giving Missing Mojo the required kicking my pages finally reached the top of my Guilt List.  And, once started, there was no stopping me.  The first subject was anyone, anything that inspires.  I chose Inspired by (the Art of) Nature and felt the need to get my acrylics out, plus dymo and Glossy Accents.
The second subject was Vintage Sewing so naturally out came Sir T!m's Sewing Room die.  I inked some new background paper purchased courtesy of the NEC, lace, material, fabric flowers (the middles blinged using my latest Hotfix toy ..... mmmmmm... bling!).

So now I am ahead of myself for once - long may it last!