Journalling Course

I have signed up for an online journalling course - been plucking up courage for ages - and have now taken the plunge.

I am a bit late joining in - but as the notes and videos will be on line until September I'll be able to catch up. Some have almost finished their first journal - and a bit of blog hopping has revealed some very talented ladies especially in the 'sewing' department - which I have found rather daunting - but hey, I am up for a challenge.

Here is a sneak peek of  the one the tutor is demonstrating.

It is what I consider a 'real proper' journal where to create a book from scratch.  The pages, signatures, layering, assembling, binding - the lot!

One of the things that did shock me, was the fact that there is no cutting - NO scissors - honestly! I kid your not and I am seriously afraid. No straight cuts - no straight cuts - no scissors - no 'neat and tidy' - now that will be difficult.

I'll be starting on Tuesday so watch this space if you want to see how I get on. I have a list of things I need to collect..............

Paper, materials, lace, inks, paints, buttons, emphemera, stamps, quotes, shiny stuff, images, ribbons, sheets of watercolour paper - which I am having trouble tracking down - they need to be the 90lb weight and approx 22"x 32" ish.

I have already made a start on rummaging around in my remnant box for bits of material etc.  I have glues, image transfer paper, inks, paints, tea bags, coffee, and can improvise on most things as I don't want to do a 'big spend' but try and use 'stuff' I have around and about.

I'll be painting, sewing, gluing, transferring, tearing, ripping, and so much more! I don't expect my first journal to be very good as it will be all new to me - but using that as an exercise I hope to go forward in leaps and bounds after that.  My head is already buzzing with ideas - whether I have all the 'necessaries' to pull it off I don't know, but it will certainly stretch me.

Night night

Freebie music mag pages- and blog candy!

Inky Fingers Cath found a great Music magazine at a car boot sale in York, and is so generously sharing the pages each day on her blog.   They'll be great for so many projects.  If you are not following her blog already, then I suggest you do so,  as she also is a prolific 'poster' of great art work.

She also has some blog candy to give away later this month - so pop over and see what she has to offer.

Rummaging around in the remnants - and recycling! **Edited**

I have got my copy of this months Craft stamper - and couldn't wait to use the free flower head stamp that came with it.

I looked through the magazine to get some inspiration on how to use it - so this is my effort having been inspired by Katy Fox's Vintage Hanging on page 7.

I am not spoiling things for any of  you who have not yet got your copy - as this does not look like hers at all -  you'll see when you look!  But it was inspired by her hanging!

As usual I am waffling before I take a deep breath and add the photos.  So just to set the scene - I used the free stamp as did Katy!  The rest of the materials came from my recycling pot of tea bags - don't groan - wait until you see them - then groan!  Plus a rummage in my recycled remnants bag produced some more 'stuff', but a bit of ribbon was new!

Here goes............

Stamped flowers on teabags. 

The middles (buttons) look more grungy and vintage than the photos show

I layered the stamped teabag onto some netting, and melted the netting with the flame from a church candle.  It left the edges with a lovely mixture of vintage brown and some wax too.

In my remnants box I found some thick 'stuff' that looked like a bit of old sacking, and also a bit of cream bed sheet.   Both of these I cut and frayed.

When I was rummaging for the church candle I came across an old book called Munro's Book-keeping Down to Date! 

It was once the property of a

Hugh Cummings Esq

201 Calder Street

Glasgow.

I can only think I bought it because it is all about book-keeping and I was a book-keeper!

Flicking through it to tear out a suitable aged sheet to use, I came across the accounts of the 'Society of Arts, dated 1803 - so  I used that page as you can see above.

The 'Flapper' lady is an image I transferred onto the torn piece of sheet which I aged with Walnut stain distress ink.

It's taken me most of the day to do - allowing time for the ink and glues to dry

Once all the elements were glued on I glued it onto mountboard

And added the hanger.

I made some more tea bag flowers and at present they are held together temporarily with button brads

When I come to use them on another project the brads will be replaced and the flowers sewn on with buttons to suit the project

** Edit**

Thank you so very much for your comments I really thought that there would have been lots of rolled eyes and 'get a life woman' using tea bags!

Jo Capper-Sandon said...

I totally agree with Chris in that this is certainly WOW! Love how you've given the opportunity for us to see it close ups and at different angles. I bet this is so gorgeously tactile. Certainly worth all the effort Lottie

I have you to thank for that Jo - cos I studied how  you photograph your work and have been practising! (Or should that be shamelessly copying!)

Quiet

I have been rather quiet of late on the internet blogging front - but hope to have a play this morning. So whilst you are awaiting my latest creation with bated breath - that is a JOKE honest, I just wanted to post this........

My lovely lipreading tutor retired last week, and we had a bit of a celebration in class to surprise her. She is the lovely lady on the left with the most amazing smile. 
(As you can see by our shiny glow - it was sweltering in the room despite having the doors open!)

You may remember that I made her the butterfly bag as a leaving gift and kept my fingers crossed that she would like it.

But she didn't.

She said that she absolutely LOVED it! 

As soon as she saw the package amongst the other things we bought her, she went for it first and said with a huge smile, 'Oh, I know who this is from' and couldn't get the paper off it quick enough.

Unbeknown to us she has always had a 'thing' about butterflies so I hit all the right spots with it.

As she has been hearing me enthusing about my chickens for the past few years and reading my Allotment Lady blog, and discussing them with me etc.  She had a Chicken Coop from husband in early spring as a present and two weeks ago she bought three chickens herself - so we all clubbed together and got her chicken related pressies!

I didn't make this cake - one of the other ladies did, but I did get the job of making the lips.   I used to make cakes, for birthdays, weddings, sugarcraft flowers etc as presents but gave it up a while ago

The lady that made this cake took me to one side the previous week and said, 'You're an artist aren't you, so can you make me some red lips for the cake!'  I didn't get time to protest about the artist bit - so made several sets of sugarpaste lips.  (I don't know what the white mark is on the lips - it wasn't there when I made them - think it's icing sugar.)  I made lips from Minnie Mouse - to thick Mick Jagger ones as I didn't know the size she wanted! * Edited to say that these are the Minnie Mouse shaped lips

I am off to my shed now to see if I can get inspired to do some crafty stuff - I have been reading the latest Craft Stamper magazine and it's full of red hot summer colours - and a great free stamp too!

Even Silence Speaks

After receiving Jo's card this morning - I gave myself a good talking to and spent the afternoon in my garden craft shed - Mr Lottie insists I call it a studio - but I do feel a bit silly as that conjures up an artist!

I am in a swap and had a large-ish jigsaw piece to alter and a small one - so I had a go with Jasmin in her 'flaky chocolate mood'

It's not very easy doing a jigsaw puzzle piece I found - and the colours on here are much more vibrant by the way.

On Jo's 'Imagine' card - she created a lovely white misty edging.  I have had a go at it, but I wasn't as bold as I was too scared of messing up the puzzle piece!

Jasmin has just finished all her exams and is just laying in a meadow dreaming of what to do during the summer hols. 

She's doesn't like the sun, so is lying in the misty shade.

(Excuse the mark over her eye - it's not a mark but a bit of stray paper!)

All she can hear is the whisper of the long grasses and the only breeze is that from the butterfly wings as they dance around her head.

Hmmm- sounds like heaven!

I am including this is the Lots to Do Challenge this week.

The other little puzzle piece couldn't have been more different if I had tried

Black and white.

Painted  the puzzle white - making  sure that it was textured, then tranferred the image to it, masked it and stamped on the script.

There is a big size difference isn't there!

Stamps used - Jo Capper Sandon's for Stampotique available from Happy Daze - link in side bar.

Jasmin, butterfly, tall grass stem, and 'Even silence speaks' which I have stamped and cut into segments.

Imagine..............

Do you sometimes  get those days when you feel the 'world's' against you, nothing goes right, and you wish you hadn't bothered to get up in the morning?

Well today was one of those days

I walked into the village to post some 'things' (dressed and looking like Miss Havisham!) and had a 'funny turn' in the Post Office - I am sure those in the queue must have thought me the local drunk as I lost my balance and grabbed hold of a card stand - which happened to be a swivel one!  Still a gentleman (yes there are a few about) held it upright or else I would be spinning around now!  I just said that I was a bit dodgy on me feet today - well I was!

The village greens of which we have a few - have benches to sit upon - and they were being sat upon by folks in shorts, and tee shirts soaking up the sun and watching the world go by!  Grrrr - jealously is not a flattering trait to have!

I decided to march home the longer way around - not a good idea when you are carrying a bag with 4 frozen lamb shanks, some frozen bacon bits, and some tenderloin chops - they weighed a bit heavy!

It didn't do me any good - I still felt fed up - until that is, I unlocked the porch door and saw an envelope on my mat!  I dumped the bag, threw off my hat, shawl, long sleeved waterfall cardi, sunglasses, switched on the fan, and flopped down to try and guess who had sent me something.

Do you do that?  Or is it only something old people do cos they don't have anything better to waste their time on?

I didn't recognize the post mark - nor the hand writing - hmm - baffled.

I opened the envelope - and there was another inside - curiouser and curiouser. 

Then I gently prized it open and look what was inside

Well that really lifted my spirits and made my day.  How on earth did that famous lady get my address?

What a treasure and it looks even better in my hand than it does on the blog - can you believe that, as it looks gorgeous on the blog.    I haven't a clue what I have done to deserve it - but I really don't care as it shook me out of my grouch, the sun has gone in - pure bliss - and all's right with the world!

Thank  you so very much Jo for the wonderful surprise - it made my day and I will treasure the card and try and have a go at your brilliant colouring technique.

And another nice surprise - a little dickie bird has told me that a new consignment of Jo' stamps for Stampotique, will be winging their way to Happy Daze  very soon (this week with a bit of luck I hope)

They are selling like hot cakes so if there is one you fancy, I would hot foot it over to the site and reserve it before they sell out!

I am off to sit and gaze some more at my 'Imagine being able to fly' surprise.

Hmmm,  How did she find out my address?

Buzzy Bee

I have been so busy in my garden, up the allotment , and house-wifey things that this is the first time I have had to spend a bit of time in my studio - getting inky

Wild honey distress ink - stamped and painted on with a brush. front and back of card

Flicked water all over it - artistically of course and shaded.

Stamped and painted the queen bee, and did the same with her worker bees.

Dustings of golden pollen here and there and a gold crown (gold stickles)- shame it doesn't show up in the photos.

I interfaced the inside of the card with paper for the message and will add a yellow ribbon to keep it in place.  I will probably stamp a  bee or two inside too.

This will be going to Japan with a jar of Norfolk Honey and Honeycomb.

Bumble bees and honeycomb stamps by Jo Capper Sandon for Stampotique and available from Happy Daze - see side bar for links