Look Behind You!

Thats me, running behind everyone trying to catch up!  I can't believe I didn't do a blog post in October! It was a very busy month, first off I hit a very BIG birthday! seriously i can't believe I'm that age! eek i am a little freaked out, even my 84 yr old Mother can't believe she has a 60 yr old daughter, shush Mum someone might hear you! so its just a number, theres no way of avoiding it, so I'm not thinking of it anymore, its our little secret...  Ive also been to New York to see my beautiful twin granddaughters and also had the pleasure of having my other two beautiful granddaughters there too!  They could only come for a week but it was great fun to see them all together having fun! I was there for a fortnight and got to baby sit several times, and had lots of walks cuddles and play time - Bliss! Ive been back 3 weeks and am suffering from withdrawal symptoms! thank goodness for Skype at least we get to see and speak with them..

Heres my October calendar page followed by November, for the calendar challenge on The Kathyrn Wheel(sorry link not working) Im very happy with October.  November is a different matter, I just can't seem to find the right 'thing' for it I even forgot to gesso the pages!(senior moment! haha).  I don't like November as a month anyway its always so grey and blah,  or is that just me.
For October I used Ranger Distress Inks, I love the effects you get with splurging water on them, Tim holtz masks, Stampotique stamps (love them!)  For November i used Dylusions paints(love them!) with a baby wipe, dylusions stamps, crafters workshop stencils (Love them) a little bit of gesso on a credit card scratched on. Was sure I had a leaf stamp but can't seem to find it at the moment hopefully I will before the end of Nov.

I've been catching up on some sewing projects too I made the cupcakes cushions and also this tied fleece blanket (which actually doesn't need sewing) very quick.  Lots more to do before Christmas, which is only 36 sleeps away!! isn't that scary! Im off now to continue my catch up and look forward to checking in on all the great calendar pages.
Thanks for stopping by, don't forget to leave me a comment!

X Maggie

Catching up!

What a busy August! phew, Visitors and family and days out! Now i'm catching up again  and getting a little time in my studio, not as much as I would like but at least i'm caught up with my August Calendar and have actually got September ready! and it only the 4 September!  I have thought of giving up, but decided to keep trying  I know I would miss it.  The calendar challenge is run by Kate Crane of thekathyrnwheel.blogspot.com  check out all the enteries they are all fab.  Here is my August page

and the september page

The birds are a Dylusions stamp with Tim Holtz tape around the edges of the page ive used golden fluid acrylics paints and scraped them on over gesso and stencilled.

I attempted to do the blog hop yesterday for Art From the Heart's Birthday celebrations! but once my Granddaughters arrived I didnt get to finish it, i was too busy playing hide &seek! i will try later to day when I get a spare hour!  From what I did manage to see all of the projects looked fabulous, generously shared techniques and I found loads more blogs to follow!  Would love to get to the www.afth.co.uk birthday bash on 10/11 September, but unfortunately can't  boo hoo.  I'm sure they will all have a fabulous time.
Im off on holiday shortly and would love to take a journal with me to do, i've been trying to prepare pages (I can't take all of my paints! or ink sprays!) and Im stamping like mad and cutting out so all i'll have to do is finish the page....I will have to take some background stamps but luggage is restricted so can't take them all :( I could fill three bags with stuff! but am down to just one wish me luck!

As if I didn't have enough stash now there are lots of great stamps; inks; papers etc etc on the market just at the moment and i don't know about you but i'm having trouble deciding what to buy! Watch this space I'm about to start shopping next week!

Happy crafting!

Bye
Maggie x

almost there!

Well once again we are flying through the month- halfway through July! I have been very busy at work and family business too so not a great deal of time for any art.  I have juggled all month and am still not on top of things. I guess I have to give into it and let art go for a few weeks.  I have managed to do some calendar pages but feel they are not really finished as I would like, so many other things going on I dont seem able to find the right stamp or picture to finish them off!  hey ho, must try harder!

Here is my July effort,

I tried to just go random with colours and style but my heart isnt happy with it.  I think once you have a break from art, sometime its hard to get the arty mojo going again.  Im feeling quite frustrated this month but at least i've managed to keep up with the challenge on http://www.thekathyrnwheel.blogspot.com/ hopefully I will perform better next month.

I'm loking forward to my sister and nieces visiting and they love to play with paint, ink & stamps too so that should get me off and running again, but first I need to tidy up the studio! otherwise we wont all fit in! seriously where does the mess come from , I try to tidy as I go, but its still messy! Volunteers welcome!

Its not exactly summer weather !!? I had plans to sit outside and do some art! but maybe August will see some sunshine.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy making art

Maggie x

Two for One!

Its been a long time since my last blog! so this is a two for one event.  I never did manage to blog May calendar pages - oops - and i've not quite finished June pages, there is something missing! I keep looking at the page and dragging out stamps and images but as yet nothing has sparked with me.. i will keep trying!  I seem to be hurtling through the year here we are 6 months since I started my blog... time is going too fast and I just can't seem to keep up with myself, from reading other blogs i'm not alone everyone seems to be running behind themselves trying to catch up, I just run out of hours some days!
here is May and June:

oops sorry June seems to have turned itself around! I guess thats just the kind of month im having! The Gnome lady is from Tumble Fish studios collage sheet, her legs from Dyans downloads also the toadstools, I think she looks like my friend Mary who spends every hour of daylight in her garden, only problem is Mary Hates Gnomes! ha ha, The birds are a 7 Gypsies stamp and words from paper artsy.
I've been checking out all the other wonderful calendar pages linked on The Kathyrn Wheel blog, must get around some more.

I have also been finishing my She Art workshop (Loved It) (scarlet lime) and am still in the middle of She Had 3 Hearts workshop ( also Christy Tomlinson - scarlet lime) I have really enjoyed doing these my 3 Hearts journal is progressing very slowly, ive only managed 3 pages so far! lol I am also hoping to sign up for Dina Wakelys - Graffiti of my life workshop next month.  Am hoping to get to some workshops in the UK but its all a matter of timing!
Here is a page from the 3 Heart journal,

I have been very naughty and bought more supplies!!! so many tempting offers on the websites I can't stop myself! I may need more storage soon - a trip to Ikea is involved !

I've been doing a little sewing today, baby slings for the twins!

Enjoy the weekend, Keep Calm and Do Some Art!

Thanks for stopping by

Maggie x

Sun, Moon & Stars Weekend!

I spent last weekend at Art from the Heart in Harrogate for a 3 day workshop with the Fabulous Dina Wakley! not forgetting the fabulous Dyan !  To say I enjoyed myself is an understatement! it was Fabulous!  We made 3 Journals, Sun , Moon & Stars ...

If  I had to choose a favourite it would be the star journal followed closely by the Moon and then the Sun (only because I'm no good at sketching )  All the techniques were fabulous and I will certainly use them again in my other art projects.  All I need to do now is to put some journalling in these (promised Dina I would!)

I also met some lovely ladies who were so friendly and welcoming and we had some good laughs together.  In fact most of the weekend was spent  laughing and singing as well as being really busy creating!  Now you cannot go to Art from the heart without buying some stash!!!!!! if would be rude not to so heres a glimpse of my new stash...

Im giddy with excitement at using this little lot!  Im finishing the She Art Workshop this week and starting She Had Three Hearts Art Journaling workshop towards the end of May .  I shall also be signing up for one of Dina Wakleys online workshops (I will link this later)  Now I really need to have a sort out in my studio so hoping I can motivate myself to do that this weekend and not get distracted  by making Art!  its a difficult choice! but I need to sort as I can just about get through the door and make  my way to the desk  soo the time has come!

Have a great week

Thanks for stopping by

Maggie x

Back from the Brink!

Ive spent the last week turning my house upside down looking for my lost journal and glasses, believe me ive unearthed items that I had forgotten existed! but I did find my journal ... in Cheltenham! in a bag with other crafty books!  yeah... and then my darling husband went into the loft to fetch the suitcases down and low and behold in a bag in the loft were the prescription sunglasses!!!  Big hugs to hubby, although the whys and wherefores as to how they got there in the first place will remain a mystery. 

So I shall be MIA for a couple of weeks as im off to see my beautiful granddaughters in New York!.  Suitcases are packed  (lots of lovely baby clothes!!!) and I managed to finish the quilts...

I also signed up for a workshop at Scarlet Lime - Christy Tomlinson - She art workshop I needed some inspiration and ideas and this workshop got my mojo going again.  I was looking at Efemera Ink blog and saw the lovely art work on there and so that prompted me to look into it.  I've had great fun doing this and I still have 2 more weeks to go but im pleased with my effort, I wont be able to do much for a while but I shall be looking for new supplies whilst in N Y . Michaels here I come!!  I 'm sorry I cant seem to make a link to the sites I've mentioned will need a lesson on blogger to crack it.  This is my first piece of She Art!  I'm pleased with it but not so happy with the hair need to work on that.

Bye for now and hope everyone enjoys the Easter Break,

Thanks for dropping by

Maggie x

Err.. Please Miss......

I seem to have misplaced my calendar journal!? Really its gone awol, I know I took it to Cheltenham when I was child minding, and now it has disappeared.  Im sure it will be in a bag somewhere with other crafty books but this past week I have searched and searched to no avail.  So I didnt want to miss out on the April page and have done it in another journal, and I will transfer the pages once I find the original book!.  I have also managed to misplace a pair of prescription sunglasses! which I got in October (I was thinking ahead) but Ive searced all the drawers and handbags and no sign of them!  Its been a helter zkelter month again I seem to be busier now than ever before ! whats that all about.  Im not getting much art done at the moment, :( and Im off to New York next week to see the Twins again cant believe they are 4 months now. We are really looking forward to it  - so I guess I'll not be doing much art for the next couple of weeks.  But... Ive been lucky enough to get a place on the Dina Wakely course at AFTH!! yippie, I missed out the last couple of times so I shall be there early May and probably a little jet lagged if you're going please pinch me if I nod off. 

Apologies for the poor quality photos I should have taken them in daylight, but ran out of time.  I used a blue cats eye ink for the base and then some scattered straw distress ink brushed on. I then splatted water and got a really good effect.  Papers are crate paper, Easter sticker from Tim Holtz, Flowers (AFTH) stamped on some backgrounds I wasnt too happy with but worked well for the flowers.  The monk is from a Sunday paper holiday section. I thought he gave a sense of calm in all the rain!   I've been looking at all the links on Kate Cranes page and as ever the pages are fabby.  I shall try to get around a few more  shortly. 

I've been making a couple of quilts for the babies and have one finished and the other one just to quilt and bind.  I've really enjoyed getting back to my sewing, only problem is my shoulders ache! but hey ho a Nana has to do what a Nana has to do. 

Hope everyone enjoys the Easter Break and hopefully the sunny weather - fingers crossed.  There seem to be loads of Bank Holidays this month  woop woop, lots of arty time!.

Thanks for stopping by..

Happy days!
Maggie X

I'm a little Late!

I sound like the white rabbit or maybe its the Mad March Hare! at last Ive managed to finish my March calendar page.  Ive still got the virus I had 3 weeks ago so have not been feeling like doing any art or journalling.  Hopefully the antibios will start to kick in soon and I will feel more like my old self. (not that i'm old!) As promised it is a little green lol!  Spring is just around the corner ! Green paint is dylusions Moss and a little spiced marmalade distress ink around the edges. The chickens and flowers are dylusions too and I drew the spring sign! White daisies were stencilled with gesso. The papers are Tim Holtz err Retro I think.

I had a fabulous time at Artsy Crafty last week and throughly enjoyed Tims class.  We made a lovely configurations box and once i've finally glued the rest of my precious embleshiments in I will take a picture and put it on my blog.  Hope the green won't have put you all off and you will come back to see!!

I shall try to look at everyones pages over the weekend .

Hope everyone has a creative weekend

thanks for stopping by

Maggie

Time Flies!

Wow where did February go? can't believe we are in the last week.  I intended to blog before this but life and viruses took me over.  I've been feeling quite rough for the last two weeks but hopefully I'm on the mend now - I need to be as i'm off to the Artsy Crafty Tim Holtz event!!! I'm in the Friday morning group but will be there on Thursday evening as its an early start on Friday!.  I've not felt much like doing art at all and just seemed to stare at blank pages in my journal -nothing inspired me.  However I managed to do a couple of postcard size pieces over the last two days - sometimes tackling something a little smaller gets me started again. oops I meant to put these pics in the middle of my ramblings!


The little guy is a stampotique stamp, german scrap wings, dabber aqua and orange paint, grid stamp with distress rusty hinge, the music paper is from an old piano music book found in a charity book shop.
The little lady (Love her) is a Tim Holtz stamp ( I think!) the background colours are distress inks dusty concord and olive green which I spritzed with water , background stamps are paper artsy and the stars are from a tim holtz set.   It felt good to be making art again! get me in the mood for Friday!

I have also treated myself to a new book - Art at the Speed of Life by Pam Carriker Its fab am going to enjoy trying out all the techniques and ideas in it. worth a look if your looking for inspiration.and motivation.

I've started my March calendar page I must warn you that I'm Irish (all be it Northern Ireland) so expect a lot of Green!

If your'e lucky enough to be at Artsycrafty on Thursday or Friday have a fabulous time.  Look out for me on Friday I'll be in the corner with a box of tissues and a red nose!

Have a creative weekend

Just made it!

Literally Ive just finished my February Calendar challenge page! I seem to have hurtled through January and am skidding into February hopefully Ive caught up with all my work and chores and can now slow down and get some studio time.  I never managed to tidy my studio! I will get around to it soon I'm getting desperate for some desk space.... mess piles up when your not looking and I'm sure it takes longer to clear away than it did to get on your desk!.  Anyho I've enjoyed making the February calendar page even if I couldn't find the bits and bobs I was looking for to complete it and I started with one idea and finished up with something completely different !  I am struggling to fill those little squares with anything exciting to say! I will have to think out of the square! you don't want to know how boring my day can be!

The beginning of January was exciting I got to meet my new Twin Granddaughters so I wont top that this month.  However I'm booked on the Artsy Crafty day with Tim Holtz!!! on Feb 25 so really looking forward to that.. the countdown begins.

 Here is my January page all filled in and to follow some views of the Feb page, Ive not quite managed to get the hang of getting the pictures in order and putting them in individually!  I actually took these pics with my iphone and am quite pleased with them.

I'm using an old ledger for the challenge and have stuck two pages together but will stick three together from now on as two are a little flimsy especially if I'm spraying with inks or water.  I gessoed the pages then rubbed a distress Victorian velvet pad over it spritzed with water dried it and used a foam pad to add more ink spritzed again did this twice then  a few blasts of dylusions hot pink ink spray dried it then added a text stamp (paper artsy) bottom swirl stamp is from a tim holtz set.  Chinese writing is a tattoo from Claire's accessories love these almost like rub ons.  The roses have been cut from a journalling pad .  I'm not happy with the black swirls at the bottom or the black strip of paper lace - my plan changed at this stage but hey ho you learn as you go.

I'm enjoying looking at everyone's pages they are all fantastic !

Thanks for stopping by hope you enjoyed your visit.

Bye
Maggie

Back to porridge!

Ive been back over a week now from my trip to New York area.  As I predicted I never got any journalling done (in fact I didnt manage to pack any stash ) I didnt make it to the Ink Pad shop and only one trip to Michaels crafts! why? Well I had two beautiful Twin Granddaughters to cuddle and that was all I wanted to do! Spending our time with our new granddaughters was more important and very precious.

Its taken me over a week to recover from jet lag and to catch up with work and empty cases! I have been in my studio yesterday and to my horror I realised what a mess it is in I really need to have a good sort out and tidy up.. trip to Ikea coming up for yet more storage ! This will be my priority this week - I always feel blank when there is toooo much clutter around, my mind is full of ideas that I want to try out so its a good incentive to get clearing first.

I also need to think about preparing the February calendar page as February is just around the corner! looking forward to that. 

This is a postcard sized piece I did a little while ago.

Distress ink in wild Honey & Rusty Hinge spattered with water (love that effect) the stamp is Tim Holtz + the words and Twinkle & Marci (love Marci!) are stampotique stamps - stars are german scrap.

I haven't managed to Journal this week ! there just arent enough hours in the day or days in the week at the moment .  still its only Monday, Im sure I can sneek a journal page inbetween the clear up!

Send arty vibes my way please!

Bye

Maggie

Busy Bank Holiday

What do you do on a Bank Holiday Monday? If I'm on my own I like to spend the time in my little studio in the garden hours can pass by and I don't notice I'm so wrapped up in paper, ink and paint I don't even feel the need for food! But not today alas, Ive been busy packing suitcases -I'm off to meet my new Twin Granddaughters born Dec 5 in New York! Such a lot to do before you go away, my dilemma now is how much crafty bits can I get into my luggage! Ive bought a small journal (Rymans I think) and I've been trying to get pages prepped with gesso and paint and ink sprays so I only have to take glue, collage pages ink pad and background stamps, pens and crayons.  Hopefully I will have some time in the evenings to journal - I hate to be separated from my stash.... get withdrawal symptoms , Hoping to manage a visit to 'The Ink Pad' in NY city and conveniently there is a 'Michaels' craft store just down the road from my sons home! I probably wont have time to journal I shall be so busy cuddling the Twins!

Back to work tomorrow hope everyone got to do some art today.

Here are a couple of pictures of one of my favourite journal pages......

The Chicken is from a supermarket magazine - she just spoke to me - I love chickens(would love to have chickens in the garden but my Westies are not feather friendly!)
her feet are from a download from Dyan AFTH, the crown ,heart & wings are a Tim Holtz die; Fragile stamp is from a Darkroom Door set, other stamp from Paper Artsy.  Background is a happy accident, not everything turns out the way I want it to!

I'm off to finish packing :>))

bye for now....

New Year - New Beginnings

Happy New Year and welcome to my First Blog Post!  I have been Blog hopping for some time now and have been inspired by the many talented artists who so generously share their creations and techniques.  Today is the day!  the first day of the first month of the New Year 2011 seemed to be a good day to start my blog.  However its not as easy as it looks! I'm hoping to get this posted before midnight but I have lost so many posts in the last two hours! 

I have been following The Kathryn Wheel Calendar Challenge 2010 and decided I would enter the 2011 challenge.............
I have also started Art Journalling and can confirm that I am hooked! obsessed even!  I will post some pictures of some of my pages but first I need to understand Blogger better! Please bear with me whilst I figure it out!  I also need to perfect my photography too! Ive had a new camera and haven't quite worked out the best way to use it yet! I'm sure I'll get better with practise!

I enjoy playing with ink, acrylic paints, water soluble crayons and spray inks - love rubber stamping, stencilling and collage etc, Love altered art, working with paper, canvas and mini books.

I have decided to stretch myself this year and make more art, enter challenges, this blog is my first step on that road I hope you will join me.

I hope you have enjoyed your visit to my blog and please pop back again.  Please leave me a comment I would love to hear from you.

Bye for now

Maggie