a bit of journalling...and a few other bits of what I've been up to...

This morning in between customers I decided to do a bit of journalling as I haven't done any for what seems like ages...so out came my lovely new-ish Crafty Notions spray inks and Crafters templates and away I went. Spritz, spritz, turn over...the template that is, not me.!!!.....in my A4 moleskine. Bit of Dina masking, a bit of Dabbing, a bit of stamping and then what to journal? I decided to take a break, put the kettle on, grabbed the newspaper and the ginger biscuits and as I read my horoscope it all fell into place. I have been feeling uncertain about a couple of things lately and as I read I knew instinctively what to journal. I am planning on teaching a class on making flowers in different shapes, materials, etc and so yesterday morning I got out some scraps of fabric - some man-made and some not (good job I have fast reaction times as a couple of pieces went whoosh!!) but those below made it and I am not too displeased how they turned out. Weird how Blogger manages to turn photos around though - this was landscape!! oh well! My good friend Molly,who makes the most beautiful albums from all sorts of recycled products, asked if I knew how to make an album from kitchen roll insides ....and I had been saving kitchen rolls for just that purpose... so I gave her a few and suggested she make an album and come and show the Saturday youngsters. She did and a couple of Saturdays ago she took the class. It took much persuasion on my part to convince her she could do it but she had them eating out of her hand. She only decorated the front cover to make them use their own imagination and she was surprised at their inventiveness and they loved her. All of the youngsters have been bringing in sweet wrappers, empty cereal packets, lids and other recyclable things and their challenge was to use any or all recycled materials as possible.
Below is the album I made and my flowers and heart are die cut from kitchen paper from the spray ink classes I have held many times lately, there are dried banana leaves cut into butterflies, leaves and flourishes, feathers from an old boa, and all pulled together with Distress inks, a few tags and ribbons and a piece of old lace.

I think it worked really well and the colours remind me of a bathroom we used to have that was avocado and for which I bought burgundy towels and a piece of Laura Ashley fabric in burgundy and green to make a roller blind. Ah, happy days!! ...and here's the girls last night busily heat embossing their already Distress inked kitchen rolls... Next week they will finish decorating them and bind them into beautiful albums.
These girls, of all the classes, embraced the recycling the most - perhaps its their age

Right, I'm off to bed so
Bye for now

Sue

I have added some writing to my Dina page... her course isn't until the 22nd of March so I am itching for it to start. I'm told it is all about layers so I am doing that bit right - I keep going back and adding another layer. Oh well, only 11 more sleeps until I can find out whether I am doing the rest right or not - impatient - who me? - yes haha!
This was the page before I added the writing...it had gone through 4 layers at this stage


I made a card this morning for my Mum for Sunday and thought it would be a good card for them to make tonight as we haven't made a card in class since before Christmas as we have been too busy with other projects. As ever the mica powders I had planned to paint the flowers with were at home so I had a mooch and came up with the Wet look markers - they worked just fine and the kids always love them.

Tonight came...

Well, you know the saying when you wish a big hole would swallow you up. I fell into that proverbial hole tonight. Celine brought along her sibling and I asked after her sister - goof!!! its her brother. Shoulder length white blonde hair and a dimple - well I thought a girl! but then what do I know!!! take a look at the photo below and hopefully you will see what I saw. Anyway, Benny was delightful and after the initial confusion we got on just fine. Here's Benny, Celine and Melissa showing off the cards they made for their Mums.


On Monday three of the girls finished their Spring albums which are full of things like knots and bows and paper weaving. Complicated stuff when you are 6 years old but they learned it and should be very proud of themselves. The three others have still to complete theirs.
Dayana 9, Mina 6 and Sarah 6


It's getting late so I'll hop off to make my hot choccy and take it to bed.
Bye for now
Sue

quick sketch of Tanya and me

I shall probably watercolour and add some doodling to this pen and ink sketch I made from a photo e-mailed to me by Erica from when Tanya was here a couple of weeks ago. I shall have to change the hand though as it's too small. It was quite difficult doing the sketch. I had to sit and stare at the screen as the printer is out of ink and with Colin away it's going to remain that way until he returns. Oh well, only 7 more sleeps...maybe!!

Bye for now
Sue

Inky Fingers

I took Bailey to the shop today as he looked so sad when I went to leave the house. He has become used to someone being there since Mum arrived



but Colin and Mum have gone to the UK as Colin's Father who is 91 is in hospital and sadly it looks unlikely that he will come out. I will know more when Colin has spoken to the social worker tomorrow. Until about 4 months ago he was in his own home and managing reasonably well with carers going in but he has deteriorated very quickly - he did, however, manage to get to Victoria's wedding. Here he is with the lovely Jodie (Jon's girlfriend)



This morning I put the finishing touches to the project for Sunday's 25th class. The ladies have been asking about the Wendy Vecchi flowers that I made and so today I have made Alcoholic inked boxes - hence the Inky Fingers - to put chocolates or other pressies in for the table on Christmas Day. They look much prettier in real life - the camera hasn't captured the shimmer of the inks.




Here's a journal page I made yesterday but forgot to put on here.



I have to make my pages from scratch. Some people are able to colour pages and even add stamped and photographic images in advance but I can't seem to work out what colour a page should be without knowing what is going on it. Maybe, one day.

Last but not least today's earring watch - varying shades of amethyst.



Bye for now
Sue