#365Challenge.... 01-07 April

Hi

April has been a quite a busy month so far and I'm playing catch-up with the #365 Challenge.

Each month I plan to work on a different size page/different size book.  April's pages are 5 inches (12.5cm) square.... I chose this size because (Goldilocks stylee) it wasn't too big, it wasn't too small - it was just right... or so I thought at the start of the month.

Each month I also use a different font/stamp set for the dates/page numbers - so far these have been quite discreetly added to the page in a corner (or on a tag or similar)...

  (January Alphabet: Purple Onion Designs; February Alphabet: PaperArtsy; March Alphabet: Ma Vinci's Reliquary

For April's pages I decided to bring the alphabet front and centre - make it a feature of each page... The alphabet I chose is one by DoCrafts/Papermania - its the 'Typography Clear Stamp' and each number is 5x8cm... 

this seemed like a great size to work with - nice and big, an clear outline so I would be able to use it in lots of different ways...  and this was OK for dates 1 to 9 (single figures) but when there are two numbers for each day (which, lets face it, is the majority of the month!) things were going to get a little bit crowded on the page... 

but I will  not be beaten and will try to resist increasing to a 6x6 inch page... 

(I like a challenge.... sigh!)

(and lets not forget the 'Flow' calendar questions...)

01 April:  'How good are you at setting boundaries?'  hhhmm not really something I set myself - more like guidelines to live/work by... (very flexible guidelines.. lol)

02 April:  'What would the title be of my autobiography?' lol I seriously considered 'I came, I saw, I created a mess!' but went instead with the one on today's page... the background is created with the new Distress Oxide inks - Worn Lipstick, Spiced Marmalade and Walnut Stain.

03 April:  The number on this page is stamped onto the surface - I cut around part of the image so the journalling panel could be slotted underneath.

 The poppy heads (JOFY34) are stamped and embossed in copper (WOW!)

This is a great stamp set - the diamond background and the washi tape strips are handy little elements, as is the tag (I used it on April 1st's page)... handy for journalling..

04 April:  Yes, the writing is upside down, the number and stamped flowers aren't - and thats how I planned it - another way of 'disguising' the journalling...

05 April:  I really like stamping on top of vintage book text - this is a Polish music book, the stamps are JOFY23 and JM33.

06 April:  Flow question: 'Do you find it easy to admit your mistakes?' lol  Make mistakes?!? Me!! Never lol

07 April:  Flow questions: 'What would I never do again?'  I am NEVER EVER going on a loop-the-loop rollercoaster again - EVER!!  I didn't mean to do it the first time and it is a never to be repeated experience.
The background on the page was created with the Distress Oxides again, I was experimenting how bleach (basic thick household bleach) affected the colour...

So that's week one of April... Don't get me wrong I'm enjoying using the big numbers - definitely going to be a challenge though when I get to the latter half of the month....

All part of the fun... I didn't call it the #365 Challenge for nothing! 

Thanks for popping by

x

#365Challenge.... 22-31 March

Here are the final pages for March.  When I look back at these pages I can see that I've used different types/styles in this last week.  I've also been trying to concentrate less on everything being 'perfect' and experimenting and learning along the way.

March 22: I think this is one of my favourite 'styles' - using a background panel and adding lots of little elements that relate to the subject.

March 23: Circles!!! I like circles almost as much as I like hexagons (possibly a little bit more)!
Lots of messy layering on this page. 

March 24: I wrote this strip of numbers ages ago and its been on the desk and in the scraps box for too long! A Distress Oxide background as the base for a colourful less is more layout.

March 25: Flow question: 'what do you look forward to every day?'  Last year when I wasn't feeling 100% it was hard for me to create projects and 'stuff'... now I feel so much better, its a 'relief' to be able to create plans, art and projects more easily than in the recent past

March 26: I love the latest Ed Sheeran album (Divide) and one line on it was so good I had to write it down..

March 27: Flow question: 'what's your favourite sound?'  My cats' purrs! its such a reassuring, appreciate sound.  Love it!

March 28:  Another great quote, on a definitely not 'less is more' backbround! lol

March 29: Another 'using bits & pieces found on the desk' type of layout! 

March 30: I like this layout because of  
1) the colour scheme (pink & green is one my favourites)
2) the writing under all the different elements (an interesting way of hiding the journalling)
3) the pops of hot pink!

March 30: Flow question: 'Which day of your life would you like to relive?'  Our wedding day... it would be nice to do it again - not to change anything (well, maybe this time we'd make sure that someone packs my Mum's outfit so my Dad wouldn't need to race home and collect it an hour before the wedding!!), but a day like this go past sooooo fast - it would be nice to be able to savour it... without the nerves! lol

March!! Finished.

April's pages will be arriving very soon (this year's whizzing along nicely isn't it!)

Thanks for stopping by.

xx

#365Challenge.... 15-21 March

Hello

I told you there would be another blog post about the 365Challenge, and here it is.  Pages from week three of March...

March 15:   I created this page using a background created with the new Distress Oxide inks, and wrote all over it with a white pen - I deliberately wrote big and loose so that the words are almost illegible - I'm really liking this way of journalling..

March 16: More Distress Oxide on this page - really interesting inks.  I've used them here as a decorative strip, the flower is Kim Dellow's and I've doodled around it - makes it softer and larger (more flower-like) - the small flowers are mine from JOFY49

March 17:  Flow Question: 'Are you kind to yourself?'.. yes in someways and not in others.. If I look after myself then I'll be well and able to be take care of others...  The centre panel is a gelli print, and I really like how the white journalling/writing blends it onto the background. (got to love a white pen!!)

March 18: Flow question: 'which movie have you seen at least five times?'  This is another question with so many answers? where to start??  but I watch/listen to musical films while I work.. 

March 19:  Flow question: 'Which family member to you most resemble?'  lol, definitely my Mum. There aren't many recent photos of us together so I've used this cute postage stamp to illustrate mother and child.... postage stamps are lovely little works of art aren't they!

March 20: I love this little bird image from ZinskiArt PaperArtsy stamps set ZA08.  It makes me smile - that birdie is shakin' its tail feathers and struttin' its funky stuff!

March 21: This page makes me happy - the colours, the die cut flowers & the gelli print background panel... all the little bits and pieces. 

So that's another week finished.

Thanks for stopping by - week 4 will be along shortly!

xx

AllyPally Craft Show April 2017

Hi

I'm a bit late showing some samples that I made for, and at, the show. I demo'd on the Sunday.. it was great to be there again and see familiar faces.

I worked on tags using Fresco paints, Kim Dellow stamps and my own JOFY stamps.

On this tag I painted some of the section of the flowers with Pearl Glaze (pink flower, centre layer) and Metallic Glaze (green flower, lower right hand corner) to show the effect to a customer

If you have any questions leave them in the comments of this blog post, and I'm happy to answer them.

Thanks for stopping by.

xx

#365Challenge.... 08-14 March

This blog post has been languishing in the 'draft' folder - oops.  no idea why! its loooooong overdue so with out further ado (hey1 I'm a poet and I didn't even know it!! lol) here it is...

Looking back at this second week of March there seems to be a few common elements:

Kim Dellow's stamps (on my desk because of demo day preparations and resulting left-overs):

Distress Oxide inks - new from Ranger and they are an interesting addition to the Distress product range

.. and lack of response to the Flow calendar questions... but I was still hitting the stash so I'm letting myself off :o)

March 08:  Flow Question: 'what superpower would you like to have?'  oooh thats a good question - sooooo many options! Too many so I made a pretty card instead.

March 09: Flow Question: 'what song always makes you feel happy?' Again, so many options!  Musical show tunes, 'Happy' by Pharrell, songs by Adele (though those can also make me cry!), Texas, Ed Sheeran.... I could go on.... (and John Denver songs always fill me with feeling of wellbeing and optimism)...

(still loving the hexagons! lol)

March 10:  Page created by attacking the stash and bits on desk - see, I wasn't joking about the amount of Kim Dellow's stamp designs that were used this week!

March 11:  Flow Question: 'do you talk to things?'  hahaha  - doesn't everybody!?

March 12:  Flow Question: 'What is you greatest weakness?' lol, not telling - though I think chocolate and craft products might be high on the list. :o)

March 13:  I really like how Kim's stamps work so nicely with mine - the small flowers in the background are from a mini stamp - JM49.

March 14:  I seriously think that we DO learn something new EVERY DAY... and sometimes we might not even realise that we learnt it.

I think another blog post about this project will be coming along shortly.... no, really!


Thanks for stopping by.

Jo

Upcoming workshop...

... at Birds in the Barn (Marks Tey, Essex) on Saturday 08 April 2017.  There are still places available, so if you'd like to come along to create a gorgeous canvas using stamps, stencils, paints and inks then contact the shop (01206 211099) to book a place.

Hope to see you there!

x