WOYWW #223

Hi Everyone!  I am coming to you very late on Wednesday afternoon here to join in with my fellow deskers in linking up to the wonderful Julia's What's on Your Workdesk? Wednesday.

Again this week, I have spent more time on the computer than crafting but in saying that my blog has been neglected.  I think this is the first time in a long time I have not done a single post in 7 days.

I do have a good excuse though, I have been working hard on a new creative project which kicks off officially for me in October, unofficially it has meant a lot of time glued to the screen, sending emails, and all sorts of other computer related activities.

Craftwise I have been working towards the completion of one Design Team Project as inspiration grabbed me and because I can't share the project just yet......I really can't show you my desk, but thought I'd show some of the products I have been playing with which are currently on my desk.

    

  

You will find Gel Medium, Black Paint and Punchinella, a Weathered Background Stamp, some Chipboard Pieces and some German Scrap Scroll Corners that I have given a makeover to in order for it to blend in with my project.

It really hasn't given too much away now has it?.....lol. 

This past weekend we all helped out 'A's Scout Group with a BBQ fundraiser on Election Day and on Sunday we had to empty out, sort out and move a shed full of junk (my hubby doesn't call it that) from our old house which we have just recently sold after completing renovations and the new owners are wanting to rent it from us prior to settlement.

The highlight of the past week, was finally having a chance to go on a date night with my hubby last night.  It was only for the duration of whilst 'A' was at scouts but it was so nice to dine out and get some alone time.  

Finally I thought I'd leave you today with a picture of a desk, just not mine.  Its where 'A' does his homework and his best mate Felix likes helping him, especially with his maths.

I hope you all have a wonderful week!


PS.  There's still time to enter my Birthday Blog Candy Giveaway (check it out on my sidebar).

Spring has sprung!

Spring has definitely arrived here at Spring Grove with our first sighting of a snake yesterday and lots of baby birds emerging from nests and flowers in bloom. It is one of my favorite times of year, as it's a time of renewal and new beginnings and I always feel energized after my hibernating ways of winter come to an end.

I have been thinking a lot about my creative journey which has been all over the place this year.  With wanting to move towards mixed media and art journaling, at the beginning of the year I signed up for Life Book 2013 over at Willowing and I have been reading lots of books from various mixed media artists, such as Kelly Rae Roberts, and Dawn DeVries Sokol.  I am loving my transition into these forms of creative expression, even though I don't share much of it with you here on my blog as its more for my personal enjoyment than anything.  Like life my creative journey is truly a work in progress.

Anyhow I was re-reading some of Taking Flight by Kelly Rae Roberts over the past few days, as I love her work and was inspired to take paint to hand and create this canvas in honor of spring.

Supplies used:  Acrylic Paint, Gelatos, Swirly Garden Stencil, Punchinella, 

Stampin' Up Baroque Motifs Stamp Set, Various Scrap Papers, Burlap Flower.

It's only my second time painting a face, and my first time with acrylics, I struggled with my facial features but I loved the process and am quite happy with it so far, paint splatters, smudges and all.

I've been back buying more burlap embellishments at the dollar store, this time some flowers.  I have used one on my canvas, for my girl's headband.

I am not sure if it is fully finished yet..........time will tell, I think some birds or butterflies may be in order.

This canvas is a reminder of how this time of year makes me happy, it's a time I cherish and when the world around us is kind to all, full of new life and beautiful color.  It's a time we often look upon things with eyes wide open and feel like anything is possible. It's a time to look forward and to dream.

Mixing it Up with Gelatos!

Hi everyone!  As you read this post I will be most likely settling into our Hotel in Melbourne for a couple of days R & R.  I am here for a two day art get together with my fellow Australian/New Zealand AFA (ATC's for All) Members and then some time out with the family.  It will be A's first time in Melbourne and saying he is excited is a little bit of an understatement.

In May I was due to design a kit for Altered Pages, and as I love my Faber Castell Gelatos I was thinking of a way to introduce others to how easily and versatile they are to use.

This kit is simply called it Mixing it up with Gelatos and the contents of this kit enables you to create and personalize your own canvas board using Gelatos and other Goodies from Altered Pages.

The full instructions included with the kit details numerous ways to use these Gelatos to create rich color, full textured backgrounds and to coordinate your elements to suit.  You will be water coloring, layering, blending, finger painting, and drawing your way to a wonderful mixed media piece which you can personalise with your own stamps/quotes that have meaning for you.

You will find this kit for sale at Altered Pages here.

I hope you all have a great week!

Honeycomb and Chocolate!

Hi everyone I have a scrap layout for you all today, which is my DT Post for the Robin's Nest, and where I got to play some more with my New Gelatos from Faber Castell.

I don't use brown/orange tones much but when first I saw the Distressed Honeycomb Paper from The Robin's Nest, I fell in love. So much so that I had to add to my honeycomb addiction and get more of the wonderful paper Robin's Nest variations in this color such as Glitter Brown Daisies on Honeycomb and, Honeycomb Linen Fleur both of which have stripes on their reverse sides. 

Just like the honeycomb you eat its a perfect match with chocolate.  This combination is perfect for a male themed scrap page, mine today is some photos from my hubby's 45th Birthday earlier this year.

For my layout my background is a piece of Distressed Honeycomb Paper and I have used the other papers I mentioned above for accents.  I have stamped and stencilled and scribbled over the background using ink and my Gelato Pens, and a combination of stamps from the Unity Stamp Company's SMAK Kits and a piece of Punchinella. The two little banners were made by punching hearts in the striped and fleur papers and threading them on some paper cord.

Those Little Four Letter Words

Hi Everyone and a Warm Welcome to my newest Followers.  Today I have an ATC to share with you all, which was created for my first DT Post on the Altered Pages Blog.  Being new to their site I thought I'd start with a little creation that gives people a bit of an insight of who I am.

It says it all really as  I do have trouble with these four letter words - Cook, Wash, Iron and Dust.  They are all things I avoid doing until I really cannot anymore, because I'd much rather be in my craft room playing.  Playing with items such as the fun Altered Pages Collages sheets such as the one I have used for my project today.  Lucky for me I married a Chef and he is very supportive of my crafting.   I love making ATC's, bright colors and creating my own backgrounds.   Today's ATC Background is a quick watercolor wash with some sponged ink stenciling done with a piece of punchinella. I have computer generated my quote.  All my edges have been inked with Vintage Sepia and Pink ink which was also sponged over my wording.

Altered Pages Supplies Used:-

Life in the 50's Collage Sheet

Black Punchinella 

I am so excited to have joined the wonderful and talented Altered Pages Team and I do hope you will join us on Monday for our Second Altered Pages Challenge over at the new Challenges Site!

123 Challenge - Metallic Blue

I found myself with a list of things to do late last week including orders for some of my cards, etc, but I was being drawn to do something just for me.  My creative juices were pulling me in all sorts of directions last week.  I am now half way through a mixed media canvas, and the arrival of some new Unity Stamps particularly the beautiful textured backgrounds by Christy Tomlison and Quotes/Phrases by Donna Downey for Unity Stamp Co. had me creating back in my art journal, and then I saw the March Challenge over on the 123 Challenge Blog, I thought I would play along with this too.

Stamps:  Unity KOTM, The Paper Studio, See D's., Cardstock/Paper:  Stampin' Up

Ink: Stampin' Up! Pacific Point, Not Quite Navy, Riding Hood Red, Pumice Stone Distress Ink,

Other:  Martha Stewart Punch, SU Circle Punches, K & Co Die Cuts, Punchinella, Paper Flowers, Robin's Nest Dew Drops. 

Their Challenge this month was to incorporate the Colour Metallic Blue, the Words 1,2,3 and use/embellish with some form of organic matter.  For my layout I used blue metallic paint on the flower centres and I spotted some around my page, some metallic blue kindy glitz on my punched flowers along with creating my own metallic glimmer mist using Metallic Gold Perfect Pearls powder mixed with water and some Pacific Point Dye Ink.  My organic matter was the inclusion of 3 smalls pebbles/shells we collected along the beach.

Sometimes its the background I create that determines the photos rather than the photos determining the background.  I initally went with the strips of butterflies to frame and wanted them to portrait something magical.  I played around with a couple of different photos, but finally settled on three photos of our holiday to Tassie in 2008 where we had set out for a day of adventure and travelled up the east coast.  We made it as far as the small fishing village of Bicheno, which was also known for its Blow Hole.  These three photos were taken as we went out across the rocks to find and experience the Blow Hole.  Compared to the Kiama Blow Hole in Southern NSW I was a little disappointed as there wasn't much to see.  But adventure is all about escaping, exploring, discovering, and experiencing isn't it.  And there's always something magical about going to new places and seeing different things.  Sadly this was to be one of the last adventures we would share with our good friends John and Toni together as John passed away last year following a short battle with cancer.  We had all planned to go back to Tassie to do the rest of the island we didn't get to see, so maybe one day soon, we will take another adventure and explore and discover all those places we planned to see knowing for sure that John will be there with us in spirit.