I'm still flying high after the news of our daughter's engagement, she rang on Tuesday morning to tell me her cheeks were aching because she couldn't stop grinning!

Well I've had a free hour this afternoon so I thought I'd post some pictures of my recent creations...
Here is the tree I painted at Dyan's (it has been nabbed already!)
I so enjoyed this - the shading technique took a bit of practise but I mastered it in the end and was quite pleased with my result...

The other side....

And yes, I did that shading. A simple touch that makes all the difference!

I've had a little play around with the Viva paints. They are great for adding texture to your work.

I love the colours of this - Autumn shades

The following 'photos are of the Artsycraft weekend I went to recently - Leandra and Lin asked us to wait before posting on our blogs as there were 2 weekends and they didn't want to spoil the anticipation for the 2nd weekenders.

Gill and I arrived Friday night, booked in and checked out our room before heading over the road for a Chinese meal. Ann (aka the flutterbycrafter) and Jane joined us. I was the only one to attempt eating my meal with the chopsticks - didn't last long - the food was going cold before I could get it in my mouth!

Ann and Jane had arrived earlier in the day and had polished off a bottle (or two) of wine before

they joined us! Can you tell?

We met up with Christine (I wish I'd taken a 'photo of her work - she was really adventurous mixing the colours) I first met Christine at AFTH

Would you believe it - there were two Sandra's and we were both on the same table!

In between the main project, which was a clock on a canvas, we made a couple of mini projects too. (Confession - I haven't finished them!)

But here is the clock.... we used the TSS metal along with the Viva paints. We worked in sessions and put the whole thing together on the Sunday....

A close up of some of the metal work...

And some of the paint work ... we stamped into the terra paint with Leandra's new tick and tock stamps (Bought a few as there was an offer on over the weekend - well you can't pass up an offer can you?)

The venue was De Vere Hotel New Port Pagnell....I first visited here nine years ago at a Bonanza event with friends Jane, Joy and of course my buddy Shelley... its a convenient set up - the work rooms were on the same level as the restaurant and there's a sort of relaxing space where you can get free refreshments anytime you want.
Do you think Gill looks a bit worse for wear?

And last but not least, I have to include Lynn who booked me onto the weekend as a surprise for my birthday.She didn't arrive until the early hours of Saturday morning as she'd just flown back from Italy. She had a heavy cold but soldiered on all weekend...... all that creating did take its toll though - she slept in the car nearly all the way home

Chivalry is not Dead!

Just a quickie post. On Friday night, Alastair, our daughter's boyfriend called to say could he come for a visit but that we mustn't let Steph know. We thought it could be something to do with a Christmas present for her. Oh what a delightful surprise we had! Al formally asked Andrew for our daughter's hand in marriage! He told us that he was going up to his parents' the following day to get his grandmother's engagement ring for Steph. It was so very romantic - I just loved it.

We are thrilled - Al is a lovely chap and so right for Steph.

Now I've got to get myself in shape - I'm going to be the bride's mother!

A Rare Treat!

I had a treat the other day at AFTH

Dyan and I had a play day. And while we created, we "therapized" each other. It was like art journalling out loud. If you haven't seen Dy's art journal's you should check them out HERE right now, they are from the gut. We had a bit of a discussion about gut art journalling .... we think it should be available on the NHS... it would help lots of people to work through and process a lot of their problems, relieving anxieties and therefore helping to prevent stress - which we all know causes many health problems.... anyway I digress....

I REALLY love the shading technique that Dy uses in her artwork and in particular on her new Blonde Moments papers (you might have noticed if you've read my previous two posts!) and Dy promised to teach me how to paint and get that look, so of course I hot footed it to Harrogate for some one to one tuition.

We sang to our beloved Northern Soul without fear of getting on anyone elses' nerves (well perhaps Ben and Emmy have something to say about that!)

Anyway we had a thoroughly enjoyable time all to ourselves doing what we both love! I booked onto the art journalling weekend in February for my mate Shelley and I .... it's sort of a tradition that we have a least ONE weekend during the year.... I could tell a few stories.... but I won't because Shelley might kill me!

I'm also tootling off to Newport Pagnel to the Paper Artsy weekend after teaching my scrapbook class today (a birthday prezzie from Lynn) So I'm looking forward to creating for two whole days! I feel like I've been a very lucky lady this week!

Will post photos later as the ones I took at Dy's are poor and now my camera batteries are on charge!

Au revoir for now....

On The Go!

Here is another project I've made using those absolutely gorgeous new Blonde Moments papers.
This time I used the 6x6 papers (they come in a pad with 4 of each design) I added a 7 Gypsies knob, stickles, glossy accents, stitching....I couldn't stop playing! I really love the colour of these papers, I know I said I would be making something for my sister but I don't think I can bear to give her this either!

Open the box lid and out cascades a lovely line up of these, (did I say gorgeous!) papers.....

The reverse side spells out NOEL - I have a nephew called Noel, he usually takes a bit of stick near Christmas time.... ie "The first Noel..." etc, so my sister in law might just want to claim this box as it will have duel meaning for her - the name of her son and a Christmas celebration keepsake. Mmmmm, at this rate I'm going to have to keep playing with these (gorgeous!!) papers!

I've also (finally) finished playing with this wooden tic-tac-toe frame... My friend Gill got her hubby to make these and they've been sitting there up at the Craft Box (where I teach scrapbook classes) waiting to be paired up with the tiles I had made at home.

I painted the inside black and then started adding texture to the frame by using the Viva Terra, Ferro and Croco paints. I enjoyed messing about getting my hands dirty, adding the paint with my fingers - at one time I would have found this too scary.... a bit too messy, I suppose that was partly because I used to craft on the dining room table and I didn't want to mucky it up! but now our children have all left home (leaving us SPACE!!!) I have my own room - I can close the door and leave the mess!

The photo doesn't do it proper justice.... note to self - get Stan to give me a few photograph tips!

(Stan is my best mate Shelley's hubby and he's a professional photographer)

After adding my punched out squares, I poured UTEE over them, (thus making them into tiles)then added a couple of flowers to balance the look of the whole thing. I can't decided whether to add a hanger to it yet....