A big sigh!

Thought I'd better do a post to show what I've been up to lately ...I've been in Yorkshire for a month but now I'm gearing up to go back to Durham and start the trekking back and forth again... a few mental adjustments will be required!

Andy went back on the 12th to finalise his work for a 90 minute seminar he has to give (today actually - I'm waiting for a 'phone call to tell me how it went) I stayed down here as my parents have been ill and Andy's Dad in hospital so I was left with 'family duties'!

Anyway, yesterday I was guest Tutor at Art from the Heart The project was 'Facebook' Everyone I know (except ME) is on Facebook, I like the title, great for a minibook full of your favourite faces!



I only took two photographs, I was too busy, er... enjoying the conversation...



Their books were gorgeous and they went home delighted that they had finished the whole book - apart from the addition of glossy accents, I love that stuff and go through bottles of it...my fingers always ache from squeezing dots on this and that...you know how it is ...well I discovered that Dyan sells little bottles - much easier on these old fingers and one (or two!) just happened to fall into my basket...see that's the trouble with working in places where you can SPEND what you earn before walking out of the door!



Last Sunday was Art Journaling at afth ... a FULL class, stuffed to the doors. Here are a couple of pages...





...both in this little journal which I bought in Whitby (the Abbey gift shop) a couple of years ago. Gorgeous isn't it? The paper is handmade and has great texture. I glue two or three together for a better surface for paints etc... Dylusions of course - I LOVE them!



And then, as I was still in Yorkshire, Ann invited me to join the 'Ladies who lunch' on Tuesday, they are a great bunch of ladies who get together regularly, have lunch, have fun and MAKE STUFF. How can a girl refuse such an offer?

They had decided to work on Tim's configuration boxes - well I just happened to have one (found it under the Christmas tree hehehe!) so off I went and I had a great day meeting new people and messing about. Mine looks like this so far, although none of my pieces are stuck down yet because I don't know if I want them where they are now - or even if I want them in there at all! Although I love the carousel and the policeman. Anyway there is lots more titivating to be done.



Right 15 minutes till Andy calls - I shall go get comfortable 'cos I'll be on the 'phone for a while... I miss him dreadfully :(

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

A very Happy New Year to everyone!

Can you believe 2010 has been and gone? It has certainly been a year of change for me... and I'm glad to say I kept to the 365 challenge because I've got a little snapshot of daily goings on in the life of Sandy!

Here are last year's monthly journal pages (sounds weird saying that as it was only yesterday!)














And I'm sticking to the challenge again this year, this is my January, all ready to go...


It's great fun and I'm looking forward to being inspired by everyone's art.

I've had the day all to myself ... now there are LOTS of things to DO in the run up to Christmas, today I've cleaned the house here in Durham, a bit pointless really as we're going down to Yorkshire tomorrow for a month, so I'll have it all to do again at our house down there. But at least this house will be lovely and clean when we get back! I'm looking forward to Christmas with our family and lots of catching up with friends down there so I think it will be a busy time for us, but a welcome kind of busy if you know what I mean :)

I made some time this afternoon to play a little catch up with Dyan's advent tag challenge...







...but now I'm going to beautify myself as it's Andy's College Dinner/Dance tonight, I shan't be drinking too much 'cos I've got an early start in the morning...I'm doing a taster session at AFTH for preview day - hope to see some of you there!

Have a WONDERFUL and peaceful Christmas everybody - don't forget the reason for the season! x

HO-HO-HO!

Today's tag offering...



Love his Santa legs don't you? hehehe



Here he is in all his glory - he looks like he's totally strutting his stuff doesn't he?



And so, onto some exciting news...I'm teaching some more workshops at Art from the Heart again next year and PREVIEW DAY is coming up soon...18th December. Put it in your diary and aim to be there as a fun treat to yourself in the midst of the busy Christmas season. I am going to be doing a taster session on that day along with Dyan, Kate and Marie. Dyan and Bezzi Su will also be - I want to say demo-ing - but really they will be messing around!

In my session, we shall be making a little mini book that looks something like this....



... mine is a little book of sister quotes, you can add your own favourites... they are lovely dinky little works of art - great to give as a gift.



I first made one of these back in March at a Dina Wakley workshop which she taught at Dyan's. They are simple to make but look stunning, now I'd like to pay it forward and show you how to make one of your own. Hope to see you there!

Short 'n' Sweet

You will be pleased to know, this is the first tag I've managed within the 15 minute time limit.

I just wanted to prove to myself that I could do it!

I had to keep it really simple though.... a DI background, cut out the image, word and quote, a torn piece of Blonde Moments Festive Feast, a border of German Scrap and that's it - done!



I'm hoping to drive North tomorrow, weather permitting (more snow forecast for the North East) so I'll have to show the tags on a less regular basis as time allows - it'll be back to the grindstone if I do manage to get there and the snowy honeymoon will be over....for commuters, perhaps that isn't a bad thing, but for my unexpected artistic interlude.... :(

Day 5

Ho-Ho-Ho! That's the title for today - and rather apt I'd say, going with the quote!




I used a 7Gypsies stamp from the AVIGNON plate, a Chocolatier crest ...rather fitting I thought given my challenge pack for today! In our house, we always have a box of Hotel Chocolat choccies for our after dinner treat on Christmas Day - we don't eat the whole box you understand - but one or two, rounds the festivities off very nicely!



Wouldn't it be great if this quote were TRUE!

Snowbound and Challenged!

Well, the weather continues to be a source of disruption for many, including me...I would very much like to be with my husband in snowbound Durham, but I am NOT going to attempt to drive up there in unsafe conditions.

The last time I remember snow like this was 1981 when our son was born, I'd almost forgotten what it was like to get this much snow. It does look pretty outside our house though...





But it does mean that I'm not going anywhere soon...the car is under a foot of snow! We do have a garage, but its a big car and won't fit in there!



So, snowbound me is finding lovely, most welcome time to keep bang up to date with Dyan's tag challenge... today's bag revealed these...




And look what I found in my paper stash Dy!



This is today's offering, after rushing and trying hard to keep in the 15 minute time limit, I thought it looked a bit flat....



...so I added a few splats of paint.



Still not sure, but at least it looks like snow!