Back to my garden studio

Hooray....I finally got back to my sweet garden studio at the weekend. I really miss my outdoors crafting space over the winter months and after all this good weather it was time to spring clean it.

It was time to open the blinds and let the sunshine in. Out came the vacuum cleaner and water to clean the windows. I always have a grand clear up too so I start the season with a clear clean space. I teak oiled my lovely workbench made lovingly by my Dad.

And cleaned everything in sight

 I love being surrounded by my little bits of art work. Some are mine and some made by my talented crafty friends,

And here is my creative space ready to go. It is never this tidy again until next spring!

 and you will never see my desk so clear.

I had a wonderful weekend out there with lots of crafty time and space to get messy. The new colours in the garden inspired me to get bold with my palette, my first tulips are in flower.

 I decided to have a play with sprays.....ones I made myself with my Paperartsy Fresco paints which I recently won from the  Craft Stamper challenge take it make it challenge. I am going on a Finnabair inspired/Prima workshop on Sunday so I just thought I would have a play with a mixed media style which is new for me and make one of my Moments.

I laid down various textures

made up some sprays.

and added perfect pearls too for some sparkle

I also added perfect pearls to a mister of blue distress ink I made up.
I spent the afternoon adding and blending and getting very messy but boy was it fun.
Here is what I made.

I used one of my "Real" relatives photos, me aged about 7 surrounded by my beloved pets.
I love the way the lace, die cuts and texture paste have soaked up all this glorious colour.

I tried to capture the sparkle with difficulty but you can just see it below.
Here are a few close ups.

I stamped one of my THoltz quotes, I love this one,  and added a few embellishments using Blue archival ink.

 and one last "arty" shot.

I would like to enter my mixed media piece into the following challenges;

Die Cut Divas in the garden
The Ribbon Girl add ribbon or lace
Papertake Weekly words words words
Allsorts bingo I have added ribbon, flowers and die cut
Try it on Tuesdays new beginnings this is the first Finnabair inspired piece I have made and I am hoping to learn lots of tips and techniques at the Prima workshop on Sunday.
Simon says stamp Monday In the middle I am in the middle of my photo surrounded by my pets!
Inspiration Journal Everything goes
Top Tip Tuesday use 3 of something I have used 3 buttons, 1 on each flower and 1 above my photo.
Frilly and Funkie Spring time die cuts
Stamps and stencils  anything goes

We are still enjoying summer weather here in the South of England. It reached 24oc here yesterday and I enjoyed a day out with my girlies in the glorious sunshine. Thanks for all your fun comments on my last post you left for  Billy and for your kind words about my first crochet blankie...and yes Billy loves it. I am really enjoying making some small Nanna  granny squares in shades of green and blue. It's WIP.

If you don't have any sunshine where you are then let me send you some......I took this yesterday with my girlies at Claremont Gardens near Esher, Surrey....it was bliss and as warm as a summer's day.

No outings for me today today though.....I'm off to work..must dash.

Back soon,

Bye for now,

Jane x