Monday 31 August 2015

Bed in Summer

The nights are still quite light and I always enjoy the long daylight hours in summer. However I am mindful that September starts tomorrow and that the nights will quickly start to draw in. There is a poem which I learnt as a child at primary school about light summer nights but I can never remember the last verse. I decided to look it up and find that missing 3rd verse.

It is called Bed in Summer by R. L Stevenson and it reminds me of those daylight bedtimes you endure as a child in the summer when you think it is far too early to go to bed!

Here it is in its entirety.

Bed in Summer

In winter I get up at night
And dress by yellow candlelight.
In summer quite the other way,
I have to go to bed by day.

I have to go to bed and see
The birds still hopping on the tree
And hear the grown-up peoples' feet
Still going past me in the street

And does it not seem hard to you
When all the sky is clear and blue
And I should like so much to play
To have to go to bed by day?

I am so glad I found it and I have now learnt the last verse. Inspired by this vintage poem I decided that I would use it for some new art journal pages.
I looked around my garden and decided to use the bright floral colours still proudly showing off from my pots as the base colours.





My lawn has really greened up too with all the recent rain we have had. Off I went to my garden studio and I chose some really bright bold distress inks and made some inky pages;
 I think sun glasses are needed here :0)
I then made the brave decision to try hand writing the poem using a Micron pen and white highlighter.
I also decided to add lots of doodles including a doodle frame inspired by Joanne Fink.

So here are my finished pages.


With some added strawberry stamping, some stencilling, Zenspirational dangles and my doodled frame with some Cheery Lynn die cuts.


These new pages in Jane's Journal will really make my heart sing even when it is cold and dark and winter is at its worst. I will be reminded of  the summer colours of my garden, the warm summer sunshine and the long light evenings....and strawberry Pimm's ;0)........

I would like to enter my AJ pages into the following challenges;

Artistic stamper anything goes

Mixed  media world gorgeous textures

Country View Crafts summertime

Papertake weekly take your pick I have chosen vintage/distressed

Simon says stamp Wednesday anything goes

Pixie's Snippet Playground week 192 here I used some tiny snippets of card to die cut my leaves and flower.

Love to create anything mixed media #18

Cheery Lynn Frame it I drew a frame for my flower and leaves

Anything but a card celebration mine is a celebration of summer

That Craft Place Mixed media, anything goes

The weather was on our side over the weekend and we enjoyed such a fun day out yesterday with our friends. We visited Standen in East Grinstead, West Sussex, such a gorgeous National Trust home. I will share some photos and a post really soon. Today the weather has other ideas and we woke up to heavy rain which has now eased but looks set to fall all day.  However it's bank holiday Monday here in the UK so no work and as it needs to be an indoor kind of day. I am spending time in my garden...in my studio....crafting! Yippee!!  Enjoy your day too.

Back soon,

Bye for now,

Jane x

19 comments:

  1. Awe what a lovely little poem and what a good job you did with writing it out, the highlights just add to the text! Love the bright summery colours too. :)
    Still sunny here sending some your way!
    Happy new week my friend,
    V x

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  2. Your garden is still looking beautifully colourful in the late Summer sunshine, Jane - such a treat! (I'm hoping my digging will get done next weekend, then it's bricklaying and hopefully preparation for planting!) I love the little poem about Bed in Summer, so true of many a child (and adult's) thoughts about going to bed in the daylight! I can't quite believe that September is upon us and I try not to think too much about the nights drawing in as I am definitely a lover of daylight!
    Your art journal page is so vibrant and sunny, a real tribute to the richer tones that late Summer and Autumn brings and your doodling and danglers are just fabulous! Hugs, Lisa x

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  3. Your garden looks wonderful and bright! Love your card, as always. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  4. Jane this is a real stunner. I love your bright colours and the way you have illustrated your poem. Your garden is looking lovely, I just hope that Summer lasts a little longer! Thanks so much for joining in with our challenge at Country View Crafts. Sue xx

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  5. Hello dear Jane,

    I am back after a while, slowly trying to remember how to comment and all :) But oh my how lovely both your garden and that journal looks - and that poem made me smile. Perfect!

    Wishing you happy September, and lovely times in your crafting shed!

    Yours,
    Mia

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  6. How fabulous this is Jane! So Summery and a perfect reflection of your garden as inspiration too. I do love the poem, so, so true. I vividly recall the sound of lawns being gently mown and the quiet buzz of parents enjoying an evening in the garden. Still, at least it was light enough to read :)

    Hugs

    Di xx

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  7. Love the black and white accents against the sizzling summer background colours. You certainly seem to have had more sunshine in your garden than I have!
    Thanks so much for playing along again at Country View Challenges.
    Alison xx

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  8. WOW . . .this is fantastic. Congrats on being brave and using your handwriting . . . it's worked a treat.

    Hugs, Sarn xxx

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  9. Hello Jane

    Gorgeous AJ pages!
    Thank you for sharing the poem and the pictures of your beautiful garden with us!
    Cheers!

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  10. Lovely poem, Jane, and such a nice idea to use it for your colourful artwork too! Your garden flowers look so pretty in the sunshine. I look forward to seeing your post about Standen...I have been there a few years ago but would love to visit it again with you :)
    Helen xox

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  11. Lovely journal pages, I adore the mix of colours they blend beautifully and I love your writing and the touches of white you added, very striking. Your garden looks fantastic. Thanks so much for joining in with the Love to Create mixed media Challenge. Tracy x

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  12. WOW...what a gorgeous journal page and love how you even added dies to it! Thank you for playing along with our challenge this week at Cheery Lynn Designs and good luck!

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  13. Wow Jane this is stunning, love the colours design and poem, such beauty.

    Love & hUgs

    Jacquie J xxx
    http://jewelscardcraft.blogspot.co.uk/

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  14. I love your blog - everything is such a delight!!
    Sandy xx

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  15. It's always so refreshing to see the fantastic colors here at your place, Jane. It was fun to revisit RLS's poem illustrated so beautifully with your artistic touch, such a lovely late summer piece!

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  16. i love your journal page, the colours are amazing and im terribly jealous of your beautiful garden , :)
    thanks for joining us at That Craft Place hugs, kay

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  17. Oh my goodness! I love the colours here!!!
    Thank you for joining us for the challenge over on the That Craft Place Challenge Blog..
    xxSAMxx TCP Design Team.
    ❤My Blog❤
    ❤That Craft Place Challenge Blog❤
    ❤That Craft Place on Facebook❤

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Jane x