I believe

It's still not too cold which is good in my books.  The leaves continue fall as we approach mid November and the squirrels are busy gathering up the nuts. I can remember as a child that by November it would be freezing cold and the squirrels would virtually hibernate. They don't seem to do that anymore and these little fellows are still busy foraging and playing in the park.

My view through the waterfall is getting larger as the leaves drop, leaving just the coniferous yew tree in leaf, 

I took a break from my Christmas card making  to make a new art journal page. We are approaching the end of the year long dictionary  challenge over at the Craft Barn and for this fortnight the letter is I. There are also some other fun challenges I wanted to enter.
For the letter I ...I chose I...yes I as in me!

I decided to use a fun photo of me as toddler on a cold November day probably in 1962 or it might be 63..which was a savage winter.
I also wanted to make something Christmassy in my Art Journal so I thought I would make a Moment of how I have always loved Christmas time and how much I did, and still do ;0) believe in Father Christmas. I can still remember standing by my bedroom window of our old draughty Edwardian house on Christmas Eve listening for the sleigh bells and knowing that Santa was on his way. I really did hear them in my child's mind.

The black and white of my photo inspired me to create a monochrome background with distress inks.

I masked out a moon

and kept blending until I was happy with my background. I then added some retro festive stamping around the border and some stars, which are just visible, as I used Picket Fence DI.

I then stamped some Visible Image Snowflakes using white acrylic paint. 

I wanted to set my photo in a festive frame ...I used lots of festive die cuts. Here it is with my dictionary definition for I ...I also add my own quote ..."I believe" using my retro Dymo label maker... I added some mittens as I am sure that mine would have been in my pocket or somewhere?

and here is my completed page...of course Santa is on his way...

and a couple of close ups

Even as an adult I still listen out for those sleigh bells on Christmas Eve...don't you?

I would like to enter my art journal page into the following challenges;

The Craft Barn alphabet challenge I mine is for I
Sparkles 2/3 Christmas is coming
Let's craft and create 3/3 winter
Christmas at sweet stampin 2/3 anything goes
Simon says stamp Wednesday Christmas critters
Noor UK Winter
Cute card Thursday Christmas/holidays
Happy Little Stamper anything goes with dies
Deep Ocean use die cuts and/or punches
Anything but Cute  rustic glam my glitter star border added my touch of glam to my rustic scene.
Crimbo Crackers anything goes
Fashionable stamping 1/3  'tis the season
Winter Wonderland 1/3 poinsettia or snow is falling of course snow is falling in my AJ page.
ABC Christmas 2/3 w for wishes

Thanks for stopping by today and for the kind comments you take the time to leave. It's a beautiful blue skies and sunshine morning so I am heading out to my studio to enjoy some inky time. Tonight I shall be glue to Strictly as it's from the Blackpool Ballroom...such great entertainment and amazing dancing. Enjoy your weekend.

Back soon,

Bye for now,

Jane x