Saturday 19 November 2016

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

36 comments:

  1. Your journal is wonderful Jane. Those falling snowflakes are perfect for our challenge at Winter Wonderland. Good luck. Christine DT x

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  2. A beautiful page Jane. Thank you so much for sharing your lovely creation with us at Sparkles Monthly Challenges.
    Hugs
    Cathy DT Member
    xxxxx

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  3. Oh my gosh, best photos ever!! How in love with those little squirrels am I, lol!! Beautiful waterfalls, what a lovely spot to be able to visit! I am loving your Christmas page Jane, the photo of your as a toddler is so precious! The silhouette santa sleigh across the moon is just wonderful, love love love!! hugs :)

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  4. A lovely atmospheric page with wonderful colours and sparkle.

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  5. Jane, this is such a magical journal page and I adore your photograph. I know that coloured photos are great but there really is something special about the black and white ones. I'm with you on the sleigh bells as I'm sure that I heard them too :) Back to the card then ....... I really like the sepia background and the way that your stamped snowflakes stand out against. Your misty moon looks absolutely amazing and everything on the page just works really well together. Thank you for sharing with us at Fashionable Stamping Challenges, Sandra x http://sandmacards.blogspot.co.uk/

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  6. Beautiful story Jane...lovely photo and i love your page as a result. Incidently my hubby has just looked over my shoulder and said 'Oooh I like that!' so there yyou have praise indeed! Now do I hear sleigh bells?....I am sure I will on Christmas Eve.

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  7. Nice spin on the challenge! Your frosty scene is very apt for my part of the country today:-)

    Sally

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  8. Wow, that moonlit snowy image is wonderful! And of course your little self is so cute. I love the waterfall photo you got and that squirrel is adorable!! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  9. A great idea to choose I and what a cute photo! I love the colour scheme with the whit snowflakes too! Elaine x

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  10. HI Jane!

    PRECIOUS - PRECIOUS - PRECIOUS!
    I just Love your journal page and that picture!
    I am particularly intrigued and in awe of your moon! Look at this shading!
    You've nailed it!!

    xx

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  11. didn't see this yesterday as I was at Kew in the sunshine with some glorious colour... love your photos and your journal page is fab. Strictly was great!

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  12. A lovely journal page Jane, thank you for sharing this with us at Fashionable Stamping Challenges,
    Leanne DT.

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  13. What a fun inky creation for our current theme at Fashionable Stamping Challenges, many thanks for joining in.

    B x

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  14. Lovely card with a lovely story too. Thank you for sharing with The Craft Barn Alpha Challenge xx

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  15. You were an adorable looking child, and it's clear to see where Daisy gets her looks :) Somehow I can believe you actually heard the sleigh bells. It's also perfect that you did a Christmas theme for your "I".

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  16. Oh, I absolutely love this!! What a sweet picture of you!! I love how you showcased it!! The background looks amazing!! The details are just perfect!! Thanks so much for playing along at Anything But Cute for our Rustic Glam challenge!!

    Lisa
    A Mermaid's Crafts

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  17. What a beautiful post Jane! Your thoughts, and journal page, just embody the feeling of Christmas! And I so enjoy all your lovely photos of the flora and fauna in your area!!
    i adore the picture of you as a child! Priceless!

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  18. Wow, this is awesome. This page is just wonderful! I love the entire post and pictures, too. Thanks for joining us at Christmas at Sweet Stampin' for our Anything Goes With Christmas challenge. --Gail

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  19. You are such a sweetie! I love photos and this is great with you feeding the pidgeons. I love Christmas as well and always waited to catch a glimpse of Santa. We celebrate Christmas Eve so my mom told me he visited us in the afternoon. I was never to peek or he would take the presents away for being a naughty girl. This was her way of having a coffee and cake in the afternoon in peace. Love your journal/scrapbook page. It does bring the antique look and I love Santa and his reindeer in front of the moon

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  20. A beautiful page, I love the snowflakes and gorgeous Christmas die cuts around the image. Thanks for joining in the fun at ABC Christmas this week.
    Lorraine DT

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  21. What an amazing sceen you have made.. I adore it.

    Thank you for joining us at Noor Design UK this month.

    Love DT LindaSS

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  22. Wow brilliant scene you have created! Love it! Thanks for joining in with our challenge at ABC Christmas Challenge,
    hugs Samantha :0)

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  23. What a beautiful page and fantastic fall photos. Love the squirrels. Love it. Thanks for playing along Simon Says Stamp Christmas Critters Challenge. Gayatri xx

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  24. Nostalgia at its best! The picture of you as a little one is totes adorable! You have incorporated little details about you and your life into this design with flawless effort. The sleigh, the mittens (I always lost mine), the blinded out star border. Wowzers and gorgeous! Santa is definitely on his way and yes, I still listen as well. One is never too old for Santa! Hehe

    Thanks for joining us at Anything But Cute for our "Rustic Glam" challenge. Hugz. ~Niki DT

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  25. Gorgeous Jane. I love everything about it! The photo of you is priceless. Definitely fits our theme of snow is falling.
    Thanks so much for joining us at Winter Wonderland.
    Lou DT xo

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  26. Another fabulous page for the Alpha/Dictionary Challenge.

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  27. Fabulous page - love how all the elements come together.

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  28. Love your page Jane! From the inky background to the starry frame and lacy mat, everything is interesting to look at. And then there is that sweet picture of you... or is that a picture of a sweet girl?!!

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  29. Wow, what a clever word choice and what a fabulous result. That is such a cute photograph of you and thank you for sharing the gorgeous Autumn photos too.

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  30. Absolutely fabulous! Love the monochromatic color scheme. Thanks for joining us at Fashionable Stamping Challenge!

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  31. Fantastic journal page with such happy memories. Love it.

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  32. I am mad about this fantastic background! It is amazing and goes so well with your fab photo. The silhouette is fantastic too. So glad you could share with us at Anything But Cute. Hugs, Autumn

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  33. Absolutely stunning! Love it. Thank you for joining us at Let's Craft & Create Challenge. We hope you can join us again in the future and good luck! Mary DT x

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  34. Beautiful jurnal page!!!I love how you created background. Thank you for joining us at Let's Craft & Create challenge. We hope you will join us again very soon. Agnieszka DT

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  35. Simply stunning! Thanks for joining us at Lets craft and create

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  36. Fabulous journal page - love the cute photo! Thanks for joining the fun over at Sparkles Monthly and I hope you'll join us again soon, Love Jacky x

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Jane x