Z is for...

The letter for the dictionary challenge over at the Craft Barn this fortnight is Z..with a twist..a pearl! Also over at PaperArtsy the challenge is pattern and I decided to also have a play with making a pattern for my background...even though I covered most of it up. There are also some other fun challenges running so I thought I would keep these in mind too.

I had company in the garden whilst I worked in my studio over the weekend from my furry grandson, Bear, my son's dog. He is such a good boy and great company.

I decided that I would choose Z for zip and make a vintage sewing themed page in my Art Journal. I thought initially that I would try to create a zip but this proved tricky so I changed my mind and decided to use a real zip. I saw an brilliant art journal piece earlier this year by Vicky P of Clips n cuts and loved the way she inserted an opened zip so I used this great concept in my piece.

For the background I used an ancient piece of buttons paper my stash. After cutting it to size I started to made my pattern. I used  large Wendy Vecchi stamp, a Rubber Dance burlap texture stamp and also a stamp from a PaperArtsy stamp. I wanted the background to look like quilting.

 I also added this PaperArtsy stamp to the pattern but forgot to take a photo...you can see it in my final piece.

I gathered together all my sewing themed ephemera and a pearl, a snippet from a Tim Holtz pad and also some papers from my stash.

I have had these X cut sewing dies and thought they would be fun to use. I stitched round the edge and added cotton to the spools.

Then it was time to put on my creative hat and this is what I came up with.

Here is my definition from my dictionary..you can also.see the Paperartsy stamp here. I really like my inserted  zip. I added some faux stitching too. 

I added some fun ribbon a dear friend sent me....Keep calm and craft on...it made me smile and that gave the idea for the sentiment I added to my tag

It was "sew"so  much fun to create.

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

The Craft Barn Dictionary challenge Z with a pearl..which is on my tag.
Paperartsy patterns my buttons background was created using different stamps to create a quilting pattern.
Sparkles Monthly 1/3 lots of layers
We love to create 2/2 anything creative/mixed media
Happy Little Stampers anything goes with dies
Addicted to stamps and More 1/3  make your mark I have used archival inks for my stamping, Distress Ink around my dies and on the end of my pins and silver marker pen to create the pins themselves.
Mod Squad the die's the thing
Crafty Hazelnut patterned paper challenge
Mod Squad the die's the thing
Simon says stamps Wednesday make for the border I have used a wide piece of lace to make a bold border across my art journal piece.


When I finished I showed it to Bear..............do you think this is a smile ;0)

We certainly had great fun with him... and I rewarded him with a new piece of antler which he chose in our local pet shop.

Back soon,

Bye for now,

Jane x

My Tuscany memories preserved forever

Thanks so much for all your support and lovely comments you left for my Tim Holtz Creative Chemistry 103 over the last 2 weeks. I'm glad I did it "live" but it really was full on and I was pleased to have the time to finish off my holiday Journal from our recent trip to Tuscany.  I bought a Pink Pig sketchbook for this purpose and if you missed that post you can read about it here.

Daisy, despite only being 2 3/4 years old, is an avid crafter and I also bought her a little cheapie scrapbook to work in as I knew she would like to follow Nanna.  She loved it and we spend many moments putting them together at our glorious villa. I love this photo...so much concentration in one darling little girl.

We made backgrounds using Paperartsy infusions, stencils and stamps.
This was the idyllic terrace where we sat and crafted.

I also took my Instax camera and took lots of instant photos for us both.  I also used my regular camera and printed out some photos when I got home.

Each day I wrote an index card for Daisy and one for myself with a short summary of our day. For her cards she chatted about what we had done and then she agreed what she wanted me to write.
Here are some pages from my darling girls journal.
This is her little journal I bought (from Wilkinson's for just £3)

Here is one of her backgrounds she created. Impressive for a 2 year old I think!

and here are some of her sweet pages...she made these herself...I just stuck things in for her. I love the way she added her own "writing" after mine...she repeats the words as she add those squiggles, bless her.

Although I didn't have much time to sit and paint I did have 2 sessions when I got out my travel watercolour set and had my first try at "proper"painting.  I decided to try to paint the view from where we crafted. It was so idyllic and the only sound to be heard was the buzzing of the bees.

Below is my finished painting...please be gentle....I don't have any art training at all but I tried to get some shade and tones despite the limited palette of colours and time. I used some separate watercolour paper as I didn't want to risk ruining my journal with any spillage. I then mounted it in my journal when I got home.

So here is my completed holiday journal...I stuck some ribbon under some card on the inside covers so that I can tie it together. My added ephemera made it bulky.
The quality of the papers from Pink Pig is excellent and it really took the inks and water media really well.

Here are some of the pages from my journal

Little instax photos from our wedding anniversary celebrations in San Gimignano.

and remember the "Bliss" tag I created and blogged about whilst away. If you missed it have a look here first ........
Well here is it in my journal

The page below is special as Daisy picked up the doily from under a dish served to us at a restaurant we ate at. She gave it to me to "put in my scrapbook". She has the makings of a real crafter in her, seeing inspiration and useful ephemera everywhere.

It's a wonderful memory of our trip.

I would like to enter my holiday journal into the following challenges.

Anything but cute inspiration photo I was inspired by all photos, especially the flowers and created a very "vintage garden" themed Tuscan journal.
A Vintage Journal stencil it..I used lots!
Paperartsy patterns all my backgrounds were created using different patterns of stencils and stamps. Each double page is unique.
Snippets Playground 242 I have used soo many snippets to decorate my journal.
We love to create 1/2 anything creative/mixed media
Pile it on Make 3/3 your own background
Rhedd's Creative Spirit August
Stamplorations August mixed media stencil Sunday I used so many stencils in my journal!

I also added that wonderful Dr Zeuss quote in the back of  mine and Daisy's journal.

Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment.....
Until it becomes a memory.

How true that is and how many treasured memories I hold of our wonderful holiday we shared with Daisy and Co.
I just wanted to share 2 final photos from our Tuscany adventure...

 Do you think I love my sweet granddaughter.....just a bit ;0) What a lucky Nanna I am.

We've had a very chilled weekend as we babysat my furry grandson..the lovely Bear, my son's dog. He watched me craft too in my garden studio. I have been working on my Z piece for the latest letter in the dictionary challenge...it's a fun one!

Back soon,

Bye for now,

Jane x

Final Creative Chemistry 103 homework and my giveaway winner

Hello and as promised this is my final piece of homework from Tim's Creative Chemistry 103. The wrap up day is tomorrow and everyone's homework has to be in by tonight.
It's the best  crafting $25 I have spent in a long time. He is a brilliant teacher and there is life long access to the course. That's win win in my books.

For my last piece of homework I made a card using backing made using his texture paste embossing technique.

This was my piece, I added some hot summer colours of distress ink again. The stencil is my TH lace stencil.

 I stamped put my Lady Rose stamp again and hand water coloured her... I love this stamp.

I then die cut some MB and Cheery Lynn floral die cuts. I also added some rose stamping to the edges of the card.
 I put on my creative hat and this is my finished card.

I love the way the embossing shines out as raised texture.

You will notice that I made this a thank you card....


This is a thank you to Tim for being such an inspiration as well as a kind, warm human being. I really like his style of teaching and I know I will never get to sit in a class of his myself so this has been the next best thing.

I would like to also link it up to the following challenges;

Stamping Sensations anything goes
Penny Black and More anything goes
A vintage journey stencil it
That's Crafty 3/3 zesty zing
Craft Heaven Shop Challenge 3/3 #14 anything goes
Happy Little Stamper anything goes with dies
Addicted to stamps 1/3 and more anything goes
Simon says stamp Wednesday go wild I have used wild African bush colours!!
As you like it favourite flower and why mine is the Rose because they look and smell so beautiful and I had them in my wedding bouquet.
Uniko flowers

This is also a thank you to everyone who commented on my 6th Bloggerverary post 2 weeks ago and entered my giveaway. Yes it's time to announce my winner...........

I put the names in a hat

and my Hb pulled out a winner who is

Karen P...well done to Karen and if you can send me you snail mail address I will send you prize out to you. My email address is in my side bar.

I'm sorry I can't send everyone a prize but I can say once again to you all

Thank you...

 for being such great blogging friends.

I have nearly finished my holiday journal and hopefully that will be the piece I will be back with next. Happy Thursday, the weather is picking up and apparently next week we will heat up to 36c and be hotter than Ibiza...bring it on!

Back soon,

Bye for now,

Jane x