Exciting times

I have some really exciting news to share. I have been accepted onto the newly created Altered Element design team for the inaugural 6 month term. Take a look at their web store full of lovely mixed media goodies, read their blog here and watch this space for news of monthly creations....

Last week I also had a leave day to use and spent part of the morning waiting in. As luck would have it, first call meant first call in this instance and my chores were over nice and early so I scrounged a lift into Harrogate to collect some stamps I was after at Art from the Heart. (Large alphabet stamps which will make an appearance towards the end of the year in my 365 Day Challenge Journal). The lovely Dyan had started a workshop by the time I arrived but generously let me join in and play anyway.

We made pocket books with a box frame cover and for the first time in living memory I actually got on and finished the project straight away. I have to confess to many bags containing half finished projects lurking - part knitted jumpers behind the sofa and the like.

Mine used papers from the 7 Gypsies Venice range and I kept the theme going using Darkroom Door Venice stamps to create decoupaged layers to put inside the frame.

I put two sets of tags into the pockets. One set was stamped mainly with Darkroom Door stamps and the other with Paper Artsy Ink and the Dog Clocks stamps. I used holiday photos to decorate the backs of the tags and added a small stamped clock to the front of each pocket.

I hope my Mum's not looking because this is now wrapped up ready to be her Mothers' Day gift.

Fully Charged and Ready to Go...

The camera that is, I'm not sure the same can be said for me.


Anyway here, better late than never, is my February challenge page complete with journalling. I'm feeling very smug this morning because I've already filled in today's square in March too.

And now I'm wired to the camera to transfer this picture I've got some more fab ATCs to share. The first two are ones I got by swapping at the Artisan Show last year.

This one is by Helen Chilton of Craft Stamper fame. I love the way she uses colour and birds are a favoutire of mine so I had to have this. The punched edge is great too. I now know I don't need to throw out the pages I've not lined up properly in the Bind It All machine.

This one is by L. Abery and is one of my all time favourites. Again I'm drawn to the colours but I also love that this is so beautifully put together with neat colouring and cutting (which I can't do, messy is my middle name).

The next sets of pictures are ATCs made for a swap where each player used a stamp of their choice, then sent it to the next player and so on. By the end we had each made four ATCs with each stamp to distribute so we each had a set made with each stamp. Confused?

The lovely players who participated with me were Pauline Hampson, Annie Mackay and Mawgan Dipple. My stamp was the heart one. I think it might have been a gift as it isn't what I'd generally choose but the observant amongst you might have noticed that it had a second outing on my February challenge page.

Best Laid Plans...

I have now memorised how to transfer piccies from the camera to computer without searching for and reading the manual so I was all ready to photograph my February page for The Kathryn Wheel 365 day challenge but... the battery in my camera is flat!

Meantime, here is a preview of March (you'll recall I had done backgrounds to August in January as a journalling delay tactic). Now I see it afresh it is a bit grey looking, a reflection of the dull mood I was in at the start of January in the dark, snowy, cold days. I might use bright colours for the lettering to jazz it up a bit or maybe a bit more silvery bling and some images bottom right - it sure needs something!

Here also is an ATC I made as part of a batch for swapping at the Artisan show last autumn. I made sheets of Distress Ink backgrounds to cut up and mount as the base for the cards. The image is from a Crafty Individuals book.