Blinked and nearly missed it!

Well there's nothing like leaving things to the last minute as motivation to get on with things - and that's what happened this month.

Right at the end of June I had an unfortunate encounter with White Van Man who very thoughtlessly drove straight into the back of my car at a junction. Nothing too serious, I was stationary waiting to turn out of a T junction so no injury but it did shake me up and stess me out. As a result most of July has gone by in a blur of not quite right-mindedness with no creative mojo and a tendency to hysteria.

The car is now mended and I now have to wait to see if I can get the costs back from the culprit, however on the up side it is now school holidays and I have had a few days off work to spend crafting and keeping an eye on my son (to make sure he doesn't get DVT from too much XBox and Olympics viewing on TV).

So I've started to catch up a bit.

Here is Jubilee June in my 365ish journal - complete with expletive (censored) regarding the accident.

And here - on time - is July all finished. That must be a record for me. The picture is a bit dodgy because the book won't stay flat on its own and I cropped my fingers out. It says "I'm just sitting watching flowers in the rain" across the bottom which was pertinent at the start of July, hence the drippy background.

August is ready to go too - all seaside holiday colour schemed in keeping with the season.



For July we were up to letters M and N in our Alphabetica post card swap. Fortunately I was ahead of the game and ready to post at the end of June or they might have been very grumpy pieces of work. I'm looking forward to receiving swaps any time soon. I hope the recipients of my cards enjoy them.



Oooh, and lastly a new issue of Craft Stamper is out this week. It has an especially nice free stamp this month, some great techniques using masking tape and lots of other lovely things.



June already!

How did that happen! June and the Jubilee holiday are upon us, and as my son so helpfully pointed out (whilst we were discussing his astronomy homework and the transit of Venus across the sun this week) it will soon be the longest day and then the nights will start drawing in. What a thought!

Anyway I am keeping up with my 365 journalling just about. Didn't fill my May page completely but said all I wanted and have made a start on June which as you'll see is suitably Jubilee themed. I am feeling rather old though as I can remember the silver jubilee - much better than the golden one oddly but maybe it is just my age?

And in a fit of enthusiasm and still playing with red, white and blue I have already made my alphabetica postcard swaps for the month - letters K and L. Amazing what a long weekend can do for you.

I used distress inks for K - direct to paper and stamped for the key side and wrinkle free distrees technique on the back.

The front of my L card has some inky embossing and a bit of celebratory glitz. The reverse is painted with acrylics and stamped with lots of colours and letters.

Oops, I did it again!

Now sometimes simple is best. I have lots of stamps with a Venice theme - I love the place - and some Rome ones too although I've yet to go there (too hot for me in the summer holidays). Just basic stamping and direct to paper with distress ink here for the front of my I themed post card.

And on the reverse by way of contrast lots of chunky glitter, Croco paint and some Diamond Glaze (to stop it all cracking and falling off) to get a cold and icy effect.                                 

And now to the oops I did it again part... Didn't I say I wasn't going to buy anything new? A set of London themed stamps just fell into my shopping basket, honest Guv. And a good job too - they were just the thing for some background stamping on this red, white and blue extravaganza of all things beginning with J.

Lots of fun with a bit of everything - improvised as I went along just like jazz. The background has sheet music, string, die cut letters and paper towel (oops got a bit stuck in the gesso by accident but never mind). Ink and paint splattered on top in characteristic uncontrolled combinations of colour.

History repeating itself...

And here I am late once again. No surprise there then - and as ever it is the posting that is late not the journal, which in my abbreviated form I am keeping up with (just).

Here is April complete with scribblings...

And May primed and ready to go.

And I have been keeping busy with other things too.  The alphabet themed post card swaps reached letters H and G for April.

 It is amazing how many uses there are for the little sticks you get to stir coffee with. Am I the only person who takes no milk or sugar in coffee but still needs to take a stick to stir which some how finds its way home with me?

I had a bit of a London 2012 moment with this G themed card. It started out with Games in mind but somehow came all over red, white and blue Union Flag like. And yes I do know some sgements probably are the wrong way up - it was just how the scraps of paper happened to be as I picked them up.

Scratching my head at the moment for J themed ideas. Everything that comes to mind at the moment is either too difficult or needs too many new things!. Check back to find out how I get on.