Bluebirds of Happiness

Mary over at the Milliande Art community has organised a bluebirds of happiness ATC swap so made these ATCs for that.

Did another quick journal page too the journalling reads "everbody get so much information all day long that they lose their common sense" by Gertrude Stein..how true is this eg. when they ban conkers or dads playing footie with their kids in the school playground then send out letters about the lack of exercise kids are getting these days!!!


Me on another bike ride in the rain..I discovered this huge hidden pond by Speke Hall this morning so another place to take the kids for some free fun tomorrow perhaps

Smile altered wooden box

Over at alter it monthly the challenge this month is wood. I recently bought a little wooden chest and have altered it with tim holtz paper and am using it to hold all my little tim holtz inspired charms...be sure to check out all the other entries.

Winged woman who wanted her son to return to the nest

I had a look at the Scrollswork blog earlier on this evening and there is a fantastic technique on there which involves getting messy with paint and which produces instant backgrounds...click here to see the post. I made a quick collage with one of the backgrounds using lots of Scrollswork stamps under a transparency (dont forget that they have a huge closing down sale on at the moment). The theme over at Wednesdsay Stampers this week is nest..can you spot the nest on her head?

Once my sons had gone to bed I just had a play with paint and in half an hour made over 40 backgrounds..great fun just put down acrylic paint, water and get swooshing with cheapo photo paper.

I love the way this one turned out..purple explosion


My conservatory/art room has been taken over by Halo Reach toys which remind me of a cross between Mad Max and orcs out of Lord of the Rings.....my son made this excellent base for them and told me in great detail about the battle to defeat the halo reach grunts...dont you just love listening to imaginative stories.

Erosion ruins bags

This bag I have called "Serenity Buddha erosion ruins" and features one of my fav stampington stamps.

This year I took part in The Erosion Bundle Project where artists worldwide left a bundle of stuff to erode in the elements earlier this year, opened them in April and then are to complete a project by this August. Click here for my earlier posts about what I put in the bundle and how it looked in April when I opened it.



I used a little Etsy bird drawing purchase as the centrepiece in this one..its by the artist Michelle Palmer.

I have always liked rust and old things so was very pleased at the way my bundle turned out. I have used the rusty material along with the rusty guitar wires, cogs, old copper coins to make these bags.

Wish tin

another little sardine tin filled with seed heads, crochet flowers and a lovely little girl image from Scrollswork who are having a huge sale on now so be sure to check them out. I altered this little tin for a swap on UK Stampers so its on its way up North at the moment.

Happiness depends on ourselves dont be a pirate!

Over at Wednesday Stampers the theme this week is pirates so made a quick page using an old earring and some string..

Talking of the sea I went on a long bike ride this morning to check out my new jacket against the wind and rain coming off the Mersey it worked a treat and kept me warm and dry.

I stopped off for a cup of tea at the britannia inn and watched the choppy grey waves of the sea
Here is a journal I have been working on..its a moleskine journal but the pages are far too thin so I have glued in some of my painted papers and am working on several pages at a time adding bits and pieces as I go along...finding it easier this way to do quick journal pages so worth a try as a time saver

blue for you atc

Went to the Happy Stampers show yesterday at port sunlight and had a fabulous time meeting lots of people I know off blogs and UK Stampers forum. Sid reminded me of a challenge they are having at UK Stampers using three given shades of blue and green. I havent made an ATC for ages so had a quick go using lots of Scrollswork stamps..be sure to check out their sale which is on now.

happy art journal page

Over at Wednesday Stampers the theme for this week is think happy thoughts so have made this quick journal page journalling things that make me happy in the flower shape. I have used some scrapbook letters, paint, spray inks and pastels plus lots of stamps from Scrollswork - love this raven one. Hope you have a happy day wherever you are...

she fell for his peculiar charms..

I altered another sardine tin over the weekend..filled it with bits of a broken rusty radio, rusty cogs and used some of my fav steampunk Scrollswork stamps..isnt the little flying man stamp ace! go visit them as they are having a huge going out of business sale.

I have been going on a lot of bike rides lately to lose a bit of weight! Here is where I went this morning Hale lighthouse by the Mersey.


My greenhouse full of little tomato, lettuce, chilli, rocket, pea, pumpkin etc seeds. I bought some aubergine and pepper plants too..my 7yr old is all excited as he wants to make his own pizzas when we have lots of tomatoes! I have put a chair in there and its my little haven of peace.

Little bird shrines

Over at the Milliande site Palma is hosting another altered matchbox swap with the theme of birds. I have decorated the boxes with a selection of my fav Scrollswork stamps. Inside is a little crochet nest and some faux pearl eggs. I altered the little tag that comes off my green tea with the little stamped words "a little bird told me so"

some of my favourite Scrollswork stamps that I used on the boxes..be sure to visit the site (click on the words) as they are having a huge closing down sale as unfortunately they are going out of business

Finishing the boxes tonight with a little glass of wine listening to the birds in my garden. I was very pleased today as my first issue of Somerset Studio subscription arrived which I chose as a gift for writing my recent published article in Haute Handbags. Its great to have my own copy to read at leisure as I was always borrowing this great arty magazine.

The path to clear awareness lies in your hands

The challenge over at Wednesday Stampers this week is hands. I found a lovely indian inspired hand stamp that I have rarely used before. For todays journal page I have surrounded a quick sketch with various painted papers, pastels and stamped images and drawn around my hand. The little quote at the top reads "manifest plainness, embrace simplicity, reduce selfishness, have few desires" by Lao Tzu (quite difficult in todays world I think). My yoga teacher often talks about clear awareness when the mind is clear of all the rubbishy thoughts that stress our lives..hence the title of this post.

My friend Louise is having an open evening for her exhibition Horses and Hounds tomorrow 5th May so if you live in the North West be sure to pop along...here is the poster for her exhibition.

Scrollswork going out of business..huge sale

Scrollswork is going out of business

It is with a sad and heavy heart that Scrolls Work is announcing our going out of business sale.

We gave it a strong go with a lot of hard work, and our love of stamps. Unfortunately with the economy and the soon to be addition to the family we are having to close our doors.

The good new for you.... Our Going Out of Business Sale.

• Once the sale starts it is first come first serve. So once we are out of stock on a stamp it will no longer be available. Make sure you buy them ASAP!!

Sale Dates:

• It starts May 15th with a 40% discount.
• June 1st it will go to a 50% discount
• June 15th starts the 60% discount.
• July 1st ends with a 70% discount.
• July 15th we are closing the site.

Here is the official news that scrollswork is going out of business I have been really pleased to be associated with them and to be on their permanent Design Team..recommend the stamps as they are superb and great value