ATCs and starting on a European journal..

ATCs from Wendy, Martina, Trisha

European Circle Journal cover start

Hope you are all having a lovely Christmas and are looking foward to New Year. I recently joined a yahoo ATC vintage images group and today I got these marvellous ATCS.

I am taking part in a European Circle Journal swap starting in January 2012 so have made a start on the cover of my journal today. This will be folded in two and then I am going to put partly decorated sketchbook paper, envelopes, tags, graph paper etc inside it. The journal will be travelling to Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Italy and the UK so am looking foward to this time next year when I will have it back again crammed full of inspirational art and fav bits and pieces.

It is my youngest sons 7th birthday tomorrow so we will be having a big family party for him..this all adds to the madness of Christmas and New Year in our house..hope you all have a good end of year celebration...here is to a creative and arty 2012!

Happy Christmas to all of you...

I wrapped a painting up for my dad today ..this is called waterfalls and hope he likes it!

Hope you all have a fantastic Christmas and New Year and thank you for all your lovely comments on my artwork throughout the year. I have been busy wrapping presents today listening to carols by the Liverpool Male Voice Choir which my husband is in. I have uploaded a video to my youtube channel of my favourite carol sung by members of this choir...it reminds me of monks in a monastery and is best listen to on headphones with a glass of mulled wine (click on the coloured link)..Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Freedom of the Forest (using a new product called mul.tex)

can be printed on



fibres trapped underneath the plastic part and gold foil added

plastic part scratched to distress it and it can also be diecut

plastic part distressed with soldering iron to reveal image underneath


hanging in my garden before I sent it off to sunny california to C&T

I am part of the Creative Troupe at C&T publishing..an American publishing company. I was recently sent a new product called mul.tex which I had great fun playing around with as its very versatile. Its sort of a plastic coated fibre that can be sewn, painted, burnt, distressed and painted with alcohol inks etc. I made an ATC hanger out of it using lots of different techniques on each ATC. For the edges I used a soldering iron to fuse it on to itself to form a ridged edge. For more ideas on how to use this fab new product check out the C&T flickr gallery here.

Cold Winter

Did a quick painting today..wanted to do a winter scene. I started painting this with a blue sky but then noticed the very dark grey sky outside so painted that instead. The painting reminds me of our local park except I have added a fence for a sense of perspective. We have had the strong winds and now its icy cold rain with snow on the way soon I think....Hope your nice and warm wherever you are. Think I will have to paint a beach scene next to warm up..ha ha!

windy sky beach...

Decided that I like watercolours better than acrylics so painted this quick painting this morning. Its very windy here so trying to capture windy sky, sea and beach. Its a busy week with christmas fast approaching but its nice to just take a bit of time out to do a bit of calming painting...

whimsy tags with attitude...

my attitude dont need no adjustin'



happy to be me

thinks I'm pretty

naughty laugh

Went to my friend Pats today and had a great long chat and made some whimsy type tags inspired by the 12 days of whimsy challenge. I bought some lovely gold doilies from sainsburys last night and have used lots of lace, buttons, flowers and vintage images in the whimsy style.

Time out

Its been terrible weather here this morning with hailstones and sleet so decided to do a double spread journal page. This page is for my Danish friend Trine for her journal all about Time Out...the words read "time out for making art away from the chaos of life" I have used old book pages, gesso and watercolours. Hope its not too cold where you are..

Whimsy, Rocks n Flowers...

Yesterday was the start of the 12 days of whimsy so made this ATC inspired by the design given.

When it starts to get cold I always like to crochet flowers...

Did another rock seascape yesterday..love painting rocks..

Have a good weekend everyone..