Circle Journal

It's that time again, another circle journal done and sent off to the next person. This time I was working in JACKIES book. So after searching for things she light like and deciding on colours that would appeal, I came up with a Tiger....I just didn't know how to get it onto the page, and ended up staring at a blank page for a couple weeks..

Eventually I got started.. I used water based inks to block in areas and shapes..

I  then added stencilling and some modelling paste for texture...

Next I blocked in the stronger colours for the tiger...

I finished the tiger..

I then drew some tropical leaves onto patterned paper, then painted over them, and spray acrylic ink over them. I stuck part f the leaves down, and left the ends free..

I then wrote the quote onto black card and sanded the edges to fluff them up..

the finished page..

this is the poem I wrote out on the back of the accompanying tag..

Postcard Challenge 2012

week 9..already!!

We set sail into our third month, and  over half of you are still on board lol

I am actually amazed that so many of you have stayed this far, and we even get new people signing up each week. In the past few days we were joined by Abby and Glenys who are both doing a great job catching up on past weeks.

So where shall we go this week..hmmm

it is a landlocked country, known for its diplomacy and its chocolate...

of course it is...

SWITZERLAND


A small plea from some members, blogger seems to have changed the way you have to type a code in order to post a comment. They have now introduced 2 long and very hard to read words that need typing. It does take up a lot of time, and I know a few members are having difficulties, and having to retype the security words several times.

I understand that many of you have these security words in order to avoid spam, but if any of you would consider turning them off perhaps just Fri-Sun, it would really help the other members get around all the blogs.   I do try and get around to everybody, but with so many to see, and so many security codes to type in, I do sometimes run out of time. xxx

Postcard Challenge 2012

End of February Vote.

What a fabulous month of postcards, at the time of writing this 207 of them..

The winner this month will receive a pack of Promarkers.

My shortlist this month.

France:Anita...Jo...Mary...Natasa...Nicki...Rose...Rozelle...Sheri...Tamoonstone...Anna&Janet...Cazro...Lei..Tracey

Belgium: Debbi...GinaM...Kerri...Lori...Lulabelle...Sabrina...Sandra...Peggy

Wales: Dede...Jenny...Joyce...Lynn...Margaret...Nathalie...Vicki...Crafty Womble...Alice & Camilla

Cuba: Cindy...Donna...Janet...Jay...Kelly...Valerie...Lisa

I then popped along to my neighbours house and while I played with her dog charlie she looked at all the cards and chose her favourite ten.

Here are the 10 finalists. To see more of each persons work, please click on their name in the link list in the left sidebar.

1...ALICE&CAMILLA - WALES

2...ANNA & JANET - FRANCE

3...CAZRO - FRANCE

4...JAMIE LYNN-WALES

5...JAN-WALES

6...LEI-FRANCE

7...LISA-CUBA

8...PEGGY-BELGIUM

9...SUE - WALES

10...TRACEY-FRANCE

Now you get to vote.

1- If you have taken part in the postcard challenge you are eligible to cast a vote.
2-You can only vote once.
3-You cannot vote for yourself.
4.Leave a comment below with the name of the person you are voting for.


VOTING IS NOW CLOSED...

Postcard Challenge 2012

week 8 Cuba. Wow this one was hard, I found inspiration distinctly lacking this week, those of you who use the fb group felt the same. I a not overly happy with my card, or the page, but they are done.

I had no clue where to start with this country, I googled and found out a little about Ernest Hemmingway.

Ernest Hemingway isn't just remembered in Cuba, he's an institution and a cottage industry. 

The rambunctious American writer first started frequenting the island in the 1920s, when he 

was living just across the straits in Key West, the southernmost of the islands on the tip of the

U.S.state of Florida.Cuba formed the backdrop for a lot of his writing, particularly 'The Old Man and the Sea', and the farm he lived in became a pilgrimage in the 1950s for Hollywood's rich and fashionable. Hemingway was genuinely loved in Cuba, where he was known simply as "Ernesto"

So I printed out his book cover and stuck it to my page, cutting a slit where it covered the envelope beneath.

The card tucked into the page..

I had no clue what to do on my card, but then I read how Cubans love to play Dominoes...yeah really! 

So I sketched some dominoes..

On the back I tried the edge with the blue fro the flag colour, and added the red detail and my message. i do hope he is safe in Cuba, the situation seems to have escalated and he may not be.

THIS IS WHERE YOU LINK UP..

Add your name and blog link and then go visit each other.

Don't forget to check back on Sunday for a giveaway.

Birthday box

Last week was my stepfathers birthday, as we weren't going to get to see him, I needed to make something light that I could post to him.

I decided on a box of drawers. I loosely followed this video..

Box of Drawers

This is the basic construction, the sides that open out to reveal drawers and the lid.

next I made little cards to go in the drawers..

I fastened each card onto a square bar of chocolate..

Then I glued a strip of card around the bottom of each of the four sides..I then made 4 voucher holders/envelopes..each one slots into the decorative edge of the card strip.

As I had put heavy chocolate inside, I wanted it to be a little more sturdy, so I added a thicker piece of card underneath the bottom drawer, and I added eyelets and string to keep it fastened.

I decorated the envelopes and popped a vouchers inside each one.

In the man envelope a bookshop voucher in the violin envelope a music shop voucher, in the coffee pot envelope a starbucks voucher and in the wine glasses a voucher to buy a bottle of wine.

They slip into the sides, and are held in by the lid.

Finally I decorated the lid. He is a big fan of vintage aeroplanes...so I cut some and mounted them on acetate to make them springy, then attached them to 'some clouds'

It was all well received.

Postcard Challenge 2012

week 8..where shall we fly off to today...

Last week saw us travelling the beautiful countryside of Wales, exploring ruins, picking daffodils and avoiding sheep. Wonderful cards.

also last week saw me meeting up with 2 of you delicious postcard people..

DONNA and GINA

We were also joined by the gorgeous CLARE...much laughter, many purchases...and lots of cake. Fabulous day.



So have I kept you in suspense long enough ..huh?

ok..ok..

This week we are off to

CUBA


blimey what can we get up to over there I wonder?

Pop back on Friday and link up your cards. Oh and watch out for an end of month giveaway on Sunday!!!

Postcard Challenge 2012

thankyou for all the birthday wishes last week, London was great. we went on The Eye, walked around The British Museum, shopped in a lovely little stamp shop and Picadilly Market, saw a fab show 'We will rock you'...went to Greenwich, travelled back up the Thames on a boat...met up with friends for a meal, and spent quite a few hours in Camden Market before coming home.

Greenwich Meridian Line..

I joined a gym!!!!! I know, I know crazy...so far I have lost 4lbs..
                                                                  .............................

So week 7 had us going off to Wales, land of sheep and singers and uhmm leeks..

So how did you get on? there were some great suggestions in the FB group

Here is my page in the book, for  change it is bright and lean looking instead of my usual grungy..

I printed off a train and  trimmed it around the flap on the envelope, the border contains the name of the longest train station...

Here is the card in the book, you can see how the envelope opens and half the train image remains ..

This is my card front.  My son is an archaeologist, and a while ago he was digging in Wales. So i used that as my inspiration and went looking for ancient sites. I found these church ruins in North Wales..it is just done in regular graphite pencil, with a touch of watercolour in the background.

Here is the back, seems things are getting dangerous..

HERE IS WHERE YOU LINK UP




add your name and blog link and then go see everyone else.

cards

more cards made this year..

Postcard Challenge 2012

week 7...

already! doesn't time fly...

Thankyou all so much for the birthday wishes.I am now the grand old age of 42... London was great, but exhausting. I went to Camden market for the first time, it was amazing, and apart from the show, it was my fave part of the trip.

this week we won't have far to travel, we are off to the 'land of song'

WALES


so lets see what you can come up with sheep, minors,dragons,leeks ....

Postcard Challenge 2012

Here we are again, link up day. How was Belgium for you this week, are you full of waffles?

I am down in London as a birthday treat. So far we have been on the London Eye..

and  the British Museum...

Last night we went to the theatre to see 'We will Rock You' omg it was amazing...I would definately recommend it. Today we are off to Greenwich for the day.

It is my birthday today..squeeee...


So I had to have my card all done ready before we came away...

here is the page in the book..

I made the ultimate sacrifice and drank a bottle of Stella in order to get the labels and the bottle cap...lol Art can be hard sometimes lol..

I sprayed the page in the colours of the flag, then added the labels and the bottle cap.( which I flattened in my old red sizzix machine..do you remember those lol)

Here is my card in the page/envelope,,

Here is the card front it is a design based on Belgian Lace..

and the back of the card..

HERE IS WHERE YOU LINK UP..

link your name and blog, and then visit each other. I won't be able to visit till I get home tomorrow. Have a great day postcard people.x

Postcard Challenge 2012

week 6.  A great week last week, where we saw all the beauty that France has to offer.
We also had our first months winner announced...see yesterdays post.

so where are we off to this week, I did say we were staying in Europe...many of you guessed, but nobody was correct...

This week we shall be visiting...

BELGIUM




Please read..
I hope to see you all on Friday for our link up, but at this point I cannot guarantee that I will be able to make the blog post. I will be away on Friday,(its my burfday) and I cannot schedule the post to happen in my absence as the linky bit doesn't seem to work in scheduled posts, so I have to make the post manually on Friday morning. I will be taking my laptop with me, and as long as I have internets the post will be made...but just in case you come here looking for it and its not here..that is the reason. I may, in the worst case scenario have to wait till I get home sometime on Saturday.

Postcard Challenge 2012

January Winner is.....

NATASHA MAY with her beautiful card from Brazil..

There were 48 votes and Natasha May received 9.

Natasha, please contact me with your address so I can post your prize to you.

See you all tomorrow for our new destination, can you guess where we will be going? I shall give you a clue, we are staying in Europe...

Postcard Challenge 2012

Week 5 France.

I covered my page with a map taken from an old diary. I added clear photo corners and then decided to use the stamped image for the fourth corner..

My card in the book..

Card front... I found an old,French  medicine label and copied it onto my card. I aged it with coffee..

Postcard back..

THIS IS WHERE YOU LINK UP

Add your name and link to your French cards, then leave some comments for our other intrepid travellers.

You still have time to vote on last weeks competition. Scroll down to Sundays post and leave your vote. I will announce the winner Sunday evening(UK time)