Circle Journal - the full story!

This is a long post so make a cup of tea before you read it!!!
A few of us in the PaperArtsy (PATWITS) community decided to make a journal that we would post to the next in the group, thus creating a circle, and each of us would add add a page therefore ending with a totally unique journal with pages displaying a whole variety of styles by some seriously amazingly talented people! We were able to specify any rules or requirements if we had any but had to use at least one PaperArsty product. 

So... My journal looks like this! My cover (by me!) I thought that if my cover was too vibrant, it might influence the pages that the others created, so I created a neutral cover that allowed for the others to unleash their creativity.

When it was returned to me it was all wrapped up so prettily! Who wouldn't want to open that?!

The first page is my "instruction" to the circlers (or is that journallers?!) I wanted people to be free to make whatever they fancied so didn't set any rules! 

Linda Regan was first and I just love her details - there is so much to look at! Love the butterflies flying in and around the words! 

Chris Cresswell has made this incredibly textured page with the most gorgeous multicolored flowers - definitely going to copy this idea!

Julie Bell created a really wonderful page with fabulous splashes of colour that look amazing against the textured blue of the sky.

Catherine Johnson has used my favourite colour (lime green!) and mixed it with this fabulous coral which is a combination I shall use lots - it's amazing!

Clare Lloyd has, without knowing it, created my daughter's current favourite hairstyle - she's really hoping to go blue once she leaves school in June! Looks like I won't be able to say no as this gal is just incredible!

Claire Snowden has created an incredibly delicate and really quite romantic page. I really love it and love the addition of fabric - love that new stamp!

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Now on to the pages I made for others...

The first page I made was for Claire Snowdon. Luckily there were no rules from Claire for my first page!

My second page was for Clare Lloyd. She asked for a double page spread with bright colours. Not sure this was bright enough but I tried!

My third page was for Catherine Johnson. I was feeling a little monochrome!

Julie Bell asked for a quotation and so I chose one from a perennial favourite of mine... Oscar Wilde!

For Chris Cresswell I was feeling a little floral (love Darcy's new flower stamps!)

Linda Regan wanted to see a flower or butterfly in her junk journal and I chose flowers

THANK YOU everyone who participated - I LOVE my journal and will treasure it, and your incredible talent xxx We are starting a new circle journal round soon - I can't wait!

Time well spent

I have had this week off work as it's Half Term but have spent the week supervising a mammoth tidying of bedrooms! Not one to preach I tidied my Studio - it took two days :( Scroll down for the gory details! I have had this idea to make this journal page since I saw Darcy's new stamps and decided to make it in honour of the new, tidy room! 

This is as I started - I didn't photograph the other half of the room which was out of control!

Halfway through - it has to get worse before it gets better doesn't it?!

Finished! A few things to eBay (when I can work that out!) but look how tidy I am!

I realised my stencils were in a pickle and as much as I'd tried I couldn't keep them easily accessible or could I find 'just the one', so I bought a cheap box and made dividers with an Emma Godfrey stamp and I'm thrilled with this!

Thank you, as always, for popping by!

Exciting News! New stamps by Emma!

I was so honoured to be asked by Emma to play with her new stamps. I LOVE Emma's stamps (I have them all!) and so to get the chance to play with new ones was super exciting! As always I was joined by some amazingly talented people so would strongly encourage you to visit the launch blog post to see their incredible work! We were encouraged to use Mermaid, Caribbean Sea, Coral and Cherry Red paints.

The first stamps set is truly fabulous - it has fabulous flowers (or suns?) but all I saw was animals...! My first project is a bird thinking happy thoughts! So here the petals became feathers!

 

My second project was a fish - the scales were painted with Coral paint and metallic glaze to give them a shimmery fish scale feel! I do have another animal in mind but that will be revealed at another time!

The next stamps set has a wonderful 1950's feel that I feel in love with. 

This project was an excuse to try and incorporate as many of the squares as possible - patchwork style! If you have any sewing skills at all these would look great sewn together - as you can see I don't have those skills!

My second project from the set was to try and use the squares in a different way - as a flower. I love this and will be exploring it a LOT more! The squares make a really interesting background - there are LOTS of ways to use this set!

The final set this release has some wonderful circle shapes which lend themselves to be flowers...

as in this project... I LOVE the ombre petals - there's a lot of experimenting to do with this technique - as much for the fun as well as the fabulous end result!

... or  the flower heads could be oriental fans, as I saw them as here.

Thank you for popping by and sharing my excitement - I really do appreciate it. Please do pop over to the launch blog post and leave some love for Emma, Tracy and Kim.

Go with Love

I am thrilled to back on the Country View Crafts Project blog with another 'romantic' journal page! Please pop over and have a look!

Be still my beating heart

I have invested in some Inktense pencils and this was my first 'play' with them. Love how water transforms the colours! Will be experimenting more with these, so if you have any tips, please let me know. If you celebrate Valentine's Day then I hope you have a lovely one - if you don't then happy Sunday!

Halloween in February?!

I have said before how much I enjoy making backgrounds. This time, for Country View Crafts Challenges, I made a Halloween background that can easily be converted to something else!

I love the Halloween stamps we collect but only use once a year and so I made an orange background and added a spider before adding the final images to change it completely!

I hope you like my twist on the background theme and that you'll join in with us this month!

February Journal Page

It is my privilege to have a post over at Country View Crafts Projects today - and I'd be chuffed if you popped over to see it!

New Darcy stamps - and they're lush!

I was so honoured to be asked by Darcy to play with her new stamp release for PaperArtsy. She has designed some lovely stamps that I am sure you will want for your own! 
To see the launch and some seriously impressive samples by some uber talented folk - please click here and please take some time to watch Leandra's video showcasing the stamps and samples - it's a cool watch!

I was given a clear colour palette to use (blue and red/orange) and this is what I made!

Using her first set I designed two projects on mdf board - loved this large single flower head - can be used for so much!

I enjoyed creating the butterfly so much I made three!

The second set of stamps have some really beautiful flower heads that have already come a favourite!

My photo doesn't show how bright this is! Darcy has also designed some new stencils and this project show some grasses and the edging from one set. Love the crinkly edging!

I wanted the flower to be the focal point and so kept this pretty simple - the leaves were cut from tissue paper painted on the reverse - took ages, was fiddly but totally worth it!

The third and final set from this release I think is my favourite! The background stamp flowers is so useful and the single flowerhead has been used LOTS on projects already! 

Again my photo hasn't shown how bright this little canvas is! I love the flowers - they have been coloured pretty delicately here but would look amazing in vibrant colours!

My final sample is the butterfly (with new stencil butterflies in the background) I liked the body of the butterfly on the stamp but really wanted add a little something to the finished project so used some rusty wire! The sentiment is selected words from the sentiment on the stamp set - you don't have to use it all do you?!

Thank you, as always, for joining me in this is exciting new release! Please do pop over to the PaperArtsy blog and see what my fellow wingmen have made and to see what other new releases there are! It's like Christmas all over again isn't it?! HUGE thank you to Darcy and all at PA HQ for letting me play with the new stamps - I LOVE them!