I Love....

...Primark!!!

I`m sorry but it is true...Ella even has socks to prove it!!!

The girls and I hit the streets of Liverpool yesterday, my second favorite place in the world after Manchester, and we DID Primark...All five floors of it...well four floors, because we didn't want to do boy stuff!!!

We DID it that well we had to buy a suitcase to transport our purchases home...I love that ;-)!!!

We came home with lots of new clothes, very happy but very, very tired!!! So tired I nodded off on the train home, you know that moment when you are part way between being awake and being asleep and you feel your head fall and you wake up slightly only to nod again...that was me...you got to love big sunglasses to hide that look!!!

Luckily I had the girls with me to chunner and jabber away keeping me partially awake so we got off at the right stop!!!

Funny though got home and still managed to complete this page in my art journal...very apt for yesterday...

Titled "Home Sweet Home"...

And these are a couple I completed Monday but it was too dark to photograph...and quite possibly too late...this Art journaling has me staying up late and getting up early...bit like a new baby but with less commitment, I wouldn't say less mess because that would be an outright lie!!!

This one is titled "Time"

and this one "Rock Chick"...

I have been busy tonight prepping for my last Demo for a couple of weeks, I am over in Lancaster on Saturday at Cardcraft UK so come and say hi if you are nearby.

Off now to maybe get messy with Mod Podge or Grungy with Gesso!!!

Bargain Hunter.....

...Not in the David Dickinson orange kind of way but in the "nipped into The Works before I had to face the aisles of Asda" kind of way...

And look what I got...

Can you see that...£2.99 for a mini Art Journal two Faber Castell Brush tip Pitt pens in gold and silver and a black fine liner, along with some stickers and stuff...BARGAIN!!!

Not opened it yet though I have been like a woman possessed today after I did the weekly shop I decided to have a clear up in the garden...big mistake because no amount of Radox bath soak is going to ease the muscle ache I have already...that coupled with cleaning the rooms the children comically refer to as their bedrooms...I was convinced they were restyling them for an episode of how clean is your house!!!

However both Aggie and Kim would be super proud of me now and I swear if they make a mess when they come home there will be serious issues!!!

I had a wonderful day yesterday in Kendal at The Paper Warehouse, caught up with some familiar faces; Clare Rowlands designer of the fabulous Molly Blooms stamps, not seen her for a couple of years so was lovely to catch up and go check out her blog because her stamps and her cards are absolutely stunning, also managed a good old catch up with Melanie Heaton, we`ve not worked together for a couple of months and always manage to have a giggle and a good old chat when we do, and I met the very talented Jane Gill too. It was an incredibly busy day, I didn`t get out for crafty smoke until about 2pm I had people watching my Demo continually until then, and I even ate my lunch whilst demonstrating...not a good look I can tell you. I was demonstrating the Christmas Marianne Creatables which sold out in a couple of hours!!!

Did manage to create this double page layout in my Art Journal last night before I crashed rather inelegantly on the couch...

Its the first double page I have done and I like it so much that I am only doing double pages from now on...so there ;-).

I am off now to pour myself a very large glass of Pinot and sit in my perfectly manicured garden!!!

Behind the scenes...

...I have been beavering away behind the scenes today, preparing for two 30 week BTEC courses I am teaching for the College in September, I am very excited about these, one is in Jewellery making and the other is Mixed Media, it is not only a fantastic opportunity for me to be teaching these but also for many of my students who need a progression route...I love my job, even though I was sat at the computer for six hours today...yep six, planning course outlines, creating supplies lists and translating the BTEC course aims and objectives into my own subject areas...did I say I love my job, honestly I really do, this is a fresh new challenge for me and I can`t wait.

I am running an advice session tomorrow night for these courses...Me!!!...

...sometimes this all feels like a dream; that I have a job that I love so much, that I put so much into (ask any member of my family for confirmation of this) and that I am actually pretty good at, I had a teaching observation a couple of months ago...I know I have been a bad blogger and should have shared this earlier but I was awarded a Grade 1 Outstanding Tutor and over the moon about that was a little bit of an understatement...I am truly blessed to be able to love work as much as I do.

As I said last night Picasa was playing silly beggars whilst I was trying to edit photos, so this is the first Art Journaling page I attempted with my brand spanking new, lush, stroke-able water colour crayons...did I mention I love them!!!

This page is all about how I have fell in love with Art and the journaling reads:

"I never considered myself an artist before until I began Art Journaling and I`ve fell in love, I`m excited and I can`t stop talking about it..."

I know I am probably boring you all with this now but it is just like a new love and that is how I wanted the page to "feel"!

Just a reminder that I am demonstrating for Kars at My Paper Warehouse on Saturday, they are hosting their annual craft event, I demonstrated there last year and had such a lovely day meeting lots of other demonstrators so this year should be just as good...if you are nearby come and say Hello, even if you are not it is definitely worth a trip just to check out the amount of ideas and inspiration each demonstrator has to offer and the amazing scenery in a beautiful part of the country...did I mention I love my job!!!

Off to proof read my supplies list...just kidding, going to catch the end of Twilight with Ella, apparently there's some serious eye candy in that ;-)!!!

Wax Crayons....

My new ones arrived today wrapped very carefully in Amazon packaging, these are not just any old wax crayon in fact if Marks and Spencer did wax crayons these would be them...these are water soluble wax crayons...think scribbling some colour, spritzing some water and then dragging a brush across.....Yummmmeeeee!!!

Look at the lushness of these babies...

And yes the kids are banned from these at 15 quid a pack they are the most expensive crayons in the world, I even chuckled to myself when I ordered them but I have been creating with them tonight and I loves them, in an "oh my god where have you been all my life" kind of love...sad but oh so true!!!

So I`ve created three art journal backgrounds using them but then Picasa decides it`s had enough so will only let me edit one page...

My Blue/Green living the dream page...

Thinking of adding some white acrylic texture stamping around the edging of this one but I am loving the watercolour background, the crayons blend so easily on gesso.

However.....

...I also bought some oil pastels today and I am in love with them in an "Oh my god you nearly made my heart stop beating" kind of way....I LOVE THE EFFECT!!!

And out of all my pages this is my favorite one so far, just because its my favorite colour combination and I doodled...

I`m off to stroke my new crayons!!!

Art Journaling and Canvases...

...Are my new favorite past time, it`s official...you know why?

Because I was up until 1am last night making this....

It was for my Best friends Birthday (Happy Birthday Sarah) and I have just safely delivered it so its safe to post on here now...I doodled, I journaled, I stamped, I gessoed, I mod Podged and although I get covered in it (and still am) she loved it so that made it worth all the gunk under my nails and up my arm, I really loved it though and am planning on making a similar one for myself...and check out my new little "Gorjuss" girl I managed to get in there too!!!

I also completed this page in my journal about my love of music...

And created this canvas to match....its 8x15 inches so an unusual shape to work with but I am trying to create a whole series of these to co-ordinate, I currently have the three I have finished above my desk on the wall...helps to inspire and motivate to have your own art on display I think...

And here is a better picture of my "wings" jornaling page....

I have lots of ideas buzzing through my mind and have not been this enthusiastic about being creative for such a long time, I love Art.

Off now to create some more mess but I have it on good authority that mod podge does wonders for your skin ;-)!!!

Painting and Decorating....

...Is what my Dad used to do when I was a little girl, he hung wallpaper, glossed woodwork and emulsioned ceilings....me I paint papers, mod podge anything in sight and gesso surfaces...must be in the Genes!!!

I want you to meet my two new best friends...

....they go hand in hand, a match made in heaven for my new love...making a mess...I am not sure what it is called because I have created Canvases and am currently working on an Art journal.

Here is my double page journal spread...the light is pants in my house tonight :-( it looks orange but its a pearly fuchsia pink...and its all about me finally finding my "wings" and being able to "fly"...

I am not sure if it is art, I am not sure what the category is, but I am definitely enjoying it and that's the beauty of it.

Oh and I have a little secret

...I am a geek...

It`s not such a secret really but I love gadgets and I traded in my old Ipod today....for a new one, complete with camera...oh yay...I have told you I am easily pleased!!!

Off to play with my new toy!

Art....

...Until today I never really considered myself an artist but Wikipedia defines art as:

"The product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences or affects one or more of the senses, emotions or intellect"

I sat down today and created something for myself...not a demo sample not a class project I just wanted to play about with paint and glitter and paper and i loved every minute of it, even though I am covered in paint and glitter and my desk looks like its been tipped, even the girls joined in and painted a couple of spare canvases that I had. Crafty Wednesday is what we named it and it certainly beat watching the horror unfolding on the news at the moment.

So here is my piece of Art...

It is a 30x40cm Canvas so quite large and I have used Acrylic paints, mod podge, masks, glitter, stamps, patterned paper and even bubble wrap...I stamped with it, fab effect. It really made me think about what I do and that true art should come from the heart, which this did...oh and my paper and paint stash too.

I have the bug now and I want to do another one, will have to hunt down a canvas as I think I gave the girls my last two :-(

I am off to clean the paint out from under my nails, and plan my next piece of Art!!!