WHAT A FABULOUS WEEKEND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Truly and honestly I can't believe it's over with - my weekend at AFTH was absolutely fantastic, Dyan was amazing and it was so revealing to realise how much lighter in our hearts and souls we would feel after the weekend.  

Now anyone whose read my blog will say - but you art journal anyway?  Yes I do but to learn from Dyan is like being given an amazing art journaling tool kit, we learnt about pages, texture, colour and emotions, images, doodling, methods etc but the categoric thing we learnt about was ourselves!  It was absolutely fantastic - added to which my partners in crime (my Mum and sister) were with me and now we're all moving forward on our art journaling journey!  

To have Dyan's expertise guiding us and moving us forward through the weekend was the biggest blessing of all I can wholeheartedly say that if you want to have fun, learn loads, to be freed from some of your mental constraints of everyday life and to meet like minded people and make lots of new friends this is the course for you!  

I don't have problems in the written format (as those who've witnessed my lengthy blog posts and comments on others blogs can vouch for) but the weekend really and truly allowed me to listen to my inner voice.  Yes I can talk for England, yes I can write down my emotion and yes I have learnt to deal with difficult subjects but in amongst all this I was given the opportunity - actually, no let's say it properly the PERMISSION to be myself, to say it how I wanted and with all the raw feeling and pent up emotion that I had.  Yes Dyan's amazing teaching gave me 'permission' I hadn't realised that in amongst all of my creativity I had unseen constraints that I attempted to abide by and was frustrated when I didn't - now - no stopping me - so Dyan thank you from the bottom of my heart!  

So lot's of you will be saying - 'I'm not sure if I'm happy with bearing my soul to a room full of people I don't know' and the answer is YOU DON'T HAVE TO - the Dyan way was share if you're happy to, don't if your not there was absolutely no pressure to live up to any expectation - the only request that Dyan asked was that you allowed yourself to be yourself.


So today's frustration - well I haven't done any art journaling since I got home ARGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - both my Mum, Valencia and my sister Melanie have made the time to art journal since we got home.  Mum was awake at 4am on Monday morning linking people and colour LMAO - she nearly e-mailed Dyan to tell her!  Melanie was art journaling in bed Monday night - have we learnt from the mistress of art journaling or what.


This is about all I've managed to do up to now but I'm pleased with it - this is a gorgeous book I bought from Dyan's and it's going to start my journey of all the things I give myself Permission to do now - and look I hyphenated the word - rather than trying to squeeze it on the one line (which I would have done before the weekend)!

 

 Now when I got home on Sunday this is what greeted me 

 
 

Do you think they missed me?

And I was thoroughly spoilt for the evening - must do this more often LOL - Dyan I'll be in touch about sending deposits - everyone they said YESSSSSSS plus Melanie wants to know how to do 3-D baubles - she's obsessed i'm telling you obsessed!!!!!!

 

Me and my hubby!

Started buying random mags, we've got a great stall in the town where we live that sells on old magazines for a £1 or £1.50 they are usually not that old (last month's usually) and you get to have a good rummage, these are the ones I picked up yesterday, the woodturning one has some great photos in as has the Digital Arts one but the American Curves was wrapped so I couldn't view it and it's primarily muscly women with bikinis on who've had their assets altered by plastic surgeons - not sure how I'm going to use these in my journals LMAO - might just paint clothes on them LOL!


I finally got to meet Shelley - who is my friend Sandra (Sandy Poppins) best mate and we decided my Mum had adopted another daughter in the form of Jude who was fantastic and wonderful and has a fabulous hubby - they travelled all the way from the far north of Scotland for the weekend!  Pop over to Jude and Sandra's blog to see what the weekend looked like!  Plus they've got photos etc!  

Probably the funniest thing that has happened since I've returned home is finding my sister on all these blog photos from the weekend she seems to have made a big impression on everyone, I showed her some of the blogs last night and she kept reading about herself and saying - "very true" - so funny! 

Anyway I'm off to work (boo hoo) but I will be art journaling in the paint format later as well as blopping!


Big waves to all my art journaling buddddiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiieeeeessssssssssssss - see you in May!

COMPARING A DECADE AND BUCKET QUESTIONS?

Well before my little weekend adventure - have I mentioned that I'm doing an art journaling weekend at AFTH in Harrogate - have I?  If not I am!  Have I told you I'm excited?  Well I am!  Have I told you I'm not ready? Well I'm not - better get myself in gear and start to pack things!  Mind you little sis whose driving us (I don't do motorway driving) sauntered into school at 9am this morning with daughter - there wasn't a rush in her and she's supposed to be leaving work early today - honestly Melanie hurry up! 

Anyway, the first 52/10 prompt that I managed easily (others I have not) this one compares a decade!

It was really strange to put me back 10 years and see where I was - what will it look like 10 years from now - other than mighty strange! Ooh I don't want to think that far ahead!

 

 

Close ups from the book, I love my black and white journal - although it takes some getting used to and it's not nearly messy enough (yet) 

I've used a white correction pen on this - but you have to be careful of the fumes that come off it - LOL - well ventilated room! 

Whilst reading Dyan's blog this morning she answered something called a 'bucket' list and challenged us to do the same - it's obviously been written in America (you'll realise that when you read it) but it was quite good fun to do so taking the list on Dyan's blog  the answers to the questions for me are:

Shot a gun   -   no don't like guns don't believe they should be used

Gone on a blind date  -  no - far too scary plus met my husband when I was 17 so absolutely no need for blind dates since then!

Skipped school  -  no but did miss college to the point that eventually had to bail out and get a job - long story don't ask - but been trying to regain my education ever since. 

Watched someone die - I saw my Nanan the day before she passed away and we knew she was going, then saw her a short while after she passed, extremely painful given what an awesome lady she was and the fact that she didn't want to go!

Been to Canada - nope

Been to Alaska   -  far too cold no

Been to Cuba - too hot

Been to Europe  - Obviously written by someone in America?

Been to Las Vegas  - Nope but do have a friend who holidays there and doesn't gamble at all - she says it's amazing!

Been to Mexico - nope

Been to Florida - nope - getting boring now

Been on a plane  - yes - now are you bored? I've also spent 56 hours on a bus!!!!!! on the way to see Our Lady - I kid you not!

Been on a cruise ship/gambling ship   - Nope get seasick - like the idea of being taken to destination as I sleep but not sure if this is the way to go plus I don't like confined spaces so I'd want a big room and they cost a lot of money

Served on a jury  - nope but attended Crown Court on many an occasion when i was a legal secretary, sat behind the barrister in court and took notes!  First time I went I was about 18 - nervous as hell had to meet this barrister who talked like he had a sherbet lemon in his mouth, walking around in a long cape and a big white wig and he told me we had to visit our client in the cells - terrifying stuff - felt like silence of the lambs (I was a very impressionable 18 year old obviously) LOL!  When I got sat down with the client and barrister the client said the barrister in an accusatory kind of way 'ooh no you were the barrister that sent me down last time'  and we were working for him as the defending barrister LMAO!

Been lost  -  yes despite my normally good map reading managed to lose me, my sister and my Mum on the way to Harrogate in September last year - when we saw signs for Scotch Corner we decided we'd gone too far - LMAO - doing the same journey tonight and I swear if I don't find it then I'm renaming Harrogate Brigadoon!

Been on the opposite side of the country - yes - definitely written by someone in America this isn't it - Britain's just not that wide

Gone to Washington , DC - no

Swam in the ocean  - yes - an American question again - worrying if people go through their whole life without swimming in the ocean - can you imagine that?

Cried yourself to sleep - yes

Played cops and robbers  - Can't remember I do remember playing Charlies Angels at school with my best mate Sammy and my cousin Jeanette and us always making Jeanette play Sabrina

Played cowboys/girls and Indians  - can't remember that one

Recently colored with crayons  - absolutely 

Sang Karaoke  - never - my sister is far better at it than me and I got told at the age of four that I couldn't sing a note - devastated from there on in.  However my sister does a fairly mean and moody 'Whiskey in the Jar - Metallica version' given some 4 inch heels and a double whiskey - I kid you not the DJ had to help her on stage because the heels were so extreme!  So extreme that later in the night during an argument - don't ask again - she got them stuck in some wooden decking and I was too cross to help - she was too cross to realise that if she just took her foot out of them that she could remove them easily so there she was arguing trying to pull her leg out of decking - I'd forgotten how funny that was! 

Paid for a meal with coins only - don't do cash it's switch or cheque all the way! 

Done something you told yourself you wouldn't?  Constantly!

Made prank phone calls - no

Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose - occasionally but it's got to be something exceptionally funny!

Caught a snowflake on your tongue - absolutely 

Danced in the rain - yes

Written a letter to Santa Claus  - every year since I started journal your Christmas and obviously when I was younger.

Been kissed under the mistletoe - yes - my hubby has an affinity with buying the stuff for us at Christmas

Watched the sunrise with someone - absolutely - husband rocks

Blown bubbles  -  yes

Gone ice-skating  - long time ago but yes

Gone roller skating? - no but would love to!

Gone snow skiing - nope would like to but colleague at work just gone on first snowboarding holiday and broken ankle after 20 minutes on slopes - seriously put off now as it took her a week to get down the mountain then the bus crashed, then her friend got on normal flight and colleague had to wait 40 minutes for next one then it was delayed for 7 hours - took her 24 hours to get home and then she got told off for weight bearing on it!

Camped out under the stars - yes Porthmadog in a massive tent for the weekend with family, we didn't have a camp bed - so borrowed one which turned out to be a lilo with a slow leak - had a bad back for the entire duration of the weekend!  Did however, watch an asteroid shower whilst staying in a converted barn in Symond's Yat which is a much better memory.  We sat out on sun chairs with blankets drinking irish coffees at 1am in the morning - yum

Seen something so beautiful that it took your breath away?  All the time - God on the beach in Wales after snow was fairly awesome - it was actually just a gorgeous sun and cloud time but I always said it was as if God had painted the picture for us!

Married - Yes 12 years this year - but been together 20 this year!

Children - just the one Mrs Wembley

Have a Pet?  No but had far too many when I was younger which is probably why, we had a dog called Charlie but he got poorly and the only thing I remember of him was that he bit my paddling pool, then I had Esther who was my pet whippet and Fluff my guineau pig that my Mum was chronically allergic too, then we had two other guinea pigs called snowy and sooty and they all started having babies, then we ended up with two dutch rabbits and a big brown male rabbit and although they were kept separate a few weeks later we ended up with 18 baby bunny rabbits and on it went so it all got a little tiresome hence no pets now!

Been skinny dipping outdoors - no

Been fishing - no boring how boring could you get

Been boating - no - get seasick

Been water skiing - me are you having a laugh?

Been hiking - yes and my Mum wants to drag us up Snowdon as well but I keep telling her theres a little train that does the same thing

Been camping in a trailer/RV - do they mean a caravan - then yes

Flown in a small 4 seater airplane - no I like my life too much

Flown in a glider - see answer above

Been flying in a hot air balloon - and again!

Been bungie-jumping - and again!

Gone to a drive-in movie - no we live in Britain don't have these sorts of things however I've seen a Shakespeare play at a castle outside does that count?

Done something that should have killed you - nope

Done something that you will probably regret for the rest of your life - no I don't do regret I learn from mistakes and deal with it that way!
 

Any nickname - Ginnie but that's just a shortened version of my name so does that count

Mother's name - Valencia

Favorite beverage - depends I couldn't live without tea - definitely an American who wrote these questions though due to spelling favourite! 

Body Piercing? - Ears only

Tattoo? A question asked by the fabulous Sandy Poppins recently on my blog on the grounds I tattoo most of the ladies in my art journals - the answer is no - my brother and sister have enough for the three of us!  Although it is something that I do think I'll do one day - my issue - well I like new things so I wouldn't want to tire of it and want something different LOL

How much do you love your job?  I love my job it's awesome but it can be quite tiring and mentally taxing!

Birth place?   Rotherham,Yorkshire, UK

Favorite vacation spot - Menorca, Symonds Yat, Venice, Rhodes .... - can't decide!
 

Been to Africa? No

Ever eaten just cookies for dinner? Yes 

Ever been on TV? Nope

Ever steal any traffic signs? - Nope

Ever been in a car accident? No thankfully I haven't

Drive a 2-door or 4-door vehicle? 2 door much to my sons dismay - it's his only prerequisite for next vehicle it has to have 4 doors

Favorite number? - got to be 13 

Favorite movie?  I love loads of movies, loved Matrix when that came out (but hated the last one!) love True Romance, Die Hard 4, Transformers, Interview with a Vampire, Lost Boys etc etc probably classic favourite for me has to be Dracula with Gary Oldman

Favorite holiday? Christmas
 

Favorite dessert ? My homemade fat free Christmas pudding  

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?   Wherever I end up as long as I've got my family it will all be good

So who will respond to this the fastest?   No idea - very few people read my blog lol

So have ago yourself if you have read it and let me know so I can learn something new about you too!  Hope you're all having a fabulous day and I'll let you know how my weekend went!

A LITTLE MORE ART JOURNALING

Well another page I've done recently, I loved this image that I cut out but have 'altered' it quite a bit - for one thing the hair was no where near as 'big' on the original - maybe it reminds me of my heavy mental days LMAO!  

Anyway I'll apologise for the quality of the photographs bad lighting and red on a page really don't mix!

 

Inspired by a DVD I borrowed from a friend recently, this documents things I already knew to a certain degree but haven't been 'applying' properly!  It explains that negativity attracts negatives and likewise positivity attracts positives and therefore if we apply positives we reap the benefits, now to a certain degree I 'get' this, unfortunately most of it was about material possessions which didn't really tick the right boxes for me, but I'm all for attracting positive people, life's lessons etc...

 
 

I used a little stamping, my hubby bought me some great circular stamps at Christmas which are highly addictive - like I said poor quality photos but you get the general idea.  The background was actually a sprayed background - not that you can tell from this picture.

  

This page was fun to do, free hand title as usual and I re-did the blackboard in the picture including the graffitti - tattooed legs and the sandals got turned into boots!  

I did another page last night that I really really enjoyed doing so I'll blog that later!  If you stop by and get to this point don't forget to say hi by leaving me a comment!

ART JOURNAL AND DIFFICULT TOPICS

Well I'm all for these fantastic challenges that are out there in blog land at the moment, documenting the world as we see it, whether it be monthly, bi-monthly, daily etc.  I've been on with quite a few of them, one of them though really hit a cord this month and I didn't realise until afterwards that I actually didn't want to do it.  The idea was to advise your younger self and obviously the idea is to give yourself a bit of friendly advice, you know the idea - using the advice means that the long and difficult learning curve can be avoided. 

Now on any other day it would have made me think of light subjects, fun things that would be fun to do, but when I read the topic the only thing that really stuck in my head was preventing my Dad's death - now how on earth could I do that, would the advice prevent it, or make it worse, would it have happened regardless, how could I do it, would it have eaten my life up trying to prevent it - I went around and around and around in circles to the point where the page in question ended up in pockets - did I want to give that advice no I didn't - why because I can't actually change it!  

I believe in the butterfly effect - you know the one where the flap of the wings causes a hurricane elsewhere so the thought of changing something like that would have far reaching life changing results

So this is the aftermath of what became 'too painful a subject'

 

I've even fought with this page - I should have realised then, this one has layers and layers and layers of paint, and paper and ink and black paint and fabric and stamping and - well you get the idea!   
 

So many of you may think why wouldn't I want to prevent such a life altering situation - well I would, I'd give anything to change that one instance in my life, but and this is the big but what would my life look like now?  I met my husband when I was only 17 and he was related to what was then my Mum's boyfriend (now my Mum's husband), so without my husband I would be without my child and honestly and truly I couldn't live without either of them.  Therefore I'm not happy to wishful think 'if only's' or 'what if's' and this particular learning curve - well some subjects should be left alone!  

Now don't get me wrong I love to journal difficult phases of my life and I'm quite happy to dream about what I'd do if we won the lottery but wishful thinking of what has gone before just doesn't float my boat -next time I'll leave the subject alone when it strikes the wrong cord!  

No matter what you can't actually change your past

ART JOURNALING AMAZING PEOPLE!

Well last night my Mum came over with my sister and my niece for an art journaling evening.  My Mum has never 'art-journaled' but my sister has so we were on hand to talk her through some of the techniques we use - not to say we are 'experts' far from it - just we've read a few books, blogs etc and had a go previously!  I usually paint a background and then go hunting for an image, but in the back of my brain is usually the idea of what I want to art journal about!  

Last night's brain prompt was 'Strong Women' - now over the last few weeks I seem to have had contact with women I consider 'strong' - you know the ones I mean the ones who seem to be dealt the toughest hand life can throw at them and yet they seem to keep their heads above water (although for some it sometimes feels like - 'only just'!).  One of these 'strong women' is a very close friend of mine whose gone through a really difficult time in her work life, but she's finally decided to prioritise herself over work and has finally left said job in order to retain her sanity, if she wrote a book about what's happened nobody would believe her because it sounds far too far fetched - but believe you and me she's lived through hell for the last three years at work! There are other women I've been talking to either via my blog or in life in general who are also fighting their demons - so to all of you - and you know who you are this page is to say that no matter how difficult life is - being a strong woman means you retain your values and you make me proud to be a woman.  

Now add into this that I was in the presence of three other 'strong' women - my Mum, my sister and my niece,  putting the page together was a breeze - I love it when it flows like this and all comes together!

I loved using the colour red, I'd had the image on the right hand page for some time Ms Mirren is one hell of a lady and I found the one on the left whilst wandering through a magazine, the 'demon' image behind the picture on the left was cut from a separate article months ago and don't ask me why but I just knew one day I'd need to use him - this page was that day!

I tattooed the ladies again (I can't help it), sequin waste stamping in the background - even where the cellotape was on it - LOL!

Blonde moments and Tim Holtz stamps galore

Silver pen and black paint

Hope you're all having a great weekend - can't believe how quick it's gone - update on the bathroom - all done, looks great - just makes the rooms around it look dreadful - hey ho - February's 'room' is the hall stairs and landing!

A YEAR IN THE LIFE OF AN ART JOURNAL AND SHOPPING

Well I sat down last night to a little art therapy, I've officially started my 'year in the life of an art journal' which started from this blog I'd scribbled and scrawled the other night through the "WHAT?" question so it was about really going for it last night.  

 

As you can see scrawly writing on the left hand side, just having a little rant, although the original prompt said to cover it up I've made it scribbly and scrawly enough to struggle to see what I've written, only I really know what I'm waffling on about so I added a little water to make it look a little more 'lived in' and pretty much left it as it was

but boy did I go to town on the right hand page

 

I started with a little paint, and then had a rummage in my desk box - this is basically where I throw all the things I haven't used on layouts so it's full of all sorts of things, from ribbon and buttons to sparkly stars and eyelets.  In amongst this I found some 'free gifts' from a home magazine I got before Christmas, they were silver stars and pretty uninspiring but then I realised that the other side was shiny - so out came the few alcohol inks I've got and away I went making a mess - I mean having fun!

I tried sticking them down with glossy accents but they kept coming unstuck - so nothing for it but to get our the paper piercer and some embroidery thread - much more like it!

In the box I also found some test pieces of alcohol inking from a scrapbook class, so they were torn up (lovingly of course) and stuck down!  Then eyelets and some offcuts of ribbon from my Christmas day top that I bought before Christmas - does anyone use those silly bits of ribbon on tops - whilst they are still on the tops or have manufacturers actually colluded with scrappers and art journallers alike and agreed to put ribbon on for us to cut off and embellish pages?

Then I found out some alphabet stickers - you know the ones lurking in the back of the cupboard, and stuck any 'W' 'H' 'A' 'T' that I had on the sheet, any letters that were too offensive (ie - shiny silver) I altered with alcohol inks!  Forget how fast they dry!  Then it was done and I'm really pleased with it!  I then added some eyelets to the front of the book, I've decided that each prompt I'm going to add either something to the front of the book or the back of the book that goes with that prompt - that way the covers reflect the book inside!

And yes I've got the backs of eyelets and messy backs of stitches to contend with on the next page - they already look awesome mmmmmmmmmmmmm - definitely liking this anything goes messy style - what do you think?

Just have to share a little purchase from last night, now yes I know I should have been buying blinds for the bathroom but I couldn't resist how gorgeous are these?

Apparently vanity cases - I think not - ripe for altering!!!!!!!!!!!!!The insides are just as delish!

And what about the clasps!

I mean I just couldn't resist them could I?  Would you have been able to refrain from buying them?  Particularly when I tell you the smaller one was £3.99 and the larger one £5.99 - now what do I do with them?  No honestly what would you do with them?  I don't want them to land in my cupboard of thinks to alter I want to do something with them?

Answers on a postcard or better still comment on my blog!

 

Hope everyone is having a happy Friday, I'm off now to try and buy a few bathroom fitments, we're going to attempt to methodically go through the house this year decorating and making general improvements.  Now what I'd dearly love to do is rip out the bathroom and start again - but money doesn't grow on trees so it's a case of tart it up a bit.  So we've been pricing up some new bits and I've bought new towels etc, then said 9 year old this morning decides to lean with some force on current towel rail - needless to say he was mortified when it came off the wall - screws and all!  So whether we want to or not - new bathroom fitments it is LOL!  Ooh and I've got something else I need to show you, personally think we were barking when we bought them but I wonder what you all think - I'll try and include photo in next blog post - now that's got you thinking hasn't it!

IT'S NOT PERFECT, NOT NEARLY IN FACT IT REALLY ISN'T BUT I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!

Well I think it could be said that I'm truly inspired - it's the only way to describe it, I've been blog hopping and it's always fun but then sometimes I think if I spent less time blog hopping I might get more crafting done, but then I think I become so inspired when I blog hop that I can create - anyway enough of me going around in circles.  

Sometimes I see glimmers of the little creative person inside of me, now being a Virgoan is not always conducive to creating something 'out there' and I never describe what I do as 'awesome', I tend to like neat lines I even tear paper neatly, I'm not great with messy - it has to be controlled and that's me just the way I am not learnt behaviour just part of me, but sometimes I wish I could create something on a wing and a prayer - and this time I think I've managed it

We came back from a great weekend at Center Parcs last weekend, despite the weather (yes we were there during the snow and the ice etc) it was overall a great family weekend, in amongst this weekend, I picked up leaflets and brochures and ended up with clean coffee cups from a particularly well known coffee shop that changes its cups to red at Christmas, we had paper bags and handles and lots and lots of bits of paper and at the end of the weekend I gathered them all up in an "I'll do something with them" kind of way (I've got a cupboard full of those - you know the must haves that you see in the charity shop but never quite finding the time to 'create').

However this bundle was different, I recently came across this awesome art journal blog - talk about inspired!!!!!   http://oneyearartjournal.blogspot.com/ thanks to Carmen who I might add also helped me find Lara's blog which is just as inspiring - do you get the theme here, inspired!  Anyway thanks to them I created this little gem

The front and back covers are made of cardboard, covered with the Center Parcs paper bag with the stickers from the Made shop that we went to - bound with my trusty bind it all then on the inside ...

 

I've gessoed, ripped paper bags and used scraps (quite literally) from my scraps box! Even the clean cup got used!

I love the feel of it, mod podge all the way and gorgeous paper bags

Badly punched paper bag that in normal circumstances would get side lined, got included because I think I could thread something through this bit

Pamphlets, were torn, included and covered

More scraps of paper put down in an "I don't care" kind of way

More offcuts and envelopes

Pamphlets refolded so they still 'pull out'

Where the leaflets were all too heavy on the publicity side I just went for it with paper!

Now the big question is what do I do with if from now, although it encompasses all things Center Parcs it has just about the right number of 'pages' to begin the "Year in the Life of an Art Journal" so what do you think?  Should I go for it?