About Me

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Hi, Welcome to my Blog. I'm an eclectic kind of crafter delving into many pots. I am just about managing to keep up my Scrapbooking Diary (usually about 6 months behind), plus any cards as required. I have a new found love of watercolour and Bible Journaling plus recently Junk Journaling too. Previously I've also dabbled in ATCs, Tags, Altered Books, Mixed Media, Art Journaling, Décopatch, Knitting, Crochet, and Embroidery amongst other things. I live in Surrey, UK with my husband, our son has left home now. For exercise I usually play Badminton and go Ballroom and Latin Dancing, but am plagued by a bad back. I like walking which I couple with Geocaching and sometimes Bouncing on my Rebounder (mini trampoline). I guess I am officially retired now. I am a born again Christian, currently worshiping at my local Vineyard Church.

Monday 31 December 2012

The Magi

Been meaning to get some crafting done over the holidays and about time it came out of my head and into my journal. Thought the visit from the Magi to baby Jesus would be fitting to follow my Advent pages. Jesus was about 2 years old when they came. Unfortunately their visit alerted the jealous King Herod so the Holy family had to flee to Egypt. The gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh certainly would have helped ease the burden of their exile. Yes there were 3 gifts told of but not nesessarily 3 Magi nor would they have travelled on camels as horses would have been much more likely for their wealthy station in life.


I used dylusions for the backing and made the 3 crown stamps using my new lino cutters and the end of the big eraser I had used before. Even the square stamps are from a stamp I MADE, which was just a doodle when I got the cutters! Might pluck up the courage to use the lino tiles I got as well now I have had a go.

Happy New Year to All

Wednesday 26 December 2012

WOYWW #186 - Boxing Day

Hello all my fellow WOYWWers, hope Christmas Day went well with you all.
I have been finishing off my Tag Journal and thought you might like to see the last few pages/ inside covers.


Firstly, I did a double page of the Jubilee ATCs I got from both my UKPC group SWAP and the infamous 3rd anniversary WOYWW SWAP.

The rest of the ATCs I got from the 3rd anniversary SWAP I put on the inside cover.


At the back I put my Fairy doll which I posted on Christmas Day and also a couple of pieces received from friends.


I just need to paint the back cover and then I'll have a full to bursting reminder of the crafting fun in 2012.

Thanks to everyone here on WOYWW and UKPC and Timmy's tags and all the various challenges I have taken part in for making crafting so special this year.

Happy New Year to all my blogland friends.  

Tuesday 25 December 2012

Christmas Fairy Doll


When I was about 6yrs old my mother made a fairy outfit for a doll she’d bought which had come in a yellow mac and wellies. It was a surprise for me and she left it next to my bed on Christmas morning.

 
 
 
She was dressed in a blue and green tutu with a silver crocheted crown and silver wings. I was told she’d flown in through the window.
Apparently, sometime later, I found the mac and wellies and realised that Mum had made her and she hadn’t flown in through the window after all!
But I adored my fairy doll all the same.


Advent 5 - AJ Page

My final Advent AJ page today. Thought a big white candle and the Nativity Scene would do the trick. I backed the page with some of the stamped brown paper my Advent presents came in, signifying the humble circumstances surrounding Our Saviour's birth.

Christmas Day - Advent 5

Today we light the final, central candle on the Advent Wreath. It is the Christ candle and is white to remind us that Jesus is the spotless lamb of God, sent to wash away our sins! His birth was for his death, his death was for our birth!

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!‘” (John 1:29)



Have a blessed Christmas everyone. BJ
 

Monday 24 December 2012

Christmas Village


Had my little Tando Creative village kit since my Craft Barn visit back in JUNE! Fortunately Timmy's blog pointed me to the "One Lucky Day" blog and gave me the inspiration I needed to at last do mine.

Advent 4 - AJ Page

Only 2 days in this final week of Advent, so I have added some of the stickers from my Advent presents to the page as well.

Sunday 23 December 2012

Advent Sunday - Fourth

The fourth candle is the Angel Candle or Candle of Love. The angels announced the good news of our Savior. God sent his only Son to earth to save us, because he loves us!

The Christmas season is an expression of the love that God has for humanity. Jesus is the highest and greatest expression of the love God has for us. We are reminded to show that love to the world around us.

Saturday 22 December 2012

Advent 3 - AJ Page

Busy day as we took a day trip to the Midlands to celebrate my Uncle Ernie's 90th Birthday. So lovely to see him and all my relatives on my Dad's side after so many years.

Anyway I have just managed to finish off my third advent page based on my Advent ATC. Couldn't emboss the pages in the book so improvised with a stencil instead. Gosh only 2 more days to go now, will I even be able to sleep with excitement?

Oh and Louis won Strictly, what a great end to a lovely day.

Wednesday 19 December 2012

WOYWW #185a - Christmas Patchwork

Just HAD to share what we have been doing for our Christmas SWAP on the UKPC Yahoo Group. I'd seen a few patchwork or chaos wall hangings in 12x12 format on the "AllThingsTim" Yahoo Group and thought it would be a good idea to do one of our group.

As we are only a few in number at present I made it an 8x8 size and allotted different sized "patches" for each member to make a set of (one for each other member and themselves). I chose Red, Gold and Green as a colour theme but the design was up to each member.

I only just received the last piece this afternoon, but I made up the backing (handing part) last night so here is another shot of my work desk in a mess (how unusual for me - LOL).







And here is the finished wall hanging complete. The dangly bits came from various members in their packages too. I'm really pleased with how it turned out, and will treasure it and smile each year as I hang it up as part of my Christmas decorating.

Happy Christmas



WOYWW #185 - Scrapping

Hi there you lovely lot of WOYWWers and welcome to my desk this week on Julia's mega desk hop. I have actually done the scrappages I had laid out last week and 2 more besides. I have a 5th laid out ready for inspiration as well.

As I scrapbook ALL our family's day to day photos, I find I am usually a photos first kind of a scrapper and usually multiple photos at that. Not much room for embellishments but I find a space somewhere. Oh and the title of course, have to use my 14 strong alphabet dies as much as possible now don't I?


If you look on my shelves you'll see the jailor rings I got like Sue's @ Miniowners, just need some washi tapes now - LOL. The Olympic photos are from Helen @ The Craft Project as we didn't actually make it to the stadium ourselves but I loved her photos and now they are duly scrapped! Please, please leave your number so I can get back to you.


 
Happy Christmas to All WOYWWers, Love BJ
 

Sunday 16 December 2012

Advent Sunday - Third

The third candle is the Shepherd Candle or Candle of Joy. We are reminded of the joy we have in Jesus, and that we are now at the midpoint of Advent, halfway through our preparation and close to Christmas.

This candle is pink/rose instead of purple, which shows a lessening emphasis on penitence as attention is turned more to the celebration of the season.

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7

Saturday 15 December 2012

Advent 2 - AJ Page

Here's my second week of Advent AJ page. Yes, based again on my Advent ATC and using my Secret Sister tags to journal on.

Friday 14 December 2012

12 Tags of 2012 times 2!

Gosh what a year! Having done Tim's 12 Tags of Christmas last year, we decided in January, on my craft group UKPC, to try and do one of Tim's tags each month. I used one of his previous designs to make my January tag. Then low and behold Tim decided to start his 12 Tags of 2012 in February! Well that certainly took the decision work from me so I could just go along with his new designs each month.

I was attempting my hand at Art Journaling but couldn't seem to pull it off so in the end decided to stick my Tags in my journal instead. I made one of Tim's tags and one of my own each month and now have a tag journal of 2012.

Here's my latest addition Tim's December Tag.

And here are my 6 pages of tags for 2012.








Wednesday 12 December 2012

WOYWW #184 - Goodies

Hi there all you WOYWWers, how are Christmas preparations going? I have managed to post all the cards and parcels which needed posting but not done much crafting as a result. I have my son off school poorly too which doesn't leave me in a crafting mood either.

What I have done is lay out my photos of the Torch Relay back in July. I have made a card for my Uncle's 90th and my son's 14th which are both on 21st December!

As for the goodies, I have received my Christmas SWAP card from Sandee in the USA, took a while to get here! She just had to adorn her tree with WOYWW, how cool is that? I have got my SWAP from Elizabeth way up in Scotland and a little bag of crafty goodness too. And my Journal awaits the tags from this second week of Advent.

Not all that Christmassy I know but there you go.
Oh and please leave your number so I can get back to you.

Sunday 9 December 2012

Advent Sunday - Second

The second candle is the Bethleham Candle or Candle of Preparation. God kept his promise of a Saviour who would be born in Bethleham. Preparation means to "get ready". Help us to be ready to welcome you, O God!

This is also a season of peace. Jesus came to bring us spiritual peace and is known as the Prince of Peace.



Saturday 8 December 2012

Advent 1 - AJ Page

Finally I have opened all the first week's pressies from my advent box from my SWAP Secret Sister. I have used each tag for my Advent journaling on the page, plus some of the string the packages were tied with, jolly useful I must say.
I have based my page on the Advent ATC I made for the same SWAP.

Wednesday 5 December 2012

WOYWW #183 - Advent 1

Hello all you lovely WOYWWers, hope you've had a good week. I have been a bit busy with this and that so here, without further ado, is my desk (if you don't know what on earth I am on about - pop over to Julia's place and prepare to be amazed!)

Yes I know, a pretty tidy desk but the fruits of my labours are there to see:-

1) My November Timmy Tag, let me shout it from the rooftops, was one of his winners for last month. I was brought to tears! Aww.

2) The November tag I just made for my tag journal based on techniques I learnt on the "An Attitude of Gratitude" Challenge blog. Just need to make one of Tim's December tags for the 4 to go in my tag journal.





3) My little "Attitude of Gratitude" journal nearly finished. It was my daily challenge throughout November and I am pleased to say I completed a page a day and then the cover too. I have 7 pages and the inside covers to go yet. I have it open at my first of 4 Advent pages. I am using the tags from my Advent presents to journal on so it won't get done properly until Christmas Day.

4) I am marking the 4 Sunday's of Advent with an ATC I made for each, so here's the first.

5) The cover of my Altered Book is done at last, the stages in its making are here.










6) Oh and finally, here's where I put my Tim Holtz mini lantern - on my Nativity Scene. My husband has linked it up to a mains adapter so we can leave it one all evening without going through loads of batteries.

Oh sigh - what a lovely way to start Advent.

Sunday 2 December 2012

Advent Sunday - First

Advent officially starts today on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day. Time to light the first of the wreath candles for this special season. Advent means "coming" and as the days grow shorter and night comes earlier, we look for and prepare for the coming of the Light of the World on the Day of Judgement.

So today brings with it the HOPE of God's great promise first told by the prophets. It symbolises faith in God keeping his promises to humanity. The candle is purple to show penitence and fasting as well as the colour of royalty to welcome the Advent of the King.

Saturday 1 December 2012

An Attitude of Gratitude #31

OK so I know there aren't 31 days in November but Bernice is doing a roundup and the cover of her journal today on "An Attitude of Gratitude" so I just had to do my cover too, despite still having 7 pages and the inside covers to complete.

Bernice used up her table papers to make her covers. I haven't been using table papers but had various sheets of sprayed backing papers and chose my favourite from when I first got my Dylusions. Must have been spraying a tag!


My paper wasn't wide enough to fit the whole cover, so I left the mulberry spine free and just covered the other bits. I used old dictionary papers for the words "Attitude" and "Gratitude" and various flowers and leaves which I had previously diecut and were in stock. I used sepia glossy accents over them, and added some ribbon too.

I also added some metal pieces, corners, arrows pointing to the words and a "Journey" token. And what a journey this has been (although I still have a bit of a way to go yet!)

I can't really take a photo of all my pages together like Bernice has, but here's a side view of the album nearly completed.

I am so pleased with it so a HUGE THANK YOU goes to Bernice - HORRAH!

Friday 30 November 2012

An Attitude of Gratitude #30

The day finally came and the challenge at "An Attitude of Gratitude" finishes. It has been a wonderful journey, focusing on things to be thankful for. Also for all the techniques it has got me to try.

Here's my last page, done in the early hours! I sprayed with Dylusions and FORGOT to tape the seam first but as it was a new signature in my book and I mopped it up down the middle straight away the seepage wasn't too bad. All adds to the effect methinks anyway. I just used the turquoise and pure sunshine so the green was the result of them mixing together.

Got to use the stamp I made on Day#20 again and in a slightly different way too, to emulate Dyan's shadow stamping. I copied her white pen doodling too and was able to change the shape of the leaves a bit this way.

Anyway, hope you have enjoyed my challenge pages too.

Thursday 29 November 2012

Altered Book Cover

Here's where I have got to so far.

I stuck on the diecut letters and shapes and covered with texture paste which I stamped into as well.

I primed with Grey paint, washed that over with Clay, then another wash with Black.

I then Rainbow painted my letters and shapes.

I might crackle paint my letters and shapes for a glossy look.

Perhaps rub some metallic pastes into the backing?


Just not sure where to go now?

Any suggestions?

An Attitude of Gratitude #29

Gosh nearly done (one day to go after this!) on the "An Attitude of Gratitude" Daily November Challenge. My goodness what a journey! Theme today is Appreciation and my appreciation goes out to Bernice for setting up this challenge, what a great job.

Thanks also for my happy-mail which contained a piece of paper napkin otherwise I would have been stumped for today's technique which is to use, guess what, yes a paper napkin!

Colour choice was made by the napkin, and what a happy colour yellow is. I sprayed again despite my spilling accident with some Dylusions yesterday (seems to have scome out of the valence and t-shirt - phew!)

Went a bit bonkers with the bits and bobs today and it ended up a bit busy - but hey only one day to go. I used my own scripture stamp as the scripture quoted was the same as Day#1, and I think you can have quite enough gates in one album!

Wednesday 28 November 2012

An Attitude of Gratitude #28

Two more days to go on "An Attitude of Gratitude". Today's theme is Seasons, which is just as I am doing my Altered Book cover which is also on Seasons - how cool is that?

The technique - to use household objects for printing on your page! I knabbed the dough cutters from my son's old playdough set but the thing I love the most to print with is a wheel from his lego set. Yep - my all time favourite thing and I keep one in my craft drawer at all times!

I sprayed my page green with perfect pearls heirloom gold top left and pearl bottom right. Of course I taped the seem beforehand (don't want anymore Day 5 seepage) and used some torn pieces of tape on the page too.

I printed a lego wheel road/fence and hoped the cutters would make good houses. Unfortunately they didn't print too well so I filled in with a brush! I made the seasons in the meadow left to right. I used the end of my paintbrush for the yellow, cheated and painted the red. I used scrunched up paper for the brown and added pearl stars top right.

I added my scripture which says not to get weary of doing good as you will reap in due season if you don't give up. Have to say I am getting a tad weary of this daily journaling and nearly lost it when I spilt the green ink all over my desk and it splashed on the floor, bed valance, quilt, carpet and my watch! But I am determined to finish the challenge.

Two more days to go ................