Artyjen

Breathe

2012-01-29T22:05:00.000Z

I fell in love with this Hollies version of the song when it was released in 1974.

It still gives me goosebumps when I hear it :)

So here is my journal page.....not by any means fabulous but I'm just thankful I've managed to make something for no good reason than to make something!!! LOL

I wrote an affirmation in my ~~365~~ 366 journal on Friday and it looks like it worked!!!

(I did not realise it was an affirmation at the time nor that anything would come of it!)

Wow! I could get all alternative if I'm not careful ;) LOL

Thanks for looking

xoxo Sioux

Mmmmmm!

2012-01-29T17:58:00.000Z

Roasted veg for dinner tonight!

Yes I know there is lots but what I don't have this evening goes in a big pan and makes roasted veg soup for the rest of the week!

yum...yum...yum :)

xoxo Sioux

Vision

2012-01-28T16:22:00.000Z

The Sunday Stamper celebrates 4years of challenges this week :)

Huge congrats to Hels...

...for she's a jolly good fellow and all that! ;)

Can't remember the last time I joined in at this...or any other.......challenge come to that!

I'm afraid my Scanner syndrome has rather got the better of me lately!!! ROFL

So nearly running out of time 'cos it closes at 9 tonight here is my little offering.

Hope you like and thanks for looking

xoxo Sioux

In my Garden

2012-01-28T13:09:00.001Z

Happy Saturday fellow Scanner's!

You know who you are ;) LOL

Here are a couple of things I'm enjoying today in my garden and what a gorgeous sunny day it is too...even if it is a bit on the chilly side :)

Thanks for looking

xoxo Sioux

I think I'm a Scanner!

2012-01-25T12:39:00.002Z

I was at the doctors yet again this morning for my yearly diabetic tests and some more bloods!

There I was waiting to see the nurse and flicking through a magazine ("Red") browsing an article when a surge of bright white light ignited in my head!

I believe I am a Scanner!

This explains quite a lot...

...you don't know how frustrating and depressing it can be unless you share these feelings that include...

"I can never stick to anything."

"I know I should focus on one thing, but which one?"

"I lose interest in things I thought would interest me forever."

"I keep going off on another tangent."

"I get bored as soon as I know how to do something."

"I can't stand to do anything twice."

"I pull away from what I'm doing because I'm afraid I'll miss something better."

"I'm too busy, but when I do find time I can't remember what I wanted to do."

"I keep changing my mind about what I want to do and end up doing nothing."

I have made bold the phrases that are particularly relevant to me although all the rest are hanging around in the background most of the time.

This is a bit of a revelation and....I hope I'm not coming across as some sort of weirdo...but if I can find out how to break this or go with it which seems to be the answer in the little I read...

...perhaps I can start to concentrate on something or anything or everything LOL and...

..."Enjoy the Journey" !!!

(As you know who says ;))

Thanks for reading my strange post today...

...I don't think I have lost the plot, I believe I have found the plot today!!

xoxo Sioux

P.S. Then again it could just be because now my blood sugars are a bit low instead of being a bit high!!! LOL

No Mortals for The Artistic Stamper

2012-01-21T00:01:00.002Z

I'm sharing a journal page today over on the The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog

Curious? Then just hop on over to The Creative Team Blog for all the details.

Thanks for looking and happy stamping
xoxo Sioux

P.S. I appreciate each and every comment here but time is short in all our lives so please do not feel obliged to comment both here and on the creative team post.
...I'll see your comments and share the feed back all at the same time if you use The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog post ;)
Thanks

2012-01-13T09:58:00.001Z

Have you seen the latest Sizzix previews from T!m today?

Oh dear.....help my wallet!!!!

I'm going to NEED both alphabets, the bag, the tag, the matchbooks (easy to make but even easier now! thanks) and the envelope for sure ;)

Thanks for sharing T!m (I think......LOL)

xoxo Sioux

Dreams for The Artistic Stamper

2012-01-11T00:01:00.002Z

I'm sharing a card today over on the The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog

Curious? Then just hop on over to The Creative Team Blog for all the details.

Diet Watch Monday Returns!

2012-01-09T10:20:00.000Z

Hi!

The last time I posted about my weight was 28th November and I just knew the next few weeks would not be conducive to sticking to the Dukan diet!!!!

I decided to take the que sera sera attitude! LOL

Two weekends away including my birthday...

...3 Christmas meals out...

...Christmas itself...

...and the New Year when I hosted a little get together with some close friends and we had cheese fondue....ooh er!!!!

I stuck to it pretty well during the week but come those outings I did not hold back! HOL

Soooo on 28th November I was 73 kilo and now...

(I don't know how the hell I've managed it 'cos I had to eat up stuff that was still in the fridge last week too)

today I'm...

...72 kilo!! :)

xoxo Sioux

And the winner is?

2012-01-08T12:45:00.000Z

I had 9 lovely comments for the "Faded Glory" ATC

And Mr Random says that

is the winner :)

So that is you

Alison

E-mail me your snail mail address and it will wing it's way in the post to you.

Thanks to everyone who entered.

xoxo Sioux

Love Card for The Artistic Stamper

2012-01-04T00:01:00.012Z

I'm sharing a card today over on the The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog

Curious? Then just hop on over to The Creative Team Blog for all the details.

Garden Goodness

2012-01-02T19:51:00.000Z

It's been a clear and sunshiney day...

...so I took a couple of photo's of what I like in my garden at the minute :)

Swiss Chard

Oxalis

Bulbs growing

Thanks for looking

xoxo Sioux

Vintage for The Artistic Stamper

2012-01-01T00:01:00.026Z

Last months challenge was a popular one :)
I am so sorry I did not get to comment on many but my computer has been up the Swanee!!!

So.....this month's challenge is "Vintage" over at The Artistic Stamper Creative Team ;)
I made an ATC.
The design team were also asked to use Perfect Pearls Mists in our work as they are on special offer this month ;)

I sprayed my blank ATC with sour apple and a blank piece of card with mandarin Perfect Pearl mists and helped them to dry by using a heat tool.
The ATC blank then had Distress Ink scattered straw roughly sponged on and all the stamping was done in Archival directly on top.
Postcard in black, franked stamp in aquamarine (Ephemera 1 plate), crown in crimson (Crowning Glory) and swirl (Swirls, Splats and Dots A5) in coffee.
The butterfly (Insects and Butterflies 1) was stamped in coffee onto the mandarin coloured card twice and cut out.
I then stamped the butterfly directly on the ATC in black to get an image of the feelers and then the two cut outs were glued on top.
The word fragments were computer generated and layered onto black card and the edges ages with brushed corduroy Distress Ink.

I love that the stamping....even though it was done on top of the mists.....still takes on the sheen and twinkle, but I find it almost impossible to show how gorgeous the effect is ;(
So if you would like to see what the effect is for real and fancy winning this ATC for your collection, please leave a comment and I will draw a name via Mr Random on January 8th.

You really must take a look at the "Vintage" creations the rest of the team have made and here are the DT member links for you.

Alison, Jennie, Kat, and Emma

So don't forget.............the monthly challenge is "Vintage"

The rules are simple... all you need to do is make a piece of art, be it a card, ATC, wall art, altered art, scrapling ;)... just remember that it must include some rubber stamping and the theme... and... if you use Artistic Stamper stamps on your entry you will be entered into the draw twice! The prize is £15 worth of stamps from the Artistic Stamper shop... along with the KlingOn to mount them onto.

I hope you get chance to play at the challenge... it is open until January 31st and the winner will be chosen by Random.org shortly after :)

Thanks for looking...
...HAPPY NEW YEAR! :)
and happy stamping.

xoxo Sioux
EDIT: The draw is closed to win the ATC.
Thanks to those who entered :)

A Happy New Year - A New Personal Challenge!

2011-12-31T00:01:00.005Z

I got to thinking about 2011 and my general opinion was...

just what the hell did I do all year?! LOL

So in an effort to make sense of what happens around here...

and believe me it is not going to be earth shattering stuff, some days it's challenging enough just to get by and I can foresee some of my entries will be along the lines of got up, went to work, fell asleep on settee!

But then again it could go something like got up, met RA, dot, dot, dot!!!! HOL

(In my dreams.......sigh)

...I'm taking the plunge and joining in with the fabulous Kate Crane and her Journal Your Year Calendar.

I like to pop over there and admire her pages and Gez and Anesha have also inspired me to have a go ;) Thanks girls.

I'll confess I am not good at sticking to stuff like this......but I'm going to give it a go.....if only to see what fun stuff I really get up to ;) HOL

I bought a little sketch book from Paperchase when I went to Bristol for my birthday at the beginning of December. Sorry about the glare, the cover is plastic, I'll be covering it at some point.

I hope to take this with me wherever I go as it is so portable and then there can be no excuse for not making a scribble in it every day!!!

Here are the pages for January......the squares are inchies and because the journal is so small (5 and 7/8th inch by 4 and 1/8th inch) I thought I'd make an additional flap over element to hold some extra days and be a place for a stamped image. (Paperartsy, T!m Holtz).

Thanks for looking

HAPPY

NEW

YEAR

xoxo Sioux
P.S. Come back tomorrow for The Artistic Stamper new monthly challenge....see you there....after I recover from the midnight Cava LOL!!!

Must be Santa! for The Artistic Stamper

2011-12-21T00:01:00.087Z

I'm sharing a card today over on the The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog

Curious? Then just hop on over to The Creative Team Blog for all the details.

Balancing Act! for The Artistic Stamper

2011-12-11T00:01:00.133Z

I'm sharing a journal page today over on the The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog

Curious? Then just hop on over to The Creative Team Blog for all the details.

Diet Watch suspended due to Feasting!!

2011-12-05T09:50:00.002Z

This is the last diet watch in December as there will be too much feasting going on to have any hope of reducing the weight but the good news is today my weight is 72 kilo.

Can't help but be awe struck that it has stayed the same this week as I've had a weekend away crafting with two fabulous craft mates Sue and Laura.

Not only did we have fun crafting but we took in Bath Christmas market on Friday night with the most glorious meal at Jamie's (Oliver) place.....3 courses....well it would be rude not to!

It was a scrummy meal...but I forgot my camera!!! What a dill weed!

...and what a contrast to that disaaaaaaaaster of a meal I had last Saturday!!! LOL

Then there was the wine of course...oh! Let's not forget the GG's (gin and ginger beer ;) ) and the mince pies and clotted cream whilst crafting on Saturday.....and the super meal Sue made for us....with pud!!!

Well you get my drift don't you....it was such fun and we all did some canvas work on the Saturday........my brain was refusing to work and this was the only thing I could think to do to start with...

......it's texture paste applied free hand and through a T!m tree mask of grunge.....I had to leave it to dry for the rest of the day (and night!!) and now I like the minimal look so much I'm scared to add any colour to it in case I spoil it!!! HOL

Eventually it took me all day to finish this very, very small canvas....only 4 inches square!!!!

Just wait till you see what Sue and Laura post.....gorgeous. :)

But it made me very happy cutting the deer from cork....

(sticky backed from The Works if you are interested)

...and on Sunday we all made three of T!m's tags :)......as Laura and I had to drive home late afternoon we did not finish ours and will have to put the final touches to them at home...there was just too much drying time on a couple of them!!! ;)

Thanks for looking and thanks to Sue for being a fabulous host again and to both Sue and Laura for sharing a great weekend of fun, laughter and craft :)

xoxo Sioux

Light an Advent Candle for The Artistic Stamper

2011-12-04T00:01:00.030Z

Following on from the group monthly challenge post I'm sharing another piece that is destined for my Christmas dinner table over on the The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog

Curious? Then just hop on over to The Creative Team Blog for all the details.

Festive Trio Setting for The Artistic Stamper

2011-12-01T00:01:00.089Z

Thanks for giving us all such a lot of beautiful "Background Creations" to look at for last months challenge :)
So..... how do you feel about this one?

"Christmas"

Yes it's a seasonal challenge for December over at The Artistic Stamper Creative Team ;)

I thought I'd do something a little different and make a place setting trio for a festive meal.

The design team were additionally asked to use icy blues and some of the new stamps being released and I chose to use this snowflake pattern.
You can be the lucky owner of this snowflake stamp (you have the choice of an icicle stamp too) as they will be given away free.....yes FREE to customers who make a purchase at The Artistic Stamper this month.
Cool :)
I stamped the snowflakes in Distress Ink tumbled glass onto a plain white napkin and overstamped the Seasons greetings in Archival Black...

...a little tip....remember to fully unfold the napkin to stamp and don't overink it or the ink will seep through the layers and/or bleed the image ;)
...just think of all the co-ordinating looks for your decor that you could achieve for a special dinner party and not have to spend a fortune on!

Then I made a little place name just by folding an oblong piece of card...

...then cutting an oblong mask for the centre and stamping the snowflakes over it.
The picture below shows one not stamped yet with a mask in the middle and one with the stamping done and the mask removed.

...I then added little touches of glue and some festive sparkle with irridescent glitter ;)
To finish the little trio I made a menu holder using the same masking principle as the place name...

...instead of permanently sticking the menu insert inside I held it in place with some ribbon...
...that way you can easily change the menu inside at the next dinner party ;)

...the Seasons Greetings from mini Christmas is one of my favourite festive motifs and was stamped using Archival black.

You really must take a look at the "It's Christmas" creations the rest of the team have made and here are the DT member links for you.

Alison, Hels, Jennie, Kat, and Emma

So don't forget.............the monthly challenge is "It's Christmas"

The rules are simple... all you need to do is make a piece of art, be it a card, ATC, wall art, altered art, an altered napkin! ;)... just remember that it must include some rubber stamping and the theme... and... if you use Artistic Stamper stamps on your entry you will be entered into the draw twice! The prize is £15 worth of stamps from the Artistic Stamper shop... along with the KlingOn to mount them onto.

I hope you get chance to play at the challenge... it is open until December 31st and the winner will be chosen by Random.org shortly after :)

Thanks for looking and happy stamping

xoxo Sioux

Diet Watch Monday

2011-11-28T21:30:00.001Z

I was out on Saturday night for the switch on of the Christmas lights/firework display and after for a meal with some friends....

...the first of many calorie rich outings that's happening between now and January!!!

However the meal in the restaurant on the quay (the Market House) turned into a bit of a shambles and did not turn out to be quite so calorie rich after all!! LOL

Two other couples with us had already arrived and ordered their wine and us three sat down and tried to order ours but they had run out!!!

Now when I tell you that there is only a limited wine menu with only 4 white wines (it's not that cheap either....well not compared to Wetherspoons LOL) I think you will agree with me that that is quite inexcusable!!! We are talking a chain here not an owner operator! (St Austell brewery's by the way)

I had been before and was not that impressed than and I'm even less impressed now! The waiter is really nice...he has served us before...but when he suggested the Sauvignon Blanc instead my friend nearly went ballistic and said something like I don't think so it's a lot dearer...that is unless you are going to give it us for the same price....the answer to that was a no from the floor manager!! Anyway the wine we eventually got was O.K. but it was not exactly what we had hoped for so we only had the one bottle between us.

I had already planned not to have a starter 'cos quite frankly these days I can't managed three courses comfortably and I really wanted to have a pudding.....we all did! :)

So the mains arrived and I have to say I did enjoy my veggie lasagne with garlic bread.....bliss after so many weeks without bread/pasta....there were little niggles with some of the other meals though.....the crab linguine was decidedly lacking in crab.....it's cheap from Brixham market too!......and the fish and chips with the catch of the day...which makes it sound like something nice from Brixham market turned out to be pollack......now that is really cheap too but their charges are not!!! They said it was tasty but the rip off factor sort of added to my negative thoughts on the meal.

Now for the puds that we all were looking forward to...........sorry we have sold out of nearly everything was what we heard...only apple pie and apple and blackberry pie left not even any ice cream....oh they had cheese and biscuits but only one person was even vaguely interested in that!!!.....I was not interested in any pastry based pud and neither as it turned out was anyone else so we paid the bill and left!!!

Went back to a couples house not far from the harbour and had a glass of wine/coffee and biscuits and cheese there....well I had one biscuit and one bit of cheese LOL ;)

So long story short.....my evening was now not as calorific as I had thought it would be and now for the weight...

I'm STILL 73 kilo!

Oh well....if I can manage to at least stay the same through the festive season I'll be happy :)

xoxo Sioux

Advent Sunday

2011-11-27T20:42:00.000Z

It's the first Sunday in Advent so it's time to light the candle.

My hearth at the moment looks like this...

...Christmas decorations don't go up in my house till after my birthday later in December but to celebrate Advent I like to bring out my much loved angel and light a candle.

I bought the poinsettia on Thursday in Sainsbury's......I thought it was very reasonably priced at £3.50 and looks very festive sitting in my log basket...

...not that I've got any logs 'cos the fire is electric!! :) LOL

Have a peaceful Advent.

xoxo Sioux

T!m is doing it again!

2011-11-25T10:02:00.000Z

Great news folks T!m is doing the 12 tags of Christmas again this year :)

See all the details here.

Also you won't have to miss out on hopping around to see others creations 'cos it turns out he is doing it himself this year!!!

Phew....that's my gilt trip over LOL...

...but just remember where that little thought all started!!! ROFL

I'll be back on the 1st of December with the group challange for The Artistic Stamper so do come back for that ;)

xoxo Sioux

Garden Watch - Marathon Sunday in Paradise!

2011-11-22T09:24:00.007Z

...I bought more bark and manure on Saturday morning before going for my yearly eye test...nothing has changed....phew no need to spend more money on new glasses!

It was grey and very overcast and quite frankly my heart (and my back) was just not into doing yet more digging!
I knew that I really should be doing something in the garden though and decided that cleaning the plastic furniture was the lesser of two evils! HOL

...and on Sunday?....even if I do say so myself....I excelled all my expectations!
Perhaps because the sun was shining it put me in a better mood to crack on and get everything done!!! ;)

...I planted the bamboo (I split the one plant up in the hope that this stimulates a bit of vigorous growth)...I'm amazed how much more there seems to be of it already!

.......planted the Mahonia...

...and Aucuba.

I decided I wanted a Cornus yesterday and bought this red stemmed one and planted that...

...I also decided I wanted another currant bush yesterday and bought this blackcurrant and planted that...

...dug up the redcurrant from the veggie patch and planted that in the large border...

...dug up the pink poppy from the veggie patch and planted that in the small border...

...found the other poppy I bought in the summer (a red one) just about hanging on! So moved that near the cornus...

...moved the carnation....Alan Titchmarsh...
...I could have done with him helping with the planting I can tell you! HOL

...started laying the bark (3 bags) but quickly discovered I needed more so off I went to the garden centre yet again!
That poor lad who loads the cars must be sick to death of me right now!!!

...stopped for a quick bowl of soup and emptied another 3 bags of bark on the large border but left a few patches where the roses are destined to go if they ever get here...
...yes I still have bags of bark still to put on!!!!

...my back was beginning to tell me I ought to have a rest but time was pressing and I needed to get the veggie patch dug and the manure spread over that too, as I am running out of weekends in which to do any gardening before Christmas!!!

The veggie patch really needed the manure as it has been neglected these past couple of years! What a bonus I had whilst doing this...as there has been the remains of an old tree stump of some sort slowly rotting away and being generally in the way since we moved here 7 years ago but it has always refused to budge.....
...well today Supersonic Sioux managed to get it out!!!!

RESULT :)
It can rot away to it's heart content in the wild wood patch now ;)
Why I did not loose weight this week is beyond me!!!

Now whilst at the garden centre yet again I saw these topiary box pyramids...

...and I found that I really, really, really needed three!!...

...they were reduced in price by 50 per cent so it would have been silly not to don't ya think?! ;)
Now I must put a hold on the spending and let my paradise garden grow on through the winter :)

Thanks for looking at the mammoth post today and popping round to visit during the make over....I've enjoyed your company ;)

There will be a paradise party at some point next year...to which you will all be invited....I hope to see you there...bottle of Cava in hand ;)

xoxo Sioux

Diet Watch Monday

2011-11-21T16:30:00.002Z

You would think with the extra walking I've managed to fit in this week not to mention all the garden work I got through on Sunday ;) that I could announce I had lost another kilo.

But no......I'm 72 kilo...admittedly I'm slap bang in the middle of the mark and not slightly over it like last week so I suppose I've possibly lost half a pound!!!

Heck....I've not even strayed and been naughty!!! HOL

At this rate I'm not going to hit my target of 67 kilo by 14th December!!!!

One thing I will not do though is give up....I'm not a quitter...

...perhaps I'll do 3 protein days in a row like I had to at the very start and hope that speeds up the process!

I so much wanted to be 67 kilo by that date and just know it won't be happening now as I have a number of probably quite calorific trips and evenings out in the run up to Christmas! :)

Hey ho......I refuse to stop enjoying myself ;)

xoxo Sioux

Imagine Picket Fence for The Artistic Stamper

2011-11-21T00:01:00.070Z

I'm sharing two tags today over on the The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog !

Curious? Then just hop on over to The Creative Team Blog for all the details.

Gordon Bennett SCD!

2011-11-20T20:40:00.001Z

What are you doing to me SCD?

Yesterday was a very special Strictly from Wembley was it not?

Great spectacle.....such a great bunch of people too sharing their dancing journey.

It was emotional......I cried!

Tonight Il Divo......Pip always bought me any new album from them for my Birthday or Christmas...

...I cried!

Russell going.....it was his time!.....but bless him...

...I cried!

I can only think that I'm so emotional 'cos I'm tired...

...I'm tired but I've finished the planting...well all but the roses but you can't plant what has not arrived yet can you?!!!

I'll update you on the progress when I can take some pictures....It was too dark by the time I finished...I kept egging myself on all day to finish and promised myself a sit down with a nice coffee in the garden if there was still a bit of daylight left...

...there was...

...I sat and looked at all I'd done...

...I cried! ;)

xoxo Sioux

Garden Watch - Gated at last!

2011-11-19T22:05:00.001Z

Thursday was a lovely day here and when I came home for lunch the man that can was here putting the finishing touches to the garden :)

He made and fitted the gate...had to as it is an awkward situation and size and he wanted to make the opening as large as possible...

...now no one can walk straight into my back garden like before.....and it makes it just that bit more secure in my own mind ;)

...I do like the door hardware :) :)...Gary's choice as I could not know what would have been needed size wise.

He made and fitted the lid to the old coal bunker...

...great that he used a matching handle don't you think? :)

I'll be painting this and the gate green to match the sheds in the New Year when the weather is drier!

He placed the breeze blocks to make the containing bit for the bamboo filling it with some more topsoil...

...he's done a grand job and even complimented me on the design I asked him to work to...
...I am thrilled beyond belief....it is all I imagined and more!!!

The weather is looking fine for Saturday and Sunday so I'll plod on with getting more bark and planting the last few plants.....but I'm still waiting for those roses so I'm not going to be actually fully complete yet.....but then when is a garden ever complete?!
Thanks for looking
xoxo Sioux

12 days of Christmas Announcement

2011-11-17T09:00:00.004Z

An announcement today about my "splinter" group for the 12 tags of Christmas...

...that is if T!m decides to do it again this year!

Seeing as I don't know him I'm not party to his intentions ;)

I've been thinking about this a lot...........but I'm sorry....this year I cannot host the splinter group where we can all get to hop around and see each others creations......I know this will be a disappointment to you but I have so many things going on at just the same time that I will not be able to join in and make any tags myself never mind have enough time to do all the posts and attend to the "splinter" group postings as well.

Just thought I would warn you. Have fun with the 12 tags if it happens...I'll be with you in spirit :)

Happy stamping!

xoxo Sioux

ATC Zettiology

2011-11-16T10:50:00.000Z

Only just noticed I never posted this....only nearly 12 months since I typed it up!!!
Seeing as I have not shared much arty stuff recently here is an ATC.

Not too sure this is as zettified as it should to be!! LOL Still not quite got the Zetti vibe yet!!

The houses, funny person and sentiment down the side "Wherever I lay my hat that's my home" are stamps from Home Impressions

Thanks for looking and happy stamping :)

xoxo Sioux

Garden Watch Bulb and Bark Day!

2011-11-14T10:50:00.000Z

Saturday dawned bright and fine and it was off to the hairdresser for my cut first thing.

Walked to town and back....part of the diet and trying to be healthy thing plus it also saves on the petrol and parking!!! LOL It takes about 25 minutes each way.

Got home and sorted my lunch ready for later and started with the task of planting the rest of the stuff I did not get round to last weekend.....and the even bigger task of planting all my bulbs!!!

I laid the bulbs (and the bare root plants that luckily came in the post that morning) on the ground in their packets for starters to get an idea of colour combo's ;)

I had what I thought was lots of bulbs...they certainly took me ages to plant!! But again looking a little sparse when laid on the soil ready to go!

I managed to totally finish the smaller bed by the end of Saturday including putting down the bark....heavens those bags are heavy...the sack truck helped but they are still heavy!

By the end of Sunday I had run out of bark.....

and run out of patience....but finished all I could at this precise moment as I need to make a trip to the garden centre next weekend for some more bark......you always need far more than you think!!!

....one more good day will see the end of the planting but I have to hope that the three roses and a peony still to arrive do so soon and also hope the weather will be O.K. for the man who can to finish off the bamboo bed so I can totally finish the planting.....

Then I really need to have a while off this planting malarkey!!! HOL

BTW.......my weight last week was 73 kilo and this week it's hovering just slightly past the 72 kilo mark so that's good.

Thank for looking

xoxo Sioux

Happy Card for The Artistic Stamper

2011-11-11T00:01:00.002Z

I'm sharing a card today over on the The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog

Curious? Then just hop on over to The Creative Team Blog for all the details.

Garden Watch - Day 14

2011-11-07T15:18:00.001Z

Day 14 Sunday

Lots of holes.....lots of compost and long life feed in all the holes!!

.....shrub compost on top too...this Oleander was the first to be planted :)

...I ran out of time to do all I really wanted :(
I've left the canes in till the rest of the plants arrive to remind me of the eventual heights.

There were quite a lot of big holes to dig and although the soil is fairly easy to work...those back ache rests came into play! LOL
I got nowhere close to attempting the bulbs and I was working from 9.30 till 5!!!

The phormium had to be dug up from the veggie patch/nursery bed ;)...
...where it has been for the past two/three years waiting for the make over to happen! It's a great size though and would have cost me quite a bit if I'd bought it this big!

Still to move the carnations, the poppy and the redcurrant.

Still to plant this evergreen winter flowering clematis to clad the wall behind the veggie patch

Still to plant these as the man who can still needs access to the wall to finish off the bamboo bed yet and I can't quite make up my mind if they are in the right place till my other plants turn up ;)

All in all I'm pleased that I got as much done as I did ;)

I'll just have to be patient and hope this Saturday and Sunday will be as forgiving weather wise!

Garden Watch will be tailing off now......I'll post about my gate when it's done I'm sure....and when I plant the bulbs and the roses etc....so until then....

...."enjoy your garden" as dear old Percy Thrower used to say...
...yep I started watched Gardening Club/Gardeners World way back when in the 60's with my Dad...
...and all these years later I've been able to tap into some of the knowledge I've gleaned and create my very own little oasis (with great help from the man that can of course!) that will be easy to maintain now I'm on my own.
Happy Days ;)
Thanks for sharing my garden make over.....it's been great fun having you along :)

xoxo Sioux
P.S. I can feel my back today but it's not as bad as I expected it to be :)

Diet Watch Monday

2011-11-07T09:51:00.000Z

Last week I was stuck on 74 kilo!!!
But great news..........this week I'm now 73 kilo :)

I should darn well think so too with all that digging in the garden yesterday! LOL
I'll try and get some photo's at lunch today.......I ran out of time as it got too dark yesterday!!!

Sioux xoxo

Garden Aura Watch! - Day 13

2011-11-06T00:01:00.012Z

Saturday Day 13
A lovely sunny day :)

I went to the garden centre bright and early to get some bone meal, planting compost and bark chippings. I want to get the plants off to the best start I can :)

First I used a bag and a half of bark that has been lingering for quite some time in my garden to make a narrow pathway at the back of the large border......I even found some sort of fungi growing in them that look suspiciously like the start of chanterelles...
...we will have to wait and see! LOL

Then I laid all the plants out to get a feel of where they should go (that took more time than I thought).....the canes are to give a bit of visual indication as to the eventual height that the plants might...and I do say might! achieve ;)...

..I have got some more to come as the roses, a peony and some other bare root plants have not been dispatched yet!

Oooh er.....I must remind myself that they are going to grow into the space but it does look a little bare at the minute!!!

The cane seats were given to me by my bestest friend up North...really they are not meant to be outside all the time, but I have nowhere big enough to store them inside for the winter so they just have to take their chances under the green cover that is drying out on the washing line!!! LOL. It does not look like I've achieved much today but what with going to the garden centre, moving the pots back and the furniture and having to feed myself too, it did not leave a lot of spare time to plant...
...that and I have to take breaks along the way to ensure I don't put my back out!!!

Now.....you know I mentioned the Gods on Mount Olympus yesterday?
Wellll........what do you make of this? Please do enlarge the photo for a better look see ;)

I've "hearted" the strange blue/purple globe on the picture!
Is it the late evening sun catching the camera lens and causing it to flare or is it an aura?
If it is an aura then those colours are supposed to signify peace (I googled it!!!)...
....I've always had a very positive and yes.....peaceful vibe from this back garden...sooooooo...
....I'll leave it for you to decide :)
Thanks for looking.....Sunday....today.... will see me actually digging the holes and planting...
....Oh and I have lots of bulbs to do too!!!! I hope my back holds out!! LOL
Will I get it all done today? I'd really like to try as otherwise it will be next Saturday before I can get to do any more planting.
xoxo Sioux

Garden Watch - Day 12

2011-11-05T17:30:00.001Z

Day 12 Thursday
I had a bit of a lie in as it was raining so I did not have to move my car off the drive to give access to the man who can!!!
As I was just setting off to work he turned up even though it was looking a bit dodgy weather wise...and said he thought it was clearing but was waiting for the up to the minute weather forcast.
Well....the Gods on Mount Olympus must have been watching....because what was destined to be a bit of another wash out turned into a fine and at times bright sort of day!!!
So apart from the gate, the top for the old coal bunker and the retaining blocks for a bed to control the roots of a bamboo I'm planting (because the wall and cement needs to go off properly for a couple of days before he starts drilling etc.) most all the rest is done :)
The wall is complete...(the boards and loose bricks on top are to protect from the downpour that was forcast....and happened....on Friday.

...those eagle eyed amongst you might have noticed that the "wild wood" stone wall had gaps in the stones.......no need to worry it was on Gary's to do list.....he's good at the to do list no prompting either (unlike experiences with other work men in the past...I'm sure you know where I'm coming from!!! HOL)...so the pointing was done on the stones...and the last two slabs put down as stepping stones (even though they do not have good edges ...why waste them? You won't see them much when everything grows)....it's to be able to get round to the back of the larger bed easily in the future...(needs a little more gravel to finish but time ran out!)

...my washing whirly-gig re sited...

...the brick work and cementing done to make good the tatty old coal bunker thingy (and the rubbish piled up inside taken away :) )....I'll paint it to match the house next summer...

...

It's really up to me now to get those plants in and in the right place....although I rather like the minimalist look it has at the mo...LOL!

...I hope I don't go and ruin it!! ;)
Thanks for joining me on my Garden Watch....I'll get back to you just as soon as there is some planting to show ;)
xoxo Sioux

Garden Watch - Day 11

2011-11-04T10:43:00.002Z

Day 11 (Wednesday)

Again it was a grey day in a weathered wood sort of way!!! LOL

It did rain a bit though!

The gravel path was finished and a lovely new brick step made to take care of the different levels...

...with a little brick edging to the drain to stop the gravel clogging it up...can you tell I love everything about this make over yet?!!! HOL ;)

...the drive/pathway at the front was also topped up...although not quite finished due to the rain!

...well it would have been silly not to have that little job done whilst the man who can was here ;)

The pointing to the slabs was finished and the lower patio has had smaller gravel used as infill to really tie the different slabs together ;)

...the last lot of steps finished off...

...the enclosing wall that will make the back garden secure was started ;)

There are a couple of things still to do...but we are almost there!

If you ever want any landscape gardening doing and you live in the South Devon area then I can thoroughly recommend Gary who can be contacted on 07973 839363 afraid he does not have a web site he's too busy doing great jobs like these to set one up!!!

Thanks for looking and if you were wondering where my Artistic Stamper post for today is click here.
xoxo Sioux

Art tag for The Artistic Stamper

2011-11-04T00:01:00.003Z

I'm sharing a tag today over on the The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog

Curious? Then just hop on over to The Creative Team Blog for all the details.

Garden Watch - Day 10

2011-11-03T00:01:00.004Z

Day 10 (Tuesday)
Prepare to be amazed!!!!
(I got all emotional!!!)

It was a full day with no interruptions for weather...Hurrah!!

It was getting a little tight on the slab front i.e. there were not really enough left!!!
....It could have been a disaaaaaaaaster dahling ! LOL

So Gary (the man that can) suggested taking up the four in front of the small shed...

...and filling that area with gravel.........he's a star!

I am really, really pleased with the layout of the lowest patio...

...I had been a little worried that it would not look quite right as the square slabs, a donation from my dear neighbours that were surplus to their requirements, were not quite the same size or depth but Gary to the rescue again....he certainly knows what he is doing ;)

The retaining bricks around the veggie patch were completed, membrane put down and the gravel path made with the bird table re-sited too...

...top soil added to the beds and the arch in place...
...(I've got a pink rose "Times Past" and a lovely purple clematis "Romantica" on order)...
...I have plans for this garden to be full of symbolism...
...that only I (and of course you!) will be aware of ;)

Fingers crossed that Wednesday sees the rain holding off till after 5 as there is still the enclosing wall to be built, finishing the gravel path, a back gate to fit, pointing to be done and a lid to be made for the old coal bunker that we both agreed could cause more problems than it was worth if it was broken up!!!

I'm crossing my fingers for Saturday and Sunday to do the planting...but...I'm not prepared to get a soaking even if the plants might like it!!!

Thanks for looking
xoxo Sioux

Garden Watch - Day 9

2011-11-02T00:01:00.006Z

Monday was a very so so sort of day weather wise.......it started very grey and gloomy with a bit of mizzle/drizzle but the man who can turned up anyway bright and early as usual ;)
Unfortunately that flippin' weather keeps getting in the way and it rained hard from about 10 to 12.30!!
Got back at lunch and the rocks for retaining the wild bit had been sorted...

..some levelling of the ground where the gravel is to go...

...there just seems to be lots of different levels! LOL...

...and then I had to project manage...oooh get me!!! LOL...
and decide on the layout for the lower patio to make best use of the remaining slabs and to catch the last rays of the sun in the evening :)
When I got back just after 5 it looked like this...

Ha..Ha...my little joke there, it was not quite pitch black but I could not take photo's it was that dark!!!! So I had to take my piccies on Tuesday morning bright and early and I just did not have time to post them yesterday :(
So when I got home it really looked like this. :)

Tuesday was fine and dry all day so I'll try and post those tomorrow (prepared to be amazed!).....but heaven help us on the following 3 days as the weather is closing in although it's possible it might not rain till 6 at night on Wednesday!!!
xoxo Sioux

Bunch of Windmills for The Artistic Stamper

2011-11-01T00:01:00.004Z

"Backgrounds"

That's the November challenge over at The Artistic Stamper Creative Team ;)

I went to town and got out ~~all~~ nearly all! my Artistic Stamper backgrounds to make some windmills :)

I cut square pieces of card ranging in size from 3 inch by 3 inch to 5 by 5.
The added challenge given to the design team was to use Distress Stains in our work too.
I do believe they are on special offer here ;)
I used dried marigold and broken china to colour the back and front of the squares and then just stamped backgrounds with gay abandon LOL in a variety of inks over the top.....some Archivals...sepia, jet black, aquamarine, coffe and chrome yellow and some Distress Inks weathered wood, peeled paint, spiced marmalade, walnut stain and rusty hinge.

A couple of close ups of the backgrounds used.....the windmills are held together with a variety of brads including the screw top brads now back in stock over at the Artistic Stamper.

You really must take a look at the "Background" creations the rest of the team have made and here are the DT member links for you.

Alison, Hels, Jennie, Kat, Minxy Tina and Emma

Minxy is recovering from an operation at the moment so please send her some hugs and well wishes :)

So don't forget.............the monthly challenge is "Backgrounds"

The rules are simple... all you need to do is make a piece of art, be it a card, ATC, wall art, altered art, scrapling, a windmill perhaps LOL ;)... just remember that it must include some rubber stamping and the theme... and... if you use Artistic Stamper stamps on your entry you will be entered into the draw twice! The prize is £15 worth of stamps from the Artistic Stamper shop... along with the KlingOn to mount them onto.

I hope you get chance to play at the challenge... it is open until November 30th and the winner will be chosen by Random.org shortly after :)

Thanks for looking and happy stamping

xoxo Sioux

Diet Watch Monday

2011-10-31T10:43:00.001Z

Another week and what do you know I'm still 74 kilo!!!
No loss...nada....ZILCH!!!!

I only had one slight lapse when I met for coffee with Nicola....but we were only half bad as we shared one portion of cake!!! HOL

But I'm not giving up just yet.....I shall persevere another week.....what I don't understand is that I weighed myself on Friday morning (just for interest sake!) and the marker was hovering just above 73 kilo not quite slap bang in the middle of the marker but not far off!
Now one half portion of cake on Saturday cannot possibly result in me gaining nearly 2 pounds in 3 days!!!!!

Sioux xoxo

Garden Watch - Day 8

2011-10-29T00:01:00.002+01:00

Thank goodness!..........Day 8 dawned bright and fine :)

The coping stones arrived today and were installed...do you like?

I certainly do....just that bit of rustic charm with the dark splotches here and there ;)

Building the steps to access the top patio from what will be the back gate into the garden.

Steps from the middle terrace to the lower one...

...and the time consuming task of pointing all those slabs!!!

Love my new step from the back door....it does away with what was an awkward drop that was difficult to negotiate when you are a person that is vertically challenged!!!! LOL

If the weather holds the next Garden Watch will be Tuesday :)

I'm due to meet Nicola aka Sunshine Girl today.....she is in Torquay on holiday so she is coming over and we plan to have coffee and cake.....or maybe just coffee....depends on how steady both our willpowers are!!! HOL

If you are ever in Torbay or surrounds let me know like Nicola did...
...I'm always up for coffee and cake! ;)

xoxo Sioux

Garden Watch - Day 7

2011-10-27T00:01:00.003+01:00

Day 7 was a fine day although it looked like rain quite a lot of the time!!!

Today the top patio had the slabs laid...well most of them...the wheelbarrow upturned is for a reason....it's to shelter the newly built access steps from the downpour that is forecast for the whole of Thursday!!!! So I doubt there will be a garden watch here on Friday...

...the lower patio had all the slabs laid :)...I love that they are my old rescued slabs (It was hard work for Phil at the time but he managed it ;))....and I love that they have a great patina already :)

...I also had delivery of two more plants in the post today...

...a bamboo Fargesia murieliae (supposed to be not as invasive....I'll let you know!!! LOL) and the autumnal coloured one is Nandina domestica....otherwise known as Heavenly Bamboo....I love that name and I used to have one in a previous garden and I missed it so ;)

I can recommend Gardening Express if you are after postal plants...very quick and good quality.

xoxo Sioux

Garden Watch - Day 6

2011-10-26T00:01:00.002+01:00

There was no garden watch yesterday as Monday was a total washout here! :(

But hurrah! The man who can is back and managed to get a couple more courses done on the higher patio and the cement down ready for laying the slabs....

...built the retaining wall for the new wider path to the greenhouse...

...and wow! I have the start of steps down from the greenhouse :)...

...all that and there was an almighty rain storm in the middle of the day!!!

Just to lighten the never ending brick work ;)

....here are the plants I bought on Sunday at Trago Mills...

these will eventually grow into much larger shrubs.....I'll just have to be patient...

...these two are a bit larger...

...and these are two large oleander that I decided to invest in to help give a bit of structure now.

xoxo Sioux

Diet Watch Monday!

2011-10-24T09:50:00.002+01:00

Not as interesting as Autumn Watch I'll grant you!!! LOL

This marks the end of my third week on this £#%%*$ diet!

So last week I was 75 kilo and this week I am 74 kilo.

That's another kilo less or 2.2 lb in old money LOL

I am sort of happy 'cos it's what was indicated the weight loss would be and I was only loosing that in a whole month before I hit that plateau after my trip to France...

...but I can't help but have a little wish for it to come off a bit quicker...

....and then my target weight can be reached...

...and then I can have jacket potatoes again!!! Yeh ;)

xoxo Sioux

Food Festival

2011-10-23T23:02:00.000+01:00

Today there is no garden watch!

It's Sunday and the man who can does not work.......he deserves the days off 'cos whilst he is here he certainly grafts.....I can recommend him if you are looking for a landscaper in the Torbay area :)

So today I'm sharing my day at the Dartmouth Food Festival.

Across the river to Dartmouth....such great weather.

Coming into the landing stage for the passenger ferry.

First stop for coffee at our favourite coffee stop.
Great food stalls but some sections were given too little room and the paying public could not get close to sample, enjoy and purchase :(

Now.........you can't go to a food festival and not be festive can you?

So here are some of the delights on offer :))))

Cookery demo.

You can see that it was a given that the diet was ditched for the day!!!

I broke it and just had to have potato wedges with chilli dip for lunch....OMG it was divine! :)

Lets not mention all the glasses of wine we had shall we?!!! HOL

xoxo Sioux

Garden Watch - Day 5

2011-10-22T09:00:00.002+01:00

The end of day 5 saw the garden looking like this.

The upper patio containing wall is now just to the level the paving will sit....

As it's Saturday and the man who can is not here today (I'm blogging a day behind anyway)...
..the next instalment should be on Tuesday.....that is as long as the weather keeps being kind :)

Unfortuantely Monday looks like it could be a bit of a stinker here!!!

xoxo Sioux

Garden Watch - Day 4

2011-10-21T09:17:00.002+01:00

Hi folks!

Reporting on Day 4....I know it's not as exciting as Autumn Watch on the BBC....but it's very exciting to me ;)

Day 4 saw delivery of even more bricks, sand and cement...

yet more digging out...this time to prepare to build a small wall from reclaimed rocks to contain the wild end of the garden a little bit ;)...

and the start of the brick laying :)

I can appreciate how people must feel who are able to have their own house built.

...don't you just love Kevin McCloud and Grand Designs?

My project is very small in the great scheme of things...

....but oooh! The thrill of seeing those walls begin to take shape!

xoxo Sioux

P.S. Please see my other post today for the link to my piece on The Artistic Stamper.

Follow for The Artistic Stamper

2011-10-21T00:01:00.003+01:00

I'm sharing a card today over on the The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog

Curious? Then just hop on over to The Creative Team Blog for all the details.

Garden Watch - Day 3

2011-10-20T09:00:00.005+01:00

Today more pick-axing required to finish the trickier sections of the footings!

All of the concrete poured for the footings...

and the bricks that will be used.....:)

I'm after a rustic look to tie in with the already weather worn appearance of the reclaimed paving slabs......I think it will work!

xoxo Sioux

P.S. Come back tomorrow and there will be some craft work for The Artistic Stamper ;)

Garden Watch - Day Two!

2011-10-19T08:45:00.002+01:00

Some really heavy work involved today for the man who can!

Breaking up the existing falling down walls and reclaiming the patio slabs.

Digging the footings for new walls.

There is a nip in the air this morning....no frost....we rarely get anything really bad...I know I'm lucky!!! Leaves are still on the trees. Even on a small island like ours the variation in climate can be amazing can't it?

The gas boiler man is here for the annual check but I am still going to refuse to put my heating on till the beginning of November ;)

xoxo Sioux

The Meadow is Gone!

2011-10-18T10:00:00.001+01:00

Pip used to mock-laughingly call the back lawn a meadow!

The man who can, started on my back garden and the falling down walls today and the meadow is already gone!

xoxo Sioux

Diet Watch!

2011-10-17T14:30:00.018+01:00

It's Monday and I've been on the diet for 2 weeks now.

Last week I lost 1.5 kilo and was 76 kilo.

This week?

I've lost another kilo so now I'm 75 kilo :)

Oh well....that means I've got to soldier on some more as it's still working!!! LOL

I have even managed to stick to the 30 mins walk every day so far...although some days it's been 15 mins and others it's more like 45 mins so it evens out really!!!

I am getting very bored with the protein, I find myself eating more yoghurt than normal (plain vanilla or 0% Greek as you are not allowed fruit not even a fruity yoghurt!) but I like yogurt so that's O.K......anyway, I made a beef bourguignon on Saturday, and I know it's not really allowed, but making a beef bourguignon without using red wine for stock is just not the done thing.
...so I did LOL!!! (I did not have a glass with it though and I did not thicken the gravy!!)

It was scrummy but I did miss not having a jacket potato with it to soak up the lovely juices...I'm not going to be able to eat potato, pasta, rice, bread, or fruit till 14th December........sigh!

I can eat this though ;)

I've eaten more eggs these past two weeks than I usually get through in 6 months!!
One of the things I'm using them for is to make a baked egg custard.....it's allowed! That is as long as you use fully skimmed milk (not quite so yummy) and don't use sugar......I made one without sugar at first, but it was vile, so I bought some Splenda powder. Plenty of nutmeg grated on makes is passable but oooh! I'd much rather have a crème caramel/crème brûlée made with proper whole milk, a touch of cream and that little sweet kick on the bottom/top LOL ;)

xoxo Sioux

Gothic Fly with Me

2011-10-13T11:29:00.000+01:00

I've made a gothic arch tag for Hels Sunday Stamper this week.

It' a colour theme to use blue and orange.

Here is mine.

Bit of masking to achieve the effect background stamped with a script from The Artistic Stamper and background coloured with DI's rusty hinge, spiced marmalade, vintage photo.

Arch from AS again stamped in Adirondack eggplant and watercoloured a little.....because it's not Distress the inks separate out a bit but it's good 'cos it's got a blue tinge to it ;)

T!m raven/crow sits on the T!m hand coloured a spooky shade of green!

Which is a bit the way I was feeling yesterday at work.....me not likey having the flu jab on Tuesday for the first time ever....felt like I was on the verge of sickening for a cold!!!
Today I feel heaps better....thank goodness.

Hey, suppose it's better than getting the flu! LOL

Thanks for looking and happy stamping.

xoxo Sioux

Pickled Onion Overdose!

2011-10-12T10:30:00.001+01:00

Is it possible to overdose on pickled onions?

If it is then I am definitely in the running! LOL

One of the things allowed on the Dukan diet even when you are on your protein only days is onions.....strange but true.....added to which you can have the usual salt, pepper, mustard and seasonings including vinegar........well it's fine by me.....I like pickled onions but I don't usually eat a jar and half every week.....a jar usually lasts me a good month, often much longer!!!

How come I have been happily eating my yogurt and raspberries every morning.....perhaps a sandwich for lunch......a jacket potato and chili or red pepper pasta for evening meal (all without anything high calories like butter I might add) and not thinking once about eating between meals?

Now I can't seem to think of anything else but what I can eat next that is not protein!!! HOL

Hence the overdosing on pickled onions!

I'm taking a multi vitamin to be on the safe side whilst I'm on this diet.....it does not sit very comfortably with me but needs must :(
As long as I keep loosing weight.....and I know it's early days but it is working.....I'll persevere but as soon as it stops working and my weight stays static.....I'm back to eating the stuff I enjoy that kept me at a static weight for the past 8 weeks!!!! LOL

xoxo Sioux

Shine On...

2011-10-11T18:07:00.002+01:00

Seems appropriate to post my tag for the "Whole of the Moon" theme at Dragons Dream today.....seeing as it's the full moon tonight!! LOL

Only just in time but here it is :)

T!m trees in Distress inks....mask for the moon and weathered wood, scattered straw and wild honey for the sky.....and hints of the same for the moon surface too. T!m birds and Hero Arts sentiment in black soot.

Thanks for looking and happy stamping.

xoxo Sioux

Top of the World for The Artistic Stamper

2011-10-11T00:01:00.001+01:00

I'm sharing a journal page today over on the The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog

Curious? Then just hop on over to The Creative Team Blog for all the details.

T!mtastic Hallowe'en

2011-10-10T21:30:00.004+01:00

Yeh! It's back.......Grungy Monday that is :))))))
Here is my piece for Grungy Monday No 22 hosted by Linda at Studio L3.

This week the challenge is A Holtz-ian Hallowe'en.
I'm so glad I can join in this week......I love a bit of the dark side!! ;)
Whooooa (said with a spooky accent LOL)
I believe T!m's skelibob helped me win The Stamper of the Year title back in December 2009 ;) so I revisited the theme using the dancer again....only this time I did not have to draw it from scratch as it's now a stamp!!!! How cool ;)

At the time I could not get the skeleton for love nor money anywhere in the UK so I had to order it from Simon Says who came up trumps......I was very panicky in case it did not arrive in time for me to finish the piece (it had taken me a couple of years to pluck up the courage to enter!).....but luckily it did and the rest is history as they say!
Little did I know that 5 months later my DH would pass away.
....my tag says "Is this my beginning or is this the end?".....these are issues I'm still working on!

Thanks for the inspiration T!m........I could not have done it without you ;)

And thanks to Linda for hosting this great way to start the week ;)

Thanks for looking and happy stamping!

xoxo Sioux

P.S. The link to my stamp sets are in the side bar if you are interested.
I'm sharing a piece for The Artistic Stamper tomorrow...so do come back and take a look :)

I'd kill for a Raspberry!

2011-10-08T17:58:00.000+01:00

Mmmm! Strange title you might think......but if you had been on the Dukan diet since Monday 3rd October you may very well feel the same!!!! Actually technically speaking I did not start it until Tuesday as I had some stuff that needed eating in the fridge and that something was tuna with cannelloni beans (the beans are a no no! Why? I love em!) LOL

That's not quite a week yet but I had a burning desire for some raspberries on Wednesday!

To put it into context....I eat raspberries every morning with my Greek yogurt (give or take the odd day when I run out or they have taken on a bit of a bloom that could induce botulism if eaten HOL ;) ) and you are not allowed to have fruit until you reach your "Consolidation" stage...and for me that is not going to be till 14th December in theory.....but quite frankly I can't see me keeping this up for that long!

To make it even harder the first 3 days when I was on the "Attack" phase is all about protein and I'm not a great protein eater at the best of times :(

Thank goodness you are allowed low fat yogurt I say!

Anyway I thought I'd share this with you fabulous people and then perhaps I can not back down till it actually starts working!!! HOL

I have to tell you I stuck to it to the letter on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday and come Friday I was allowed to start adding vegetables....way hey!!! I can't begin to describe how I looked forward to the home made veg soup I had prepared for my lunch that day :)))))

SCRUMMY!

Unfortunately it was a night out with the girls on Friday too but I had steak and salad so that was fine......the 5 (or was it 6!) gin and slimline tonics?

Well you've guessed....they are not allowed on the Dukan diet!!!

Hey life is short.....I don't go out that often......

but I weighed myself this morning..............I only usually do it once a week as it has become a bit depressing since the trip to Paris as I have not lost a single pound! True, I have not gained a single pound either but that's not the point. I need to loose some more weight or when I'm called back to the docs for a check up with the type 2 diabetes thing they are going to think I'm not trying!!

.....yes I weighed myself on Monday and I was 77.5 kilo still.....this morning I was 76 kilo :) so something has kick started the weight loss again....even with the G and T's.......phew!!

I'm off to watch Strictly.......no Cava for me tonight....just soda water, more ruddy protein and some yogurt to make me feel better :)

xoxo Sioux

Life Thoughts for The Artistic Stamper

2011-10-04T00:01:00.041+01:00

I'm sharing a card today over on the The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog

Curious? Then just hop on over to The Creative Team Blog for all the details.

AKA Mr Mojo!

2011-10-02T23:15:00.001+01:00

Hiya all!

It's been a glorious weekend here weather wise....hope you have had some of the same :)

It really is the start of the countdown to Christmas with Strictly back on our screens and I had a little wager and am quite pleased that I managed to get 25/1 on Russel Grant before the odds went down to 20/1! Now I'm not a fan of RG but I feel he is so enthusiastic about being there and learning to dance it just might see him through ;) Who knows? But at least it will add a little spice to watching the show! LOL

I could not go to bed tonight without finishing this page in my A5 journal to enter into this weeks Sunday Stamper from Hels.

The theme Hels chose is Mr Mojo...or lack of!! What a fickle partner he is!!! LOL

Thanks for looking and happy stamping.....hopefully with Mr Mojo in tow. :)
EDIT...EDIT...EDIT...
It seems I had not quite finished after all!!!
Had to add to it this morning with another Elvis song that woke me up in the middle of the night!!! ?
Heaven help me LOL

xoxo Sioux

Imagine Journal for The Artistic Stamper

2011-10-01T00:01:00.005+01:00

It was nice to see all the numbered creations for last months challenge, all were different, but all so arty :)

How do you feel about this one then?

"Autumn Colours"

Yes it's a colour challenge for October over at The Artistic Stamper Creative Team ;)
and additionally the design team have been requested to use some of the fabulous stamps newly released by Jennie.
And what do you know? These beauties have 25% off this month :)
I am very fond of the Autumn season especially when the sun shines and makes the changing colours come alive.

I made a little (4x4) journal to keep my 4x4's in! LOL
First I cut two square pieces of thick grey board (chipboard) 4⅜ by 4⅜ inches and then two square pieces of sticky back canvas approx. half inch bigger all round.

I coloured the canvas by squirting some home made Distress spritz that I made by using a mini-mister with one full dropper of Distress re-inker and filling with water in barn door, dried marigold, dusty concord and peeled paint.......then I gave it a good old squirt of Perfect Pearls mists heirloom gold....when it was dry I fixed it to the covers.
Because I "needed" ;) to experiment with my new Distress Stain picket fence I gave the back cover a coating of this to see what difference it would make.
I took the new large dotty open background stamp and without attaching it to an acrylic block it was inked up with Archival sepia and stamped on the covers. A couple of stampings with the large ink splat from the A4 sized swirls,splats and dots plate in Archival black made me happy too.

The "Imagine" title was stamped in Archival black onto Ranger gloss paper that had been coloured with Alcohol Inks in purple twilight, terra cotta, pesto and copper mixative......with enamel accents added for the shiny black dots.....to give it a bit of dimension I glued it to some grey board, cut out and edged with gold marker......lastly layered onto a piece of white card edged with black marker.
NOTE TO SELF.....because it's a shiny surface the dots seem to have spread a bit and are not as pert as they usually are on normal paper! LOL

I then made some end papers to finish off the insides and swooshed my paper through a mix of the same Distress ink sprays that had been spritzed with the Perfect Pearls spray to dilute on the craft mat.
When it was dry I stamped the new mini polka dot background in Archival coffee and edged all round with some tissue tape before attaching it to the inside of the covers.

The inside pages are cut 4 x 4⅜ to take into account the bit at the edge you loose where the book is bound.
As this is a work in progress I have chosen to keep it simple with two rings that I can easily keep adding pages too ;)
Two metal corners were added on the front and...............I tried and tried to get a good pic of the scrummy shimmeriness on the cover and was about to give up when the sun began to shine just right ;)....hope you can see it too!

You really must take a look at the "Autumn Colours" creations the rest of the team have made and here are the DT member links for you.

Alison, Hels, Jennie, Kat, Minxy Tina and our brand new teamie
Emma at That's Life
Big wave to Emma ;)

So don't forget.............the monthly challenge is "Autumn Colours"

The rules are simple... all you need to do is make a piece of art, be it a card, ATC, wall art, altered art, mini journal book ;)... just remember that it must include some rubber stamping and the theme... and... if you use Artistic Stamper stamps on your entry you will be entered into the draw twice! The prize is £15 worth of stamps from the Artistic Stamper shop... along with the KlingOn to mount them onto.

I hope you get chance to play at the challenge... it is open until October 31st and the winner will be chosen by Random.org shortly after :)

Thanks for looking and happy stamping

xoxo Sioux

Amazing!

2011-09-30T00:01:00.001+01:00

The other week I went to an art exhibition held at Torre Abbey in Torquay.

"Death and the Maiden" showing works by the late Robert Lenkiewicz......to say he was eccentric is probably putting it mildly! There is a real embalmed body on display...that of Diogenes....a tramp that was one of the painters muses.

Now I find some of his paintings hauntingly beautiful but none of the ones I like were on display and quite frankly the body was not art to me....but.....but.....

The entrance ticket included looking around the rest of the permanent art, ruins and gardens which was great as I had never visited before......how sad when it's on my doorstep!

The most amazing thing was that I saw a painting by a pre Raphalite who I greatly admire

William Holman Hunt

Yes I could not believe it! The real deal right in front of me....it made my day! :)

See you Saturday for an Artistic Stamper piece for the October monthly challenge.

xoxo Sioux

High Life tag

2011-09-26T14:30:00.001+01:00

A little tag for Dragons Dream Tag it on with the theme of mother and using embroidery this week.

T!m sewing pattern lady coloured with (very watery) neo colour....wording done on the computer and sewn on with red thread.

Thanks for looking and happy stamping.

xoxo Sioux

LIM Sketch

2011-09-25T13:42:00.001+01:00

Had to play with a bit of my stash from yesterday and join in again with Less is More who have a sketch challenge this week.

Inkylicious Julianna stamped in versafine....lips coloured with Distress worn lipstick and Victorian velvet.

Hero Arts sentiment stamped with Cat's Eye chianti.

Thanks for looking
Must dash need to plant my garlic....bought yesterday at the garden centre.

xoxo Sioux

On with the show this is it!

2011-09-24T23:34:00.004+01:00

I've been to the Exeter Westpoint Creative Stiches and Hobbycraft show today with my talented friend Sue (yes yet another Sue! LOL)

We had a fab time wending our way around exhibitors stalls......and a nice variety of things to see for a change....not too much of one thing....although there were to be fair quite a number of knitting and wool stalls to choose from! LOL

Sue's passion for all things material and yarn was catered for and mine for inkyness was too.

Now.......would you like to see my show stash?

Well of course you would.....who does not like a nosey? HOL ;)

Spent far more than I had intended (don't we always!) but hey........you can't take it with you and my fixed rate mortgage comes to an end real soon and the fab news is I'm going to be that little bit better off each month! Things are looking up ;)

My most prized buy was the Scor-it-all........I saw it and went OOOooooh! really loud as I have been ~~wanting~~ coveting this quality scoring tool since forever.....and this was a bargain believe me. Kraft resist paper from T!m...it's lush.

A foam stamp that spoke to me......something along the lines of buy me, buy me!!! ROFL

Blank card top up for the Xmas card marathon that will have to start soon. Some masks which were another show bargain, ink refills and pad and my first ever Distress stain.
The new 7 Gypsies rulers....now they are fabby!
And last but not least a couple of sets of stamps from Inkylicious....who kept my friend enthralled with a stamping demo whilst I did some retail therapy on the stall! LOL

Finished the day on the way home with coffee and cake at the garden centre just down the road.

I hope to get some play time tomorrow.

TTFN

xoxo Sioux

Art card for Less is More

2011-09-22T18:45:00.000+01:00

I confess the concept of less is more does not come easy to me! LOL

I made this for the challenge over at Less is More where it's anything goes this week (and they are trying to get to 1000 entries wow!)

Used T!m wings - Artistic Stamper Art and crown - Papertrey sentiment

Inks - Distress old paper, pumice stone and wild honey....Archival black

Thanks for looking and happy stamping!

xoxo Sioux

Keep Calm! for The Artistic Stamper

2011-09-21T00:01:00.002+01:00

I'm sharing a tag card today over on the The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog

Curious? Then just hop on over to The Creative Team Blog for all the details.

Fashion Icon

2011-09-16T18:11:00.000+01:00

A tag for the challenge at Dragons Dream Tag it On this week with the theme

Dedicated Follower of Fashion

I find it fascinating that......after I had finished the tag and just wanted to add some words from the song in my own writing down the side......I googled the lyrics and spookily I had included elements of them in the design!!! I swear to God that I only knew the words to the repeating chorus and could not sing the rest of it if my life depended on it! LOL

(there are an awful lot of verses by the way).....I wrote

"One week he's in Polka-Dots, The next he is in Stripes!

'Cos he's a dedicated follower of fashion."

The fab graph paper background is one of the new ones at The Artistic Stamper in archival chrome yellow...birds and umbrella man from the small acrylics in the QVC TSV...I stamped the umbrella from my other larger acrylic man, cut out and added some polka dots....base tag coloured with DI faded jeans, old paper and brushed corduroy.

Ribbon was white and coloured with fired brick.

Thanks for looking and happy stamping :)

xoxo Sioux

Third Time Lucky?

2011-09-13T18:36:00.001+01:00

HURRAH! Helen has contacted me :)))
So this time the giveaway is
REALLY CLOSED!!! LOL
Hi folks!

Just drawn the random number for the prize package for the THIRD !!!!! time because Saturday came and went and I was not contacted by the previous person drawn :(

And the number this time was 51 ;)

and that means Helen from Stamping by H is the winner.

If you can e-mail me your snail mail (it's in my profile)

I will post the goodies out just as soon as I can ;)

If I don't hear from you by Friday 16th I will have to redraw for the prize so please contact me A.S.A.P. Helen :) Thanks to all that entered and left me a comment about their favourite places.

Thanks for being there.

Happy stamping

xoxo Sioux

Bird Art for The Artistic Stamper

2011-09-11T00:01:00.004+01:00

I'm sharing a piece today over on the The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog

Curious? Then just hop on over to The Creative Team Blog for all the details.

Try Again....Second Draw for Blog Candy!

2011-09-08T10:10:00.000+01:00

Hi folks!

Just drawn the random number for the prize package for the second time because Wednesday came and went and I was not contacted by the previous person drawn :(

And the number was 16 this time ;)

and that means Rachael of Paper Crafts by Rach blog is the winner.

If you can e-mail me your snail mail (it's in my profile)

I will post the goodies out just as soon as I can ;)

If I don't hear from you by Saturday 10th I will have to redraw for the prize so please contact me A.S.A.P. Rach! :) Thanks to all that entered and left me a comment about their favourite places.

Thanks for being there.

Happy stamping

xoxo Sioux

Blog Candy Winner

2011-09-04T17:17:00.000+01:00

Hi folks!

Just drawn the random number for the prize package. :)

And the number was 46

and that means Lynne K of Creative Lynks blog is the winner.

If you can e-mail me your snail mail (it's in my profile)

I will post the goodies out just as soon as I can ;)

If I don't hear from you by Wednesday 7th I will have to redraw for the prize so please contact me A.S.A.P. Thanks to all that entered and left me a comment about their favourite places.

Thanks for being there.

Happy stamping

xoxo Sioux

Aslan Awaits for The Artistic Stamper

2011-09-04T00:01:00.131+01:00

I'm sharing a journal page today over on the The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog

Curious? Then just hop on over to The Creative Team Blog for all the details.

Lucky Numbers!

2011-09-01T00:01:00.005+01:00

Another month another challenge at The Artistic Stamper :)
This time I got to choose the theme.....yay! So I chose

"Lucky Numbers"

Why not join us for the September challenge over at The Artistic Stamper Creative Team ;)

This month the team are additionally being asked to use T!ms tissue tape in our work...and you've guessed it! It's on special offer this month too......I love special offers don't you? ;)

So I decided to cover a chipboard frame that I would never have used in a month of Sunday's as it was a funny green colour!!!
What possessed me to buy the stuff in the first place is beyond me!! HOL

Anyway now it fits perfectly into my collage type layout on the card :)

I stamped the golfing man from the Men's Plate in Archival black and coloured him with Distress vintage photo, aged mahogany and antique linen before attaching him to the back of the frame.
The small bingo card is stamped in Archival sepia and aged a bit with Distress vintage photo on the tattered edges.

The fandabby dossie large Happy stamp from the new Journalling Words set was Archival again and the numbers were added in Distress aged mahogany as was the vintage stamp from Airmail bird collage elements.

Just to finish it off I drew the corner lines with a Sharpie pen and circled the number 50 on the bingo card too for good luck ;)
Oh!......and I aged the card base itself with a touch of antique linen.

Head over and take a look at the "Lucky Number" creations the rest of the team have made and here are the DT member links for you.

Alison, Hels, Jennie, Kat, Minxy and Tina

So don't forget.............the monthly challenge is "Lucky Numbers" and you just might be the lucky one this month if you follow these few simple rules.....all you need to do is make a piece of art, be it a card, ATC, wall art, altered art, scrapling ;)... just remember that it must include some rubber stamping and the theme of NUMBERS... and... if you use Artistic Stamper stamps on your entry you will be entered into the draw twice! The prize is £15 worth of stamps from the Artistic Stamper shop... along with the KlingOn to mount them onto.

I hope you get chance to play at the challenge... it is open until September 30th and the winner will be chosen by Random.org shortly after :)

Thanks for looking and happy stamping

xoxo Sioux

P.S. I've got on-going blog candy here....be quick entries close 17:00 GMT this Sunday 4th September.

With special thanks!

2011-08-29T00:01:00.039+01:00

EDIT - GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED.

Well I never! On the 29th of August 2008 I made my first post here.

It's only 3 short years but in some ways it seems like a lifetime ago!

I never imagined I would also get through 515 posts when I first started blogging.
Yes I know I missed the big 500!!! Hey it's not the end of the world!!! LOL

It has been a roller coaster of experiences for me in that time but the one constant has been the wonderful crafty friends I have made in the process...some of whom I've met in real life too :)

I really....no really....can't thank you all enough for being there and leaving those comments that we all adore ;)

You will never know how much it helped me in my hour of need ;)

Soooooo.......what happens now?

A bit of blog candy?

Well I'd hate to disappoint! HOL

Want to win a few goodies?

Included is a set of my premier stamp design "Dance"

Some Kling-On to mount them on

both available from The Artistic Stamper if you're not a lucky winner ;)

A Distress Ink pad Vintage Photo

A set of T!m embossing folders...Collage and Notebook

Some assorted fibres, ribbon and jute mesh (the last one all the way from Austria)

Assorted shrink plastic (my new favourite thing at the minute! ;))
A roll of tissue tape

Perhaps you can leave me a little comment, a nice one please LOL, how about you tell me your favourite travel destination and why?

I love travel, always dreaming of seeing new places, so I would love to hear the dream places you have been then one day I might be able to visit if I win the lottery and I won't have to worry that I've made a bad choice of destination! ;)

Here are my dreamy destinations all of which would not disappoint :)

Greek Islands....this is Skiathos

Hidden Spain......this is Alfabia gardens Mallorca

Austrian lakes and mountains.....this is Hallstatt.

All the comments (one per person only please) on this post will get one entry to win and anyone who is already a follower (that's up to number 141 as of today) will get an extra entry......just so those that have been here ages, and (I'm assuming) like what I do, get the best chance ;)

Any new followers...please don't be upset...you could always become a follower and next time you will have two chances too :)

Number 1 to 141 will be the numbers of followers and any comments get added to this i.e. comment number 1 here will be number 142 when I enter the numbers in Mr Random etc...etc.

I'll draw the winning number next Sunday 4th September 2011 (GMT 17:00) so you have just under a week to leave me your favourite places.

Here's to the next 500 posts........heaven only knows what the next 3 years will bring!!!

Thanks again and good luck ;)
BTW I'll post internationally too :)

And.....I hope you don't mind but I need to cut the packaging on the folders in two as I don't have a suitable size box to send it in!!!

xoxoxoxooxoxo Sioux

Carved stamp

2011-08-28T00:01:00.003+01:00

Remember the green stuff from the other day?

I have managed to carve my very first stamp!

It is really easy to do the carving....it cuts like butter ;)

I don't think there is much chance of slicing my fingers off!!!

Whoops.........could be famous last words! HOL

Not bad for a first attempt I think.

Thanks for looking.........happy carving!! :)

xoxo Sioux

P.S. Come back tomorrow and there just might be a little surprise ;)

He's Back!

2011-08-27T20:03:00.000+01:00

Oh oh oh!

He's Back!

Yes

YES!

I'm happy :)

Green Stuff

2011-08-23T11:00:00.002+01:00

Hey! Look what I found!

Yes......A4 sheets of green plastic/rubbery type stuff! LOL

Don't tell me you are not impressed?!

It's actually something called Eazi Karve. You carve it with lino cutting tools to make your own stamps.....cool or what?

I've never heard of it before but then I do live in the back of beyond where craft related stuff is involved ;(
The last time I had a go at lino cutting was at secondary school in the first year and I had to ask the teacher to draw something for me to carve......I remember it was a lion and I also remember I found it $*%%#! hard work to do the carving!!!
I've never been known for having much strength LOL

I thought it would be useful for the journaling 'cos quite frankly I do not have hours of spare time to draw things all the time for borders and such. I can't help but think that, for me, I need to make my pages really be mine somehow or other! LOL

I'll let you know how I get on.

Oh BTW I found them here if you are interested.

xoxo Sioux

Tear in the landscape for The Artistic Stamper

2011-08-21T00:01:00.091+01:00

I'm sharing a card today over on the The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog

Curious? Then just hop on over to The Creative Team Blog for all the details.

DIY Day!

2011-08-20T18:54:00.000+01:00

It's been a DIY day here.

Just small things really but so time consuming!

I could not sleep and so got up at 6 a.m. and started the first thing which was to silicone the gap under the back door and around the skirting board.......it's been driving me nuts for ages!!!

Well 3 hours later and I managed to finish that little job!!! It was only about a 7 foot stretch in total! Ha Ha.

First the gap was too big to just use the silicone and I had no other filler and I wanted to get it finished and...and.... so I bunged the gap a bit with cardboard first.

...might not be the correct way but it worked for me! LOL

Tried to tackle fixing the outside hose reel holder as the plastic handle has lost it's grip and will not actually turn the reel and so I have to turn the reel by hand to get the hose back on it!!!!

It's too laborious by half.

Well the jury is out on that till tomorrow when I check if what I did will hold properly....probably won't so quite a lot wasted time on that too!

One success was my new hook on the back of the door for the dining/craft/spare bedroom for me when guests stay in the proper bedroom!!!!

I found this a couple of weeks ago and it was perfect except for the colour.

It is only a subtle change but the black/yellow/gold combo works in the room far better than the brown/black combo did! I even coloured the screw head to match in too......it's Paperartsy Fresco's in little black dress and haystack with Adirondack gold dabber.

Now I have somewhere to hang my clothes when it doubles up as my bedroom for the odd occasion. :)

It's a small thing but it made me happy.

Hope you have had a good day....the sun decided to make an appearance today about 1 p.m. and it's still shining...makes a pleasant change....awful weather this year.

See you tomorrow for an Artistic Stamper piece.

xoxo Sioux

I Smell Children!

2011-08-18T21:10:00.001+01:00

Sorry but I just could not help it!!

This is my entry for TIO whose theme this week is "child's play".

I don't know why....but this was the first thing that popped in my head when I saw the theme and I could not shake it off until I had committed it to a tag! LOL

Perhaps I'm the one who ought to be committed!!! ROFL

Googled image of the fabulous over the top Robert Helpman as the scary child catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (one of my all time favourite movies).

The background was neocoloured and the girl (Stamp Attack) is stamped and coloured with Copics.

Somedays I cannot explain how my brain works!

I expect I'll be asked (politely) to leave the playground now! ;)

Thanks for looking and happy stamping.

xoxo Sioux

Paris Day Two

2011-08-16T21:00:00.002+01:00

First off......sorry for saying day two was just around the corner and then taking so long to come up with the goods!!!

What can I say?....I have just not felt like sitting in front of a computer screen much!!! Anyway........there are quite a few pics here today to make up for it ;) LOL

Day two dawned and we had a plan to do the Musee d'Orsay so we walked to the Pigalle metro.

Alighted at the Place de la Concord

...can you believe how little traffic there is!?

Then onto the Tuilleries gardens.

...Loved those large planters

A cafe stop with a waiter who could not be anything else but French! ;)

Plenty of chairs to sit and dream if you wanted to.

Loved this!

Did not love the massive cues snaking round the entrance to the Musee d'Orsay so found out you can get a pre booked ticket from Virgin and decided to do the d'Orsay another day.

Headed off back the other side of the river and walked along the Seine.....bliss.

Plenty of houseboats with views of the Tour Eiffel (how fab).

.....one even had it's own retro car on board.

Revisited the Tuilleries and had a panini for lunch....very tasty too.

Then off we walk up the Champs Elysees stopping to window shop and actually going in the biggest dedicated perfume/cosmetic store I've ever seen! Bit on the pricey side though and I forgot to take a picture!!!

One of my reasons for walking up the Champs Elysees was to see this ;)

...and of course this!

I found the car show rooms fascinating...they even have their own mini museums and/or cafe inside!!

...they are usually relegated to trading estates here and don't come with a cafe! LOL

Loved this

....and this

...and this

Join me again for the rest of day two coming soon. ;)
xoxo Sioux

Love Art!

2011-08-13T14:50:00.001+01:00

Have not got time to stop and talk today!

Quick post using some of the new fabulous stamp release from The Artistic Stamper :)

Some of them are HOOOOOge! Got them Thursday and just enough time today to have a little play. ;)

Was scratching my head when I found the ideal acrylic block for the big swirl..

....my plates for the die cutting machine ;)

A light bulb moment there!!! Ha Ha

Supplies used....also used a couple of made up sprays of fired brick and broken china that I had already put away.....not like me!!! ;)

Page not finished yet but wanted to do something with the doodled girl a la Teesha Moore that I did back last year in the fog that engulfed me when Pip was ill.

Must dash......off to celebrate "Cowtown Carnival" here in Brixham.

xoxo Sioux

Set Me Free for The Artistic Stamper

2011-08-11T00:01:00.004+01:00

I'm sharing a tag today over on the The Artistic Stamper Creative Team Blog

Curious? Then just hop on over to The Creative Team Blog for all the details.

Journal Journeys #2

2011-08-07T09:30:00.001+01:00

Dawn has issued the second month's challenge over at Journal Journeys and it's Fairies :)

I made sure I had the whole of Saturday free in order to play ;)

I have used a variety of stamps here...my dancer and the butterfly wings from The Artistic Stamper.......and would you believe that every other one has never seen ink before!!!

How sad...but we all do it don't we? LOL

Never mind they have been inked now!

The flowers, abstract circles and stitch lines are Aud Design the title is a mixture of Elusive Images (first row), Prima (second row) and Paperartsy (third row).

The writing around the dancer says

"I believe in the magic of fairies. Only good fairies live here!"

A touch of Diamond FX glitter glue was added on the edges of the wings.

Thanks for the challenge Dawn...I loved it.

...some days I surprise myself and yesterday was one of those days!!! ;)

It's a mixture of neocolour on the background...watercolour pencils and copic markers....I have to admit to being a bit of a philistine where the Copic markers are concerned but today I had a light bulb moment and thought Oooh! Now these are really useful!! HOL

Thanks for looking

xoxo Sioux

Paris Day One

2011-08-06T10:00:00.012+01:00

Well it seems you would like to see more of Paris! :)
Although I'm going to pass on the suggestion to share all 455 photo's if you don't mind!!
The thought of uploading that lot to Blogger gave me nightmares ;) HOL

My photo's consist of some of the more usual stuff...the iconic stuff that would be criminal to miss seeing if you ever go to Paris ;) and some perhaps a bit different.

I think I'll try to post stuff in the order things happened....but I might get a little side tracked!!

Shall we begin?

The journey there turned out to take longer than we thought....considering it was only a 1 hour flight!!! Miles to walk to the baggage collection then miles to walk to the train from the baggage collection!.....waiting for ages to change money to use in the automated ticket machines.....ages working out exactly where we had to change on the metro from the Gard du Nord.

....walking miles on the metro between platforms/changes.....you would not want to have any problems with walking if you need to use the metro in Paris....they use a lot of steps!!!!!

Finally reached hotel...phew! And it was phew....we were hot!!
It was 5.30 by now. Hotel Des Arts...rue Tholozé a lovely base in Monmartre :)

Dumped our bags and quickly headed for the nearest bar that had 6 seats outside!

A welcome cold beer for all.....but OMG....a 50cl glass was 7 euro!

Headed back to hotel with just enough time to unpack bags....quick re-application of make up 'cos it had all melted LOL....and then out to find a bite to eat :)
Walked a little way along la rue des Abbesses to where it meets the rue des martyrs and eventually we agreed to try a little pizza place on the corner called La Pignatta.

...I know, I know....pizza? Paris? But the prices were very reasonable and it was a very tasty pizza and I'm not a big fan of them so it must have been good ;) !

Then we set off up the hill (And what a hill! Reminds me of Brixham) towards the Sacré-Cœur.

.....window shopped in the lanes around the Place du Tetre.

Onto the Sacré-Cœur to sit on the steps and watch the world go by.

Some chaps selling tat!

Some chaps juggling a football.
One chap danced to the music of the acrobatic footballers whilst wearing winkle picker shoes no less!

(seems to be the footwear of choice for younger Parisienne men at the moment)

Does he remind you of someone who has an umbrella??? He did me...LOL
...you would not believe how happy that little vignette made me, although none of the others got it so I'm glad I can share it with you :)

The sun began to set and we walked round the back of the Sacré-Cœur and managed to catch the lovely light on the stone work.

End of day one.
Day two is just around the corner ;)

xoxo Sioux