A shadow box gift

This is a long overdue thank you gift (like over 2 years too late!).

My financial adviser performed a minor miracle in 2009 but Phil's health went rapidly down hill only weeks later and I never got round to showing my appreciation!

Added to which he has just made my dream of being able to live in this house for as long as I choose a tangible reality, fingers crossed :)
Still waiting on the pesky valuation to come through though!

It has eased my conscience to have made it, and I only hope it is to his taste and will fit in with the decor in the new place he has just moved to...

...it's not easy making something for someone who you know very little about...

...although I do hope the use of the gold/yellow and red ribbons as an accent on the key will not be lost on him as he loves his cricket as Phil did and those are the colours of the MCC at Lord's for all those non-cricket fans out there ;) LOL

After I took the photo I decided to add one of the new metal word things that had just arrived 'cos we all need an uplifting sentiment to make us feel better ;)

Metal parts mainly Ideaology....love that new faucet knob from which the metal All My Memories word tag is hanging...the cool watch face is from a grab bag of parts at The Artistic Stamper....arch door Crafty Individuals as is the Greek God behind the door...
...love that image ;)
The word bliss is from Chocolate Baroque.

It's not the sort of thing I usually make but I really enjoyed doing it.
Thanks for looking :)

xoxo Sioux

P.S. Hey, he liked it, in fact he said it was fantastic! Phew ;)

Want to be on a DT?

Well.....have you ever wanted to be on a DT?

If so then here is your chance coming up because it's not just any old DT it's...

The Artistic Stamper Design Team blog!! :)

If you fancy your chances and would love to work with and showcase some great stamps then head over to the blog to see all the details and how to go about applying :)

Wishing you all the luck in the world.

xoxo Sioux

Start believing!

It would have been Phil's birthday today but that fact only clicked when my mortgage broker was round this morning with some papers he had to witness and he asked me what date it was!!!

Suppose it means I'm moving on a bit.......and about time too!

I want to get back to the slimmer, healthier and happier me ;) I've been feeling much happier of late.....feeling much healthier too (although the blood tests from Tuesday may yet tell me otherwise!).....now the slimmer bit to work on ;)

Talking of slimming.....bet you wondered what happened to diet watch...well I knocked that Dukan diet into touch a few weeks back....it was not working anymore so why carry on with something that you are not enjoying!

I've still been eating less calories....but quite strangely I have not lost much more so it would have been boring to keep telling you my weight was the same........but have definitely lost inches 'cos all the stuff that did not fit just before Christmas now fits....and a lot of it was no where near fitting then!!

It's all very peculiar.....perhaps my scales need checking! LOL

I've been walking to work and leaving the car at home so surely it will mean some pounds lost very soon.....everyone keeps telling me how good I look so perhaps I'd best start believing it :)

xoxo Sioux

WOYWW Tidier!

My table has been tidied up to a certain degree this week WOYWW'ers!

The Artistic Stamper stamps at the ready including some of the new borders just released that really are calling out to be used on some DT pieces I must get stuck into :)
My weekends in the coming months are destined to be spent in my garden and the weekends are when I usually do my DT work so I must crack on and get some projects under my belt PDQ!!! LOL
You might also notice some T!m notes from his on-line class....unfortunatley I don't have the time at the moment to devote to it but did get round to printing off the first two lessons!!!


Thanks for looking and now it's time to head on over and visit Julia who has all the desks in the world on show today :)

xoxo Sioux

New Stamps!

Have you seen the great new stamps that The Artistic Stamper has just released?

No?..........Well head off here to take a look ;)

I do believe I'll be using the journaling mini words a lot.....so useful.

Then there are those fabby border stamps too...not to mention those shoes that the talented Laura Liddell designed :)

TTFN

xoxo Sioux

What made me happy today !

Yikes!!! What a fabby day I had today :) Lovely weather, and enjoying my garden....what could be better apart from RA turning up on my doorstep! LOL ;)!

Lemon tree very pretty ;)

My visiting friend ;)

 What do you think about my yummy dress form ?

 A grand fire to top off the day :)

I''m going to walk to Kingswear tomorrow, catch the ferry to Dartmouth and generally have a great day  ;)

Thanks for looking

xoxo Sioux

Love Life for The Artisitc Stamper

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.

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

Simply the Mess! WOYWW

Hiya WOYWW'ers.....please sing the title to the Tina Turner classic!! LOL

Not much changed on the table apart from even more stuff piled on it and not tidied away yet...
...which will have to happen soon or it will drive me insane...
...I've got to the "I'm sure it's on the table somewhere but where the hell is it stage" and when it gets to that stage it is time to take it in hand!!! ROFL

And I've been busy making a shadow box gift that I can't share yet....even though the recipient will most definitely not be looking here...so I've started being messy on the serving table too!! LOL....the journaling book has just arrived but I'm going to resist peeking at it till the weekend ;)

Thanks for looking and now it's time to head on over and visit lots of desks on show today with great thanks to Julia :)

xoxo Sioux


P.S. I'll be sharing a little card tomorrow if you want to come back then.

You made a menopausal woman happy!

Ooh! Yes....yes....YES!

Roland is the winner ;)

Everyone was great but Roland was a fitting winner I think.....although I'm sort of wishing Eddie could have won also!

xoxo Sioux

Misty for SS and SSS&S

I'm playing along with Hels at the Sunday Stamper again this week 'cos how could I pass on the theme of "Misty"

One of my very, very favourite songs...

...I only have to hear the first three notes and I go all unnecessary!!! HOL

So it put me in a great mood and as I have just received my new Stampotique stamp Heart Throb (be still, be still) courtesy of Art from the Heart I just had to play with him!

So here is the page I made...

...lots of inks, neocolour, sprays (distress and tattered angels) and some of those fabby die letters from T!m ;) which were coloured with distress peeled paint and wild honey then overstamped with a T!m cloth texture stamp in Adirondack pigment snow cap, crown from The Artistic Stamper and words from the song hand written around the heart and down one side.

I've only recently discovered Donna Downey and it is facinating watching her create....this page was looking a bit on the dull side until I watched wednesday's video where she added gesso round the edges of her pages so I thought I'd give it a go.....like it!

This really put me in a happy place ;)
So three cheers hip, hip, hooray for Hels and of course Donna ;)
Just realised I can enter  this at Simon Says Stamp and Show as it's anything goes and there is always the chance of winning $50 thanks to Simon Says online shop ;)

Thanks for looking

xoxo Sioux

Dance Plaque for The Artistic Stamper

I'm sharing a little art plaque 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

In my Garden

Things that made me happy today!

My first breakfast of the year outside ;)

Bird song.

New bench I assembled today to enjoy the evening sun for longer.

6 for Gold. Hey and I won £3.30 on the Euro Millions last night...spooky or what!! LOL

Primula.

Mr Robin

Thanks for looking.

xoxo Sioux

Menopausal Women of the World Unite!

Yes fellow MWOTW!

Roland is through to the final of Dance for Sport Relief.

I'm Happy :)

xoxo Sioux

I admit I'm menopausal!

So I have to admit I am one of the menopausal women who should be voting for Roland Rivron! ROFL

I so hope you do to!!!

xoxo Sioux
Oh! P.S. The last journal page had nothing to do with Pip believe it or not!!!  Please don't be worried about me! Today was a great day and I'm feeling good! LOL

Out of my Head!

Well.....I just could not get this out of my head...
...and when I can't get things out of my head and they are swirling round and round, perhaps it's time to get the thought into the small art journal! LOL

Distress inks and Archival....all T!m stamps apart from word fragments which are Studio G...
...I particularly love the T!m sentiment used in the top corner...it fits so well with the thoughts behind this page...but so wish he had designed it with a bolder font as it does not seem to show up very well on anything I stamp it on!! LOL
Thanks for looking...
...I'm hoping the weather is nice this weekend so I can play in my garden ;)
Hope your weekend is everything you dream of and more.

xoxo Sioux

Skip to the Last Page

Hi a journal page again, the one that was on my WOYWW table....inspired by reading books and the fact that a lot of people read the back page last!!!
Not that I ever do that.........well not often!!! LOL


In the past month I have started to read a book again (you may have seen the book resting on my patio table the other day).......so what, you say!
It's shocking but due to life getting in the way in the past few years....firstly looking after a mother with dementia and her death....then Pip getting ill.....having continually failing health and then his death.....well...it left me with my ability to concentrate on reading a book totally annihilated!!!


In consequence I have not read a book from cover to cover for over 7 years!!!
Shocking!!! And that is from someone who used to devour books LOL
It's been soooo long that my library card had been deactivated and I had to rejoin again, which I did just the other night :)

I like the colours which are slightly more vibrant IRL......a mixture of T!m stamps along with my own hand carved tyre tread round the edges and my wings from The Artistic Stamper Dance plate and a dragonfly in gold at the top that you just might be able to see if you click on the picture ;)
I've just realised I can enter this in Hels Sundy Stamper where she asks us to use diamonds 'cos I used T!m's little diamond stamp in the background I hope that counts! ;)


Thanks for looking
xoxo Sioux

WOYWW a journal again

Two weeks in a row  WOYWW'ers.....give myself a pat on the back!

Not much changed on the table....things just rummaged through and re positioned since last time and a new page in the making...not sure what about yet...just playing with the colours ;)

Thanks for looking and now it's time to head on over and visit Julia who has all the desks in the world on show today :)

xoxo Sioux

March 366 calendar

Have been debating whether to carry on with Kate's 366 calendar challenge......'cos I don't think it's doing my head space any favours.......all it is doing is showing up what an uninteresting and pointless life I lead!!! LOL

Don't get me wrong I am in the main happy with my lot but not sure this is right for me....anyway I've decided to carry on a bit longer the days are getting longer, summer is on it's way and I might start to feel more enthused by life...

(I've never suffered from SAD before but I think I might have this year)

...you never know what might be round the corner do you?!!


(RA with a bit of luck!) ROFL

Here is Feb finished..although I'm not revealing what's under the flip out bit 'cos some of it is too personal to share even with you dear friends! ;)

and the start of March.

Thanks for looking and thanks Kate for the challenge 'cos for me it really is!! LOL

xoxo Sioux

Butterfly Art for The Artistic Stamper

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.

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

In my Garden

Some things that gave me pleasure in my garden yesterday.

Sunshine in my garden.

Cava.

Sweet scents.

Spring flowers.

Emerging shoots.

Olives.

More Cava! And a good book.

xoxo Sioux

A Dream Page

I had a dream..........I had a dream and it was soooo real it was unreal if you get my drift! LOL

(I've been having real unreal dreams all my life....but this one was a cut above the norm!)

It's been playing on my mind for some months bringing me comfort and consternation in equal measure!

I could not hold back anymore and I had to get this out and onto a page.

This is the journal page that was sitting on my WOYWW desk the other day...

...I eventually plucked up courage to write on it and yep I knew I was right...

...I should not have bothered.....I hated it!!! LOL

So just as I was sinking into a pit of despair plan B took over and I used my favourite way of adding words to tags and ATC's.....yep word fragments made with my Studio G stamps! My writing is still there underneath but it just adds to the layers ;)

Yes, yes, YES :)
(Said in my best Meg Ryan voice....or is that too much information! LOL)

Now it works for me ;)

The background was a mixture of gesso, neocolours, india inks and sprays and the stamps are a very eclectic mixture of Paperartsy, T!m, Artistic Stamper, Craft Stamper freebie, Chocolate Baroque, Studio G, QVC job lot from years ago, Inkylicious and some of my own.....it took me ages to search out the wording stamps from here there and everywhere!!

The basic page was created using a song as my inspiration that has been playing on a loop inside my head that accompanies the dream...one of my all time favs...but which one?

The clues are there ;)

OMG!! How fitting that she was singing this in a bed rather like mine....to a man who rather had a look of Pip! Oooh er.......SPOOKY!!!
Except that in my dream me and the dear departed DH were rather more......urm....how can I put this?.....Rather more active!!! ROFL

Hope you liked....I did..........happy stamping/journaling ;)

P.S. Expect to see more journal pages that use stamps to echo a song here in the future...
...I like the way this panned out and I've got hundreds of songs that are my all time favourites HOL ;)

xoxo Sioux

My little Dayream

I'm in shock and sad today.

I've just found out Davy Jones died from a heart attack.

Always dreamed I'd bump into him one day and he would fall madly in love with me.....his sister lived in the same town I did at the time so it did not seem beyond the realms of possibility!!! LOL


The things you dream when you are young!

Suffice to say my band of choice back then was the Monkees...used to buy their monthly fan magazine too......still got some of them all these years later.......sad or what?!

xoxo Sioux

Travel for The Artistic Stamper

Thanks for all the "Hearts" created for last months challenge, some were vintage, some cute, some arty :)
So..... how do you feel about this one then?

"Travel"

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

I made a card and added a separate challenge for myself to use just one background, one sentiment and one focal image stamp.

I stamped the cycling image from the "Open Road" plate in Versafine black onto some card that had been spritzed with Distress Ink faded jeans and spiced marmalade and cut it into six segments and layered these onto some card that had been coloured with Distress Ink spiced marmalade.

The graph paper background was stamped across the card in Distress weathered wood and the focal image pieces reassembled on top.
The sentiment was added using Adirondack pigment ink in sail boat blue
and after tearing the edges was coloured with a touch of both faded jeans and vintage photo Distress Ink.

It's a pretty simple card....somedays it's all we have time for...right? ;)

So come and join us and make something for the challenge....it does not have to be complicated as you tell from mine!!! LOL

You really must take a look at the "Travel" 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 "Travel"

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 March 31st and the winner will be chosen by Random.org shortly after :)

Thanks for looking and happy stamping

xoxo Sioux