Samhain blessings!

HAPPY SAMHAIN EVERYONE!

Some photos from last year.

Our beautiful Cocker spaniel Willow, dressed as Dracula!

Scaring the trick 'n' treaters!

Have a great Halloween, however you celebrate x

Trick or treat?

Last night I ordered some digi collage sheets from Lily over at The Octopode Factory http://frillyunderwear.blogspot.com

They were sent to me by email within an hour, hows that for service!! Lily is a very talented young artist, go check out her blog and Etsy shop.

The three figures are from a set of 6 that I ordered from Lily...how cute are they?! I used my slice (it was so happy to be used again as it has felt a bit neglected since I bought my Cricut!) to cut out the pumpkins, house, tree, gravestone and bats then I coloured them with my watercouler crayons and stuck them on my background.

I am off out tonight with my hubby, sister and her partner and Paige and special boy! We are going on an organised ghost walk. We do this every year and it is so much fun, scarey as hell as there are people dressed up as all manner of things waiting to jump out on you, but great fun! One year we had to walk across this field with loads of scarecrows on posts. When we were halfway across we heard screaming and turned around. All the scarecrows had jumped off the posts and were chasing people, I nearly peed my pants!!
Anyway, have a great spooky halloween,
thanks for looking,
Sami x

Quickie post-new stamps!

Just a quick post, my new stamps by Dyan Reaveley http://dyan-reaveley.blogspot.com arrived today. They are so beautiful I had to play with them straight away! I also ordered some of her digital collage sheets as well.

This is the stamp set I ordered, hard just choosing one as I want them all...xmas is on the way so I think I will put a couple of sets on my wish list.

I ordered them from Art from the heart http://shop.afth.co.uk and heres what I did with them.

Thanks for looking
Sami x

My whimsy page

Here is my whimsy page, 2nd week of Tams course over at willowing and friends. I am not very happy with it. I drew the whimsies onto cartridge paper as I didnt have any watercolour. They looked really good on the white paper and then for some reason when I have cut them out and put them in the board book they look really washed out! They took me two evenings to do as well!!

Never mind, I enjoyed doing them and learnt new techniques!

TFL

Sami x

Practising whimsy

It's week 2 over on Tams free course, Art, heart and healing. I have been really impressed with the quality of this course, given that its free. Tam has put so much hard work and effort into it. Both weeks there have been over 2 hours worth of videos demonstrating the weeks project plus 2 PDF files each week. There is a forum to post your work and Tam is commenting on as many peoples work as she can. Given that there are over 1000 people signed up to this course I think thats an amazing effort on her part. Because there is a self healing element to the course and you are being asked to recall past traumas and negative impacts on your life, Tam has also started a forum for support for people who are finding it difficult to deal with, what an amazing women she is! Now that I have seen what an amazing teacher she is and the high quality of a free course I am tempted to save up and take one of her other courses.

This week was in two parts, both using an altered childs board book. Part one was to do an image transfer of a photo of yourself as a child. Then think of things you wish for for this younger you. If you had a bad childhood think of all the things you would have wanted, then print the words off and stick them on your page. I have completed this part but dont know yet if I am going to put it on here as it is a bit personal.

The second part was learning to draw whimsies. You think of a negative issue from your past and then draw some whimsy characters to show how you wish that situation had been instead. Then you add them to your board book which will eventually become a book about honouring yourself.

I have been practising drawing them first in my art journal. When I have done the page in my board book I will post it on here.

practising faces and eyes...having a real problem getting the eyes right!

Getting the skin tones right

And just thought I'd post a journal page I did the other day. The lady is cut out of a magazine, she was really funky so I have not changed her clothes or legs, she was already dressed like that!! The wording says; 'Happiness is where we find it but rarely where we seek it.'

Back to work on my whimsies now, thanks for looking,

Sami x

Celebration giveaway

Lily over at The Octopode factory http://frillyunderwear.blogspot.com is doing a fab giveaway to win some of her digital collage sheets and digital stamps. Check it out!

TFL

Sami x

JOY!

This year instead of JYC (journal your christmas) Paige http://ladybird-ladybird-paige.blogspot.com and I have decided to do JOY....Journal our Yule!

We are using ideas that we have done before from JYC and Dec daily but also adding the yule element. It's basically a journal of what we are up to each day throughout december and on the days when we havn't done much we are going to journal about Yule things such as, how to make yule incense, a yule log, the story of the sun king etc.

We started making our journals today. Mine is 6"x4 1/2". I have not put the title on the front cover yet as Im not sure where to put it.

I shamelessly copied Paiges ideas for the pages and the little number tags! On the back of each number tag we are going to do a thought of the day or lesson of the day.

Lots of pretty pages!

My birthday page!!

I had great fun today making this with Paige and my sister (Zoe was making an activities advent calender). Lots of laughter and wonderful pasta for lunch (even without the sauce Paige!!!). I have not done any scrapping since the retreat as I have been busy with the sketchbook project and Tams new FREE course (link on the right, art, heart and healing) so it was nice to get back into it today and make this JOY!!

TFL

Sami x

Practising faces

Just a quickie post! I have been practising drawing faces using the techniques from Tam's free course over at willowing.org.

I think I am improving!

And also I am now the proud owner of this huge baby!

I'm to scared to even load the tape in at the moment!! Maybe Paige will do it for me on Saturday?!!

TFL

Sami x

Art, heart and healing!

Today was the start of a brand new FREE course run by Tam over at willowing.org (button on the right). The course is 4 weeks and will cover backgrounds, portraits, altering a childrens board book and making an empathy monster, plus loads of tips and techniques!

I followed the video instructions to make this page today.

First we wrote on the left hand side any negative feelings we had about our art or ourselves. We looked at the reasons why we felt those things and once we had accepted why, we covered up all that negativity with gesso! Then the video took you step by step through drawing a self portrait, colouring it and shading it (I so wish I did look like this!), then we worked on the background using lots of different techniques and layers including stamps and brayering. Then we chose a positive phrase to put on the left hand side and one word to sum everything up which was written under the right eye on the portrait.

Although my ladies face is a little wonky I am really pleased with it! I love the colours on her face but maybe needed to blend a little bit more. Overall I was really impressed with the amount of things I learned from this first video and recomend everyone to go and check out the course!

TFL

Sami x

More from TSP

This is the 4th page of Waking the witch, the 2nd poem in my sketchbook.

I painted the background with acrylic and used some Tim Holtz tape. I used acrylic to paint the Goddess...shes turned out a bit scary for some reason! The verse reads;

At first she feared the power,

of whether right or wrong,

but as she listened harder,

she heard the Goddess' song.

5th page. I used acrylics again and leaf stamps. I may still put something in the centre of the circle as the page looks a bit plain. The verse reads;

"Its natures way" the Goddess sang,

"Mother Earths turning of the wheel,

the way we were in bygone days,

believe what your heart feels".

TFL

Sami x

TSP

Another page from the sketchbook project

This one is verse two of the second poem which reads;

She feels the power rising,

begining deep within her soul,

an awakening of ancient wisdom,

spiralling through her whole.

I used acrylic paint and gel pens on this page.

3rd verse reads;

The magic it seems was always there,

forgotton deep inside,

hidden knowledge that had been lost,

throughout the times and tide.

I used acrylic paint and watercolour pencils for this page. I forgot that I had to write on the page, which is why the verse is squished up in the corner!

TFL

Sami x

Latest pages

Firstly I wanted to say a big thank you for all the lovely comments on my sketchbook project pages. I have only been art journalling for 4 months and am still trying to find my style. I have been very unsure of my work but comments from people whose work I really admire, who are true artists in my eyes, have boosted my confidence a little!

This is the final page of the first poem I wrote for the journal. I used magazines to create a collage on each page and then I drew a face to use as a mask and painted around it on both pages. I printed the words out on the computer then inked them up. The page represents the bright colourful youthful me and the dull present day me!

The last verse reads:

But I need to know that you are there,

that once you used to be,

I need to hear your whispers,

and remember you were me.

I decided that I would keep the theme of poetry and art running through the book so have written another poem called Waking the witch. This poem also has 8 verses so that should fill another 8 pages! It is about the forgotton ancient knowledge we all have inside of us, the knowledge of magic and pagan ways.

I used magazine images to create the border over a painted background. I drew the lady on cartridge paper then cut her out and stuck her on the page and used the first verse and lots of doodles to fill the page.

The first verse reads:

In the silence she hears a whisper,

a sweet calling in the dark,

A sound that seems familiar,

A chant that starts a spark.

Thanks for looking,

Sami x

The sketchbook project

I have ummed and ahhed over putting my sketchbook project work on my blog but as this is what im spending most of my time doing at the moment I have decided to post them. I would really value your opinions on what I have done so far. I have struggled with this project. I had just reached a point in my art journalling where I was able to just 'do it' and not worry about how it turned out, to be able to just enjoy creating art and let it flow, and then I started this and back came all the insecurities...people are going to look at this (hopefully!) so I had to get it right, it had to be perfect, and it's taken me back to square one again! I am trying really hard not to be precious with it and there are a couple of pages I am really not happy with but I am going to leave them in.

I chose the theme 'sorry I forgot you' and am doing how I have forgotton who I used to be when I was younger. I decided to help the art work come, that I would write a poem and have that running through out the book...it hasn't quite worked like that as my poem is only 8 verses long so that has only given me 8 pages of work! I don't know yet how I will continue with it, should I write another poem or just do random stuff for the rest of the book???

The front cover

Could have been better, but I was struggling to start the book so just slapped some paint on to help get me going!

First page

The mirror frame is cardboard that I triple embossed then stamped into.

2nd page
Acrylic paint, masks, glimmer mists and pen. The first verse of the poem reads;
' Sorry I forgot you
in a dusty corner of my mind,
it was easier to leave you there
where I didn't hear your cries'


3rd page
Drawing, stamping, acrylic paint, water colour crayons and pencils
' Your relentless screams for freedom
used to echo through my head
so I shoved you even further back
and played deaf, blind and dead.'

4th page
water colour crayons for the background, acrylic and pencils for the drawing
'I hear you only sometimes now,
when I'm feeling far from whole,
you send me visions to my dreams,
that rip apart my soul.'

5th Page
acrylic paint background, collage, stamps, pen and pencils
' I hate to think you're lonley
feeling all confused and lost,
I've hidden other things with you,
and believe me it has cost.'

6th page
acrylic paint, pens, glimmer mist
' My confidence resides with you,
my looks and youth as well,
my hopes and dreams are also there,
first loves and kiss and tells'.

7th page
acrylic paint, water colour pencils, newspaper
' My innocence and childlike ways,
the sparkle in my eyes,
the ability to give my all
and hurtful truths and lies.'

8th page
acrylic paint, mask, ink, pen
' I do sometimes check in on you,
to make sure that you're ok
and I know its awfully cruel of me
to keep you locked away'.


And thats as far as I have got! I have one more verse of poem to do and will then have to thing about how to continue the book.
I have tried to vary my style on every page using all the stuff I have learnt so far on my art journalling journey.
Thanks for looking,
Sami x

Back from the retreat

I am home from the Wight craft circles 3rd retreat and surrounded by a pile of craft stuff that needs packing away!

I had a wonderful time and managed to get 8 LO's done. I bought way too much stash from Katies wonderful shop (cre8tive online) and it was great to catch up with all the ladies that come to us from the mainland, Deb's, Julia, Anna, Nicole, Diane, Alison and Katie and to meet Julia (WOYWDW Julia over at Stamping ground) and Linda who attended our retreat for the first time. I must say we have the best ladies at our retreats!!! Everyone had a great weekend, loads of fab scrapping was done and lots of laughter was had (especially the story I cannot repeat that Alison told us, which had me rushing to the loo for fear of wetting myself!!). Everybody has already booked up for our 4th retreat in February.

Unfortunately I didn't remember to take any photos! Paige took a few which I expect she will post on our Wight circle blog. We normally go out all together on the Saturday afternoon and get some silly group shots but as we had torrential rain for most of the weekend we didn't get the chance.

Paige and I would like to say a big thankyou to Katie for bringing her shop so us Isle of Wighters could purchase and drawl over some wonderful stash (most craft shops on the Island are dismal!) and also a huge thanks to all of our lovely ladies who make the retreat such a pleasure to run and bring such inspiration and friendship to us.

Here are the LO's I completed (sorry they are not in order, blogger was not playing nice!). I had saved quite a few challenges from the Wight craft circles scrap with us challenge to complete at the retreat. Paige and I also worked on a couple of LO's for our upcoming scrap with us so I am giving you a bit of a sneak peak!

WK 30-10 things about....

10 things I'd like to be. PP is October Afternoon, thickers and adorn it's.

I was going to do 10 things about me, but couldn't think of 10 interesting things so ended up doing 10 things I'd like to be!

WK 27-What makes me happy?

PP -WRMK show and tell
My family make me happy and as Mr Ladybird (Paiges husband Trav!) just did some lovely family portraits for us I had to use one of them for this LO.

WK 28- Traditions and focus on journalling

PP-Bo Bunny (raided from Alisons scrap bag!)
Another of Trav's photos. We don't have many traditions in our family, unless it's xmas ones, but the kids and me do have 'I love you' sayings that we use all the time!

WK 29-Things you've lost and found
PP-prima & college press
I have not the journalling yet for this as Im afraid it might be a bit mushy so didn't want to do it at the retreat!

WK 31- How I feel about....

PP-WRMK 72 and sunny
This Photo was also taken by Trav at my Dad's 'I'm in remission ' party! He was diagnosed in January this year with non hodgekins lymphoma, went through chemo and was told he was in remission in August so we had a big party to celebrate. The journalling will be about how scared I was and how pleased we are that he came through it. I made a tag to pull out from behind the photo so the journalling is not on view.

WK 32-could it be magic

PP-Echo park
These photos are from a handfasting I performed a couple of weeks ago.

WK 34- The great outdoors

PP- My little shoebox
This pic is a little blurry, sorry! My daughter could not get up the tree without me giving her a little shove, then she realised she couldn't get down either!

WK 35- Me in 2010

PP- Bo Bunny

Photo taken at the handfasting. This Lo is about how I need to be photos and I need to scrap them! I hate photos of me but I have to remember that my kids will want photos of me when Im gone. At the retreat Julia told me that when my kids look at photos of me they will just see their mum, they wont see all my insecurities like I do- so thank you Julia, i will remember that and try and be in more photos!

WK 38- Proudest moment

PP-Jillibean soup

My son in his uniform on his first day at high school



The next two were done at our last crop and I forgot to post them! They are not challenge LO's, just for fun!

Thanks for looking,

Sami x