paperDVIZHNIK Challenge No.29.............Texture

Hello. This is my first post for paperDVIZHNIK . I am pretty excited to be a part of their very creative , arty DT ( also a little intimidated ).

This month, their challenge is about TEXTURE. We all love the look of it, and we all love the fun of creating it and of course there are so many ways of doing that.

With so many people now using mixed media as part of their scrapbooking techniques, creating texture as a visual and tactile element is really popular.

I've made a tiny canvas, 15x15cm. Already the texture of the canvas is a fantastic base to work on, and then I've just played around with different thicknesses of paper, washi tape, gel medium, acrylic paint, water colour, transfers and some metal embellishments. It's a kind of crazy little canvas. I never know what I'm going to end up with when I start a project, I never start with a preconceived idea, I usually just let the "process" dictate what I do. Any way this colourful skull emerged. It's a sort of Skeletor meets Captain Jack Sparrow.

If you would like to join in with this TEXTURE challenge, all the details are HERE

Metal embellishments and sequins. 

Gell medium with lace pressed into it.

As always thank you for visiting.

13 arts Challenge.........Symmetry

Finally found some time to get creative in my studio. I have played along with a great challenge at 13arts. 

Symmetry.

'The equality in size, shape and position of two halves on either side of a dividing line.'

Find out the challenge details HERE 

Got me thinking.....symmetry is about perfect balance, but also how rare that is in real life. 

A"balanced life", a "balanced diet"........such difficult things to achieve. We're always having to sacrifice one thing for something else, so we can achieve a perfect "balance". Whats wrong with being a little bit "lop sided", out of balance, out of kilter, asymmetrical.

 I think thats what makes us and life interesting.

Paper, dies, stamps, embossing, washi, watercolours.

Thanks for visiting. Have a great  weekend with a little of all the things you love in perfect "balance".

Japan...........a snap shot

A few quick, random images from Japan. Nothing special, just "typical" of what I saw around me in my day to day travels.

I loved Japan !

The people are the most respectful of any I have encountered any where else in the world.

Their train system is brilliant.

It is so clean. No graffiti or vandalism of public property any where.

They are so organised and the attention to detail is amazing.

There is a "calmness" and a "prettiness" that is pervasive everywhere you go and everywhere you look.

Wooden hand carts at the Tokyo fish market

The local beer, how pretty is the label.

Nijo Castle   Kyoto

I will put up some more images from this beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Site along with some more snap shots over the next few weeks.
Thanks for visiting today. It's always great to go away, but it's better to arrive safely back home.

I Have News

Hello. I'm still in Japan but had to share some news. I am very happy and excited to be invited to join the super talented team at paperDVIZHNIK.  I am a little daunted too, as these girls set a cracking pace when it comes to creativity and very artsy renditions of ideas and themes. Go and have a look at the current challenge...even better, play along.

Details HERE.

Scrap Around The World.......October 2013 Challenge #6

Wow ! October already. Where has this year gone? The mood board this month is from Jessy Christopher and it is so very pretty. Lots of inspiration, lots of possibilities. Jump on over to SCRAP AROUND THE WORLD. Be inspired by the beautiful pages the DT have created and please, join in and play along with us. There are 5 prizes to be won as well as a random draw prize.

All the details HERE.

Lace, pink blossom and pretty shoes.

I loved the very soft and feminine elements of Jessys' mood board. The pretty pink shoes with bows, the pink blossom and the lacy vases. I have roughly followed the sketch by just turning it up side down, and have used layers of paper and washi tape strips behind the photo of my daughter when she was 11.

Layers of paper, tape and stamping

A little tulle skirt and chipboard heart.

These are our very supportive and generous sponsors this month.

FIRST PRIZE
As well as a Guest Designer position in November the winner of this challenge wins
 this prize pack from Donna Salazar & Blue Gene Baby, her daughter's Etsy Shop!

2ND PRIZE
This selection of chipboard valued at $30 sponsored by 2 Crafty!

3RD PRIZE

A selection of chipboard to the value of $25 from Scrapmatts!

4TH PRIZE

YOUR CHOICE of products, to the value of $15 courtesy of Purple Pumpkin.

They stock a huge range of embellishments, washi tape, motex tape, etc in their online store HERE. 

5TH PRIZE

This lovely prize-pack sponsored by Design Team member Juraci Falcucci - thank you!

RANDOM PRIZE

3 packs of Prima flowers donated by our generous Design Team member, Eila Sandberg.

The deadline for this challenge is Thursday October 31st 2013 Thanks so much for visiting today. I'm heading off to Japan tomorrow for 2 weeks...very excited....so will catch up with every one when I get back.......follow my jouney on instagram :) 

Weekend Journal Page

You know how all the journalling prompts you get say "talk about yourself, tell us who you are". Well, I don't know about you, but I struggle with this. I know all the obvious things....wife, mother, sister etc. but I can't SEE who I am....not like others see me. I feel like there is a barrier or a fence that the real, deeper me is behind. OMG, what does this mean ? Is there something wrong with me if I'm not "in touch" with my true and real self. Am I a fake person ? Oh no, do I need to see a shrink !

Too many questions !!

I know I'm happy.

I know I was extremely happy when I made this page, playing with ink, stamps, paint, gel medium and coloured pencils.

For the drawing and colouring of the face I've used Detwent INKTENSE coloured pencils.

Some texture across the bottom of the page using Gel Medium with an embossing folder pressed into it. 

Thank's for visiting today, have a wonderful and creative week, and if you too are searching for "who you are" I hope you find yourself.
 

Music + Photography

Music + photography = "song-ography"....could it get any better

Joining in at You'll Shoot Your Eye Out where the song theme is "pink"

"Pink, it's my newest obsession
Pink, it's not even a question,
Pink, on the lips of your lover
'Cause Pink is the love you discover."

-Aerosmith, Pink

How could I not join in....my blog is pink, and I already live by Audrey's mantra. 

Thanks for visiting, have a great week.

Mixed Media Journal Page

Had some fun playing and experimenting in my journal today. Watercolour paint, distress stains and texture paste.

Thanks for visiting...have a great weekend, and I hope you find whatever you're looking for.

paperDVIZHNIK.........Yes / No Challenge

This month I'm playing along with the challenge at paperDVIZHNIK. They always have fun, quirky challenges here, as well as a creative and very inspiring design team.

The challenge this month, simple............ use the words "YES" or "NO" in your project.

Love using water colours to create either intense colour or a more subtle wash. 

Also in evidence my usual stamps, stencils ( I stencilled inside a stencil ), die-cuts and some favourite chip board.

As always, thanks for visiting and if you have taken the time to leave me a comment; a very big appreciative thanks for that too. Have a great week......may it be full of positive "yeses".