Pretty mismatched china

With the glorious sunny weather last week we decided to go on one of our favourite circular walks from Scorton to Nicky Nook and back, with a visit to the Apple Store café. This page was inspired by our walk and the pretty mismatched china that we found at the café.

To start I sectioned the page in a starburst design to represent the sunny day and our circular walk, then I cut pieces of decoupage papers the same size as these sections and stuck them to the page using a UHU Stic. I used two different papers and alternated them, the pretty colourful butterflies represent the countryside and the lovely gardens we sat in at the café and the measurement paper depicts the miles we walked and the hills we climbed whilst on our walk. Next I drew black lines with a ruler and Sharpie Permanent Marker between each section and added some white gesso with my finger to soften some of the colours and designs. I stuck some black border stickers through each butterfly patterned section and some silver outline stickers along each black line outlining the shapes with a black Uni Pin marker. My mismatched tea spoons, teacups and saucers are rub-on transfers which I arranged around the page, I like the way some of the cups are hanging  from hooks along the black lines. To finish I added some shadows under the different images using a Slate Spectrum Aqua Marker and I stuck a pretty embellished teapot in the centre.

I’m pleased to be able to join Bleubeard and Elizabeth over at T Stands for Tuesday with my tea related page, as well as Gill from gibbyfrogettcraftations who is hosting the “Elegance & Grunge” challenge over at Art Journal Journey.

The walk was around 5.5 miles and this is the marker at the summit of Nicky Nook with the Red Rose of Lancashire painted on the side of it. In the distance you can just see where we had walked from, through woodlands and past a reservoir.

Nicky Nook is located in the Forest of Bowland and is 215m (705ft) above sea level. We live in an area that is known for being relatively flat and being by the sea we are just about at sea level,  so walking up this hill made a nice change and the views were breathtaking.

This is the view looking the other way, we were heading towards the lake on the left hand side which is where the café is located.

You may remember this walk and café from my post last year. The café is located in the Victorian glass houses of the grounds of Wyresdale Park.

This time we sat in the garden in the shade of the trees, because it was too hot to sit inside. I think everyone had the same idea as they were bringing the tables and chairs out from within.

This time we had a triple sausage sandwich, chips (fries) and a pot of green tea in the pretty mismatched china.

Here we are saying a big cheers to the T Gang and wishing you all a very Happy T Day!

Thanks for joining me today! If you have any questions or comments, I would love to hear from you.

Here is a list of all the materials used to create this art journal page:

• Pébéo White Gesso
• Memento Ink (London Fog)
• Spectrum Aqua Artist Marker (Slate)
• Faber-Castell Big Brush Pitt artist pen (Black 199)
• Uni Pin Fine Line marker (Black 0.3 mm)
• Anita’s Sugarloaf Inc. (Retro Starburst 7146)
• Viva Gade Decoupage Paper (Helsinki 25586)
• Poundworld (Patch Paper DS9454)
• Royal & Langnickel Rub-on Sentiments (Romantic Tea #PAR-244 Rub-on)
• Sandylion Kelly Panacci Scrapbook Collection (Stitches & Borders KSC102)
• Docrafts Anita’s Outline Stickers (Fanciful Floral Corners Silver ANT8101411)
• Outline Stickers (Time – Silver 90493S)
• Poundland (Handmade Embellishments)
• UHU Stic
• The Range double-sided foam tape

A very fine swan indeed!

On a warm sunny day whilst walking alongside the Lancaster Canal, my hubby captured a fantastic photo of a swan looking very regal whilst showing off his plumage; this swan definitely wasn’t an ugly duckling in fact “You’re a very fine swan indeed!” as the well-known song says.

The background is Yellow, Aquamarine and Slate Spectrum Aqua markers which I scribbled onto an acrylic block, spritzed with water and pressed onto the page. Then I used the same technique to add some Cracked Pistachio Distress Ink over the top. Next I added a series of stamps using London Fog Memento Ink and a Hobbycraft silver pigment ink; these stamps included a Script stamp by Kaisercraft to represent the Ugly Duckling lyrics, a feather stamp by Craft Sensations to depict those beautiful feathers and two crown stamps as he looked very regal. Next I stamped the swan images by Urban Stamps using Rich Cocoa Memento Ink and added torn pieces of a blue-green paper from a design pad using a UHU Stic. The swan is a print of the actual photo my hubby took which has been edited to give a vintage monochrome look and stuck to the page using the UHU Stic. Once the glue had dried I outlined the image and the papers with a black Uni Pin Marker and silver metallic paint. I added silver border outline stickers to the blue paper, as well as the small silver cross-like stickers, white diamante-centred flowers, colourful flower shaped stickers and purple rhinestone flowers across the whole page. I added a feather that I picked up alongside the canal on the day of our walk which I’m pretty sure is from a swan, and also some decorative diamante chain to hold it down. To finish I used the same decorative chain under each of the swans that I had stamped.

I’m pleased to be able to join Try it on Tuesday’s theme of “Feathered Friends” and Gill from gibbyfrogettcraftations who is hosting the “Elegance & Grunge” challenge over at Art Journal Journey.

Here’s the original photo my hubby took of the swan, isn’t he magnificent! I can just imagine him singing (grin!):

“Not a quack, not a quack, not a waddle or a quack
But a glide and a whistle and a snowy white back
And a head so noble and high
Say who’s an ugly duckling?
Not I!”

Thanks for joining me today! If you have any questions or comments, I would love to hear from you.

Here is a list of all the materials used to create this art journal page:

• Spectrum Aqua Artist Marker (Yellow, Aquamarine, Slate)
• Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Cracked Pistachio)
• Memento Ink (London Fog, Rich Cocoa)
• Hobbycraft Pigment Ink (Silver)
• Uni Pin Fine Line marker (Black 0.1mm)
• Poundland Metallic Paint (Silver)
• Script Metallic Pen (Silver)
• Craft Sensations (Clear Stamps CRO274/16R1)
• Kaisercraft clear stamp (Script CS752)
• Docrafts Urban Stamps (12 Days of Christmas – Icons PMA907909)
• Hampton Art 7 Gypsies Cling Mounted Rubber Stamps (Birdsong ICO151)
• Poundland Design Pad (Vintage Chic Creations CRO701/PL4)
• Swan printed photo
• Docrafts Anita’s Outline Stickers (Timeless Borders ANT810117)
• Fancy Stickers (Flowers & Butterflies 28965)
• Home Bargains Special Occasion (Mini Decorative Stickers 22740, Decorative Diamante Chain 26254)
• The Works Stickers (Rhinestone Flowers)
• Feather
• Ranger Glossy Accents
• UHU Stic

Fred and Ginger

This page was inspired by my friend’s silver necklace which originally belonged to her mother; she calls it “Fred & Ginge”. I thought the outline of the dancers would be perfect as a centre piece for my journal page and it would be a lovely tribute to these iconic dance partners.

As my friend’s necklace is silver, I started by applying silver metallic acrylic paint to the page with a brayer and leaving it to dry. I then added black Faber-Castell Big Brush marker ink by applying it to an acrylic block, spritzing it with water and pressing it on. Next I stamped a Script stamp by Kaisercraft using black Archival Ink. For the roses I used a stencil by Craft Sensations and Liquitex red acrylic paint which I applied using a baby wipe. To shade the rose petals and add texture I then added some Black Soot Distress Ink to the roses using a blending tool and I stippled more red paint over the top using a paint brush. I removed the stencil and added further detail to the rose outlines using a black Uni Pin marker and a white gel pen. I also applied the same Black Soot ink using a blending tool to the grey areas of the page, where there were no roses, to darken the background and emphasis the metallic paint. I flicked some water over this ink and blotted it with a piece of kitchen towel to create light coloured splatters. Then I used a Shabby Harlequin stencil by Creative Expressions and the Black Soot ink as well as a Musicality stamp by Docrafts and black Archival Ink to add more detail to the background. I took a photo of my friend’s necklace, and printed a large image to use as a template to draw around onto music paper, which I cut out, edged with the black Big Brush marker and stuck to the page using Liquitex Matte Gel Medium. Once the medium had dried I outlined the silhouettes using a black Uni Pin marker to add some shadow.  I added three silver music notes using silver brads and lots of different sized crystals to add a touch of glamour. The larger crystals were linked together on a wire thread so I cut them individually, created swirls with the wire, stuck them to the page using Glossy Accents and placed a smaller crystal on the end of the wire to give a neat finish.

I’m happy to be able to join Gill from gibbyfrogettcraftations again who is hosting the “Elegance & Grunge” challenge over at Art Journal Journey and the  “Dancer” theme over at Moo-Mania & More – Challenge.

I have always loved musicals and Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers were both incredible dancers who had natural style and grace. If you are interested, here are some fun facts:

• Between 1933 and 1949, Astaire and Rogers appeared in 10 films together.
• Their first screen pairing occurred in 1933 in the musical film “Flying Down to Rio”.
• “The Barkleys of Broadway” (1949) was their only film shot in Technicolor; it was their last film and was shot after a 10 year hiatus.
• The pair had an on-screen chemistry so magical that Rogers became Astaire’s most famous dance partner.
• Their films followed a set formula where Astaire specified how many minutes could elapse between the beginning of the film and its first musical number, as well as how many minutes of comedy, romance, and drama there should be between dance numbers.

As T Stands for Tuesday, I think cocktails would be an appropriate drink for this famous duo and when “stepping out with my baby” for my birthday we enjoyed a few cocktails with our friends! Maybe you would like an Apple Caipirinha or Cosmopolitan or a bottle of Italian beer or a glass of Prosecco. I’m inviting the T Gang to join us and wishing you all a Happy T Day!

Or a Mint Julep (to make this cocktail muddle 2 parts Bourbon whiskey, 12 mint leaves and ½ dash Gomme syrup with crushed ice and top with soda) or a Citrus Rum Cooler (1½ parts Havana Club Rum, ¼ part Cointreau/orange liqueur and 4 parts orange juice shaken with ice and poured into a glass).

Or even a Big Easy (1½ parts Southern Comfort, ¼ Cointreau/orange liqueur and 2 parts orange juice shaken with ice, strained into a glass over ice and topped up with Ginger Beer). Of course if you prefer soft drinks, tea and coffee are available too. By the way all these cocktails were actually half price so we got to try a few different ones between us – cheers!

Thanks for joining me today! If you have any questions or comments, I would love to hear from you.

Here is a list of all the materials used to create this art journal page:

• Poundland Metallic Paint (Silver)
• Liquitex Artist Color Acrylic (Cadmium Red Medium Hue/Red Lacquer)
• Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Black Soot)
• Ranger Archival Ink (Jet Black)
• Faber-Castell Big Brush Pitt artist pen (Black 199)
• Uni Pin Fine Line marker (Black 0.3mm & 0.5mm)
• Uniball Signo gel pen (White)
• Docrafts Papermania Creative Essentials A5 Clear Stamp Set (Musicality DCE907112)
• Kaisercraft clear stamp (Script CS752)
• Craft Sensations (Deco Stencil Set 154892)
• Creative Expressions Mini Stencil (Shabby Harlequin CEMSHARL)
• Music of All Nations Sheet Music
• The Works (Musical Note Charms)
• The Works (Jewel Stickers)
• Home Bargains Special Occasions (Decorative Chain 26253, Decorative Stickers 22740)
• Small silver brads
• Ranger Glossy Accents
• Liquitex Matte Gel Medium

Hotel Majestic

Today’s page reflects back on a time when the Hotel Majestic was one of the finest treasures in St. Anne’s on the Sea. Alas it has been demolished now, so I created a page in its memory!

To cover the background I collaged torn sewing pattern pieces onto the page using Liquitex Matte Gel Medium. Once they had dried I applied black and gold Spectrum Aqua Marker ink by scribbling the marker onto an acrylic block, spritzing the block with water and pressing and dripping the ink over the page. I like the way the gold colour is more concentrated at the edges of the collaged paper emphasising the layers.  Next I stamped various stamps by Hampton Art using black Archival Ink; these included a palm tree, crowns, art deco borders and a postage mark which tie into the era and décor of the Hotel Majestic. The Majestic was also known for its music and grandeur so I added some washi tape music notes and black decorative tape, then I used gold size to adhere the gold leaf. I found an old picture of the Majestic in a local magazine and added a gold border, the hotel name and the dates that it stood in our town; which are all outline stickers. I used photo corners and double-sided foam tape to adhere it to the page. To finish I added gold chain and “style” outline stickers to the background and some gold sequins which are stuck down using Glossy Accents.

I really like the vintage art deco look of this page and I’m very pleased to join the lovely Gill from gibbyfrogettcraftations again who is hosting the “Elegance & Grunge” challenge over at Art Journal Journey.

The Majestic Hotel was originally called the Imperial Hydro which opened in 1910, you can still see the initials IH on the two brick archways which are the only parts remaining of the hotel. It was renamed the Majestic in 1920 and many stars appearing in Blackpool shows stayed there over the years.

I love this old photo of the Hotel Majestic, it looks such a grand and stunning building! If you look closely you can see the archways on the right hand side of the hotel, they look quite small in comparison to the building itself. The hotel was built between the pier and the town Square, it had 200 bedrooms, tennis courts and was the height of luxury. Here’s an interesting link on YouTube that shows the old brochure of the Hotel Majestic with photos and descriptions of the facilities and interior.

The hotel closed down in 1972 as the costs of modernising it made it unsustainable. Sadly, it was demolished in 1975 and replaced with these five storey flats. What a shame as it must have been an amazing place to stay during its heyday.

Thanks for joining me today! If you have any questions or comments, I would love to hear from you.

Here is a list of all the materials used to create this art journal page:

• Spectrum Aqua Artist Marker (Gold, Black)
• Ranger Archival Ink (Jet Black)
• Hampton Art Cling Mounted Rubber Stamps (Graphic 45 – Tropical Travelogue ICO134 & ICO135, 7 Gypsies – Birdsong ICO151)
• Style Sewing Pattern
• Local Magazine
• Gold Leaf
• Hobbycraft Outline Stickers (Gold Harmony 934031001)
• Magenta Style Outline Stickers (Daisy Gold)
• Dovecraft Peel-off Stickers (Alphas Caps Gold DCPO-05)
• Poundland Decorative Border Tape (Black)
• Poundland Assorted Sequins
• Annie Sloan Water Based Gold Size
• Ranger Glossy Accents
• Liquitex Matte Gel Medium
• The Range double-sided foam tape

Bloom where you are planted

In May we always start planning our bedding plants for the pots and containers in our garden. I’m always excited to visit the plant nursery to select our plants and then plant them up, and we really enjoy watching the flowers bloom over the summer months, hence my page “Bloom where you are planted”.

To start the earthy background I applied Cracked Pistachio, Twisted Citron, Blueprint Sketch and Tea Dye ink from Distress Ink pads directly to the page, and then added water using a paint brush so the ink mixed and blended together. I stamped a Sketchy stamp by Kaisercraft using Potter’s Clay Memento Ink and black Archival Ink. Once the inks had dried I first painted Parchment acrylic paint and then white gesso using my finger to push some of the brighter colours back. Next I added some Mowed Lawn Distress Ink, again by blotting the ink pad onto the page and adding water with a paintbrush and I stenciled a honeycomb pattern by Craft Sensations using Rich Cocoa Memento Ink. Then I splattered and dripped grey and black Faber-Castell Big Brush markers; I did this by scribbling the marker onto an acrylic block, adding water and then dripping it onto the page. I also used Sanguine and Dark Sepia Big Brush markers to edge the page, smearing the ink with my finger and then I stamped the Sketchy stamp again using the Dark Sepia marker. To create the list of plants that we had bought at the plant nursery, I used a sheet from my “To do list” pad and then I stamped the plant names using black Archival Ink and added the ticks (check-marks) using a black UniPin marker. Next I distressed the edges using a pair of scissors, edged it and splattered it with the grey Big Brush Marker and stuck it to the page using a UHU Stic and washi tape at the corners. I added the rub-on transfer flower pot images and also the sentiment which I think links nicely with the theme. I also added the other wording which signifies that we start planting our bedding plants in May, ready to enjoy them flowering during June, July and August. To finish I added some paper flower embellishments in various colours that match the colours we have chosen for our containers this year.

As I created a grungy feel to my page I’m joining Gill from gibbyfrogettcraftations who is hosting the “Elegance & Grunge” challenge over at Art Journal Journey.

We decided to try a new plant nursery that was recommended to us and we were amazed by the large plant selection on offer, the quality of the plants and the very reasonable prices. The nursery sold both annuals and perennials but as there were three huge greenhouses of annuals alone, we only looked round these to make our selections for our containers and pots. The plants were fantastic and we will definitely be going back again to look around some more.

On our way back home from the plant nursery we passed a little village called Great Eccleston that has the most wonderful bakery, so we called in, well it would be rude not too (grin!).

There is lots of choice here with home baked breads, cakes, pies and a delicatessen counter. Needless to say we stocked up on quite a few treats.

The breads are amazing, especially the Spelt and Honey bread! As you can see by the empty shelves, their bread is really popular and it was only mid-morning. I like that the staff wear a traditional straw boater and a modern apron.

Their cakes are delicious too, so we bought a cream filled meringue for me and a black forest gateau for my hubby. The portions were huge (that’s a normal tea plate they are served on) so we only ate half each which meant we had two days of treats – yum! We enjoyed them at home with of usual cup of green tea and as T stands for Tuesday I’m saying a big hello to the T Gang – Happy T Day my friends!

Thanks for joining me today! If you have any questions or comments, I would love to hear from you.

Here is a list of all the materials used to create this art journal page:

• Pébéo White Gesso
• Liquitex Artist Color Acrylic (Parchment)
• DecoArt Crafter’s Acrylic (White)
• Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Cracked Pistachio, Twisted Citron, Blueprint Sketch, Tea Dye, Mowed Lawn)
• Memento Ink (Potter’s Clay, Rich Cocoa)
• Ranger Archival Ink (Jet Black)
• Faber-Castell Big Brush Pitt artist pen (Black 199, Cold Grey IV 233, Sanguine 188 B, Dark Sepia 175 B)
• Uni Pin Fine Line marker (Black 0.5mm)
• Uniball Signo gel pen (White)
• Kaisercraft clear stamp (Sketchy CS878)
• Dovecraft Alphabet Stamp Set (WDN ALPHA STMP DCVW0050)
• Craft Sensations (Deco Stencil Set 154892)
• “Things to do … People to see” pad
• Royal & Langnickel Rub-on Sentiments (Summer #ROY-505 Rub-on, Spring #ROY506 Rub-on, Spring is coming #CUR-666 Rub-on)
• The Works Washi Tape (Enjoy the Ride)
• Poundland (Accessories Pack 60911)
• Ranger Glossy Accents
• UHU Stic

Lilacs

With the lilacs in full bloom I’m reminded of friends, which makes me smile! They seem to be flowering earlier this year and many gardens around here have them. They remind me of one of my friends in particular who lives in Maine, America and just loves lilacs!

To start, around the edges of the page I applied Potter’s Clay Memento Ink by dabbing the ink pad directly onto my page. Then I used a small brayer by Ranger to apply Liquitex Parchment acrylic paint and then white DecoArt acrylic paint; I didn’t wait for the paint to dry between applications as I wanted to play around and create some texture. Once dry, I stamped a Script stamp by Kaisercraft using London Fog and Potter’s Clay Memento Ink. Then I stenciled a Shabby Harlequin pattern by Creative Expressions using Rich Cocoa Memento Ink. To create the lilacs, I stamped the images with a stamp designed by Tina Higgins using coloured Memento Inks then overlaid the image again with black Archival Ink. I added more colour to the petals, stem and leaves using Spectrum Aqua markers and a white Uniball gel pen. I found an old and crumpled airmail envelope in my hubby’s stamp collection that he had kindly given to me for my art journaling, which I tore, edged with Sanguine Faber-Castell Big Brush marker and stuck to the page using a UHU Stic. This reminded me of my friend in Maine because although we often Skype we like to send each other cards and notelets in the post throughout the year too.  To continue the postage theme, I stamped some postage marks and small script on the page using black Archival Ink and found a blank white postcard in my craft stash and added the sentiment which is a rub-on transfer by Royal & Langnickel. I thought this sentiment was so appropriate considering that the lilacs remind me of my friend. I tore the edges of the postcard, stained it with Distress Inks using a blending tool and edged it with the Sanguine marker. Then I added a United States postage stamp and stuck the postcard over the envelope using double-sided tape and a green paperclip; I like the grungy feel this created. I edged the page with the Sanguine marker using my finger to smudge the ink and to finish I added two butterfly stickers and the “lilac” wording.

I’m really pleased to be able to join Gill from gibbyfrogettcraftations again who is hosting the “Elegance & Grunge” challenge over at Art Journal Journey.

There are some wonderful displays of lilacs around our neighbourhood.

These are the deep purple lilacs that inspired my page, aren’t they just gorgeous and they have a lovely sweet fragrance too!

This lilac is so pretty with its paler delicate blossoms. If you are interested, here are some fun facts about lilacs:

• Lilacs belong to the olive family, Oleaceae.
• There are more than 1,000 varieties of lilac bushes and trees.
• Lilacs only flower for about three to six weeks in the spring.
• In the language of flowers, purple lilacs are the symbol of first love.
• Purple lilacs are most fragrant on a warm sunny day.
• The flowers are good for cutting and attractive to butterflies.
• Lilac blossoms are edible (I didn’t know this – did you?).

Thanks for joining me today! If you have any questions or comments, I would love to hear from you.

Here is a list of all the materials used to create this art journal page:

• Liquitex Artist Color Acrylic (Parchment)
• DecoArt Crafter’s Acrylic (White)
• Memento Ink (Potter’s Clay, London Fog, Lilac Posies, Grape Jelly, Pistachio, Rich Cocoa)
• Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Ground Espresso, Tea Dye)
• Ranger Archival Ink (Jet Black)
• Spectrum Aqua Artist Marker (Red Violet, Magenta, Purple, Wildflower, Moss, Bud Green, Chocolate)
• Faber-Castell Big Brush Pitt artist pen (Sanguine 188 B)
• Uniball Signo gel pen (White)
• Docrafts Papermanina Tina Higgins wooden stamp (Lilac PMA9061108)
• Kaisercraft clear stamp (Script CS752)
• Creative Expressions Mini Stencils (Shabby Harlequin CEMSHARL)
• The Works (Clear Stamps CR0274/TW3)
• Airmail envelope
• Lion Brand Postcard
• Postage Stamp (United States)
• Royal & Langnickel Rub-on Sentiments (Spring #ROY506 Rub-on)
• Home Bargains (Beautiful Butterflies 22742)
• Green paperclip
• UHU Stic
• The Range double-sided tape

Robin

Whilst walking along the Lancashire Coastal Way at Cockerham Sands we were lucky enough to see robins along the hedgerows. As my friends and family will tell you, I love robins and so seeing them gave me a great excuse to create this page.

The background is covered with a script decoupage paper and is stuck down using Liquitex Matte Gel Medium. Next I ripped pieces of a blue decoupage paper and stuck them to the page, and then I layered another piece of the same blue paper on the top to give more depth and dimension. Next I added ripped pieces of a music note design paper by Craft Sensations and edged them with a grey Faber-Castell Big Brush marker, sticking them down with a UHU Stic. The music washi tape reminds me of the robin’s song that we heard on our walk and also matches the quote I used for my page. Next I used a stencil to create the leaves; I did this by using the same music note design paper, stamping a circular geometric shape using Rich Cocoa Memento Ink through the stencil onto it and outlining the edge of the leaf design with a Chocolate Spectrum Aqua marker. Then I removed the stencil, fussy cut the leaves and stuck them to the page using a UHU Stic. Once the glue had dried, I outlined them with a black Uni Pin marker and a white Uniball gel pen. The beautiful quote is a rub-on transfer by Royal & Langnickel. To finish the background I added splatters of black acrylic paint. The spade handle is fussy cut from a calendar and I coloured it with Spectrum Aqua markers and added more detail with the black Uni Pin marker. The stem of flowers is a chipboard embellishment which I stuck to the page using a UHU Stic.

To make the robin, I cut a robin shape from a piece of card and collaged leftover pieces of paper over the top to create the feather design, keeping the paper pieces in place using matte gel medium. I stuck the papers so they overhung the edges of the card and when the glue had dried I cut around the bird shape to give a clean finish. I used Spectrum Aqua Markers to add detail to the feathers and colour the robin’s legs. I then edged the robin with the grey Big Brush marker and coloured the eye using a black 3D Pearl Effect by Dovecraft and then Glossy Accents by Ranger. I also added a white dot to the top of the eye with the white gel pen. I love the way this robin turned out and this is a great way to use up all those little bits of papers you have leftover. Although it’s a bit fiddly arranging the papers, I think the result is beautiful.

I’m also pleased to join Gill who is hosting the “Elegance and Grunge” theme over at Art Journal Journey.

We walked along part of the Lancashire Coastal Way towards Cockerham Sands, which is close to Cockersand Abbey.

We saw this robin on our walk, he was sitting on a post and looking at us over his shoulder.

He lives in a beautiful spot at Cockerham Sands overlooking the estuary of the River Lune leading to Glasson Dock.

On the beach front there are quite a few farms and we saw this anchor sitting in one of their gardens.

Doesn’t this rusty buoy look fabulous looking out at that wonderful view!

Here’s a close up especially for Elizabeth as I know she loves all things rusty.

Talking of Elizabeth, as T Stands for Tuesday I’m sharing the green tea we had after our walk and saying a big hello to the T Gang!

We went to the Lantern O’er Lune café again and if you’re good you can have something from the Naughty Board (grin!).

Thanks for joining me today! If you have any questions or comments, I would love to hear from you.

Here is a list of all the materials used to create this art journal page:

• Spectrum Aqua Artist Marker (Crimson, Burgundy, Spice, Fawn, Chocolate, Charcoal, Slate)
• Memento Ink (Rich Cocoa)
• Faber-Castell Big Brush Pitt artist pen (Cold Grey IV 233)
• Uni Pin Fine Line marker (Black 0.1mm & 0.5mm)
• Uniball Signo gel pen (White)
• Docrafts Papermania Mini Cards & Stamp Set (Capsule Geometric Krafts PMA105308)
• Craft Sensations (Deco Stencil Set 154892)
• Design papers – leftovers
• White card
• Trimcraft (Decoupage papers SCDEC064)
• Poundworld (Patch Paper DS9454)
• RSPB Calender – old
• Hobbycraft Decorative Tape (Assorted Black & White 5971471007)
• Royal & Langnickel Rub-on Sentiments (Spring #ROY506 Rub-on)
• Craft Sensations (Chipboard Embellishments 154887)
• Dovecraft 3D Pearl Effects (Brights – Black)
• Ranger Glossy Accents
• Liquitex Matte Gel Medium
• UHU Stic

Urban Street Art

With new urban art pieces being installed along the Art Trail in St. Anne’s on the Sea, I thought I would join in and create my own piece. I know Lisca loves street art so I hope she enjoys this post and I would also like to thank Rike who was the first to introduce me to a technique using a straw which inspired part of my design. I’m also pleased to join the lovely Gill who is hosting the “Elegance and Grunge” theme over at Art Journal Journey.

I started by covering the page with Pébéo white gesso using a craft knife to create texture, then while the gesso was drying I added the blue circles by dipping a cardboard tube into Aquamarine water colour paint by Winsor & Newton and applying it to the page. Next came the technique inspired by Rike, I dripped a grey and a blue water colour paint on my page then blew the paint with a straw to create drip lines and starbursts, I really enjoyed doing this, it was great fun.  I repeated all of these techniques a couple more times to build up the paint layers and textures until I got the look I wanted. Then I added some paint splatters using the same water colour paints and a paintbrush. Using black Archival Ink I stamped a frame onto the page and the little girl with her balloon onto a piece of grey paper from a Design Pad, both the stamps and paper are by Craft Sensations. I backed the grey paper image with a piece of card, cut it to match the inside of the stamped frame, edged it with a black Faber-Castell Big Brush marker and stuck it onto the page using a UHU Stic. To finish I added motivational wording which are rub-on transfers by Royal & Langnickel.

The St Anne’s Back West Art Trail is a series of urban street art installations along a back street in St. Anne’s on the Sea and this week we had 4 new additions displayed. The aim for this year is have up to 20 similar art works on display all over the town and there is talk of an Urban Arts Festival too. The photo is of a 12ft x 12ft piece by specialist urban artists Hayley Garner and Joy Gilleard, known together as Nomad Clan; it pays homage to the town’s history as well as the children and dogs that enjoy this seaside town.

The local stores who have access to the back of their buildings in this street also have art installations – my favourite is the bright green arch of Apple Bikes which was stenciled onto the wall itself.

Some storefronts are based on the street too, this pink building is a yoga studio, and features a bear looking out across the mountains.

This new installation of a whale by Nomad Clan is one of my favourites, isn’t it beautiful!

This abstract creation is by Catch-22 Art.

This warrior by Seca One Art looks like a futuristic avenger to me.

We also spotted this tribute to a local band on the bottom of a door.

Thanks for joining me today! If you have any questions or comments, I would love to hear from you.

Here is a list of all the materials used to create this art journal page:

• Pébéo White Gesso
• Winsor & Newton Cotman Water Colours (Ultramarine, Payne’s Gray, Colbalt Blue)
• Craft Sensations (Clear Stamps CRO274/16R)
• Craft Sensations Design Pad (Travel Memories 154898)
• Card
• Royal & Langnickel Rub-on Sentiments (Motivate #ROY-150 Rub-on)
• Cardboard tube
• Straw
• UHU Stic

April Hare

As you may already know, we love to go out walking and so on a sunny April day we decided to explore the Glasson Dock area some more; this beautiful place is a haven for all sorts of wildlife and birds. This time we were lucky enough to see hares running across the fields and not having seen a hare in the wild before I thought I would capture this moment on my journal page.

I started by applying a thin wash of diluted Peacock Feathers Distress Ink with a paint brush; I did this by stamping the ink pad directly onto an acrylic block and then adding water. Next I stenciled some Twisted Citron Distress Ink through a leaf mask by Craft Sensations using a blending tool and stamped some dots using the same Twisted Citron ink and London Fog Memento Ink.  I stenciled blue circles by Dutch Doobadoo using the Peacock Feathers ink and blotted them with a baby wipe to remove and disperse some of the colour. I also added some fine splatters of the same Distress Inks and black acrylic paint using a paint brush. Then I applied the wording using rub-on transfers by Royal & Langnickel, which remind me of our walk. The large ink hare image is from a flyer by Emma Underwood and I painted the other two smaller hares myself using eight different colours of Distress Ink, a black Uni Pin marker and a white Uniball gel pen, which was a fun experiment.

This time we went on a circular walk through farmland and countryside and we were amazed to see hares running over the fields and meadows.

They didn’t stay still long enough for us to take photos and although we managed to get a couple of shots, they were out of focus. If you are interested, here are some fun facts about hares:

• Hares are much larger than rabbits, with longer, black-tipped ears and more powerful hind legs.
• Hares are herbivores, eating grass and other plants.
• Hares are very shy and when in danger to protect themselves lie as still as a statue, tucked in close to the ground with their ears pressed flat along their backs.
• Hares can run incredibly fast, up to 35 miles per hour, although this is usually saved to escape predators.
• In March and April, hares can often be seen leaping about, chasing each other and sometimes having “boxing matches”. This is where two hares (usually a male and a female) stand up on their hind legs, face to face and box with each other. They do this because the female is not yet ready to mate or as a test of the male’s determination. This spring behaviour is where the expression “Mad as a March Hare” comes from.

We also saw some sweet lambs basking in the sunshine on our walk – aren’t they adorable!

As well as these cheeky guys looking out across one of the farm courtyards.

We had definitely walked up an appetite after 5.5 miles, so we went to our favourite café Lantern O’er Lune at Glasson Dock, which I have featured before in a previous post. As T Stands for Tuesday I’m joining Bleubeard and Elizabeth and the rest of the T Gang with our pot of green tea and panini with chips (fries). The panini is Cumberland sausage, Cheddar cheese and red onion chutney which is a lovely combination.

Their panini are always served with a side of coleslaw and the yummiest salad which contains water melon and strawberries – delicious!

Thanks for joining me today! If you have any questions or comments, I would love to hear from you.

Here is a list of all the materials used to create this art journal page:

• Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Twisted Citron, Peacock Feathers, Ground Espresso, Brushed Corduroy, Tea Dye, Spiced Marmalade, Fossilized Amber, Picked Raspberry, Seedless Preserve)
• DecoArt Crafter’s Acrylic (Black)
• Uni Pin Fine Line marker (Black 0.1mm)
• Uniball Signo gel pen (White)
• Faber-Castell Big Brush Pitt artist pen (Black 199)
• Craft Sensations (Deco Stencil Set 154892)
• Dutch Doobadoo Dutch Mask A5 (Geometric Tiles)
• Woodware Francoise Collection stamp set (Flower Style Wood Set FRSWS003)
• Flyer – Emma Underwood
• Old book – The Fox & The Orchard
• Royal & Langnickel Rub-on Sentiments (Spring #ROY-506 Rub-on, Summer #ROY-505 Rub-on)
• UHU Stic
• The Range double-sided foam tape