MM - Dylusional Fun ....

... Morning! I hope you're all keeping safe and well. I had my weekly class with Dyan Reaveley on Sunday night - Online Class 2.0, it was absolutely brilliant. We learn lots of techniques and work along with Dyan. I've spent the last couple of days finishing off my pages. This time we made four pages in our journal. Here are my pages:

Stamps: Dylusions - Just Breathe, Doolally Doris, Flight of Fancy, Toadstool Town, Let Me Adjust My Crown, The Cat & I, Clearly Flight of Fancy, Starstruck
Inks: Gina K - Black Amalgam
Accessories: Dylusions Jumpstart Journal; Dylusions Paints - Fresh Lime, Vibrant Turquoise, Dirty Martini; Dylusions Stencils - 9x12 - Martha's Mat, Diamonds, Bowl of Cherries, 5x8 - Martha's Mat, Starstruck, Circles; Dycuts Sets #6 and #7; Dylusions - Bigger Back Chat Black; Posca Pens - Black and White; Dylusions Dyary Sticker Book #1 and #2

I'm submitting these pages to Love to Craft Challenge Blog - LTCCB#46 where it's Anything Goes, and to More Mixed Media Challenge - MMMC#05 where it's Anything Goes with the option of Pink.

I'm having such a great time working in my journals with all the techniques I've been learning with Dyan. I've done several classes, but I always come away from a lesson with new ideas to try out. I've got another class - Online Class 3.0 - on Sunday 10 May, and then I'm doing a whole week with Dyan and lots of other Dylusionists from Monday 11 - Saturday 16 May - Distinctly Dylusions. It's going to be wonderful!!

That's all from me today. I think I need to get some work in the house sorted out, as I'm not going to be doing much next week 😁😂😃

Do stop by tomorrow to see my card for our new challenge at Cardz 4 Galz. Bye for now.

MM - Figure Me Out ...

.... Hello again! I've spent this rainy afternoon in my craft room finishing off a page in my Dylusions large art journal. I was lucky enough to take an Online Class 1.5 with Dyan Reaveley last weekend. There's a Facebook group for each class and all those who've purchased the class watch Dyan as she demonstrates various techniques, and we all create our own pages too. Here's the page I made based on the class:

Stamps: Dylusions - Passage of Time, Always, Foliage Fillers, Glorious Blooms, Kiss Me Under the Mistletoe, Clearly Christmas Stocking Fillers, Clearly Christmas 2016
Inks: Gina K - Black Amalgam
Accessories: Dylusions Large Journal; Large Tag; Dylusions Paints - Laidback Lilac, Periwinkle Blue, Fresh Lime; Dylusions Stencils - Holes, Court Jester, A Stitch in Time (Lg and Sm); Dylusions Silhouette - Fred; Posca Pens - Black, White; Copic Markers; Sakura Stardust Pens; Nuvo - Clear Aqua Shimmer Brush; Dylusions - Bigger Back Chat

I'm submitting this page to Love to Craft Challenge Blog - LTCCB#45 where it's Anything Goes, and to More Mixed Media Challenge - MMMC#04 where it's Anything goes with the option of yellow (which I skipped).

I had so much fun creating this page working with Dyan's paints, stencils and stamps. I spent this afternoon colouring all the images using a mixture of Copic markers, Sakura Stardust pens and Dyan's paints. I took another photo of the page where I've removed the tag from the hidden pocket to reveal the snarky quote:

Dyan has been doing daily Dyalog vidoes on her You Tube channel - such a wonderful way to help unwind and relax in these strange times. I've already signed up for next Sunday's Online Class 2 with Dyan and Online Class 3. See you soon.

MM - Idle Hands .....

... Hi! When we came home to North Wales in October 2018, we were living, temporarily, in Chester. On one of our shopping trips we past an art gallery where they were about to host a show for Todd White. In the window was a painting called "Idle Hands" and I feel in love with it. Now, in the past I've seen other canvases that I've really liked, but this was the first one that I felt I had to have. I went in and just looked at the picture and then I headed off and mentioned it to Jonathan. He simply said - go buy it!! So I did!! The picture had to stay at the gallery until we were able to move back into our house. And now, "Idle Hands" hangs on the wall and I see it everyday and it fills my heart with joy. I was lucky enough to attend his show and meet Todd - he's a fab guy and signed the book I bought.  I made this spread to celebrate my lovely new picture:

Stamps: Dylusions - Dependable Dotty, Around the Edge, Bordering on the Edge, Anatomy of a Page, Three Little Maids
Inks: Dylusions Inks - Crushed Grape, London Blue, Dirty Martini, Squeezed Orange, Tangerine Dream, Postbox Red, Bubblegum Pink, Lemon Zest, Cut Grass, Fresh Lime
Accessories: Dylusion Large Journal; Ranger Archival Ink; Brochure for Todd White Show; Skull from Todd White Carrier Bag

I have several of Dyan's journals with lots of backgrounds started - this one was started while living in the States. I picked this background and added a simple border, along with some shadow stamping using Dylusion stamps. In the catalogue was a section of 'my' picture which I cut out, mounted on black card and adhered to the page. I then cut out some images, coloured them with Dylusions inks an added them to the page. I finished by cutting out the large 'day of the dead' skull from the carrier bag, added some colour and glued it down. Here are a couple of close-up shots of each page:

I'm submitting this spread to Love to Craft Challenge Blog - LTCCB#44 where it's anything goes, and to More Mixed Media Challenge - MMMC#03 where it's anything goes with the option of green.

Before I go, I took a photo of my picture to show where it hangs in the house. I know the picture is called "Idle Hands", but I call her Sally as she reminds me a bit of the character from The Nightmare Before Christmas.

I am so lucky to have this picture - I see something new in it everytime I go by. That's all for today. Wherever you are, keep safe.

MM - Covid-19 ...

.... Good afternoon! It's a beautiful day here in Northop Hall and in normal circumstances I would be going out for a walk, but it's not normal and I've already done my daily exercise. So, I've been working on a spread in my art journal. You've probably guessed by the title of this post that my spread has been inspired by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Stamps: Dylusions - Graphic Backgrounds, Toadstool Town, Say It How It Is, Basic Background, Branching Out, There's Not Mushroom in Here; Dylusions Clear Stamps - Numerology, Creative Dyary Stamps, Others (from the USA)
Inks: Dylusions Sprays - Lemon Zest, Fresh Lime, London Blue; Ranger Black Archival; Gina K - Black Amalgam; Versafine Clair - Golden Meadow
Accessories: Dylusions Large Journal; Dylusions Collage Sheets; Dylusions Paint - Black Marble, Lemon Zest; Copic Markers; Posca Markers; Dylusions Stencils - Bubbles, A Stitch in Time; Joggles Stencil - Starlight; Images from the Internet

I'm submitting this spread to More Mixed Media Challenge - MMMC#03 (anything goes with option of green), Addicted to Stamps and More - ATSM#382 (make your mark) and Love to Craft Challenge Blog - LTCCB#44 (anything goes). I'm also playing along with the Dylusions Facebook Challenge March.

With all that's been going on with Covid-19, I wanted to get it out and on paper. Going through my art journals I found a pre-inked and stamped background spread using yellow, green, a touch of blue, and leaves - the perfect spread for the Facebook challenge. I'd already ghosted the page with a Joggles stencil, and I outlined a couple of the stars with black paint pen. I added a black stencil border to the areas that didn't have any leaves. I used some Dylusions background stamps to add some detail. I found a biohazard symbol on the Internet and printed off a few along with some words. I went through the collage images (all previously cut out) and found some that worked with the challenge theme, but also seemed perfect for the pandemic idea too. I stamped out a selection of different mushrooms, coloured them with Copic markers - some red and lots of shades of yellow - all suggesting danger/toxicity and cut them out. I created a hidden pocket on the spread for a tag. I painted the tag bright yellow, used the alphabet stamps to spell out "covid 19" and added some typed notes that I created on the computer. And I found the perfect quote from Dyan's word stamps "I am exhausted by how stupid everyone is getting" - mainly those that seem to think it's a good idea to stockpile loo rolls and pasta!!  Here are some larger photos of each page:

I've also taken photos of the tag - back and front. The data comes from various sources on the Internet - mostly the World Health Organisation and Public Health England.

I'm not sure that I've worked out all the anxiety and worry, and this theme may make another appearance in my journal, but it's helped for now. That's all - be safe and stay indoors.

Mixed Media Dylusions Fun .....

...  Good afternoon!!  I say good, but it's awful here today.  Those weather boffins were absolutely right - pouring rain, grey skies and so much wind.  We've moved all the garden ornaments into the shed.  And we're not going out at all - so I've been playing.  I started this yesterday afternoon and have just finished.  I had such fun:

Stamps: Dylusions - Crown of Roses, Clockwork, Sunshine Girl, Around the Edge, Graphic Backgrounds, Say It How It Is, Just Breathe, Doodle Parts, Toadstool Town
Inks: Archival - Jet Black; Dylusions - Postbox Red
Accessories: Dylusions Square Journal; Dylusions Inks - Tangerine Dream, Squeezed Orange, Pure Sunshine, Postbox Red Bubblegum Pink; Dylusions Stencils - Holes, Heart Border, Diamonds, Starstruck, Old School Numbers; Copic Markers; Glitter Pens

I'm submitting this spread to Love to Craft Challenge Blog - LTCCB#43 (anything goes), and some new mixed media challenges - More Mixed Media Challenge - MMMC#02 (anything goes/option red) and Creative Artiste Mixed Media Challenge - CAMMC#57 (anything goes). I've also put this into the Dylusions Facebook Challenge - February to use Orange, Stencil and Doodle.

I have several of Dyan's journals and many pre-inked/painted backgrounds ready to make into spreads.  This spread must have been done while I was in the States as I've not done any inking since I've been back home.  I added some more stenciling to the pages, rummaged through my cut out images and worked out the spread.  I had so much fun putting the page together.  You can't see it in the picture above, but there's shimmer on the page too - I used glitter pens to colour the flowers .  Here are larger photos of each page.

That's all for today - I'm off to cook lunch and then chill with the family and a movie.  See you soon.