I've Been Busy With This and That ....

Yet again, I've been away a long time - but not idle.  I won't bore people with the reasons why I've been away - save to say that things are getting a little better on the work front, so I've got just a little more 'me time'.

I'm going to make up for being away with a really loooonnnnggggg post - lol - so I hope you're sitting comfortably - including you, Anita.

Still passionate about the knitting - the current WIP is a 'patchwork' cardigan in a gorgeous cashmere and silk yarn in a burnt orange colour.  The back and two sides are oblongs, exactly the same and all in the same pattern but when you sew it together one of the sides is sewn upside down - hope that makes sense.  Each of the sleeves are different stitch patterns.  I've got a bag of some beautiful bright red Cascade yarn to make a rather enormous knitting bag, which will be felted. 

Anyways - I've had the last two weeks or so off work.  I've not been anywhere but had a rather nice Stay-Cation here in sunny Sussex.  It's amazing what you find to do at home when you work long hours.  Various household appliances and equipment have been brought out of the cupboard under the stairs - even the iron has had an airing - lol.  The garden is looking good, the grass is like a bowling green and every room in the house is tidy - bar one ....

That's because I bought the two Kate Crane DVD's on Art Journaling from the lovely Wendy at The Stamp Attic about a week before my holiday.  As soon as I watched them I thought that's what I'm doing for the next couple of weeks.  To be fair - I the money I would have spent on going away somewhere was spent on paint, mica sprays and rubber stamps all from Dyan Reaveley at Art from the Heart, brushes and journal books - lol.  My friend in the newsagents around the corner from work got me two packs of 20 kitchen roll - a tenner each - and all the baby wipes in West Sussex are here in my house - lol.  Who needs a Greek Island anyway - lol.

So - the outcome of all this expenditure and the war zone appearance of the room upstairs is this ....

The first Journal is a 4"x6" book from Seawhites of Brighton -

Liking this first page -

The next two pages are because I thought I would be actually journalling.  A lot of journals that I've seen are a bit 'deep and meaningful' - something I didn't want to be - I can be miserable enough for the whole world sometimes without writing it down - lol -

So - the following pages are quotes that I have seen and stored away in another notebook and even comments that I have made up myself - lol.  Plus I have rather a lot of Stampotique stamps and wanted to use my lovely new Dylusions stamps too - 

On the next page, I've started cutting up the books that the lovely Sue in the West Midlands gave me; and I discovered that I really like bright and vibrant colour -

The next two pages express the desire for more shopping - lol; and gives one reason for the lack of journalling - lol - 

The last three pages in this book - 

While doing this book, I also started an 8"x8" Pink Pig book, which I got from the lovely Wendy at The Stamp Attic.  In fact, the first two pages I did right at the beginning of my holiday - 

These next two pages are taken from an idea in a book by Lynne Perella - al-pha-bet-i-ca (don't you just love Amazon - lol).  Again, I didn't want to be too 'deep and meaningful' or take myself too seriously - 

Pages ready to play with -

Dylusions stamps - Ruby Rainbow, Doolally Doris and Love Struck Lucy -

And finally (thank goodness can I hear - lol).  Couldn't sleep the other night - so rather than toss and turn I got up.  Was blog hopping and saw this link on Dyan Reaveley's blog.  So there I am - 2.30am trying to do the same sort of thing and coming up with this -

Off now to watch Eastenders and retreat upstairs to try this one again.

Hope you enjoyed the piccies ....