Taz Monster

You wouldn't believe this, but as I write this post the little ginger monster that lives in my house is curled up asleep on the rug looking as cute as he can possible look.  He's a cat by the way!  You wouldn't believe that he can be such a monster, but he can be.  We lost his brother last year and he gets lonely at times so I try to play with him as much as possible.  Maybe we will get him a friend or maybe I'll continue to play with him, who knows.  I quite enjoy playtime!

He can be very funny.  Tonight I found him keeping my dirty washing company before it went in the wash.  Apparently sitting on damp towels is all the rage at the moment.  He has these amazing doey eyes and much like a child he knows exactly how and when to use them.  Taz believes that kitchen visit  = breakfast, brunch, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner or perhaps just snack time.  He's not even fat, how unfair is that!  Mind you, I'm not a regular tree climber and I don't tear up and down the garden at a  hundred miles an hour!

This page was inspired by a challenge on Scrapagogo created by Pam Thorburn.  The challenge was to use scraps of paper up.  I'm must admit to doing the bare minimum as I really wanted to get these photo's documented and my scrapping mojo was missing.

Happy Crafting
Debz
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Mojo Demon - do you have one?

My mojo demon is really evil.  My bank manager hates it, I hate it and I bet you hate yours.  Why do I hate it so much? 

Not just because it stops me crafting, but it also makes me go craft shopping.  Not useful craft shopping where you know what you want, what you will use and how you will use it, but just shopping for stuff.  You know, stuff, the things you buy and that sit around for ages (weeks, months or years in some cases).  Stuff that you think looks great, but you forget how to use the moment you get it home or worse still stuff you didn't know how to use in the first place or are too scared to use.

I can't be the only one, can I?

I'm getting better at the too scared to use malarky.  These days I'm much braver and will play with just about anything.  It helps having lots of crafty friends that like to play.  We bounce off of each other whilst putting the world right.

I've been doing a craft cleanse which has involved taking stock of all that I own, all that I like and all that I don't like.  It's been hard work and I made such a mess in my craft room that it made me non crafty for a while.  I've decided to take a break from documenting for a while, but I've documented all of my paints, ink pads, embossing powders, chalks etc (you get the picture). I've used a small art journalling book so that I can take it with me to craft shows and avoid buying similar colour paints, inks and so on.  I think I must have 4 or 5 of the the same aqua as it's a colour I'm drawn too.  At least I know I don't have to buy any for a while (quite a while!)  Luckily I've documented most of my stamps as I bought them, but there are probably a dozen or so that haven't left the packages yet and still need to be done.

I'm determine ... either I find a way to use it or it's going to be sold on Ebay.  If it no longer inspires me it is going. That's if anyone will have it - I may not get much for the things I sell but anything is a contribution to my more sensible buying in the future. At the moment I've put stuff in a big box ready for me to go through at the end (one last chance before it goes!)

Sorry for the terrible photo's, but they give you the idea.

One thing I have realised is that often the best effects in art journalling are not from items designed for art journalling.  Kiddy craft items are great - the mojo demon stripped background was created from a rubber rolling pin created for rolling kids clay.  It creates great texture. 

Happy Crafting
Debz
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Courage

I saw this image and thought of courage and bravery, so I created a page all about just that.  It's not just about be courageous and brave, but also about being honest with myself which itself takes courage.

These aren't necessarily things that I think I am or am not, but things I think I should be.  The circle stamp I used is ancient, beyond ancient ... a stamp I bought when I first started making cards.  It just shows that we should always consider using old stamps.  Cheap and cheerful I was about to throw it out until I realised it could have a different use.

Short and sweet tonight!

Happy Crafting
Debz
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Just a matter of confidence

Some of you that know me well will realise I've lost a bit of weight lately.  Currently just over 2 stone - scary!  For several years I've been hiding under loose tops, baggy cardigans and anything else that hid my stomach.  The only problem with this was that being big chested meant I was making myself look even bigger than I was - d'oh!

This was the page I started to use as an inspiration, but I got carried away and it's so pretty I can't bear to stick pictures over it or write on it.  Yep, I also have paper that is too pretty to cut - you do too, I know it! I'm not the only crafting magpie out there, in fact I'm sure that crafting and magpies are the perfect match (as long as there is more than one!)

I'm going to scan it to see if I can use it on cards or on a scrap layout.  Then maybe I'll stick something on top of it!

On with the story ... since losing the weight (and I haven't stopped yet) I realised I had to stop hiding my body and I had to start buying clothes that fitted properly.  I didn't do this for a while and I've been amazed by the compliments I've received since I started wearing fitted clothes - it's scary though.  My figure isn't perfect, I've still got weight to lose, but I should be proud of what I have managed.  It was hard work.  Baggy clothes are a shield in a way, so I decided to look out loads of images of women I thought looked confident and were what I wanted to aspire too.

I'm not about to become blonde, 10 years younger or get a different personality, but I am going to be more confident (even if sometimes that means faking it!)

This is my eventual page.  Based on similar colours, but I remembered that it was a journal page this time.

I once read somewhere that lines created with credit cards, room cards or whatever method you may use should be horizontal or vertical.  That's a bit like telling me not to go into that room or look in that cupboard.  This is art journalling, rules are meant to be broken.

The hearts were created by squeezing paint in a heart shape on the page, rolling a kitchen roll over it and using it to create more hearts across the page.  Eventually they'll get really faint.  I love this effect as you get the texture of whatever kitchen roll you are using.

If you fancy a challenge choose a motivational word, create a page to inspire you for the future and don't forget to tell me about it so that I can come and have a nosey.

Happy Crafting
Debz
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Art journal or scrapbook page?

Apparently there are no rules in art journalling, so on that basis my art journal is a mixture of lots of different things.

• Some pages are all about motivating myself and persuading myself to do the right thing;
• Some are me just playing around and one day they may become a "real" art journal page with writing and all;
• Others are for purging my soul, if it's really personal I'll hide the journalling or make it impossible to read (not difficult!);
• And, some pages have photo's on.  I've already scrapped the subject, but I adore the photo so use it in my art journal instead.  I don't have to say much about the subject then if I don't want to. 

Purists may want to keep art journalling separate to their scrapbook, but I love the fact that my journal is a bit of all sorts (and I use one, not one for each subject ... one).  I can look back at it and see what sort of mood I was in throughout the year, what I was thinking and what I was drawn to at that time.  Some days I want to be frivolous and not think about the difficult things, sometimes I want to scream into the page and other days I want to remember. 

One of my favourite pages probably isn't the best, but I found a photo which reminded me of travelling with my parents when I was younger.  The picture wasn't even of travelling, I think it was Moroccan, but it got me thinking about motorway travel of all things.  You don't have to use appropriate pictures, use what you are drawn to, use what reminds you of happy or sad times, use images that motivate you ... use anything you damn well want!  I do!!

Just a thought though, be careful if using images from magazines or newspapers.  My understanding is that if you alter it then you can get away with it, but how altered it has to be I don't know.

This page was taken in Bangkok, Thailand.  My favourite destination of all time.  I don't know what it is about Thailand but I feel so peaceful there, perhaps I was Thai in a previous life!

I don't want to be prescriptive on what I've done, how and with what as that's not the point of art journalling.  To me it's about playing.  If you want details please ask and I'll point you to the right manufacturer.  What I can tell you is there is probably PaperArtsy Al Fresco paint on it somewhere!  If this was on a Design Team post it would be a different matter as I'd be selling those stamps or images, but it's not so I can do what I want!!!

Happy Crafting
Debz
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