September 1st - 13th

September has been getting used to a new schedule and a new routine. The house is changing, school runs have been introduced, new places to craft, knitting and generally getting used to not going to work and becoming less mobile.

How has the beginning of September been for you?

C xxx

Summer...

I can't quite believe that it is the end of August already and all the beautiful summer pictures are being replaced in blog land by thoughts of Christmas - deeply scary.

I have enjoyed August for the quiet and the gentle pace. I am re-discovering the love of SLOW, both literally and metaphorically. It is odd to think that I would usually be gearing up at this point for the hectic term ahead, but instead this year I find myself watching others doing this with no need to do it myself. I am enjoying that my SLOW is going to continue and I am going to dance to the beat of my own music for a little while longer.

Fond farewell August I have enjoyed you.

I hope you have enjoyed August too.

Thanks for stopping in. C xxx

Sound of the sea...

Is truly amazing. I love the sound of oyster catchers and curlews alongside the rhythmic tidal sounds. Sometimes the solitude of a Hebridean Island is the only tonic - even if the weather is variable.

Happiness this morning is sitting with a cuppa enjoying the subtle colours and the sound of the sea.

Happy Sunday whatever that is for you.

C xxx

Catching up with DLP

Managed to finish weeks 10 and 11 today hooray. Only another 20 pages to complete to be up to date!

Week ten was "Surviving the Elements"

With layering as the technique. I used old book pages, brushos, Neocrayons II and acrylics.

 

Week eleven was "I feel I'm losing my mind." Using borders.

I made use of some tags and Dylusions Paints lent to me by the wonderful Debs. You can find Debs' work on her blog here.

Another lovely day here - I could get use to this, hopefully!

Hugs C xxx

 

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Quiet days are...

bliss. I love being at home and just pottering. The warmth today has been a real treat - a lovely English summer's day when you can have windows and doors open. Having grilled sweetcorn for lunch was another quiet moment of  joy. As was using prismacolour pencils

and Debbie Bliss wool. Knitting is not new to me, but it is a skill I feel I am still at a beginner's level with.

What created moments of joy for you today?

Happy Saturday. Cherry x

Restarting the habit of blogging...

It has been six months since I blogged. Having been out with my good pal Kathy (Purple Princess Diaries) yesterday, she pointed out that my blog was being neglected. It feels right to restart using it at this moment in time. However, I am, as usual, unclear about how well this will go. I love reading other blogs and am in awe of the creativity and lives that others live. I am not sure of how to use my own blog at the moment. I used to love using pictures and including bits and bobs from my attempts at crafting.

I may be over thinking this and should probably just dive in and start...

At the moment I am loving listening to First Aid Kit's 'Stay Gold' album and am taking some lyrics to drive me forward:
"I don't want to wait anymore I'm tired of looking for answers/ take me some place where there's music and there's laughter/ I don't know if I'm scared of dying but I'm scared of living too fast, too slow/ regret, remorse, hold on, oh no I've got to go/ there's no starting over, no new beginnings, time races on/ and you've just gotta keep on keeping on..." If you want to listen go here.

This blog is I think me just keeping on keeping on...

Yesterday, as I said, Kathy and I had a day out. We visited the lovely Pink Tulip shop in Studley.
We had a great morning and were looked after and we did a little shopping of course...

My efforts...it has been a while since I purchased anything!

We then had lunch at The Oak in Upton Snodsbury - absolutely yummy and relaxed. Check them out here. We can highly recommend the food, especially the desserts with chocolate sauce and vanilla ice-cream, Kathy had the waffles and I had the brownie.

Today has been a stay at home morning playing with some of the products. I have managed to finish Week 12 DLP - yes I am that far behind! They are on week 31 eek. 

Coming into focus...

 Loving the Visible Images butterfly.

I am also enjoying the Mindfulness Colouring Book by Emma Farrarons. 

Thanks for stopping by today and I hope you are keeping on keeping on...

Cherry xxx

DLP Week 4 January 24th.

The Blank Page and How to Face It!

January 24Art Challenge: Writing

Journal Prompt: Words with Friends

This DLP week four challenge really stumped me for some time. Finally,

These two arrived. From my Stabilo pencil (loving that tool).

 

They needed a willow tree to stand under. The quote says "my heart is at home with you sweet friend." It is how I feel about my friends indeed. There is more hidden writing under the trunk too. This is quite a different page for me, but I quite like the outcome.

 

Have a good week all. C xxx

 

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The end of another January!

I dislike January and I am always happy to bid it farewell. It is a long five weeks of dreary, but this year DLP and LifeBook have helped to brighten it up and it does appear to have gone reasonably quickly.

I loved Patti Ballard's lesson on Lifebook for week 4. I was totally enchanted and scared at the same time. I enjoyed the process, especially the skirt.

Finally, I have finished lesson one from Tam!

Tam gave a bonus lesson this week of an 'affirmation feather'. This is a practise take on it in a smaller journal. I am thinking of combining DLP and Lifebook on this one. DLP was Writing and Friends. I think the feather will do for both in its finished version.

I am intrigued and absorbed by seeing other people's take on these classes. It is lovely that many of my crafty friends are doing them at the same time for this reason. I am loving seeing everyon's art inspired by each lesson/prompt.

Hugs Cherry x

 

 

 

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Weeks two and three of January

DLP week two we were asked to use Gesso and be inspired by "The beginning is always today" Shelley.

Week three has been the colour wheel and the prompt: "I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way . . . " - Georgia O’Keeffe.

 

Week three on Lifebook was a lovely lesson by Joanne Sharpe.

 

 

I am still working on Tam's lesson one!

 

And week four!

Thanks for stopping by. Best get busy...

C xxx

 

 

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January 11th 2015

Day eleven of January 2015.



Two Journal covers completed - well I will probably keep adding to them through the year.


Lifebook 2015 lesson one by Tam Laporte in progress.








Lifebook 2015 lesson two by Roben-Marie Smith completed.

Keeping life simple and enjoying the contentment if the moment ... So far...

Sending warmest regards to you for stopping by.

Cherry xxx

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone and slow brain power - hugs C xxx

2015 Goal Page with DLP 2015

Thought I would join in DLP 2015 as much as I can. Loved the examples given by the team and "I stole" Sandi Keene's torn page look.

 

Had great gesso, acrylic, matte medium and pencil fun... My word for the year is 'contented'. I'm on the hunt for contentment in the here and now - whatever that moment is.

Hugs Cherry xxx

 

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2015...

Happy New Year. Christmas has flown by - well it did for me - I tried really hard to grab the moments and be in the present. I felt moments of anxiety at the pace and missing 'it' due to worry about, well, everything...

I have really enjoyed the dead days this year - just watching and being with the people I love. It has made me want to keep this year 'simple'. To find the 'contentment' in the moment not to search for Contentment as a being in the long run. Without sounding too maudling, I have lately felt a great sense of Time, and more to the point, its passing - another wave of anxiety. This may, in some part, be due to the fact that my daily life is surrounded by many elderly ladies, whom are all treasures, but all are daily examples of how dealing with ageing and it's not so glamorous processes is hardwork. With a focus always on the future, getting through to the next step, I worry that I forget about now, and in reality that is all I have. What if I keep missing it?

All this has made me think I want a simpler 2015 finding the contented moments. Here is a journal cover inspired by The Original Documented Life 2015.

My first 'in the moment' page is in development...

Thank you for calling by...here's wishing you a 2015 of what you require.

Cherry x

 

 

 

 

 

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