Life's balance - Page 2 of my Board Book Journal

I'm a bit of a scaredy cat when it comes to journaling in a book. I much prefer being able to start again if I dont like something, but that's a bit tricky in a book. Nevertheless I like a challenge. When I created this page I made a cock up, some paint bits I really did not like, but I simply covered it with a iof card, which I think rescued it and I'm happy with the page. Well, as happy as can be. I think journaling is more about the journey than the result. I like to use quotes that I have come across and would like to keep a note of so what better way to put them in a journal. A nice way of keeping thoughts and quotes in one place I think.

Text ATC's and my upcoming blog-over

Things have been a little quiet on my blog for a week or so now. I was just catching up on life, you know cleaning, cooking, washing, shopping.... xmas shopping!!! And I don't wanna stress myself too much always having to produce things to show here. I feel I put myself under a lot of pressure. So I have decided to have a little blog break, I'll still post the odd challenge as I love taking part in some challenge. But for the next 2-3 weeks it'll be real quiet here. Cause I'm having a BLOG-OVER! No that's not a hangover for blogs, it's a make over for blogs. I feel the design of my blog is a bit tired I just want to make it that much nicer to look at, a cleaner blog if you know what I mean. So I won't be resting as I'll be working on that and also a DT application.

I just want a fresh "start" for my blog as I'm getting more interest in my work, guest designer invites etc I just feel I owe people to up my game a bit. Posts may become fewer in the future but the quality will be going up. I am hoping to do more tutorials, there will definitely be another blog candy coming up before christmas, after all it's the time of year to give away goodies. Overall an improvement, I have come a long way from my card making early last year to the grungy and sometimes colourful mixed media creations I do nowadays.

In the meantime I leave you with 2 ATC's I rustled up last night using one of my favourite stamps from Art Journey, the text background. It just work so well with absolutely everything. I am entering these into the Text Challenge at The Art Journey Challenge.

Offcut notepads and new Art Journey Stamps

I have gone a little crazy making notebooks in the past 2 weeks. When I cut my pages I have these long pieces of paper left over and I thought why not bind them too, with a nice cover, they would make a good pad for writing lists. I am a bit of a fan of writing lists, whether it's shopping, to do or things to make, anything gets listed.

So for this one I used some sticky canvas that was sprayed with inks and stamped with the new Art Journey stamp from the Pen Nibs set.
I saw these in Craft Stamper and just had to have them, but it turned out they had not even been released. One email later my order was in and I absolutely love the writing stamp, it'll be a new favourite of mine. Perfect for backgrounds or notebook covers.

So this one is being entered into the Art Journey Challenge where the theme is Autumn Colours.

Another bunch of offcuts was made into this notepad. It is fabric covered and then I stamped some Artistic Outpost Images on the front. This I am entering into the Artistic Outpost Referral Program.

Watch this space for the actual notebooks I have been creating, after all these are just the offcut pads. I am loving my little notebook collection, I think I made about 15 or so. They will make fab little gifts so pop back to check them out!

Monochrome plus one colour challenge....

Whilst working on some cards and ideas the other day I ended up with this background that I inked with a mask using black distress ink. I quickly grabbed my Art Journey writing stamp and popped it on and voila, a really quick and easy card.

And it goes perfectly with the theme at The Artistic Stamper this month - monochrome plus one colour.

My first card was black with aged mahogany lettering, so I decided to make another one with aged mahogany spots and black lettering.

Art Journey Challenge #9 - Birthday

I have recently purchased some more stamps from Art Journey, well I have bought a ton of new stamps recently, some of them from Art Journey, hehe.

This is just to share a card with you I made for their challenge, checkcheck out their blog here.
The theme this month is birthdays.

It is also goin into the Simon says Stamp and Show - Anything Goes Challenge.

Another card goin into the box for my upcoming craft fair.