Every Inchie Monday -- Greece

On Every Inchie Monday we are off to the Mediterranean this week with Greece. Their National bird is the Phenix, but as that is a mythical bird the Little Owl is considered the National bird now.
In Greek mythology the owl was sacred to Athena, the goddess of wisdom. Therefore it was considered a protector of the Greek armies; if one flew over the army before battle, this was believed to be a sign of victory.
The owl was commonly used on ancient coins, and is on the one Euro coin now.

Thursday Journal with Neet

This week is Neet's choice of black and white and movies. I painted the page black and used a die cut for the film strip. The figure is a Dylusion one and the little monsters are Paperartsy. I am trying to get ahead of myself as I am off on a course next week for three days, and as I have only just come home after four days away I am chasing my tail.
I am now a month behind with my art courses as well, and have the three grandchildren here for the weekend. I will be fast asleep by five O'Clock on Sunday.

Art Journal Journey -- Recycle and Collage

Another page for Art Journal Journey and this time I have made a Spring green one. The picture in the middle has been on my desk for ages, and I have drawn some leaves and flowers to fill in some of the space.

Every Inchie Monday -- Kenya

We are off to Africa this week and Kenya always makes me think of wild animals. My first instinct was to sew a lion, but I did that last year, so I have sewn an orchid which is their unofficial National flower. They are the largest exporters of flowers in the world.
For my card one I have done shrink plastic giraffe against an African sunset.

Thursday Journal with Neet

All done in a hurry as I have had a busy week and today had to take the car in for a service and MOT, which took from 9 am to 5.30, now am now cooking tea and rushed down to put this on as I am very late. I had made the majority of the page yesterday, but had to wait overnight for the stickles to dry so I could put the words on when we got home.
This week it is blue and gold and the words are All thatis glitters. I have used Dylusions paint for the blue and a metallic one for the gold which I sprinkled with glitter while it was still wet. I drew some more diamonds with red and blue Ranger stickles. It's a shame that the glitter doesn't show up on the scan.

Tag Tuesday -- Black and white with a spot of colour

For my second tag on Valerie's theme on Tag Tuesday I have made another one with a Dylusion figure, this time adding a spot of pink.
I have also included some photos of the poppies at Hereford cathedral, near where I live.

This is Haze who came down to my studio to help move all the pencils about. She has a short attention span so ended up looking at the fish.
She follows me like a little dog, as she is a bit lost having lost a brother and sister who for some reason tried to cross the road and didn't make it.

Every Inchie Monday -- Egypt

This week we are off to Egypt, I have never been , and not likely to now.
My grandfather was there during the first World War, picture below, he's the one in the middle.

I have used shrink plastic for the card one and sewn The Eye of Horus for the other.

Tag Tuesday -- Black and white and a spot of colour

Valerie has chosen the theme for this fortnight on Tag Tuesday. It is black and white and a spot of colour.
I have used a black tag and stamped a Dylusion figure stamped on white card. I added some spots of red.

Art Journal Journey -- Recycle and Collage

A second page for the Art Journal Journey, before I go out and do a tiny bit of gardening.
This time it's a blue theme with some more random findings. The background is a clean off sheet from various projects that was bound to come in useful some day. The saying stamped well over eight years ago, and the image from my vintage collection.
 I am also entering this on Try it on Tuesday where the theme is the same as AJJ

Art Journal Journey -- Recycle and collage

I haven't done this challenge for ages and as it was to use collage and recycled things, it helped tidy up my desk at the same time. This theme was the choice of Alison ( craftytrog) and is on Art Journal Journey challenge site.
As I look out on a foggy garden don't be surprised at the Autumn theme to this page.  Most of the scraps of paper were more like Autumn than Spring. Some of them are gelli prints that have already been ripped up. I stamped the leaves on a piece of sprayed paper that is about six years old. The die cuts were forever falling out of my file ( not now they won't)
I am also entering this on Try it on Tuesday

Thursday Journal with Neet

This week are are back to Red and yellow and the word is fruit.
I used Dylusion paint and a pomegranate stencil for the background, and a Dylusion figure.

Every Inchie Monday -- Peru

Back to South America and this time to the fabulous country of Peru. Peru is full of history and fantastic scenery. I did attempt to draw Machu Pichu but have enclosed it so you can see how impossible it was to make it look anything like the real thing.
I have chosen to do the National animal -- The Vicuna which are valued for their wool. It was against the law for anyone but royalty to wear Vacuna garments.
I have tried to sew the National bird of Peru, which has to be one of the oddest looking bird I have seen. It is called the Cock-of -the -rock ( Rupicola peruvianus) It looks like a bundle of fuzz with the tiniest peak and an eye well below the beak. Mine isn't low enough. It was very difficult to sew on an inch and probably doesn't resemble it very much. Do have a look on Google and you will see what I mean.

Another quirky bird

This is another my quirky bird series: A bit more topical as bird nesting season in in progress. I found a broken bird egg in the garden yesterday, probably a pigeon.

Tag Tuesday -- Diamonds are forever

On Tag Tuesday the theme was chosen by Wilma who has made two tags to inspire us. I am very late with mine, I seem to have run out of steam.
I have used a picture a lade who looks as if she is waiting for a special question. The card is actually glittery, and I have added some flowers with pearl centres.

Thursday Journal with Neet

This week the colours are evergreen bough and pumice stone, both Distress inks. the theme was a clock background.
My pumice stone isn't what it used to be, and I ended up having to use some distress stains which I really don't like very much. I use a stencil for the background, and Dylusion stamps for the figures.

Every Inchie Monday -- Germany

For Every Inchie Monday this week I have sewn the eagle, the National bird of Germany, and drawn a cornflower, the National flower.
The eagle looks more like a demented goose, but time ran out and the more you try to alter such a tiny piece of sewing the worse it gets.

Another quirky bird

Here is another quirky bird from one of my online lessons.