12 Journals of 2016 Complete!

Hi everyone

Apologies this video is a little late due to technical difficulties!  My Computer has been in the menders not once but TWICE and I am just getting over the withdrawal!  It is amazing how much I missed having access to my YouTube account!  I have managed to keep filming though so all I need to do now is get editing!

So first things first.  Time to finish off my 2016 Art Journal  (not 2017 check out the tutorial to find out what I did!!).  In this tutorial I will show you how I made covers for my pages and now I have two lovely volumes documenting some of my art adventures and memories from 2016 in my favourite colour too!

As you will know all my pages were inspired by Tim Holtz 12 Tags of 2016 series this year and I am going to miss playing along with him as he has decided after many years of creating tags full of technique and inspiration he is going to concentrate on other things.  But every cloud has a silver lining and mine is that I am going to go it alone and bring the inspiration myself this year as I have had such fun with my 2016 Journal I want to share!

I am changing the format of the pages slightly but there will be an element of scrapbooking combined with a ton of mixed media art journal inspiration.

I am really looking forward to telling you more but first there is this tutorial to show you an idea for covering all your lovely art journal pages or perhaps an idea for creating a mini album which would work too.

Next up from me will be a short final journal run through video and then it is on to my Journal 2017 Series.  I do have a little catch up to do so there will be two pages in quick succession but then it is my intention to journal a month in arrears around the third week of the month so this series will be finished and bound in January 2018.

I really hope you will play along with me so don't forget to subscribe here and on my You Tube Channel for more details coming soon.

Thank you for popping by X

12 Journals of 2016 - May

Hi Everyone

I am catching up with my 12 Journals of 2016 this month and probably next!  I am a bit behind again - I don't know where my time disappears to sometimes.  Keeping this post short as I am off to edit June's Page which is all filmed!

I am playing along with Tim Holtz's 12 Tags of 2016 only I am making journal pages instead.  The principal is the same I will take his inspiration and give it my own interpretation and will film the journey for you.

I love how this one turned out…..in the end!  This was one of those pages that took a while to find its direction as you will see in the video.  But when it got there I liked the story it told and I know fellow Art Journalers will appreciate the use of Gesso and a black pen which so often come to my rescue!!!!

As usual I am creating a tag for each month but I am out of ink at the moment so I haven't been able to add my journalling and photo just yet - I will bring that to you in another video once my printer is up and running again!

If you are wondering about those gorgeous stamped images I have use Antique Botanicals by Rubber Dance.  I particularly love this flower and have used it over and over.  Click on the link if you want to see more of this lovely collection of stamps.

Without further ado here is the tutorial which takes you from Tim's inspiration to my interpretation.

Thank you for popping by x

I am feeling a little Drippy today!

Hi everyone

I have a new video for you today.  This is all about experimentation.  You may remember I started and experimental art journal and I am having fun trying new things in it.  This time I decided to try dripping!!

I must admit I am a little uncomfortable with anything that is a bit out of control and drippage certainly is that but the fun was seeing how the page took shape in such a random fashion.

Here is how it turned out.

I even came up with my own quote!  Green is my favourite colour so I loved working with it to create this page with a touch of bling.

Watch how my page took shape on my video tutorial.  I hope you find some inspiration within.

During this video you will hear me mention a new feature available to You Tube Video makers called 'Cards'.  Today I tried them out for the first time.  I think they have worked and I checked them out on my iPad and the links work too!  I had no idea that all this time the annotations I have been carefully putting at the end of all my videos didn't work on mobile devices!!!!!!

You should see towards the end of the video little messages appear at the top right of the screen along with a letter i.  If you click in this area it will bring up a series of 'cards'  These cards will give you links to other places you might like to visit or to other videos or playlists you might like to watch.  I hoped there would be a subscribe one but I need to go and look for it again - it might appear later if I find it.

Clicking on any of the cards you see will open up a drop down list of all the cards on the video which will take you to different places.  If you haven't seen these before either it is worth having  quick explore and to know that whenever you watch a video and you see a little message appears top right of your viewing screen that it is an interactive element that has been added for your enjoyment or further interest.

You will notice on this photo that I have used my lovely Rubber Dance Diamonds background stamp.  Click on this link and you can see more gorgeous stamps from the lovely Bibi over in Norway.

…….last but not least I am sharing a photo I took a couple of weeks ago when my Irises were looking blooming' marvellous!

Nature is the greatest painter of all don't you think?  I was really impressed by the quality of this photo (if I do say so myself ;-)) as I took it on my phone!!

Don't forget to hit subscribe if you like what you see and are new around these parts!  Welcome and thank you for popping by X

Rubber Dance Colour Challenge Reminder Art Journal Page

Hi everyone

Just popping in to remind you of this months Rubber Dance Colour Challenge.  For the month of May the colours are Yellow, Pink and Purple and I am sure that you can come up with lots of wonderful projects using these sunny colours.  If you are living here in the UK you know we need all the sunshine we can get right now….We actually had hail here yesterday!!!!

There is an optional prompt of flowers this month if you need somewhere to start your creative process.

I decided to have a play in what I am calling my experimental journal and you will see from the video how I got on trying out two ways of revealing all the texture I created with my Round in Circles Rubber Dance stamps.

So the first reveal was created using a butterfly stencil from Tando and the second reveal was created by cutting around my butterfly wings to help them fly off the page!

If you watch the video you can see how much fun a colour challenge is as the first page in my experimental journal was created using the colours from the April Challenge.

So please follow this link and check out the challenge inspiration provided by my team mates this month and of course while you are there you can have a peak at the awesome Round In Circles and Think Again stamp sets that I used on my Art Journal page.

Whilst I am in the link up mood!!!! here is another link to the Rubber Dance one year blog anniversary Blog Hop!  So there are stamps to be won in the challenge and lots more to be won in the hop so get clicking!!!!

Hope you have as much fun as I did playing along with the May Colour Challenge from Rubber Dance.

Thank you for popping by X

I am a Guest Designer for Unruly Paperarts this month!

Hi Everyone

This is a little sneak peak to send you over to the wonderful blogzine Unruly Paperarts to check out all the lovely work inspired by this month's prompt Fully Booked!  I am featuring as a guest designer on behalf of Rubber Dance stamps and the lovely Bibi who is sponsoring this month and next month's issue.

I was really excited to take part and I just had to create another altered page in my Art Journal series of videos to celebrate.

Here is a little peek so if you want to see more then please follow this link and I will reveal all……hmmm……let me rephrase that ……..all will be revealed ;-)  Much better!

You can see the two lovely Rubber Dance stamps I used on my page in this shot!  You can find them over at Rubber Dance on the ATC Backgrounds 1 stamp set.

See you in a jiffy!

Thank you for popping by - short but sweet! x

Faux Altered Christmas Book

Hi Everyone

Well the computer goes to the menders on Monday.  It is going to be strange not popping in here to talk to my screen!!!!  Here is my penultimate video for the year and it is a long one!  In  fact I think it is the longest I have ever put up.  I think you may be better off watching it in 2 or 3 sittings - make it in to a serial!

It does have a couple of great tips and techniques though so it is worth persevering to see how to make this!

The clue to this project is the word 'Faux'.  A little while ago I went to a workshop with the MDF man and the lovely Karen and we all had great fun making a Faux altered book.  In the video you will see the secret to the aperture in this book and it is not hours and hours of gluing pages together and then cutting out an aperture!  Genius!

Here is the link to his website and if you are in the area his workshops are a real treat.  Great value for money - fun projects and lovely people…..oh and did I mention the shopping!???

I was itching to come home and see what I could do with my new kit and of course it had to be Christmas.  This is the book from the outside.

I decided to decorate the cover as I want to display this book on a table and tempt people to peak inside and discover the magical world within!  So why is the video so long - well there was lots to show you.  As I put this together I show you how to make faux leather, I try my hand at creating my own texture paste and I have to say it worked a treat and of course there is the creation of the little winter wonderland within.

We are going to take a photo of us all together at Christmas and I am going to include that in the pages and I may add Christmas 2014 to the spine of the book later on.

So without further ado and chatter here is the tutorial.  I hope you like it.

Hope you are all having a fabulous time…..not many sleeps until Santa arrives …..hope he remembers I've been good and really really need some Pitt Brush Pens ;-)

Thank You for popping by X

Art Journal - Page 4

Hi Everyone

At last I managed to make time to have a play in my Art Journal - I must do that more in the New Year…..better resolution than the diet one again ;-)

You will see in this video that I was never sure that I could translate my idea of an old plastered wall to my pages!  But Art Journalling is all about having a go and exploring so I persevered and I really like the result after all!

As usual my pages contain pockets to add tags for journalling about our pets. We still miss Bart and Simba but wouldn't be without Comet even when he looks at us as if to say come on then let's go for a walk in the cold oh human of mine ;-)

I hope that my video inspires you to be experimental and not to panic (I did a bit and turned the camera off for a minute or two!!!!).  Just persevere knowing if it really does go wrong you can start again with a new layer of paper or paint!

This tutorial shows you how to use acrylic paint to transfer images to your Art Journal pages as well as another way to add pockets to your journal.

Off to finish up the ……..put your fingers in your ears I am about to use a bad word……..Housework ….eeek!  My Mother-in-Law arrives today for the holidays so I had better get things looking spick and span!  I won't be letting her in my craft room or the cupboard where I am going to hide the ironing pile!

See you again soon.  Thank you for popping by X

Page 3 in My Art Journal….a little bit of magic!

Hi Everyone

Half way through the week already.  Here in the UK we are definitely moving into Autumn but the last of the Summer sun is trying to break through the clouds!  For the past couple of weeks we have had our eldest son visiting and it was great.  He headed back for some Spanish sunshine yesterday so I am missing him today.  Keeping myself busy though and crafting is a great tonic so here is my third page in my Art Journal:

As you can see……totally different to the other two pages!  I intend to use this page to remember some happy visits to Disney World, hence the magical theme!  I came up with a new way to have the extra journalling space that tags bring and in the video I show you how you can create pages like this one.   Fairies might not be your thing but take a look at the structure of the page and then decorate it in a style that is you.

I will add photos and journalling to my page and I can use my tags to do that and if I the muse takes me and I have a lot to say by keeping my image of Tinkerbell in the corner I have lots of lovely space around her to continue journalling!

Hope you like the tutorial and of course I wish you all a Magical Day!

Thank you for popping by X

Page 2 of my Art Journal Book

Good Afternoon Everyone

Just popping in to post another video of my second page in my Art Journal Book.   I really hope you can see how much fun I am having.   I really love how this page turned out and the hidden pockets and tags are my favourite part!

Check out me and my little brother Paul in our rubber rings…..I am surprised we are smiling as we are paddling in the North Sea!!!!   I guess we were made of hardier stuff back then as I am pretty sure I wouldn't chance it today….Brrrrrr!

I really hope this project and the videos I will be sharing get more people trying Art Journalling for themselves.  Here is the video for Page 2.

I am hoping that my book will become a family heirloom one day and I hope that the pockets and tags aren't too hidden!!!

Here is a photo of the full book page.

If you are wondering about the stamps they are all available from rubber dance.com and they come from the Travel and Beach Retro sets.

Before I go I want to share a link with you.  My lovely and very talented friend Annie has just shared a wonderful project over on her blog.  She started out following my online workshop for the Pyramid Mini and then gave it her own wonderful twist and turned it into a celebration of love and gift to her hubby in celebration of their third Anniversary.  Please click on this link and pop over to check out all the wonderful details she has put in to make this such a wonderful gift.

It is always a thrill for me to see what Annie makes of my designs.  I love how this now looks like a little house and you will be amazed at the detail!

Click on this link if you want to make a Pyramid Mini in celebration of a special occasion for yourself.

Until next time hope you have lots of creative adventures of your own.  Thank you for popping by X

New Art Journal Project

Hi everyone

Hope you are enjoying a fab weekend.  I am just about to go to a crop for the day with my friends.  I was with them yesterday and I have to tell you they are a very distracting bunch and I didn't put two pieces of paper together all day!!!!!

Just chat and coffee and a biscuit or three and more chat and lots and lots of laughter!  Just what the doctor ordered ;-)

Today I am sharing a new project.  I hope to share videos with you over the coming months of the progress of an old book I am turing into an Art Journal.  I hope to try lots of different page combinations a bit like an altered book and of course lots of different Art Journaling styles!

Here is my first page which is a pocket page.

I have four tags on which I will journal about my Dad and Mum and my Father and Mother-in-Law who all served in the forces.  I want each page I create to mean something to me and my family so it builds into a work of art and memories that my family can enjoy looking back on.

Note to self - I must add the links to the videos or maybe add a CD somewhere in the pages!

I was inspired to finally start this project which I have been contemplating for some time by the lovely France Papillon who makes fabulous art journal/mixed media videos.  She is celebrating her 100th Art Journal on Monday Page this week which is quite some achievement.  Her videos are great and there is always something to learn about products and how they work together but the think what I want to emulate the most is that France's pages mean something to her.  Although you and I could look through her Journal and see lots of wonderful art.  France and her family will be reminded of a journey through life and that is something special I hope to capture in the pages of my book.

So please pop along to say hi to France by clicking on this link and help her celebrate her wonderful achievement.  I know you are going to find lots of inspiration over there.

Before I go on my merry way here is my video.  I hope it inspires you to get all painty and inky and to create a journal full of wonderful pages for yourself.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend and I will be back soon with more creativity…..I already have another page idea!!!!

Thank you for popping by X

Sunny Art Journal Page to go with the weather!

Yippeee it is sunny here again today…..mind you when I have posted this I am off to pressure wash the patio and put out the tables and chairs which usually brings on the rain!!!!!  Mind you we met a chap down by the river today and he swears that it is when he puts on his shorts that the rain starts to fall ;-)

My Mixed Media Art Journal page was created so I could join in the Challenge over at Simon Says Stamp.  This week it is the letter M…….reminding me of Sesame Street ;-)

So my M is for Mixed Media and of course for 'Creating it MY Way!'  That is what I love most about Art Journalling…no rules……no regulations ……just time to enjoy creating.

This page makes me smile and I hope it makes you smile too.  I wanted to try using stamps on my page for more than just background texture.  I used lots of Distress Paint and Inks and check out that lovely boarder created in seconds with a Tim Holtz washi tape!  My stamps came from the Busy Bee 3 and the Botanical stamp sets from Creative Expression.  That bee is soooo cute!  I think he may be American as he has fab teeth ;-)

If you are not too 'Buzzy' and you want to see how I made this page with lots of hints and tips then just click on the video below.  Find out how my Inspiration words started out looking very differently!

Have a fabulous weekend everyone.  I am going to link this up to the Simon Says Stamp Weekly Challenge and to have a peek at all the other creativity inspired by the letter 'M'!  Then I am off to get changed ready to end up looking like a mud monster after doing battle with the pressure washer!

Thank you for popping by X

New Year Art Journal Page

This page was inspired by the fabulous fireworks display in London that we watched on the TV as our family toasted  in the New Year.  It was such a fab display that we are seriously thinking about being there next Year………There is a little issue of our great British weather but I think the atmosphere would keep us warm!!!

As usual I have made a video and I hope you like it.  I stuck with the music with hints and tips along the way as most of you seemed to like that format.

I have had some lovely feedback already this morning so I am a happy bunny!

Welcome to my new subscribers and I look forward to sharing more creativity with you this year.  Don't forget to leave me a comment as I love to chat!!!

Here's hoping my wish comes true for us all and that we all get more time to create in 2014!!!

Thank you for popping by x

Christmas is Coming....Let it Snow, Let it Snow, LET IT SNOW!!!!

I love Christmas and it is the icing on the cake when it snows!  I know, I know, it is not everyone's wish but it is mine.  A white Christmas.  Mind you I am fussy about it.  It has to be crispy and white not the melty slushy yukky stuff we so often end up with here in the UK.

I am putting in my request for a blanket of white that makes everywhere beautiful and sparkly and picture postcard perfect.  It has to be a big enough dusting for children to sledge on and make snowmen  and it has to stay long enough for our roads and pavements to be cleared but everywhere else to be glistening and wintery white.  Snow that knows where to stick!  Ha Ha I am not asking for much am I?

I love it when you look out of the window and you see those first fat flakes starting to fall.  At night it is the most perfect of all.  It brings with it a special feel, almost a soft quiet hush as the snowflakes gently flutter out of midnight sky.

As you can tell I am feeling Christmassy today.  The silly season is about to start and I am sharing a Christmas Art Journal video that I hope will spread a little Christmas Spirit.

I think this design would work as a Christmas card too.  Just scale the design down and ho ho ho....another card to add to your pile of cards to be written and sent to those you care about.

Talking of Christmas Cards I am going to do a stock take of my handmade cards as I have been stock piling them in the hope that I will be organised and get them out the door and on their way early this year.......Might need to start writing them early next week.  Might even be my first tag of my Christmas Tag Countdown!!!!!

Hot Chocolate and Christmas songs playing as we write our Christmas cards to remind our family and friends near and far that we love them and are thinking of them.  Perfect start to the holiday preparations.  I may have a date with my craft room this weekend then finishing off cards and matching them to envelopes so they are ready to write.

Hope you like the video.  Wishing you a fun run up to that very special day.  Thank you for popping by X

Spooky Art Journal Page

After quite a long time spent uploading to YouTube here is my third Art Journal page video.  I love making these and this one was particularly fab to do as it started life as a lovely autumnal scene and ended as..........

......something altogether more sinister and spooky!  I had great fun trying to make the music build to a spooky climax and I hope I managed it.  I also learnt a new trick of linking a video to the end of the tutorial.  So I have linked a Halloween Mummy Wreath tutorial I uploaded last year for even more Halloween crafting viewing.

Hope you like the video.  I am off to edit another one which is a card with an autumnal feel and a romantic message.  I learnt how to dry leaves and flowers after watching a fab tutorial by Lindsay the Frugal Crafter and I just knew I wanted to try it out.  It really is quick and easy and preserved the gorgeous autumnal colours of the leaves.  I want to create a home decor piece with my leaves so that is something mulling away in my brain at the moment!

See you soon with the next video tutorial.  Hope you are having a fab day.

Thank you for popping by X

Art Journal Page - Bloom and Grow

Good Morning.  It  is bright and sunny here this Sunday morning and I just popped in to see if my video uploaded to You Tube during the night!!!  It is always a happy moment when the upload is successful!!!

Here is my completed page.

Do you like my pretty watering can???  I think I have created what could be my second quote on this page so feel free to use my phrase - add my name and then because you have quoted me it becomes a quote!!!!!

A sprinkle of imagination helps your creativity grow.  Helen Allen

I have created a new label for Quote so I can find this again - It would make a fun card don't you think. I have a class coming up next week so that gives me an idea!!!  I have another quote somewhere on my blog.  I have noticed that some blogs I visit have search facilities so I am going to learn how to put that on my blog next.......maybe I will have some breakfast first ;-)  Brain fuel!

My son told me last night he needs to do his homework on computer binary code today and I told him I am interested in seeing what he is learning............I think I need an extra large helping of breakfast for sure!!!

Before I post a link to my second Art Journalling Video (this one turned into a tutorial because of the resist technique I was using to make the funky frame for my page) I thought I would share my first ever journalling page.

This one was pre blog and pre You Tube channel but I was inspired to try Art Journalling by a video I found and watched on You Tube.

Actually there is another quote of mine on this page!

Travel to where your Imagination takes you then take time to enjoy the view.  Helen Allen

You can quote me on that!!!!

There is also pieces of Graphic 45 paper on this page....did I rip it?!!!!???  I think I definitely like including book page paper on my Art Journal pages.  I love that each of my pages are completely different.  I am a bit of an explorer of different styles and I think my Art Journal shows that I am.

My tummy is rumbling so I am going to stop rabbiting and post my link.

Hope you like it!  Have a great day and thank you for popping by X

PS Search bar added and I found my first quote........

Who needs therapy when you have art? Helen Allen

Definitely going for my breakfast now X

Callum's Room Update

On Tuesday I managed with help from hubby to put up a photo mural - you can see the theme taking shape now!!!  What is nice about this mural is that we stayed in a hotel just off Times Square when we visited New York.  Happy memories!

We should hear we can go and pick up Cal's carpet today or tomorrow - We have gone for a Black and grey stripe.  Most of the small bits are out of the room in preparation but Callum and his Dad are the muscles that need to shift most of the big pieces of furniture out so the carpet layer can do his thing!  It is all starting to take shape and I am glad the painting is done!!!  I have painted this room 5 times in total!!!!

I am going to have a bit of a play in my Art Journal today and I may fit in a spot of afternoon sunshine! Callum is back at school today and I have to say getting up early wasn't as bad as I anticipated ;-)

Here is the link for the August tag video that I posted a couple of days ago.  A video showing how I got from Tim Holtz's inspiration to my interpretation.

Have a fab day and thank you for popping by X

Art Journalling Video

Today I was up with the lark - not sure why but I think it had a bit to do with not looking at the clock properly!!!  I thought it said twenty to eight and I was up and dressed by just after 7!!!!  I think I will put my glasses on in future ;-)

Still I feel I have got a fair bit done so far today and it is only 1 o'clock.  I have had my breakfast and was deadheading and pruning in the garden by eight!  The birds were singing and the sun was shining!  4 bucket loads of trimming later I came in to do some admin on my computer.

I have been surfing the net for things for Callum's room.  The wall paper is ordered and I have stocked up on printer ink.  I then decided to use Pinterest to collect ideas for bits and pieces for Callum's room  I found a really fab duvet cover but it is in America!!!  I am going to check out how much it would cost to deliver to the UK as I do love it but I have found a couple of alternatives if not ;-)  Gotta be careful of that - Note to self: make sure you browse UK shops ;-)

I am going to post my latest video before I  get some lunch.  I have wanted to set up and film an Art Journal page for some time.  I have only done 5 or 6 pages so far so although I did my first page in 2011. I am still a newbie really.  Here is my finished page.

If you follow my blog you will know I have made several mermaid tags in the past and if you were wondering how I achieve the effect this is the video for you.  I love editing these fast forward videos as I don't have to do much talking to myself.  Saying that I did manage about 10 takes on the intro before I was happy with it.

If anyone pops by who makes videos I would really like to know how you manage to shoot videos from your own view point rather than from across the desk as I do currently.  I think it would work best for this kind of video in particular but I have no idea how to set up my camera.

I also am led to believe you can rotate your film like you can rotate photographs - I may do a search on that before I eat.  All help gratefully received with that little conundrum!

Hope you enjoy my video.....I had great fun getting all my paints out.  I want to try some different styles of Art Journalling.  This one uses paint and decoupage but I think I would like to try an inky stamping one next.

See you soon.  Thank you for popping by x