around the nook - Sunday Snippets

not much as happened around the nook this week, we have all been cooped up inside because of john and I being sick...I'm fine now, but John is not recovered. So things have been quiet here this week.

my tea cup humans have amused themselves with playing the wii...and also putting together the puzzles they got for Christmas from their nanna.

  

it started with lily, who randomly bought the box out and sat down quietly, this little independent 4 year old, finished the puzzle with barely any help from us!

  then Elijah got on board and there was silence in the house for an hour, it was truly blissful!

I had fun playing in photoshop making custom project life cards that suited my family and its needs!

I have some beautiful quilts made for me by one of my best friends  if you are into handmade quilts, go check her out! anyway...my birthday quilt served the teacups with the makings of a pretty awesome fort!
As for me...I'm enjoying a few things this week, I am loving the book The Artist's way, also the old classic Little Women thanks to a girlfriend giving it praises.
and my planner...this is the first year I've really used the planner, with notes, reminders, ideas, affirmations, checklists, and a little doodle here and there....its been such a key component in implementing the word organized into my life this year.

 whats happening around your nook?
I am also playing along with Sunday Snippets with Tinnie Girl
Have a lovely Sunday
xx Courtney

Eclectic Journals Blogtober Day 3

Hello again!

Day three of Blogtober, and I am busy at work playing in the papers! I am currently taking a class by one of my favourite teachers who if you havent checked out go do it now! Gulfsprite she has just opened her own ning full of all her courses! I am currently immersing myself in her Eclectic Art journal class, which by the way is sooo good! I was ment to work out today ( I did finally get around to it) but it took me ages to go and actually work out, I started watching the first vid before I know it I was scrap bin diving looking for an old catalog to start using to alter! 

I have a scrap bin and a half, so this class is perfect for it...above is the start of mine, I've only done a few pages..workout interrupted my play! but it is very fun!!

I found old book pages, letters, scrapbooking paper..an index card with some free motion sewing on it, magazine pages...you name it! I even rushed out to buy myself a glue stick...(yes I didnt own one) so I could get right into it! Below is just the top of my scrap bin...eye spy the fabulous wallpaper that Tinniegirl sent me...which I now covet to death.

So  yesterday I said each day I would do a supply thing, and today is no different...I sat long and hard thinking about what I wanted to introduce next, that I use alot. I looked through the pages in my journal to find things that got used alot..and there was a clear winner. Distress Stains by Tim Holtz and the ranger label. I'm not one for label dropping, my craft paint resides at the dollar stores. Im not even sure what made me buy my first colour...I think my mum was the first to show me...then Jane Davenport rocked them aswell. I only have a handful of colours and that suits me just fine. They are like liquid watercolour in a bottle, with a dabber top for easy application. It swooshes onto a page very easily, and with several applications you can get varying shades of the colour. They do react with water, so if you put them down and use a wet paintbrush they will move about, just like watercolour. They go a long way. I am a colour girl, so my products need to be vibrant..and these babies are very pigmented and very bright.  The colour featured is Broken China...and it gets used and abused VERY heavily within my journal.

Below is an example of it being used in my art journal, as you can see, the layers of the colour give it more depth and darkness. I've used three stains on this little art card. I sloshed them onto the page then drew over it with an inky black pen. When you are looking to be lazy and want to get colour down fast, these are my go to.

So thats all from me, tomorrow I'll bring you more progress from my eclectic journal and bring you another supply favourite of mine.

Take care lovelies!

xx Courtney

Sunday Snippets

Playing along with Tinnie Girl in her Sunday snippets. Today has been a long day indeed, the boy leaving at the crack of dawn, and the little ones being rather pushing of mumma's buttons. but alas, here are the pictures from my day...

adding graphite to my girls face, and giving her more defined hair.

I worked on a new journal today for myself..which resulted in me unpacking a box I'd already packed to get to my font stamps.

that simplest thing like the curl on my girls forehead...

elijah..playing hide and seek in a cupboard...(before the tantrums lol)

binding my first journal by hand... from scratch.

the cover of the journal...when you fold the covers out to size, its a dripping rainbow, I am slightly in love with her.

so that is my Sunday, Im worn out, drained and a little bit emotional after the day the kids put me through..but its all ok...because I have a new art journal.
xx Courtney