SIX ART JOURNALS + SPA VISIT

Seriously, enough is enough. We do not want more snow! Easter holidays starts tomorrow with Maundy Thursday, want sun and warm weather.

Wearing my multicolored warm socks, from my aunt in Vermont. Tub of vanilla cappuccino next to me, and the candle is lit. Wind is roaring outside. Brrrrr!

Thank goodness for crafting! Still stuck on art journaling, soooo much fun! Haven't been scrapbooking for ages.

Did this little one a couple of days ago.

Was for a challenge, outside my comfort zone. Chose to only color the fairy's dress, want her to be a little subtle (ville inte att älvan skulle ta över hela bilden så valde att endast färglägga hennes klänning). Next time I might go bananas with glitter on the wings and stuff! Wrote the sentiment myself.  

On March 13th I'd a picture of things I've cut out from Daphne's Diary. Here's "a few": 

The background is a napkin I got in a happy mail from England. Got the cute frog from internet. Tried to find the author to the quote without success. 

Another decoupage spread, in the note book that I bought in Netto. I don't mind the lines. The napkin with the humming birds is also from the happy mail. The purple & pink are Viva Decor's paper soft color. 

That's my favourite colors, and as I've mentioned before; due to the Chinese philosophy Feng Shui pink is a color of healing, and purple a spiritual color. Quote is from Elizabeth David.

Here's another spread that was for a challenge.

The window die is from Spellbinder. The hat and globe is from a Xcut die, the other images I cut out from Daphne's.

Author to quote is not to be found. 

The piece refers to the fact that I've moved over 40 times since 1981 (yeah, I know!), including five years abroad. For a while I didn't know where I belonged, didn't even feel at home in Sweden. I've settled now (thank God!)! Don't ever want to move houses again, it's bloody exhausting!  😖

Yet another napkin one, love this creature! 

Used gelatos. 

Did this piece last night:

Rose & butterfly napkin and cutouts from Daphne's. Gelatos for the background. Don't know author of quote.

Exactly a week ago husband & I went to a spa at hotel Skansen in Båstad. Sooo relaxing!

Our 24 hrs started off with afternoon tea! Love the white parts of these cookies! 

I spent quite a lot of time in this lovely pool. Something happens to me when I'm in such warm water; feels like I'm completely healthy, like I don't suffer from Ehlers-Danlos syndrome at all! I get so happy! Felt like a child again!

Even did backwards somersaults underneath the water (like I used to when I was younger), which made me completely dizzy, but I persevered and did one at a time. Felt like I was more in control of my body (than when I'm out of water). Haven't had that feeling in a long time. 

The spa also had a tiny pool with even warmer water (38 °C I think) - Heaven!! Above was a 'sky of stars', that changed colors. So cool!

Absolutely fantastic to float in there. How I wish that everybody with EDS or other conditions with chronic pain could have access to something like this every week. 

Before dinner 'virgin pina coladas (no alcohol), by the..... 

....... fire. Cosy and snug!

That was all for now. Sorry this blog is so irregular. Some days pain knocks me out, and sometimes I really have nothing to write about! So it's hard to say what days this blog will be posted.

If I don't "talk" to you soon I wish you all a very

HAPPY EASTER!

CRAFT HAUL FROM LIDL!

Sunshine, yey! How absolutely wonderful! I hope it'll stay sunny all week. Please no more snowing, do you hear me WeatherGods (tie some garlic around my throat and bring me a crucifix, that might do the job!)!  😜 

Hope you had a great start this week, where ever you are out there.

(haul betyder förresten kap eller fångst, om det är någon som undrar).

I'm not at the German dollarstore Lidl that often, but after a chai coffee (yum yum, like drinking ginger bread cookies!) at a café on Saturday, husband & I dropped into one on our way home. Good decision as it turned out!

Oh yeah, happiness! Get so inspired for art journaling just looking at these. Just under 30 kronor, great price.

I bought similar soft pastels in an art store in Prague, also a good price, but they were 169 kronor for 24 pieces. These type of crayons are great when doing backgrounds.

Found a new notebook to do art journaling in. Blank pages.

The pages are not as thick as the note books from Netto, but I'm used to glueing two pages together to make the spread more sturdy (= stabil). 

For doodling these ones come in very handy. Up until now I've pinched pens from the husband when I need a pen with a very small tip.

My last bargain at Lidl is this punch set, for holes & eyelets.

Only had the manual punch 'pens' from Fiskars before, who makes a lot of noice when using them. Sushi (the beloved cat that died four months ago) used to hate the racket they made! In fact she left the room as soon as she understood that I would use them! I miss her so much.

There were more crafty things in Lidl, this is only the stuff I bought. They've got paint brushes, edgepunches, more color pens and more, so you might want to visit your nearest store, or check out their newsletter. 

Let's hope this will only be a memory; no more snow until Chrismas!

A decoupage art journal I did last week. White ordinary tissue paper on the left side, and Stamperia rice paper (from Prague) on the right.

Cut out the bird to the left from Daphne's Diary. The leafy branch under the bird is a die-cut from Rayher (bought in Riga).

I wish you all a brilliant week!

(if you click on the photos they will enlarge!)

GREAT MAG CUTOUTS FOR ART JOURNALS

Dear blogg readers,
Hope you're having a wonderful week. Middle of March, hopefully spring awaits around the corner. I've certainly had enough of this bleak, grey, boring weather.
We spent Thursday from Sunday in our cottage, quite a bit of snow out there in the woods.

If you're reading this blog on a smartphone or iPad you can click on the picture and it will enlarge.

The little lake was covered with snow

I spent quite some time in front of the fire, cutting out things! I've mentioned the magazine Daphne's Diary in other bloggs, and it certainly has beautiful stuff in it.

Love-love-love it!  😊 

Can't wait to use these in journal spreads!

Adorable, and such lovely colors. There're some bird dies around out there, but I haven't found any that I like at all yet. This is the perfect solution!
Also have to say it's quite meditative to sit and cut! 

 

I did my first art journal spread November 18th in 2016. Gone through a few books since!

Never had a "proper" journal, just used what I had. Just finished 'Chefens idébok' last night, that was part of the literature when I studied inner mental training!
Where will this go in about ten years time?! 😱 Might need an extra room in the house......

My latest piece, haven't decided what sentiment to use yet (if any). The fairy figure is of course from Daphne's! Pieces on the lefthand side from Stamperia (that I received in a happy mail).

All the books has 'grown'.....!

Finally got to use the beautiful wooden butterfly that I bought in Prague Dec -16.

Prague is one of the most beautiful cities I've been to (Old Town Dubrovnik also on top of the list). The whole city is like a piece of art in itself. They also have a FANTASTIC craft store. Check it out here
Heaven! Don't miss it for goodness' sake if you're visiting Prague!!

Just outside the cottage

Thank you so much for reading my blog, it means a lot. 💙 Wish I could blog more often, but my migraines are too frequent. Had them for 5 days last week, hope this week will be better.
Then there's also the 'little issue' of having something to write about!!! Because of my EDS I haven't worked for two years, and I don't want to bore you to death with uninteresting stuff! Also hope you like the pictures, I love to photograph.

Ni svenska läsare, tycker ni det är störigt att jag numera skriver på engelska??  

Have a creative lovely week!   🙋 

A bouquet from my thoughtful husband (I love pink!)

TUESDAY AFTERNOON IN SWEDEN

Hi there,

Already a new week! Did not start great, we had no water yesterday from early afternoon until just before midnight (but we do have some snow)! Thank god I made my 2nd tub of coffee just before it happened! ☕

Thanks also for babywipes - this fantastic invention! - so that I could clean my paint brushes!

How very spoilt we are in this part of the world.....

Do you feel creative this week? I do! Especially today when the sun is shining. Everything feels better when the sun is out!

Here's a few pieces I've done since the last time

I cut out the images from my favourite magazine, Daphne's Diary. I've mentioned this fabulous mag before in my blog.

Many has expressed the sentiment I've used on this spread, and I've no idea who said it first! Background is from ink pads.

(I've a phobia for owls, but I can manage this one!) 

Happiness!

Daphne's has got so many beautiful pictures in it. A new issue will be out today in the UK, but I guess it takes a few days for it to come to Sweden.

I've had this Panduro stamp forever. The girl only had 3 hairs, so I gave her a bit more! Stamp on the upper and lower edge is from Netto. Background colors are gelatos. 

I made the paper roses a few years back. Had some sort of craze at that time, and did loads in front of the tv.

Iridescent (regnbågsskrimrande) sprays from Italian brand Stamperia.

In case you don't feel inspired don't forget that there's loads of wonderful inspiration on Youtube. Many Youtubers also have facebook groups, where they do weekly or monthly challenges (utmaningar).

There's soooo much fun out there for You!  ❤  

Have a wonderful creative week! 💁     ...and dont forget: