You cannot conquer, what you cannot confront..!!

Hi all you lovely lovely peeps..!!! Who needs to watch X-factor..?? Just get yourself a Twitter or Facebook account and watch the sparks fly, lol. Now you all know I hardly watch any TV at all, I just read about everything thats on. Last week on Twitter/Facebook, everybody, and I mean EVERYBODY was up in arms and all for boycotting this weeks show. So what happened..?? You are all sooooo addicted, cos you all watched it , didnt you..??? lmao
I in the mean time have been having a bit of a Danny Dyer week. I know, me and my bad boys, lol. So far I have watched Borstal Boy, The Business, The Football Factory and my fave of them all City Rats. Its a really dark film about the not so nice side of London and wont be everyones cup of tea, but I found it really thought provoking and I enjoyed it. So much so that I am going to watch nit again when I have finished blogging. Mind you , dont forget I am rather "odd" top put it politely..lmao




Now those of you who think I have been taking it easy and lolling about watching films, think again. I have also been working extremely hard( cough, cough) on my journaling. Not for pleasure, I hope you realise.>!!!! but it is in fact "research" and revision for the classes, lol. I seem to have got a sudden creative spurt and so I am maximising it to the full. But I just need to show you what happens when you push it just that little bit too far, as I did last night, lol.
I was determined to finish this page even though my eyes were drooping fast and I woke up this morning with it still on my lap. When I looked at it properly it was the biggest pile of crup I have ever seen. It was horrible, badly done, none of the writing made sense and I just hated it. I was temped to completely wipe it out and start again. But as many of you know I just love images of Our Lady, and you don't often see many of them around, so I couldn't bear to lose this one.

so my mission today, which I chose to accept, was to transform this monstrosity into something wonderful. Okay, okay, maybe that was a bit far fetched, but at least I improved it. I added a Tim Holtz mask and ink. A verse from a song that always tickles me and tons and tons of doodling. Now I like it...

Just goes to show, you shouldn't give up on something, till you've had another go. If you hate it already, you cant hate it any more, can you. But you never know, you just might get to love it. I was a bit embarrassed about showing you the before piccy, but there you go, its done now....

I also decided to decorate the covers of this particular journal. I never really touch the covers till I,m at least half way through. Not sure why, maybe I just want to see the feel of it first. Most of my journal pages are very bright, which is my trick of throwing people off the scent to the content, but I really enjoyed doing the black and white page the other day. So that was my theme. See what you think. Here is the front cover.

And here is the back. I,ve gone a bit mad with the pen work, but that is my new fixation at the moment. I am on a mission to find the best pens for us all to use. I,ll then try to track them down and add them to the Art Journaling SECTION of the site. See I,m thinking of you all, all the time, ha ha..

Here's the back of the journal.

I am loving working in this Moleskine, it is a fabby size for me and is my favourite so far. I don't seem to go anywhere without it, or my A5 Moleskine, 3 pencil cases ( 1 for watercolour pencils and brushes, 1 for pens such as Sharpies, Pitts etc, and 1 for all my gel and doodling pens), a glue stick, pencil and a pair of scissors. Well you never know when inspiration may strike. I am now a familiar sight in both local Starbucks, the tattooists, hairdressers and the pub at the end of the road..!!!

You can all come and indulge with me tomorrow at the Art Journaling workshop. Tomorrow is going to be "Challenge Day". Ha ha that will put the wind up everyone wont it..??

I have been working really hard on a new project this week, and I am SOOOOOOOOOO excited I could pee my pants..!!!! Those who have seen it so far, love it, so fingers crossed you all will too. Will spill the beans as soon as the finishing touches are applied. And don't even think about trying to bribe Bezzie Su with blue lollies, cos I'll know it was her you know..!!!

Both Journal weekends were snapped up pretty quickly and there is only one space left on the March one. A lot of you have been piling on the pressure, so , YES, I will do an intermediate Journaling weekend as well. Okay, happy now..??? Will you stop bullying me now..??? Lol. I haven't got dates at mo, I need to sit down with Our Ben and find a free weekend, which is much easier said than done..!!I,ll keep you informed, don't worry.

I hope you all read my previous POST about the very courageous Michelle, a survivor of extreme Domestic Violence. If not , hot foot it over, it is extremely important that people realise this is widespread and it needs to become totally unacceptable for a man to beat a woman, and for a woman to feel she has no other options but to accept it. It is a very taboo subject, but as Michelle says. "Domestic violence is a dirty secret, and once the secret is revealed, the healing can begin"

That sentence struck so many chords with me, as many of you know I am having a struggle in my personal life this year, with many things coming to the surface and spilling over. It is very hard at times and it is my Art Journaling that keeps me sane ( well as sane as I ever could be, lol) and I have every admiration for any one who can stand up and talk about such a personal issue. But you cannot conquer what you cannot confront..!!

Please, please, please, take the time to make Michelle an Atc, with the subject, Be a Voice. Don't
worry about having to post it to America, just send them to me and I,ll send them all over at the same time.

Thank you, you lovely, lovely babes. Right I,ve got a hot date with the man himself, Danny Dyer...!!!

Enjoy xx