The Old Man of the Woods..

This collage was made for a challenge on Make it Interesting. The wonderful image of the Green Man was provided by Stephen the Photofan on Flickr, Stephen Clulow. Can you imagine doing all that wonderful carving? Amazing!

It's 7am here on Saturday morning. I managed to attend the funeral yesterday in the village where we used to live. A full church, with the Christmas tree still there, looking tall and gently lit. Simple, old fashioned hymns and the organ was played by a young man from the village, with the last verses given full swell. Magnificent.
I managed to get to the Village Hall and saw many old friends and aquaintances. I stayed long enough to have a cup of coffee and have a word with my dear old neighbour, Doreen.

Now this morning I am still feeling unwell after a bad night of coughing.
I do hope you can all avoid this 'dreaded lurgie'!!

Love and Hugs
June xxx

Art gallery!

I am awaiting another book I'm having published. This time with 60 pages of my work. So I thought I'd show you a few of the images that are included that you may not have seen.
Above is the Princess with the enchanted horse........

This page was made for an Art Journalling challenge on Digitalmania. The background is a Googled picture of an old quilt! The dreaming princess is a photo by Stephen Clulow on Flickr, coloured by me.

This is just a piece of whimsy. The harpist taken from an old painting, the wings added to make her a Fairy harpist. The strings of her harp were woven by spiders and are so fine you cannot see them, but if you close your eyes, you may hear her music.........

My favourite vintage style. Background and elements from a new kit by Idgie Geist, A Vintage Heart.

And lastly, I loved this painting by Armand Point, the Golden Legend, painted in 1899. I extracted the two beauties and placed them on my own work.

I hope you've enjoyed my little Art Gallery. Thank you for visitting!

Today I have what my son likes to call 'the Dreaded Lurgie'!
A slight temperature, my head aches and feels stuffed with wood wool and I have an awful cough that kept me awake last night. Where I've picked this up from heaven only knows. I just hope I don't get a chest infection, so I am going to rest today.
I have a funeral to attend tomorrow, my next door neighbour from our last address. So I hope I'm feeling better.

Love and Hugs to everyone,
June xxx

Three Muses..All About Me..

I've made what I hope is a fun musical collage as music has played a great part in my life. All my family were and are musical and I spent many years 'entertaining', both singing and playing.


But this is me now, loving my wonderful family. And here is the youngest, my darling Great granddaughter Skyela, sharing a tender moment.

Thanks for looking.
Love and Hugs
June xxx

Christmas Day photos..

A few photos of some of the family getting together on Christmas Day. No pics of Ashton, he absolutely refused, little humbug, and Harley didn't stay still long enough.
I was pleased I got Freddie to go out and Barclay took possession of his lap straight away while Millie sits there looking rather sorrowful!

I've had John and Sally to lunch today, with my special leftovers Christmas pie, which got a thumbs up all round.
Now tomorrow the holiday is over and everyone goes back to work.

Love and Hugs
June xxxx

Take a Word Challenge..Print..

Happy Boxing day everyone. Hope you all had a good day yesterday. We certainly did!

Here is my collage for the Print challenge. I guess it was no more a headache trying to keep the household accounts back then as it is today. You still have to make both ends meet!
The two paper backgrounds, with thanks to Ms. Bailey. and the face is by Anjas Artefaktotum, with thanks.
Thank you for looking.
Hugs
June xxx

It's Christmas Eve......

Rebecca and Donna called this morning with their gift. An enormous basket of goodies for us both. Food, drink,shampoo and all sorts of things you often need. I couldn't see them all! A gorgeous present! I've had Sally and John down this afternoon and they have collected all my bags and boxes etc. and taken them up to their house. So tomorrow Freddie and I only have to take ourselves.
The infection has started up again on his leg and I called the doctor out yesterday. She has prescribed two more lots of anti-b's, even different to the collection we already have. I fetched them home yesterday afternoon so he started straight away. Today it doesn't look any worse, so fingers crossed we have caught it in time...........

Hoping you all don't get too stuffed on turkey, chicken or goose tomorrow.

Love and Christmas Hugs

June xxxxxxxxxx

Art Journalling 3

Here is the third Art Journalling page I made. So I am what I am.

I think if I kept an Art Journal seriously, I wouldn't want to show my pages, they would be too personal, just like reading someone's diary, an intrusion. Just my thoughts.....
Otherwise I like to share my art. Hopefully, you may see something that triggers an idea in you.
I love to look at other people's work and get quite a lot of inspiration from it, so a big Thank You to everyone who shares their pictures on this wonderful world wide web.
Love and Hugs
June xxx

Art Journalling..

These collages I've made for a Challenge on Digitalmania, to make Art Journal pages.
I must admit, I don't 'do' art journals, though some people thrive on them. I kept written diaries for years and perhaps I'd had enough after that.
This one says pretty much all about me. Perhaps I should have said I am a free thinker instead of a free spirit. Anyway, as much as I'm able, at least my thoughts are free and my own.
And tis true, now that I'm wheelchair bound, I often dream I'm dancing...
So I guess I am who I am! What you see is what you get and what I write about is just me.
What do you think?

We've been busy like everyone else, visitors calling, always a pleasure, my friends Basil and Helen this afternoon. yesterday it was Freddie's cousin Trevor and then Stanley and Jenny, so a lovely day.
This morning I think I put a smile on everyone's face in Chapel as I arrived in my red Christmas tree sweater and Fur Santa hat. So what could be better than that?

Three Muses Challenge.. Angels..

My Angel collage for the challenge this week at Three Muses.
He/she/it is just checking in to see of any of you have told any huge porkies this week!!
Kit is Cherubino by Snowraven.
Thank you for visitting. xx

Paris..

I can always use Paris as an excuse for making another collage!
Hugs
June xx

Memories..

I had a rake around my stash and found this pretty image. She looks as if she came from the late twenties or early thirties. So another little collage....

Take a Word..Sepia..

This weeks Take a Word Challenge is to make something in Sepia. I've made a Christmas card with images from Dezinaworld, thank you June! Just added a pop of colour in the corner and there you are.
Thank you all for visiting and Christmas Greetings to you all.
Hugs
June xxx

SPA.. Vintage Christmas..

At Sunday Postcard Art this week the subject is Vintage Christmas.
So here's my little card. Memories of gingerbread cookies, flying reindeer, and little bells and ornaments.
Thanks for stopping by and wishing a Happy Christmas to all visitors!
Love and Hugs
June xxx

The Fae..

Friday Foto Collage..

This is the original pattern given, by Peggy Gatto at Friday Foto Collage.


This is how it looked recoloured and made into a Kaleidoscope for the background.

And this is the finished collage. A few bits and bobs added, the woman is a freebie given by Terri at Pringle Hill Studios that I turned into a black and white image. Thank you Terri.
Hope you like it Peggy! Thanks for the challenge.
Hugs
June xxx

A Winter's Tale..

Close your eyes and see..

Just a change from Christmas images today.
I never go out after dark these days but last night I wrapped up like the proverbial Eskimo and ventured out on the scooter. We had the Carols in the Courtyard at the Chapel I attend.
We had three carols outside and the rest indoors as it was getting colder. There were lots there and it was lovely. Followed by hot tea or coffee and warm mince pies, everybody's favourite. Plenty of people to chat to and then wrap up again for home.
This time I had a heading wind and as I drove round the Quay, the lights were lovely but the wind froze my face and eyes and I was so glad to get home in the warm.

Peggy's Friday Foto Challenge..

I haven't joined Peggy Gatto's FRIDAY FOTO CHALLENGE before but I thought I'd have a go today.
This was the brightly coloured Poinsettia image to start with and it's there underneath another layer. Thank you Peggy.xx

Breakfast View..

At 6am this morning, dark and quiet. Freddie still asleep and I sit quietly in my wheelchair and have a solitary breakfast. This is what I see as I sit here every morning. The beautiful orchid, the begonia going over on it's last legs, the welcome lights in the window, my china painting on the wall and old photos of my dear family.
Corey asks to go out for his early morning constitutional and then goes back to sleep in my armchair.
They always give me pleasure and I relax until His Majesty gets up and wants his breakfast.
All's well with my world and I hope it is for you too.
Love and Hugs
June xxx

Three Muses..'Tis the Season..

My collage for Three Muses..'Tis the Season.
Background from Dezinaworld. Sheet music and nativity scene Googled.
I cannot not think about this season without thoughts of Christmas and Our Lord's birth.
Thank you for looking. xxx

The Lone Skater

We don't often get it as cold as this, so fingers crossed for this year! This lovely vintage image is from Ms.Bailey, with many thanks. I've coloured her and given her a frosty background. The red and green make it more Christmas like I think.

The top one is just a bit of romantic nonsense!


We are in the final month of the year and all around the world people are getting into the spirit of the festive season.
As we prepare to join friends and family amid colourful decorations, laden tables, crackers and mistletoe, I think it's the right time to remind ourselves of these wise words by an unknown writer.:
'He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree.'
A thought for us all in December.

Have a wonderful day,
Love and Hugs
June xxx

It's Monday!

Here we are at the beginning of another week, bringing us so much closer to Christmas.
Today I am showing you Lukey, Martin and Freddie's little rescued dog. He has been nicely trimmed and stripped for Christmas, toenails clipped and all. He sits there like a contented, plump little plum pudding! What a happy, lucky little dog he is!

Freddie has decorated for Christmas, complete with two Christmas trees, one in the sitting room and one in the conservatory. This is the corner where his well polished baby grand sits. You can see his beautiful 'Isadora', the art deco lamp sitting on top.
My Sally also has two trees. This year she is not putting her treasured glass ornaments on as the whippets are very boisterous and she forsees there might be breakages.
My sister Jackie usually has three trees and her home looks like Caesar's Palace, with all the lights and decorations.
However you decorate, a lot or a little, I wish you a happy week.
Hugs
June xxx

Take a Word..JOY..

Marie very kindly invited me to host the Take a Word Challenge this week. The word I chose is JOY. The first thing that comes into my mind is joy at Christmas, so I've made two collages.
The first I think portrays the joyful dreams a child might have on Christmas Eve. Wondering what they will wake up to find in their stockings, or in my children's case, pillowslips!

The second collage shows such a delightful little boy, the modern touch, with the angels and a page from a an old hymnal as the ancient part. And I was brought up with Hymns Ancient and Modern, another joyful touch to me. The children and elements were all found via Google.
Hope you enjoy and thank you for visitting.
Hugs
June xx

SPA Challenge..

The Sunday Postcard Art Challenge this week is 'Poinsettias'.
I always think of the Christmas season when I see this beautiful plant. So I've made a Christmas postcard. Hope you enjoy and thanks for looking. Wishing you all a wonderful weekend.
Love and Hugs
June xxx

Digitalmania Challenge..

The Challenge this week was to be inspired by the work of Rafal Olbinski. The bottom picture is a take on his work but the top picture is nothing like his work. I was just inspired by the faces on the back bodice of the dress so made my own collage. Some of their challenges are harder than others but they do stretch your imagination. If you'd like to see more of he same, just click on the Flickr button at the top of my page.

Decorations..

Pat said she would like to see some pics of the decorations. There's nothing very spectacular to see really. This is the first thing everyone sees who calls at the house. It's fairly large and Richard set it up.



Here are a couple of my handpainted bone china Christmas plates. I painted them several years ago, my own designs. They come out every year laden with mince pies or turkey sandwiches etc.


I love my little house. When Sally saw it she wanted one and I went back to the shop but they had sold out. It's about 14 x 14 inches and lights up. You can set the lights as static or twinkling and it's very pretty.


And this is a quilted wall hanging I made that hangs on the coat cupboard door. The trails of beads look black in the picture but they are gold. The tree is made of Suffolk Puffs. It's about 36 inches long. Sorry I cut off most of the border!
Well there you are, to set off a Christmassy mode!
Big Hugs
June xxx

Thank you Electra!

Thank you so much dear Electra! It's like Christmas came early! Your work is so beautiful and intricate 'in the flesh'. I do hope you can all see the goodies, gorgeous tags and toppers.
Thank you so very much and they arrived much earlier than you thought too!

Electra can be found at wishiniknewhowtoblog.blogspot.com


Big Hugs and another Thank You for my prize.

June xx

3am!..

While I was in Steampunk Mode last week I did this. It's a very dear and old friend and I thought I'd give him a New Look. I hoped Martin wouldn't kill me for messing with him but I think he rather liked it! I think the long curls suit him!!!


I'm not usually on the computer at 3am. but my little heart flutterings woke me to a room bathed in moonlight. I knew I was wide awake so after taking yet another pill I came on here.
I guess I overdid it a bit yesterday.

Richard went up in the roof for me and hauled down boxes and boxes of Christmas decorations which we had a rummage through. So now I look a bit more Christmassy. There are a few baubles on the little tree though Richard was disappointed he couldn't find the fairy with the black eye. She sat atop my tree since he was a small boy. I guess she just upped and flew away......
So I have a tiny glass fairy sitting on top, with a very small mohair teddy guarding her.
Beside the tree is my little house with twinkling lights at every window. A few more lights and ornaments and my crib greets everyone who comes.
While all this was going on, Freddie sat in the kitchen chuckling at our 'doings'!

In the afternoon we had a visit from some old friends. With tea and cake and choccy biscuits we had loads to chat about, including family histories and tales! Wonderful but a tiring day for me.

I hope you all have a wonderful day.

Love and Hugs

June xxxxxxxxxxxxx

PS YAY!!!!!!!!!!! My followers has reached 150! I don't mention you half enough but I am so honoured you choose to follow my blog. Welcome and many, many thanks.xxx

Three Muses..Odd People..

Peter positively preferred purple in his life. He wore his clothes with such nonchalence, enjoying the stares and comments as he patrolled the Promenade.
Most images by Tangie Baxter.


Help! The stress has got to him! I think Santa's been on the Sangria again.

A fun Challenge this week from Three Muses...Odd People.
Thanks for looking.

Hugs June xx