Nothing but Blue Skies

June has been a strange month for me in a way. Plenty of ups but equally plenty of downers too.
Here is my June page for my 365 2010 Journal Challenge.

For some unknown reason Blogger is not allowing me to click on the image to make it larger.

A larger version can be seen here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/34712906@N07/4749602987/in/pool-2010_calendar_365_challenge I'm normally up to task with starting my ready prepped pages on the 1st of the month, but I didn't even start prepping this page until the second week of the month as there was just too much going on in life in general. I didn't have any theme in mind and I really wasn't too sure what I wanted to do for this month.

I browsed the http://www.flickr.com/groups/2010_calendar_365_challenge/pool/ Flickr gallery for inspiration ( and boy inspiration is there in abundance - such wonderfully talented ladies). A particular page stood out which used the technique of stamping, layering napkins/tissue and over stamping - Thank you Sonja for sharing and inspiring.

Having no napkins I improvised by using the kitchen roll that I mop up my spray inks with. I randomly stamped a few small images first, slapped on some gel medium and started to lay down my sprayed kitchen roll. When it was dry I randomly stamped a few more small background images and Bob's you Uncle, page ready.

The page is actually brighter than the scanned image shows, but my journal is filling up quickly and getting thicker so it is proving difficult to scan.

Some of the good points of the month is that the weather has just been glorious - ok the odd day overcast and a little rain sometimes but in the main hot and sunny (just like a June should be!). Another plus is that my youngest son started his first full time job - in a girls school ! He's a trainee in the kitchens. I am delighted for him as this is now his final step in gaining his independance - i.e no more money from the bank of mum and dad - which is now official closed for withdrawals - deposits only these days LOL.

The highlight of the month for me was the Northern Soul Weekender in Bridlington on the East coast of Yorkshire. A whole three days of brilliant music, fantastic friends and glorious weather. Pure joy - What more could a soul sister ask for?

The month has been clouded with the issue of redundancy at work, and I was so ready for my weekender away. Just what was needed to lift the grey clouds that seem to hang over me Monday to Friday at the moment.

Now on the Northern circuit you get to see familiar faces at the various venues across the country and on the Saturday night a familiar face caught my eye in the crowd. (The crowd being some 2000+ people!). I sat wrecking my frazzled brain thinking "Where do I know this lady from"? Was it Blackpool? Hmmm perhaps not . Prestatyn? No. Another Northern venue? And then it clicked - Although her face was familiar it wasn't from the Northern circuit I knew her it was from her bloggy http://pilgrimart.blogspot.com/ The amazingly talented Sandra Hall. How crazy is that!

I gingerly approached her asking "Excuse me, can I ask, is your name Sandra... Sandra Hall?" You can't image the relief when she said yes LOL. I would have felt sooooo foolish had she said no. We chatted for a while about our art journaling and she introduced me to her husband Andy. (Btw - that is not Andy peaking over Sandra's shoulder - just a soulie having a good time LOL) What a lovely, bubbly lady. I was so made up that we had the opporunity to chat - with the venue being so packed that opporunity could well have easily passed. Hope you had a great weekend Sandra. Our next weekender will be the Scarborough fling in October, hopefully we'll see you there. KTF

So now I am awaiting the arrival of my Altered Original spray inks from http://www.afth.co.uk/ - the colours are soooooo lush, I can't wait. They should be here sometime today so hopefully I can get back on track with starting my July page.

Hope this glorious weather continues throughout July and there'll be Nothing but Blue Skies http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rb-4NkkC-ys