Venezia - at last!

We don't normally do anything impulsive...

...choosing to think and plan well ahead before going anywhere...

...or doing anything "big".

This week however...

...we've been very impulsive...

...and despite having loads of stuff to get done for workshops, shows etc...

...I took yesterday off...

...and made my travel journal...

...for Venice...

...which we will be visiting in a couple of weeks! Yey!! At last!!

Thank goodness I had a sheet of Cavallini paper with a map and lines of Grand Canal Palaces...

...all of which have been used in my journal...

...that I made out of B&Q lining paper that's been gesso'd.

The front cover has the name... a picture map and some stencilling.

Some of the pages have been stencilled...and a line of palazzo stuck across the bottom edges.

Little pockets for extra little books lay snugly in between page spreads.

Finally, the large map has been folded and stuck to the inside of the back cover....

...which has another map, more palazzi and stencilling.

I have some appropriate rubber stamps to use...

...but I'm minded to see how much of the book I fill while I'm there.

It will all get finished off when we get back...

...and I've come back down to earth!!

Between us:-

3 cameras; several spare/charged batteries; spare sim cards...

...we are planning to take ga-zillions of photos!

Walls...windows...doors...details...and much, MUCH more :-D

I am EXCITED!!

x C

More work on my project book...

So...

...the first stage of the "rusty look" was done in my last post....

...and the next stages have now been finished.

I sponged some orange-coloured "Rust It" on top of the brown...

...then got to work with the verdigris and bronze metallics that came in the set...

Put on firstly with my finger...

...then raised elements were touched-up with a brush...

The front cover...

...weird sun-wheel...

...rock ship with sun and stars...

...distressed diamonds...

...and Latin lettering.

I've dug out my Ogham writing sticks...

...and made some "old parchment" for my maps...

Stories are forming...

x C

My new project book...

...is coming along nicely.

We're forming a new group on Facebook entitled "The Near and Far Creative Textile Group"...

...and our theme is "Maps and Journeys".

So...

...for every new project...

...there just HAS to be a new project book.

This one started it's life as a rather sad-looking photo album.

You know...

...the old sort with heavy pages and glassene in between.

Yuk!

So out came the crumpled tissue paper...

...and white gesso...

....and texture paste through some stencils.

Can you see the sun-wheel in this one...

...and the rock art boat in this one?

I've now begun the "rusting" process with a kit by Pinflair...

It's lookin' good! :-)

x C

"Vieux Berry" - 37 photos!!

So here it is...

...almost finished.

(I've left a few gaps here and there to fill up with some extra bits and pieces ....

...as and when.

The cover has a photo of Rameau with his many Vielles a Roues hanging on the wall.

(There's a festival of "Luthiers" every year just outside of La Chatre link here.
...and a YouTube video from one event if you're interested.)

Inside the front cover are some pages from the "Celestine" book...
....and introduction to the story...

...and the next couple of pages have a couple of her marriage proposals on...
...with some die-cut hearts to add a little "emotion"...

The next 4 images are of pages that have old photos of local people & places....

...followed by a few pages with old photos of Chassignolles...

...the village where Celestine was born and grew up...

The clogs in the bottom one are a reminder that the main business in the village at the time of her birth...

...was clog-making,

The next section focuses on George Sand...

...local writer and celebrity who lived just outside La Chatre in the chateau that now holds the music festival mentioned above...

...and then more images of old La Chatre and it's businesses and people.

This page has a piece of cotton lace that I bought in the town when I was there...

The final section goes back to the medieval times of the Ducs du Berry.

This pocket holds a small book with one of the Duc's poems and pictures from "Les Tres Riches Heures de Duc du Berry". A magnificent illuminated manuscript made by the Limberg brothers from the Netherlands.

Here's a link to another YouTube video - a superb documentary about the brothers and the illuminated manuscript. Watch it if you can!!

More pages devoted to Les Tres Riches Heures...

This page has a pocket holding a set of miniature images from each month of the "Heures"

Inside the back cover is the final chapter of "Celestine...

...and on the outside is a map of the old region of the Berry.

I hope you have enjoyed your little journey into my creative world...

x C