Zodiac rethink...

I've had 3 very unsuccessful attemps to do my blocks for the Bead Journal Project 2012. In January I drew out a design for an appliqued wall-hanging featuring zodiac, pagan and mystical symbols... I've detailed it further in my Bead Project section and promptly set about designing and beading the symbol blocks.
The first one was awful, Aquarius, so I did a second. For February I did the next, but in my frustration I beaded the wrong symbol... so now I have 3 beaded blocks- none of which I'm happy with... so this weekend I set about redesigning the blocks.
Having just completed a textile background for my spring cards and ATC's, in yellow, I felt that this would be a good base for my symbols. A little rethink was necessary- originally each section was to be completed in it's associated colours and crystals, so I would need to work them in a different way.

Aquarius- January's

Now they are split into their element groups Water, Air, Earth and Fire and I am using a collaged textile as the base. I already had Air, Water and Fire textiles so spent Saturday making Earth in sumptuous greens.

Pisces- February's

Aries- March's

 

I've just caught up with the first 3...fully beaded and complete so now I can at last post on the BJP 2012 blog and although they are not hugely, or intricately beaded, they now fit my project perfectly.

More pics can be seen in the BJP 2012 section.

And the winner is.....

A couple of weeks ago I was contacted by Liz who works for the people who created My Memories Digital Scrapbooking suites, to see if I'd like to try the software and host a competition for a Giveaway, an offer I couldn't refuse... and my how time has flown because it is THAT day already!

Today is the day for the Draw, for those of you who posted your entries. Being Mother's Day I decided that it would be highly appropriate for my mum to choose a name from the proverbial hat..... so I went over there bearing  gifts and card etc, obviously, and asked her to do the honours.....

The name my mum duly picked was.....

 ............drumroll please...........

JERENE! Yay!!

So Congratulations to you, I shall send you your code to download your software, and I hope you enjoy playing with it!

and so sorry that I didn't have more copies to give away to everyone else....

but you can still use the trial version and get a discount

                                                                             

   Please enter this code-    STMMMS26250

I have managed to have a play with it myself, but nowhere near enough time to really get to grips with it. It is a great tool though, and I'm finding more and more things I could use it for... so have promised myself to make some time to have a go at a  proper project.

If you haven't heard of it, or tried it out yet- DO! You won't regret it, the Memory Suite will make a great addition to your creative armoury whether you're new to digital scrapbooking, or not.

There's art in that there heART...

 

I completed the main bulk of work last week, but wanted to get the wirework finished before I posted... and added it to the March Heart Journal page. The featured material and technique this month was utee and cut-outs.

It has alot of layers this time, with cut-outs, pics, stamping, embossed elements, powders, wire and beads. Try as I might, I start with the hope of creating a light/pretty heart, but it always turns out deeper, darker and not so girly. Oh well! It must be my subconscious at work.

The collection is starting to look pretty good together and there is a definate colour theme going on, so I should either carry on with the dark reds and black, or change every quarter, IF I can! lol.

Here's  a close-up...