ARC April & PPF

Hello, It's Friday horah! I love these challenges. ARC & PPF wonderful challenges and hosted by very talented ladies. It also gives me the chance to have a good nosey through lots of blogs and see what people are creating, which is a bonus!

So my book review is on a book called 'The Preacher' by Camila Lackberg. This scene is how I imagined the opening few pages of the book. There is a little boy who goes playing 'knights' down at the beach in the caves near his home very early in the morning (unbeknown to his parents) and he finds a sleeping woman, or so he thinks, sadly she is never going to wake up. Later as the police arrive and remover her body, two skellington's are found as well which are later to be discovered are two young girls that have been missing over 20yrs. And were dreadfully tortured before they were killed. Is the same murderer back? And what are the family secrets between two related family's one of which was a chef suspect 20 yrs ago but hanged him self, so why have these murders started again and how many more will go missing?

I love a good murder lol I also love that this carries on from a a book called the 'The Ice Princess' that I read last month. Same detective. But I love that in the books life is still going on, it's not all about the murder. Other little real life dramas are going on as well. Erica his girlfriend is pregnant, her sister has left her abusive husband from the last book etc but they are also really good stand alone books, you don't have to read the whole series to know what on earth is going on unlike some. If you like thrillers then yes I would recommend these, but thankful there isn't a lot of detail in the actual violence part so not as horrific as some thrillers and not loads of bad language. But it's no Miss Marple either. I give this book 8/10.  I am also really getting in to Jo Nesbo's Harry hole books, maybe I will review one of these next month lol.

OK on to the journaling. I used some Basic Gray scrapbook paper as a beginning  (Finally trying to make a dent in my paper-stash from my scrap-booking/card-making days lol). I added to it with neo2s I tore some papermania paper up for the main images as I didn't want tidy edges, love the texture this created. Then coloured them in with neo's and a water brush. I then wrote a small review in the sand to remind me of this book. I will hopefully catch up with you throughout the week, in the mean time Have a great week end. Love Dawn xx

ARC March

There is a link in the side bar for this monthly challenge, I have been meaning to join in since Feb. when I found it but time got the better for me, I was going to put April in the title but it seems we run a month behind. Any way I usually read at least two books a month and so far I have read three this month but I am going to talk about this amazing book today 'The Vintage Teacup Club' by Vanessa Greene.

Now this is not my usual sort of book at all. But, it had some really good reviews from people, so I went for it, and I am so glad that I did. This is about three beautiful (as people) women and they meet at a car boot and all of them fall in love with a vintage tea set. They decided to share it and their relationship begins there.

The three women are called Jenny, young works in an office & soon to be married, Maggie, single has her own flower shop and Alison, who crafts from home and has a family. What is not to like about these women? They are all of differing ages & experience in life and this is where the book is so good each helps one another in the different problems that they begin to experience. They all want the teacup set for different reasons, Jenny wants them for her wedding theme, Maggie because a client want's an AIWL wedding and Alison wants to make candles out of them.

So Now you know why AIWL theme in my journal. Vanessa writes so beautifully, I could imagine everything and I love it when this happens with a book (well it always happens). Beautiful imagery came to mind and I loved being part of their world and I felt like a friend to them all by the end. This is a 10/10 book for me. I have a board on pinterest with lots of book reviews if your interested. I really enjoyed playing in my journal for this challenge, thanks Darcy it's a great idea and I hope to play again next month. Love Dawn xx

I'm feeling...

Spring like today (just). And I always want to make things nice when the sun shines. I have been tidying the surfaces of my craft area, it's taken most of the day (I'm not that mucky really). And boy am I tired now; so hubby kindly offered to do the tea while I put this post up and have a much needed brew. So here is a double A5 spread to celebrate my cleaning madness.

Some close ups. The quote says 'Be as a bird perched on a frail branch that she feels beneath her, still she sings away all the same; knowing she has wings' Victor Hugo. Isn't that a beautiful quote. You can still join in this months journal journey challenge for April which is Quotes. Hope to see you there (link in the side bar). So many of you have joined in this month I am so pleased to see so many new faces as well, this in turn has brought lots of lovely new followers, how exciting. Thank you for taking time to stop by, Hope you are enjoying the Spring where you are. Dxx

P.S. There is also a small candy give away over on my other blog Crafty Dawn if you would like to join in. And if you follow my FB page Crafty Dawn there is soon to be a crafty giveaway there as well so do stop by :) Dxx

Playing

I really loved this image I have been meaning to use it for a while. It reminds me of what my dad would have done when he was a kid, just playing out on a lamp post. Children so easily amused then and were always out. Come to think of it so was I playing skipping, two ball, elastics, hop scotch, walking on stilts (that my dad made) when there was a mad craze, loads of games. 

I can't remember where the image is from (maybe google) However, I have cut it right down to the focus which is the boy playing. And I really like the quote by George Bernard Shaw. You can still join in with the monthly Journal Journey's challenge Here which is 'Quotes' this month. Hope you can find time to play along Dxx

All children are wise

I have been journaling & painting loads, I love this quote. I have heard something similar about give me a child until he's seven & I''l show you the man. This is put better though I think. 'It is easier to build strong children than to repair a broken man/woman' I think of the times I was called a 'Dummy/Stupid' as a child and it still effects me even now. Hence, the little boy with the hat on (I didn't want to put a D for dummy/dunce on even now) because I truly believe all children are wise and it is for us to nurture and show them how truly wonderful they are and what they can become.

I am linking this to PPF & Art Journal Journey. Have a wonderful weekend and show any children you meet how precious they are, even if it's just a big smile you give to the kids in the shops. Love Dawn xx

Blue & Orange?

As it was Easter I went a bit mad on religious quotes so here is the last one (for the time being ;) I worked hard on the back ground, layers & layers of stencils, stamps, paints, texture paste & doodling. All good fun I loved the contrast between the blues & orange.

You can't really see the texture in these photos. But I thought that Blues & Orange really worked on this spread. I am etering this in to Paint Party Friday PPF Thank you for stopping by to see & any comments you have left Dawn xx

Quick journal quotes

 I was playing with quotes and in my previous post Here I had thought I had heard something similar to it before, and here it is. S.M.I.L.E. is something to remind us that being Spiritually Minded Is Life Eternal 2Nephi 9:39

And I really liked this quote by Winston Churchill as well. So I thought I would do both on the same spread with some zingy paint (like lemon & lime) and take my posca pens and kind of make posters to remind me of these things. Like I said really quick. Dawn xx

Bright mind

Morning, The sun was out all day yesterday, but if you stepped outside it felt like waking in to a freezer! Lets hope with the longer days it will soon warm up :)

I found this quote on Pinterest and thought I would re-work it into my journal. It also fits really well with the monthly challenge over at Art Journal Journey this month it's all about 'Landscape within you' So I used a quote as a starting point. The quote says "If you want to know where your heart is. Look to where your mind goes when it wanders" I have done a shorter version.

Well, I think all our minds wander to places we rather not be sometimes. So I thought of bright paints & flowers and got to work for this challenge. The flowers are from google all cut out and added to a well painted journal spread. This also fits in with my challenge this month which is 'Quotes'  Here   If you would like to join in just click the link for more info. Thank you for stopping by and having a look, hope to see you again. Love Dawn xx