I'm Back in Blogland

I haven't posted since I retired in August of last year. I haven't stopped crafting but I have been exploring  areas other than cardmaking.   Of course, I did make all of my Christmas cards and have responded to requests from friends and family on a regular basis but I have not engaged in my previous daily, almost obsessive, need to produce a card for one of the many challenge blogs out there.

I have been making cards for near enough 20 years so I did find it strange that the motivation had left me.  I suppose it has something to do with the pressures of work.  I no longer have to find ways of relieving the stress that one experiences with employment.

I have found retirement difficult to come to terms with. So much so that I  now spend a great deal of my time as a volunteer in local schools.  My previous job was as an Education ICT Development Officer but now I am on hand to help with baking, school trips, craft, costume making and, of course, computer studies.

Anyway, I have decided to come back from the desert and post my creations again.

This is  an example of my foray into Altered Art. I am dipping my toe in the water here.  There is such a wealth of talent and diversity out there that I am in complete  awe of. Hopefully it is the beginning of  a new journey for me.

I bought a frame from "the cheap shop" and applied a wash of acrylic paint before stamping it with a musical notes  background stamp and a Tim Holtz bird stamp. I added diecut paper scrolls, musical notes and 3D paper flowers.

Very happy with the result and "inspired" to produce more of the same.

I'm back!!!