This post is soft, strong, and oh so incredibly long!

Well hello there dear friends, followers, and anyone who has accidentally stumbled into the madness that is The House of Bears blog. How lovely to have your company, pull up a chair and get comfy as this post is shaping up to be a little waffly, as bear posts tend to be!

The bears had a lovely visit from the cub recently, and being that it was soon to be our birthday, she gave us some presents, which she insisted we opened while she was there to see us.


How fabulous, I was so excited that as soon as I'd had my yearly (whether I need it or not) shower, I rushed straight to the desk to create something... First, I placed a protective table mat over my work area, I didn't want to create a misty mess up the walls, as that makes Wilbear rather more curmudgeonly than usual. Brr, it's kinda chilly in this kitchen, I have no idea why I'm colder than usual.....


Anyway, in my haste to create, I completely forgot to do a bear's tutorial, so here is my first make, a double journal page, spritzed with the lovely new Dylusions mists. I added background stamps directly to the page, then stamped up the fab Travelling Travis stamp, and cut and coloured her, don't you just love her suitcase body? I needed an apt quote, and what could fit better than 'of course I have emotional baggage, but at least it's cute, and it matches!' I also made a matching postcard for the cub, but that's already been posted off to her.


I calmed down a little after creating my first make with the new stamps. So for my next makes I remembered the camera. I swear I've forgotten something else though, but I just can't think what???? Oh well, it can't be anything important then, can it?


The new prima stamp had a giant tag as packaging, and I used this as a template to make my own, giant pink tags. I sprayed these, and several other blank crafting objects, including a mini canvas bought from The Works and a couple of blank art journal pages, with Bubblegum pink Dylusions mist. I then dabbed the various tags and ATCs in the misty residue, so as not to waste a drop.


Next I sprayed water directly onto the tag (and other craft items) through the mask to produce Dyan's ghosting technique, of course I also used the negative of the mask to produce two effects from one mask.


I also tried out the new white Dylusions spray, if you haven't already had a play with it, I recommend it, it lends a pastel effect to your mists.


I over sprayed the white in some areas, as it usually soaks in to the tag and just creates a lighter tone to your colours, but I really wanted to leave some white residue in places. I do like to try and produce many effects from one item. I heat dried the over sprayed areas without first dabbing them with kitchen roll, this seemed to help keep the white effect.


Here are all my pink misty items. Goodness, I think I went a little misting crazy.


I always clean up once I've finished with my mists, that way, if any have gone awry, there isn't time for them to seep into furniture (or fur!!)


I had a little naughty pawchase when Wilbear had his back to the credit card.


I dabbed distress ink through the mask onto my projects. Wow, I love this mask.


We have a dear friend's birthday coming up next month, so, inspired by the wonderful project posted by Alisonat Words and Pictures, I created this mini canvas for a present. Do go and check out Alison's pawsome creations, she is extremely talented, I'd like to thank her for the inspawration for my mini make.


Hopefully our friend will like her pawmade present, I certainly enjoyed creating it.


I was on a roll now (a delicious ham and onion marmalade one!) So I decided to go where my creative frenzy took me. I die cut some flowers, then scrunched, misted, dried and scrunched a bit more, to create this mess.


Next I cut some chicken wire with the biggest pair of scissors ever seen.


Here's one of my scrunchy messes, made into a shabby chic flower (or is it just shabby? Hmm!)


To adhere my chicken wire to my journal page I needed the heat gun, after sticking myself to it several times, I eventually managed some glue blobs on the page, pesky glue guns!


Anyway, after much flowerating (new bears' arty term) gluing, ouching at the gluing to my paws, journalling and cogitating, here is my finished art journal page.


A little close up for your delectation.


Oh, and just to round off my crafternoon, I paw made my giant tag too. I shall be entering some of today's craft makes into various challenges, but shall make them into separate pages, so as not to bore the pants off those tasked with looking at the entries.


Goodness, how embarrassing, I've just realised what was missing - my deely boppers, sorry all. Mind you, I'm still cold, despite wearing them, hmmm, how odd.


With love from the bears.