WOYWW 741

Another Wednesday and we all meet up again at Julia's to show our desks and generally natter.  Now, for weeks I have been going on about my class at the Club, well it turned into two consecutive classes.  We were let down at the last minute last month and luckily I was ready so stepped in with my decorated tins, Sarah Anderson, style.

Last Saturday was part two of my class (which would have been done in the afternoon last month) when we did something else in the style of Sarah.  I must add that I had approached Sarah for her to do the class originally but she couldn't and she did not mind my taking it and doing her 'thing'.  (Sarah and I go back way over 30 years when we both tutored at Paddy's Place in Whitefield, Manchester.)

I did show you two tins I had decorated in my post of the 12th July but here are some of the other samples (not stuck to tins so use your imagination please) plus a tiny tin I found in my stash and some toppers for it.  Which shall I use?

This one was extended for this last Saturday and had a little Journal Clip inside it which had a little book inside.  Now these Journal Pins (bottom right with a tag sticking out - little book at the top fits in the top of the Journal Clip) are to attach to your journal pages and there is further room for journaling on tags or in the little books that some have tucked in the top.

Here are some more samples - these are like Sarah made

And on researching the internet I found other people doing them - differently again:

This is one using Aall & Create Images - I just had to make this book to go in the top.

So there we are minus the 19 that I gave out to club members.  At last all is revealed and I hope I can stop making them now as I did get carried away.  If you want to know how to make them just drop me a line and we'll work something out.

Just ever so briefly - the birthday last week ended on the Thursday when we took ourselves off to Bowness in Windermere for another Afternoon Tea.

This was very busy with people enjoying the AT but I must admit I did prefer the one at the Lancaster House Hotel.  Sorry WBI.  This one had roasted red pepper soup served in little enamel mugs, fish and chips (my favourite), crispy chicken, pigs in blankets, mini beef sliders, smoked salmon and pickled cucumber, scones with ja and cream, chocolate brownies and lemon meringue pies.  It was served with an alcoholic drink - I had Prosecco and Chas had a bat of beers.  I presume because of the alcohol it was £10 per head more expensive and they did the 10% service charge automatic.  The cakes came home we could not fit them in our full tums.

Now to diet ...

ps I have had to drive down to reception to get internet access as I am at the caravan again - what we do for our blogs!

WOYWW 697

 We are creeping nearer and nearer to that 700th edition of WOYWW.  We may have shrunk a little in numbers but it is one of the best ways I know of making friends who really do care about one another.  Why don't you join us and show us your desk - no need to be embarrassed if it is a mess, the messier the better.

My little table today shows what I have been up to.  A workshop with Jo Rice and Lavinia stamps was enjoyed by me and others via the internet on Sunday.  I was not 100% happy with my finished product and so I am in the throes of doing another one.  It will be an MDF piece which will stand on a radiator shelf when completed.  At the moment it is in my new Black Journal (which I have had for years and not used - this is now my first page).

This is my desk

and my counter behind me

This last photo shows how I work when I am doing a workshop.  I have all the things I need (or think I need) set out on the counter behind me and a clear(ish) table to work on in front of me.  Here you can see the MDF board, bottom left, that the card is going to be stuck on when completed.  I just hope my next one is good enough to go on the board - I will show you another time.

It shows how much I enjoyed this workshop as I want to do it again but at my own pace.  Not that Jo went too fast or anything but I can spend more time practising the little things that I want, like getting the blending right.  I am fairly new to Lavinia type stamping and love to see what others can do and I want to do "everything" so with a teacher like Jo it is possible.  I just cannot get enough of the Lavinia workshops at the moment and I watch them on You Tube whenever possible.

We were at the caravan last week and it was a complete wash out.  Talk about rain - and one night the winds were a bit scary, especially as we are surrounded on two sides by woodland.  So I got my calendar finished that was a class at Vicky Stampers with Jo Rice - but more of that another week, there's 12 pages.  In the meantime here are a couple of photos from Sizergh Castle the time before when we were there - see it can be sunny.

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WOYWW 477

Another trip around people's desks today.  Great fun and lots of friendships made via the internet with this blog hop.

Nothing much to show on my desk today but I know you all want to know what I made with ABS on Saturday when I went up to Stockton on Tees.

We made this journal.  (Kind of like a Midori book if you have used one - Butterfly book by Jane Davenport?) This just shows the cover splayed open and this is how it came home with me but I am now going to put some additions to it - when I get time.  Inside we had lots of different pages decorated in different ways.

Obviously I cannot divulge how the pages were made but I loved Abs' style of teaching.  He would show us two techniques, repeat them to us and then off we went to do them; then the next two ... and so on.  Good teaching skills!  I can see myself adding more little books to this and having great fun using them and decorating with stickers and things.

The whole day (was a weekend really but I was just booked on for the first day) was so well organised and that is all down to the organisational skill of Sue Tucker and her side kick Debbie and Sue's husband Leroy.  If you want your diet to go through the ceiling just do a Riverside Art Warriors weekend - there is always a big basket of chocolate biscuits (Breakaway, Kit Kats, Waggon Wheels to name but a few - I had never had a Lemon Drizzle Kit Kat before).  And that is not mentioning the cake she brings along plus the soft drinks and the tea and coffee (who pinched the used teabags Saturday night?).  Just enabling, not an advert, honestly.

If you go with a friend she always sits you together but otherwise the seats are named so that means you get to mix with different people each time.  As I was on my own I was so glad to find that the table I was back to back with had my friend Diane (Waldock) and Anne (Redfern) on.  Love how Sue always without fail makes you a badge ... and this time they were with some stamps from AAL & Create (taken my name off now).

Well, after all that chatter here is my desk - a bit bare but that is on account of my friend Wendy coming to stay for a few days, not a clue what crafting we will be doing but hopefully should be fun.  Now to get some meals ready and in the freezer so there's more time for crafting.

Not a clue where the SU paper came from???  See my deck chair Julia?  Am off to clean the utility room now, everywhere is a massive clean up in readiness for visitors at weekend.  Onwards and upwards - just what you need at 6 am!  (was woken at 5 with a Facetime from America - must have pressed the button wrongly 'cos when I reached for the phone it stopped and I could not get them back - ah well!)

Just booked on a weekend with Abs so I must have enjoyed last Saturday.  Ooh so excited now!

WOYWW 403

Another day - another dollar; another week - another WOYWW!  Gosh, time moves on so swiftly when you are having fun.

This week saw me meeting up with two of my favourite men - Andy Skinner and Seth Apter.  I was booked in to do a workshop with Seth and Andy came as a bonus when I went into the actual trade show.

So my first picture is of my desk as I had unpacked it showing you what I made with Seth -

A Window Box using his new choice of PaperArtsy paints, Buff, Mahogany, Midnight and Terracotta.  I had only booked on this one workshop as I wanted to see what the show had on offer and how it differed from cha but I got to see Andy Skinner and watch his demos.

On the other bit of my desk, the bit I work on mostly, you can see a card I am currently pondering over as to how to mount it.  This is one of the cards for Vicky Stampers next month as I am doing the workshop.  Love these stamps but am only using this one for the workshop but they do have a choice of blue or red as a scheme, or whatever other colour they want.

I don't think I am spoiling it for anyone as none of the members go on my blog.  You can see my original idea which is the red lady, reminiscent of the prints you see in the various furnishing shops around that are just black and white with a red figure in the centre. Thought I would do a blue one as well as a sample and think I will mount this differently, probably as a smaller card as I know of at least one member who prefers to send small cards.  Of course, if anyone wants to colour the whole image in it is up to them.  Other cards are being kept under wraps for the moment but I will no doubt show them to you another week.

That is it from me for now, think I am coming down with a cold which is also attacking my tummy so I am keeping warm and rested for the moment.  Please pop along to see Julia and catch up with her and the other WOYWW'ers for this week.  See you around!

WOYWW 378

Got a really bad back so it is hard doing this.

Went to an Oyster Stamps workshop on Thursday and made some lovely cards using the Misti.  The inventor of this wonderful tool was there - over from America.  Here is a photo of me with Iliana.

and one of the many cards we made

Just love how the layering of stamps gives the look that is on the flamingo.  This is my favourite one.

The reason for this start to my WOYWW post is that there is nothing much on my desk.  Worked Saturday and Sunday demonstrating the Misti in Leigh at the show and was fine.  Went home and started making dinner and "Bang!" the back went again.  Spent most of Monday in bed with a hot water bottle clutched to my back and plenty of pills.  Same again on Tuesday but got some extra tablets from the doc.

Consequently nothing to show on my desk

At the back is my new brush holder, for my tall brushes.  I found a few that I needed included so they are sitting on top until I get around to sewing the channels.  In front is the card I did a Make & Take with at the show and then there are my templates that I was hoping to use to do some stamping on circles.  The pretty image to the right is one I have had difficulties with since I got it - have finally got it closer to trying it in the Misti - will let you know (and see) how I get on.

The other side of the L-shape has my Misti on it as I was showing "t'other 'alf" how to use the three stamps to make a delightful Peoni.

Well, that is all for now.  Pop along to see Julia and then you can look at much more interesting desks than mine if you want.  Great idea for a rainy Wednesday.

WOYWW 370

Phew!!  What a weekend.  Went on a Retreat run by the incredible Sue Tucker and her amazing band of helpers at The Holiday Inn in Coventry.  Who was the star attraction?  Well, there were two actually - Andy Skinner, who is probably the most well known here in the UK and Tracy Weinzpfel Stratton - both big names in Deco Art World and both uber talented in their own rights

Saturday saw me in Tracy's class where we learned to layer paint on top of paint and used Rice Paper which was incredible stuff and gave a lovely texture to our work.  Of course I ended up working in my favourite blues and greens as per usual - and here it is

Sunday morning saw me taking a class with Andy.  Now it was a million to one chance, but it happened - I had done the project with Andy at CHA so he gave me some extra bits and pieces (wow, wonderful - and a couple of skulls - you reading this Shaz?) and I followed his colouring and techniques but made mine different to the one everyone else did.  Here is my sketchbook cover:

Think I prefer the one Andy did with the class, similar to below (and which I already had) but I thoroughly enjoyed myself and was over the moon with my "extras".

Have really been suffering with my neck, Saturday night I couldn't eat anything for the pain so took myself off to bed and a hot water bottle.  Yesterday I took the bull by the horns and went to see the osteopath (mega bucks!!!) I went to a few years ago so it is fingers crossed now that it will help.

Well, you came on here to see my craft room - not really got one as such as it has been taken over by the kitchen which is empty and waiting to be gutted.  Start date next Monday!  Will give you my best shot now and then send you off to look at some others with Jan who is hosting whilst Julia recovers from major surgery.  Hard to believe that it is a year since our dear Eliza in Oz left us and is not now posting.  Hope you are up there organising them all and stamping (rubber of course) a storm.

Normal working area (still can work here at the moment)

Craft Room meets Kitchen

Still got stuff to move and the study is utter chaos - maybe a photo next week?

WOYWW 322 - and Results of my Workshop

This was my desk on Saturday night after my workshop.  This is still my desk Wednesday morning as I am not there and did not put anything away (shame on me).  Been too busy.

Some of you asked for pictures from the workshop so here goes:

Bottles covered in clay

underneath - close up of pattern and an embellishment

Brooch/Pendant Heads with left over clay

Decorated Spoons

The morning was spent covering the bottles in clay and then using the left over clay to make embellishments for the bottles - any still left over clay was then used for making the heads using my moulds so they could be turned into brooches or pendants.

After lunch I had taken some old spoons and these were handed out and the group then proceeded to cover them with alcohol inks and fussy cut out some flowers and words I had taken with me on some sheets that I had stamped.  They had been asked to bring ribbon/wire etc and I took some beads to thread on the wire.

The last half hour of the meeting showed everyone having a go at the bleeding tissue technique.  For this I had gessoed some tiny canvasses (my treat - big spender, cost me all of £3) twice as the canvas seemed rather rough.  I had also cut out lots of different sized circles from all my tissue papers that would work to varying degrees.  They just produced the background for a canvas which they could then take home and stamp on or simply put something on top of.

Hope you enjoyed seeing the sort of thing we sometimes get up to at Victoria Stampers and now I think you need to go and see what Julia and the WOYWW'ers are up to today. I hope to join in soon.

WOYWW 236

Thought I had better show willing and show you the other canvasses that I did for the Oyster Retreat over the weekend before last.  After all I had been showing bits along the way for weeks whilst stressing about what I was doing.

Left undecorated for them to do to own sizes
Tree loops through so it stands like that

 Ali decorated the front of this one using Graphic 45 papers and the inside had papers, that were left over, forming the backdrop for a collection of Christmas items to go on one side as above.

Here's a lighter coloured one I did for Tracey (with added 'bling' as she and Martine love their BLING)

This one had compartments on the inside which I managed to decorate with a tree (from a very old mold I had back in my days working for someone else), a tiny canvas, a bottle cap and (sorry, a TH diecut) lamp-post.

Stamps and dies available from Oyster Stamps but paper is some I had left over from a year or so ago.  Canvas painted with Aqua Dabber.

As well as decorating the canvasses with me, Ali wanted me to use the other papers up and so I came up with this tag book

which opened up to reveal little pockets in which to put the tags.  The tags took me ages to do initially and I just hope the ladies manage to finish theirs for Christmas - they took pictures home with them to help see where I had cut the various bits from.

Odd numbered tags above

Even numbered tags below

Now where is my desk?

This is how it is - some stuff from Oyster Retreat
Some Christmas Decorations

Striped bag of goodies from Twisted Threads (yes really)
Brown/Turquoise bag from Oyster Retreat with
Ink pads etc to be put away

 After the Oyster Retreat
(brown box full of Oyster stuff for putting away)
Yes, another canvas to do

Sorry I have not got around to loading the Munich pictures, will try to do it this week.  Have had to go to doctors with this breathing problem.  No idea what it is, doubled up on heart tablets.  Not a single C Card made yet, well one for the doctor.

WOYWW 235

or should it be WOYWF in this case as I am two days late.  Hope it does not matter.  Could have uploaded on my iPad but I did not have the photo of my desk on there - doh!  Now realised why - I didn't have a photo of it at all.

Anyway, I hope Julia can forgive me by my uploading a photograph of one of the canvasses.  The poll as to which paper to use came out with the yellowish one on top - so here it is

this is the outside

Maybe I should explain, Ali wanted to decorate two canvasses which had been hinged together by another piece of canvas.  I wanted to decorate the outside as well as I thought it was like a card and would be sitting in a window somewhere therefore the outside needed something on it.

this is the inside

I used my "little things" up on the one I did for Oyster Stamps so this one is for me.  Our tree (if it goes up) is decorated in terra cotta, cream and gold hence the rusty look.  All dies are from Oyster Stamps, the background picture is from a catalogue from Italy that we buy the most gorgeous Balsamic Vinegar from.

Right, I will leave it there, will put the other two canvasses I did up next week when I know some WOYWW'ers will be looking. 

Got a bad chest at the moment so not sure when I will be blogging my adventures in Munich.  Watch this space.

Final Pics - Oyster Retreat Part 4

Cannot believe it is a week ago that I was doing my canvasses with these lovely ladies.  Missing everyone, missing the fab food we had - and of course missing having it made and the washing up done.

Here is the last round up of my photographs:

Friendships made

Pretty Lilac

waiting to start eating

Additions 

Lilac Time

Sharing a joke

Is that a tree I espy?

Work on a Sunday?

Where should I put it?

and finally

I dreamed about it and dared to do it in black!

Thanks everyone who took part in whatever way.

Upcoming shows I will be at: Harrogate 4/5th October

                                               Leigh Show 12th/13th October

                                               Lincoln Show 3rd November ... anybody coming?