WOYWW 383

Another week gone by, another week of no creativity as such.  Oh dear, I really must get my act together. Didn't even get much shopping done when I went to Port Sunlight on Saturday but I did enjoy meeting up and talking with my friends.  Isn't that what life is all about - friendships?

Literally walked through the door and into the large room when my friend Sam(ski) saw me and then that was it.  Met Helen (cannot believe it was the FIRST time we had ever met, after chatting so much in Blogland), Emma - closely followed by dear Doug and Shaz. Hazel, who some of you may remember from Horseshoe Crafts was the next person I saw and she looked stunning.  Didn't get much chance to talk to her and so regret that we didn't meet up later as I loved the new look Hazel. She really is a lovely person inside and out and I miss her being a vendor at Port Sunlight so much.

Made my way to Helen (Nile) to ask about Sylvia and spent about a hour and a half sitting and chatting in the doorway to Sylvia.  We had so much catching up to do.  Then I bought my first purchases.  Three stamps from Visible Images.  Here they are with my last minute of the day purchases from one of my favourite vendors, Leandra of PaperArtsy.  I don't get much chance to see Leandra with her being in Essex and me being up north so it is always a pleasure to see her at this show.

Anyway, the stencil is a Donna Downey one, the pink mushroom type stamps are JOFY ones and the multicoloured one is the last in my collection of Tracy Scott stamps from Paper Artsy.  The paints are also from PA but the other three stamps are from Visible Images. Was I restrained or what?

Now some of you may be wondering about the pink rose?  Can you see it in front of the paints?  That was given to me by Kay from Honey Doo Crafts.  She, and daughter Amanda, make the most beautiful flowers and dear Kay gave it to me when I was talking to her at the end of the show.

Well, before I made my Paper Artsy purchases I went and had lunch, a two hour sit down (now you know why I didn't get much shopping done) and was joined by Helen Jackson, Sarah Anderson, Anita Mistry (not seen her for years), Lynn Hardy, Pearshaped Chris, Janet Wilson, Doug and Shaz.

Deciding I had better make a move I set off but didn't get far as I bumped into Chris Slater closely followed by Ann Thompson (Thommo).  I made my way back to Paper Artsy and saw the Samski/Helen gang again who were now joined by Alison Hall (Craftytrog) who was demonstrating for Leandra.

Somewhere along the line, I have lost track, I also saw my Bestie, Lorraine and her friend Sue, Margaret Rose 1, Jacqui Hill and finally got to meet up with Diane Waldock who had messaged me to say she was attending.

Well, that just left vendors to see and I made my way to see Paul Church on the Clarity stand, had another chat with Mr PaperArtsy, Mark, and made my way to another sit down with Kay on Honey Doo and her lovely daughter Amanda.

So you see, with needing to say "Hello" to all those people I kept my money in my purse - well not quite all of it but I only spent around £100.  Didn't stay there that long though as I found some stamps online that I have been wanting for ages so an order went in and I needed some more paints so that was another order.  

Do we really NEED these things or do we simply WANT them?

Pop along to see Julia to see what she has been up to and follow a few links to see some interesting desks whilst having a cuppa. Toodlepip - see you all next week.

Jeudi Journalling - Include a Dog

Well, could have sworn I had scheduled a post for this.  At going up to noon I suddenly thought about it and went to have a look but nothing there.  Doh!  Got my silly head on again.  The forgetful one that is.  Here goes - another of my magazine cut up crazy figures

This time it looks as if she has a whole menagerie on her head and there is someone lurking in her pocket too.  Guess this is a lady who loves her pets.  Not sure if she should be Carmen Miranda with the head dress or who/what!

Thankfully this was done ahead of time but next week's topic has to be started and I have not a clue where to begin.  Better get this wool out of my head and put my thinking cap on.  See you then!

woyww 382

Well, first of all, Welcome to Ali, my newest follower.  Hope you enjoy your time on here and hopefully, before too long, I can have some interesting and varied stuff to show you.

Well, some of you know I had a brief stay in hospital and on Friday last I had to go back in for a procedure to be carried out.  The instructions given on going home were not to iron, clean, cook or anything over the weekend - so as you can no doubt gather I obeyed the instructions.  Especially as Chas was there when they were issued - directed at him actually (tee hee).  Felt a bit ropey as it was, so I just sat on the bed most of the time and had my crayons scattered about and did some colouring and slept a lot.

Now I can understand those people who enjoy the adult colouring books - which I had not "got" until this weekend.  Still don't think I will buy them, prefer to use my rubber stamps at the moment - and here are a couple of pages I have been playing around with using my new Tracy Scott stamps.

This first page was already covered in various colours of paint and then I had done a bit of stencilling on top with some Gesso.  One of Tracy Scott's new stamps from Stampotique, Lola, went centre stage and was coloured in with my lovely pencil crayons.  They are so waxy and blend beautifully, even mixing two colours together results in fabulous new shades and tones.  Love them!  Love Tracy's stamps too - they stamp amazingly and make for interesting colouring.

The second page of my square journal was just stamped and then coloured with the same pencil crayons.  This time I used George and Bella along with those gorgeous flowers and circular constructions that are part of the collection Tracy did for paperArtsy.  You may notice the stamps on the right hand side of the page look a little different.  These are some I got from Carabelle which had particularly taken my eye a while ago when I was at Wendy George's/Wheeler's on a workshop.

Much more interesting than my desk

which is not much different to how it was last week, except this time the book is closed and the pictures are finished.  The big book?  That is my journal I am working through on a Thursday with Wendy.  Incidentally, Wendy and I should have been meeting up for a long weekend including a trip to Port Sunlight.  We have decided to call it off as we don't really know how I will be with this back pain etc - just hope I can manage a few hours at the show as there are certain people I have never met who I would love to meet (are you reading this H?) and lots of people I have met who I would love to see again.

If you are wondering what else you can see on this Wednesday, why not pop along to see Julia at The Stamping Ground and see what fun she has on her blog, then get a cuppa and pull up a chair and have a browse around several deskers.  It's good fun, honestly - and you make some smashing mates!  The sort who really care about you.

Annie's Smiles

Last Sunday I was given something which certainly put a smile on my dejected face.  

Going back in time I should have been on a Seth Apter Workshop the other Sunday with a friend of mine.  I had done a quick workshop with him in America when I was at CHA in January and fell in love with the man, his techniques and his teaching.  So when I saw there was one in Harrogate with the man himself I jumped at the chance and talked my friend Lorraine into going along with me.

It wasn't to be, I was in hospital and so had to let my place go.  We had to cancel our 10 day holiday in Spain and I was disappointed but when I thought of the workshop I had cancelled the tears came  - that shows how much I wanted to go.  Crying over a one day workshop but not over a ten day holiday in the sun.

Well, Lorraine went along and she told him how disappointed I was and so he tore a corner from his demonstration piece and wrote a lovely message on the back.  I feel so lucky and cannot wait for his return next year.  (Incidentally, went to book his workshop in America for January and it is all booked up!!!)  I smile when I think of Lorraine and what she did for me, what a lovely friend she is.

Isn't that lovely

Well, by the time some of you are reading this I will be on my way to the hospital for tests and not feeling a very happy bunny at all.  Roll on tonight when it is all over.  Am having two "oscopies" one down and one up so that is not something to smile about, sorry Annie.

Will leave it there and concentrate on Seth Apter and his lovely gesture to get me through the afternoon.  Pop along to dear sweet Annie and see what she has - lots of smiles I will be bound.

Jeudi Journal

Well, according to Wendy I put the wrong page up last week. Apparently it should have been "Old Paper"which is what I am showing you this week.

Thank goodness I had already prepared this in advance as I haven't done much crafting again this past week having been in hospital and feeling tired the whole time since I came out.  I have to go back tomorrow for tests and am hoping they can sort me out then.

Here is my Old Paper Page, or should I say Pages.

Left hand side

right hand side

As you can see the Crazy Birds came out to "Party".

I found a piece of paper ages ago which was obviously old and told you how to cater for various parties.  What to serve and how many slices of bread etc to use and so on.  It tickled me to read it and I hadn't a clue what to use if for so when Wendy suggested this topic (Old Paper) I thought of using it in some way.

I split the various 'parties' and, along with some doilies, I used the Crazy Birds, trying to link them to the type of party.  You will have to click on the images to enlarge them so you can read them I guess. I do find the birds adaptable they fit in with lots of themes and I am certainly getting my monies worth out of them.

Hope you enjoy my pages as much as I enjoyed making them - now what is it for next week??????

WOYWW 381

Gosh these Wednesdays don't half seem to come around fast.  Mind you I have been doing a lot of sleeping.  Whilst I was in hospital I was given two bags of blood as they said i was anaemic.  Got to go back this Friday for some tests (Ugh) and hopefully they will find out what is the matter with me and put it right.

So once again my desk does not have a great deal to show.  But I did go out on Sunday with my friend Lorraine - to a workshop by the talented Tracy Scott.  Now Tracy is a favourite of ours (Lorraine and I) and we enjoy doing workshops with her  This time it was my choice and we did a journal page.

Forget my figure - Look at the background

We did lots of texture on our background - paper, different pastes, paint, stencilling and stamping. Tracy also taught a technique new to all of us and that was 'glazing',  I still need to do do some work on my page - the figure needs working on and I have to put some black and white pen work on the background.

Now all this is leading up to my desk because on my desk today are some stamps by Tracy both for PaperArtsy and for Stampotique.

The two stamp sets you can see in the background are from PaperArtsy and in my journal there are two figures, both Stampotique stamps with the other stamps around them and some Carabelle ones at the side.  I have another figure but she isn't coming out to play as yet.

I sat for a short while this afternoon colouring in the figures and just a little on the background with my Prismacolour pencil crayons.  That is about as much as I can manage at the moment - colouring in my stamped images.  My desk is NOT staged,  I found out that the best way to be able to access all my delightful colours is to have them out like this.  Aren't those pencils fab?

I might put some more background stamping on another day just so that I can try out more of my pencils.  Love blending colours together with them and it is so easy with these as they are waxy and soft.  

Mind you we did have a debate about pencils and apparently these have been superceded by Pablos and Polychromos.  Anyone out there have any preferences or any views.  I would love some feedback.  If I decide to buy some more another question would be do I buy a set or do I buy colours I tend to use a lot?

Well, this turned out to be a longer post than I imagined so I will leave you my friends.  I am going to catch up with one or two WOYWW'ers (firstly Margaret and Shaz who I mentioned last week) this morning whilst commenting on blogs.  I cannot imagine anyone not knowing what I am on about but just in case there is someone out there you need to follow this link to take you to a very inspirational lady and then link on to some of the names in her post so I suggest you put the kettle on first.

Before I finally do go may I extend a warm welcome to Felicia, my newest follower.  I suddenly noticed Maxine was not the last face in my list of followers.  Which reminds me I owe Maxine an email too.  Hopefully Felicia I can get some work done in the coming weeks.

Jeudi Journal

A real cheat this week.  Not had time to do anything with being hospitalised but already had this in my journal from when I did the weekend with Dyan.  She calls it the 'Stained Glass Effect' so it was an obvious choice but I intended doing something more around the figures.  As it is it just has a wee bit of white pen work and some stencilling.

Sorry you cannot hardly see the stencilling which I did in black on black using a stencil. Think maybe you should pop over to see Wendy and what she has done.  Am certain she will have more work on than I have this time.