WOYWW 487

Sorry about last week.  I did a scheduled post and then forgot to ask someone to link me.  Realised some time on Friday when I got home and hastily published it and then raced around commenting like crazy for the rest of the day.  Apologies to anyone I missed.  

Was going to start this with these lyrics in true LLJ style

"What a difference a day made

Twenty-four little hours"

as we went to Cleveleys (nr Blackpool) on Saturday and the day could not have been different from what we left behind in Spain.  Left home Saturday in sunshine but by the time we were drawing closer to the coast the clouds were gathering and they were rather dark.  The colour of the water was a bit different too.

Which is Corralejo and which is Cleveleys?

THEN, on Sunday we woke to this

a hole in our lounge ceiling!

So not much crafting to show you - again!  I have, however, managed to get some of my doodling done and can say that there are several pages finished now.  Here's my desk with my doodle books on it and my white pens.

Now someone asked about white pens the other week.  Well, I use Posca, Molotow and Dylusion ones.  Trouble is with Dylusion you have to buy a white one and a black one in a pack - they are not sold singly.  The Dylusion one is definitely my 'go to' pen of them all as it is the only one with a real fine point making for better line work.  The only trouble is it works out expensive and I have a bundle of unused black ones now.

My Molotow is extra fine but still quite thick in comparison to the Dylusion one. The Posca is similar, again slightly thicker than the Dylusion pen but definitely a good pen to have and you can buy them as a single unit.  You need to remember that it is white paint that is inside these pens so the make up is slightly different to other pens.

Last week several people said they cannot get on with the Dylusion ones so here's a tip or two:

You MUST prime it at the beginning.  For the first time give it a shake. Then you hold it tip down and just keep it there on your paper, don't bang it, tap it or anything.  No need to shake it or anything.  You need to get into the habit of holding the pen upright rather than at an angle like you do with a biro when writing.  If it stops working all I do is wet my thumb with a baby wipe and run the pen tip over it to moisten and soften the paint that has probably dried around the fine nib.  Lastly, do not press down hard when using it, gently glide the pen across the paper to make your marks.  Try that and see if you have more success.

Guess that is it for this week - need to make some birthday cards, going to a workshop over the weekend with my bff so definitely something to show you next week that is not white pen on black.

Go and join in with WOYWW by clicking here and having a great blog hop day.  TTFN!

Jeudi Journal - Fur

"Fur or Feathers" and "White and Purple" are the orders for today.  Luckily I had a page with just those colours on and black around the edges.  I think the white was actually some Gesso - it all looks a bit 'scratchy' anyhow.  

As I had used the cats last week I didn't feel it appropriate to use them again and so I decided to use dogs for a change.  Wondering whether dogs had 'fur' or 'hair' I looked it up and found you can call it either so I was ok going along with dogs.

Tried Wendy's strategy of using words and building a picture around them - no go - in fact I went through the whole of Dyan's and couldn't think of a thing to do.  So starting cutting dogs out I came to the conclusion that I would use a poodle and it would be French (they are aren't they?).

Remembering I had an Andy Skinner stencil with a fleur de lis on it I put some white stencilling down the side to match in with the dots done previously.  Then I coloured the dogs with my Promarkers and it was finished. 

Hope you like my offering for this week which is also being entered into Art Journal Journey which I found out is an interactive blog run partly by my friend Elizabeth and Bleubeard (tickles to my favourite fella) and it is thanks to my dear friend Cath that I discovered it.

ps I do know how to spell "Oui Oui" but doubted the dogs would, hence the phonetic spelling

WOYWW 486

Here we are again, celebrating fun and friendship with other bloggers.  Not all of us are paper-crafters, some stitchers and knitters amongst the group, some jewellery makers and some 'parchmenters' - anything goes.  All with thanks to Ms Julia who first set us off on our desking journeys nine years ago.

This is my desk this week.  Noticeable by its absence of work.

You can see my Thursday Journal there - it seems to live on my desk these days and rarely gets put away,  then there is the 'white' part of my mobile 'desk'.  my little journal in which I can practice all the doodling I want.  It started off as a practice book for zentagling but I just cannot get on with it.  I so admire those who do.  My friend Liz was a natural at it and made some of the most beautiful pieces.  How strange I should come to it now, it is almost the first anniversary of her passing - the 10th October.  I remember so well how she encouraged me to start doing it and how pleased I was with my attempt at the pattern now showing on my desk.  Strange, that I left it here now of all days.

At the back you can see the tea bag which was another gift from Shaz in Oz on her recent visit.  I hope by now she is safely at home and tucked up in bed fast asleep.  Am sure the 'trip' she made has pooped her out.

Well, I might be a little late visiting this week but never fear, if you visit me I will do my utmost to visit you.  You see I am not really here but will be back tomorrow but this was how my desk was left when I went away.  Just couldn't break my record of entries on the blog hop for Julia so had to schedule this post.

Wishing you all a good week of crafting and much happiness.  TTFN!

Jeudi Journal - Masks

Gosh these weeks seem to come around a lot quicker than the mail man.  Another Thursday and time for another journal page.  It's about the only thing that makes me keep crafting each week for my blog - must get some cards done and shown soon.  Anyway, back to journalling with Duylusions.

This week the theme is "Masks" and the colours are black and red.  The black was easy as I had a page that was spoiled by some Copic pen work coming through from the reverse.  Nothing for it but some black paint spread all over it.  The red was a bit more of a problem as I quickly realised that black paint did not cover very well and so my red is not very bright - Could have done it in white paint to begin with but I did not have the time.  Still, it is red, just not a vibrant one but then ....

Obvious to me was to do a Venetian theme with masks on faces but when my friend Paul came around he showed me a kind of weird way to cover a face so it looked as if it had a mask on (which I was going to do) but then mentioned just a simple eye mask.  The light bulb went on at this last idea and so my masks became the kind that highwaymen wear.

What figures to use - why two cats (cat burglars??) and so 'Dick Turpin' put in an appearance under the guise of a cat - or two!

Gosh, better go before I make a complete fool of myself with 'cats' and 'burglars' - see you next week - now what is it I need to do???

WOYWW 485

Here we are on the biggest blog hop - well it has lasted longer than any other I would think.  Who is responsible for it?  Why Ms Julia nonetheless.  Pop along here and join in the fun, see lots of other desks, get some tips maybe, and best of all 'make friends'.  Only last week we had the annual crop where 14 of us met up for the day.

Well my desk for the week shows very little so I doubt it would excite anyone but I am sure other desks are able to do so.  I have little to show you but here goes:

My square black journal from the other week when I did the Doodling workshop with Dyan is lying on top of my journal that I do with Wendy on a Thursday.  That is mainly full of Dylusion figures and only incorporates others when I am stuck and haven't got a clue which Dylusion figure to use.  On the pink mat you can see a large selection of white pens that are constantly being used.  Molotow, Posca and Dylusion being my favourite white pens.  In front is my 'Dyalog' which is now my travel companion as all I need is a white pen and the book to keep me happy for a short holiday or a trip somewhere.  Pity I am not going to America this coming January, it would have been very useful on the flight over.  Still I can take it with me to the weekend workshops, give me something to do in my hotel room when I am on my own.

It's all stencilled and ruled up ready for use as I have a workshop and short holiday coming up - mind you I might just be glad of my bed and pillow after a day of crafting.

Now to see what others have in store.  Am sure some of them have lots of goodies to show me/us. 

TTFN!

Jeudi Journal

This week we are in Wonderland.  I chose this title because I love Alice in Wonderland but never gave a thought to what I would do with Dylusion figures and the 'Adventures of Alice in Wonderland'.  I think I chose the colours pink and blue and realised my mistake afterwards thinking of Alice being dressed in blue and fading into the background.

Well, I had an upset tummy and so not much in the mood for doing anything.  Luckily I had a page with some blue paint brayered on, a bit more volume and a thicker layer than I wanted but hey ho, some pink and it was done.  I was going to use my favourite "Diamonds in the Rough" stencil but then remembered I had these playing card shapes and so I drew around them on black card, cut some figures out with a die in white and here it is.

I changed my mind several times about the words but when I was little I had long blonde hair like Alice so maybe when she grew up she liked gin, my tipple when I do drink which is not often.  If I have to see anyone in the medical profession and they ask me what the amount of alcohol is for a month I usually say 'about a teaspoonful'.

Thanks Wendy for the new means of taking photos - no mess scanning and can do the double page spread too.

WOYWW 484

Once more it is that time of the week when we all bare our desks to the world courtesy of WOYWW hosted by the lovely Julia nine years ago and still going strong.

Well ...

"Didn't we have a Lovely Time, the day we went to Llandudno" (sang to the tune of "Didn't we have a Lovely Time the Day we went to Bangor").  Before I forget, ladies from the Crop- the ATC folder is, as I thought, from Amazon and it is a 

"Vault X 4 pocket ATC folder" so if you put that in your search engine it should turn up.  

Well, what a lovely day it was, once again meeting up with the wowy'ers (and other halves) and many many thanks to Margaret (glitter and glue) for all the hard work she puts in to making sure our tums are full of lovely food and for getting us that super big hall to spend the day in - full of fun and friendship.

My desk, today is staged I am afraid.  I knew you would want to see what goodies I brought back so here it is

You can see my lovely selection of atc's (+ one tag in lieu) and my work I had taken down - didn't get  much done as usual, too busy going around talking to everyone, and having cuddles with the mystery guest who I once met before.  (Donna, if you are here - it was a reunion from 2012 with a visitor from down under).  Then there is the notebook at the front right - that is from Julia who could not be with us as she had another engagement which unfortunately clashed with this last Saturday.  She was with us in spirit if not in the flesh.  At the very back is my book made with Abs a while ago which housed my black doodle journal.  The only crafting I took was this book and a white pen.  Finished this page off (more or less) on Sunday.  So in a way I have included my crafting.

Starting top left with Christine (bishopsmate) with her Vera Lane image (yes, been on and ordered Christine); coming down we have Chris (pearshaped chris) and a lovely Parisian image on her green background (btw she is not pearshaped at all); then we have the clever Jo (Twiglet) with her two lovely children - stitched!!! - amazeballs; back to the top we have the balloon tag from Sarah (sarahs craft shed); below that yet another Christine (Mrs D) with her triple layered atc (must have taken ages); back up again lovely autumn leaves from Margaret (glitter and glue) our lovely hostess; below that and very cleverly thought out we have Llandudno Pier in 1851 from Heather (Heather's Crafty Retreat) and last but not least we have Shaz (silverwolf) with her Brusho background and diecut butterfly.

Now you may also notice that there is a little furry fella sat there and he came all the way from Oz with our mystery guest.  Below him is a pen from down under too.  Afraid the chocolate got eaten.  To the right of Kevin (the Koala, who now lives with his big sister Katie from last time we met up) is the book I got from Julia which I will use as a small pocket journal - the perfect size to carry around and play with.

We all got a large present, and a smaller one from Julia - I have shown you my small one but my biggie was so special.  I have always intended to buy something from Tilly TeaDance.  In fact the first thing I said when I saw Jo was how annoyed I was with myself for not asking her to bring a 'sheep brooch' with her.  Imagine my surprise when I got this in the "gifts for all" section of the day.

It was meant to be, it had sat there waiting for me to choose it and I am so chuffed.  Now been on her website and ordered a couple of brooches - not going to forget this time.  I just love those sheepies.

Now, I have not included the tissue holder from the lovely Jan, who was master of ceremonies in the absence of Julia (and did a super job) as it was in my handbag ready for my going out somewhere.  Also my little blue bear from Annie (Wipso) missed out because he was sitting next to his little sister the yellow bear from a visit to Shropshire some time ago, on my cupboard.  Love those glasses Annie.  So here they are along with the teabag which came a long way to be drunk in splendour whilst crafting - by the two bears.

So you can see, what a fab group of people - so caring and sharing and just plain "lovely" were there - as I know all wowy'ers are.  Happy days, cannot wait until the next one.   TTFN!

ps - just for Elizabeth and Bluebeard

 

The two Shaz's and lovely Doug (who gave me hugs - ooh!  Lovely)

Little Shaz, Me and LLJ