WOYWW 216

Here is a photo of my desk, as is, for all you WOYWW'ers out there. Morning' Julia!

I now have some workspace to the left of where I sit in front of the window.  Yes, I got rid of a tower of stamps.  Some I am selling and some I am giving away.  Some of my mounted stamps have been ripped off the wooden blocks to make storage easier and are now condensed into two tower blocks instead of three.

I just got so fed up of having all that worktop covered in boxes and am trying to think how I can get even more space as I still seem to have clutter taking up too much room.  Watch this space!

Am mega busy trying to get a project done for the Oyster Retreat - is anyone going to it?  So this was my work desk outside.  It is so rare I get to craft outdoors I just had to show you photos from the other day.

I used the Bistro Table - and chairs (didn't want to put too much weight on the glass table shown still with it's cover on below - those steel dies don't half weigh and I have two boxes of them) - can you see my two flowering yuccas - top left?

It was lovely to do some die cutting outdoors.

We have been taking advantage of the sunshine and actually had the French Window open most days for this, the first real summer we have had in ages (read "years").

This is the other side of the patio - the decking area

Hope we get some more of this lovely weather throughout August and September.

Went on a Workshop

The other week I went on a workshop with my friend Lorraine to Art from the Heart where we did an album with Dyan.  Forgot all about posting it so here you are - lots of pictures.

cover with two mini canvas attached

the pages differ in size (front cover on left)

and some have "foldy" bits

back page and cover

cut edge on the green page

"foldy" one on the red

Here you can see "foldy" ones clearer

I had better leave it there or you will get 'so bored' if I go through all the pages.  Hope you enjoyed looking as much as I did making!

Masking - Artful Times Challenge

The new challenge at Artful Times is Masking.  I love to use the technique of masking in my stamping - there is something fulfilling about getting it right - although it is easy to get it wrong with a little bit of overlap of images if enough care is not taken.

I don't seem to have used an Asian stamp in ages so decided to get three of them out for this challenge.  I started off by looking to see what colours I should use to do with China and then realised afterwards that the image really is Japanese.  Phew!  No offence in my choice of colour.

Red - Life (also anger and danger but we won't think of that)
Yellow - Courage, Aristocracy, Cheerfulness, Beauty and Refinement
Green - Eternal Life, Youthfulness, Freshness
Blue - Everyday Life
Purple - Privilege Wealth
White - the white carnation symbolises death (ooh)
Black - Mystery and the Night

If you want to know about other cultures and colour click here.

Right now to get to my Scrapling - remember, the bit left over when you have made a square card - 2.5" x 11" folded in half!  Here is how I made it - step by step masking.

First stamp your main image (the one you want at the front) on your cardstock and again on a Post It Note making sure you have stamped so that as much as possible has the 'sticky' on the back.  Cut out the Post It Note image just on the inside of the black outline.  This is now your "Mask".

Lay the Mask over the image on your card and stamp other image(s) over the top.  These should hit the mask so that it does not show through on your card.

Your image should now look like this with no overlapping images, just the appearance of them in the background.

I then coloured my cherry blossom with my Distress ink Pads by pressing them down on a small acrylic mount, using a larger one to spritz a little water on to make the ink thinner when I used my brush in it.

I did use my Twinkling H2o's for the dress though 
as I wanted it to look sparkly as befits a lovely Japanese lady.

Hope you give Masking a try!

In the meantime why not see what Cathryn has done with this technique and look at Sam's modern twist on the idea.

WOYWW 215

Trying to get ahead of myself I have been doing some scheduled posts for Artful Times and I started one for WOYWW about Bloglovin' last week and forgot about it.  It never got posted so I have deleted it. Didn't have my desk on - just the card below which I sent to a friend who was having a birthday and likes Steampunk.  It was another of the one layer cards.

Anyway, it is time for showing what is on my desk for WOYWW - which is not much.  I have some design work hidden at the back of this apparently filthy mat (it will get cleaned up a bit) ready for the Oyster Retreat where I am teaching.  (see right)  Anyone going?

Then there is some jewellery which I have been repairing but cannot find a pearl the right size to replace the one that got away (boo hoo). There's a lot more jewellery just out of sight too which I am altering when I get the time.  This hot weather we have been having is playing havoc with my crafting.

How you ladies cope in hot climates I just do not know - how I am longing for a bit of rain but know when it comes I will want the sun again.  Am off to bed for another sleepless night - God Bless!

WOYWW 214

Another Wednesday and hopefully another hot day.  Yeah!  At last Britain is having a summer that is longer than two days.

Went to the coast yesterday and had a lovely time, it was so warm but with that lovely breeze and I could "smell the seaside" which is a reward in itself.  Where did I go?  Well here is a picture of the headland - you Brits can probably guess where it is - go on - guess.

Yep - a cloudless sky

Anyway, you didn't come here to marvel at the weather so here is my desk, as left yesterday before I went to ? and it's still in the same state today.

Remnants from Saturday's class

It has been too warm to be in here - I so rarely see the sun that I have spent some time outside soaking up some of those rays.  Starting left - some chipboard pieces, my squares (samples), rubber stamp, metal pieces, bag.  I would love to show you the sample pieces in more detail and tell you about all the faux metal stuff I did but it will have to wait a while as I must get to bed.

Before I go, however, can I share this atc with you?  It arrived whilst I was out and it is from Peggy in the Philippines.  I hadn't swapped with her and she invited me to - well who could refuse to swap with Peggy (she was my first pif way back) and now look at what I got. Peggy it is exquisite and I am so proud to have this "Queen" in my collection (when it has finished being on show).  Thank You from the bottom of my heart.

Join us all on the mammoth Blogathon that takes place each Wednesday.  Just click here to follow the exploits of all and find an explanation of what goes on each week with the master of All - Miss Julia.

A Bit of Sunshine or Rain?

Well, I thought that was an ideal way to sum up summer in this country.  Wanting to be a bit topical I could hardly put "sunshine" when it could be another wet summer for us all.

I did have fun with my stamping though.  I decided to make a door hanger.  First of all I cut out the shape I wanted based on a large tag, and put a hole in the top with one of my Spellbinders' Circles.  Next I used my Dylusion stamps to stamp out Ruby Rainbow putting her head on a spring so that it can wobble left to right.  She was coloured in with my Twinkling H2o's and the "Keep Out" sign was computer generated.

It does rather brighten up the door when it is hanging there but I have a feeling it will end up on a little girl's bedroom door before too long.

Have you seen the work from Sam and Cathryn?  Pop on over to Artful Times for a real treat.

WOYWW 213

Here we are another Wednesday another WOYWW.  Am sure you all know the acronym by now, if not follow the link for a full explanation from our leader/initiator/instigator/mother ship pilot etc etc.

First of all - Ladies - I am so sorry but for some reason I cannot comment on those of you who have Wordpress.  As what I do it refuses my email addie and/or my password.  My sincerest apolgies - am trying to get it sorted.  Have spent ages messing about trying to do it.
(2) Cazzy - I could not find your "comment" link on your blog, hence no comment from me, sorry.
(3) Everyone - it is a big help for commenting if you put your number, even if it moves you only move a couple or so.

Right, that is the admin, or sort of, over - now to my desk.  It doesn't seem to change much, still the little space with all the rest of my largish counter taken up with drawers etc.  Oh for a huge shelf, that does not bend under the weight, running around my room to put the storage on.

Remember my talking of making a foursome with the cat food boxes last week?  Well, here it is - my new Distress Ink storage, stored in the window sill above my working bit on my desk.

Previously I had some in a lovely hinged box and some in a plastic tray - adequate but not that convenient for something I use almost daily.  I am hoping this will be so much better (and the window is not to the outside but to another room so no sun coming through to dry them out).

all taped up

top of box - found these stick down letters I have had for ages - need to start using stash (sounds familiar?) - not sticking very well so had to use glue in the end.

  

Sides

Back

Lastly, but by no means least - here is another ATC I received last week from Dolores in Slovenia - a really lovely surprise and such a lovely atc.  Thank you so much for thinking of me.

Can I be naughty and put a plug in?  Check out my new blog - see the button to the right - Flat Susan has been travelling.  Catch up on her travels - read how she ended in a puddle in Italy, how Jo nearly had a heart attack and how she met Elizabeth's family in an unusual way in Scotland.