WOYWW 259

On of those scheduled posts that try to make sound as if it is Wednesday when it really is Tuesday evening.  Not pulling the wool over anyone's eyes if I try, I just cannot craft at midnight these days.

Here is my desk

The white sheet in the foreground is my up to date glimpse of my atc's.  No kidding!  I have put the cardstock out read for beginning.  Some books on the left, some cards ready to be sent out and that is about it.  I did intend getting the first stage of my atc's done (Masterboard) but 'thinking' is as far as I got.

There you are, short and simple just as Julia likes.  Why not join the Mistress of Desks and see what others have linked up to her.  Join in, there's time for you to make some atcs to swap.

Apologies but I have been watching "Happy Valley" - gosh, what a cliffhanger tonight.  Anyone else watching it?  Got a damning letter in the TV Guide this last week as boring - I ask you?  I hope it's up for an award before too long and I remember to vote for it.

WOYWW 258 - Thanks Annette!

Well, had a lovely time away with my friend but not got around to blogging it yet.  Just had to show you my desk, yes, the parcel (empty) still sits on it (*more later) but the rest is rather staged -  sorry, but I think you will like it.

My Flat Susan Book from Annette

Can you begin to imagine how I felt when I saw the parcel and, knowing what was inside, opened it. Just look at those tiny drawers, they held all kinds of bits and pieces and that book in the middle ....

That's the tiny book fanned out on the right of the photo, oops you can hardly see the Australian Flag just against it, sorry.  Now I will show you a selection of the pages, not all of them, for fear of making this blog too long for you all on a busy Wednesday.

Look at all the bits and pieces I can journal on

It is jam packed with goodies to work on

Don't you just love those rosettes

Gorgeous papers and stamping by Annette

Love how some pages have bands across

and some have pockets

In fact on some pages there are pockets on pockets.  Lots of journalling so I will have an abridged version of Flat Susan's antics when her adventures are over.  Just in case you don't know who Flat Susan is here is a link to her blog. And just in case you signed up for her adventures she is still going around. She has finished her trip to America almost (with Darnell at the moment) and is then going on to Oz and Spain before landing back here in the UK to begin the final stages of her journey.

I cannot thank Annette enough for this beautiful piece of art that she has made.  The idea came from the fact that I asked each participant to make a tag to send to the next person.  I asked that they include a photograph of this tag on their blog post about FS's adventures so that I could copy it for myself. Annette came up with the idea of making a book to keep them all in - so that is where her idea was born (and boy am I glad she did, I have always admired her work and now I have some - chuffed to bits).

Sorry this has been a long post Julia but I felt sure 'peeps' would love to see what I got from the uber talented Annette. Now for my desk as it is at the moment

Yes, the parcel is still there  

* We have been busy tidying the garage since I got home, a couple of hours each day and then I can hardly move with the aches and pains in my back - hence a slow job - no crafting etc.  But heck - you got a treat seeing my lovely gift above.  Just had to share.

Pop along to Julia's to see what others have been up to but get a cuppa first, you are in for a treat.

Artful Times Challenge 55 Mail Art

A challenge is something that makes you have to think - right?  Now I hope this is a challenge for you all but not too difficult a one that you cannot think how to do it.  We would love lots of entries.

In Somerset Studio they used to have lots of decorated (hand-stamped) envelopes at the beginning of the magazine.  I don't get it anymore so have no idea if it carried on or not.  Anyway, here we are asking you to decorate an envelope.

I recently had a birthday and I got a card with the envelope also stamped and coloured with the same little owls that the card contained.  It was so nice to see and so I am hoping that when I send something out in the envelopes below they give as much pleasure to the recipients as Renate's envelope gave to me.

This one is similar to some I have done before using my Alice stamps and colouring in with Twinkling H2o's.

You will see I have left room for the address to go in the centre of the envelope and for the stamp to go in the top right hand corner.

With this one I masked out a rectangle for the address and one for the stamp before commencing colouring with Distress Inks all over in Mowed Lawn and Picked Raspberry.  Then I just put random stamps over the top, leaving the masks still in place.

There's lots of ways you can decorate an envelope.  it doesn't have to be all over the front as in mine above and you could use magazine pictures cut out in a careful collage if you don't want to rubber stamp.  Go on, you know you want to try.

Pop along to Artful Times and see what the others have done on their blogs - do leave a comment if possible, we love to receive comments just like you do.

257 WOYWW

In a bit of a rush, head needs sorting to get myself ready.  In the meantime here are a couple of cards made during the tail end of last week

This is a birthday card, with an acetate overlay and some vellum for a friend who is having a birthday.  I don't think she comes on my blog.  

and this is one that my friend in America showed me how to do following a class with Hero Arts that she took.

Now I have softened the blow of you not seeing anything on my workdesk this is it.  An overhead shot (I am tall and have long arms) of my getting ready to spend a few days with my lovely friend Liz in Nottingham.

That is my tiny polymer clay kit ready to go.  I hope I have got everything we need in it.  The temptation was to put all bar the kitchen sink in, I think I have been very restrained.  Don't you?  Can't wait to spend a few days with Liz, claying around and drinking wine hopefully.  You might get some piccies another day.

I may not get to you until weekend but if you visit me I will visit you back, providing I have no glitches on your blogsite.  It will help if you can put your number so I can link direct - I often have to give up if you have not given a number and you have several sites. 

See you around at Julia's later.  Happy WOYWW week.

256 WOYWW

Yep, we are creeping up to the time we will all be swapping atc's again - and I still have not made a single one!  Still on with that project which has been sticking to my fingers like treacle.  Was going great guns today when the other half shouted for me to go to the shops - never got back to it did I? Been there?

Well, on Saturday I went to Ellesmere to see my lovely friend Hazel (Horseshoe Crafts) as she was having an Open Weekend.  What a lovely couple of hours I spent there - and there were lots of Makes and Takes to do but I only did three as t'other half was sitting reading a paper and eating delicious cake in the refreshment room next door along with a few other crafting widowers.

Here are the three I made

and despite saying I was not buying stamps this year I got this one as I once got a card made with this stamp and I am trying to remember how it was put together - but I know I liked it when I got it.

as for the card ,,,

Well you will have to wait a while before I get around to making it.  Project to finish, polymer clay to get out ... but more of that next week (if I get chance to post).

After we left Hazel we went to the Red Lion which is just down the road from the Town Hall and had a fabulous lunch.  Check Trip Advisor for fab reviews.  A good excuse to support Hazel next time she has one of these weekends and get a fabulous meal at a very reasonable price into the bargain.  (The desserts sounded gorgeous but we were too full to order - maybe next time)

Now what are you up to?  I assume you are a WOWWY'er or you probably would not be here.  Pop along to see what others have been doing this week - visit Julia!

Artful Times Challenge 54 - Make a Badge, Button or Brooch

This week the Challenge is to "Make a badge, button or brooch, as long as it is fastened with a pin". This is what I made

and the reason for my hand being in the shot - to prove it has a pin on the back.  

I used Shrink Plastic for the face, cutting a circle and stamping the image on.  I then coloured the back so it would not be overly pink (it was translucent)  and made some tiny holes in the top where I wanted to put the wire.  Next hit it with the heat gun (not literally) and shrunk it.  

Then I got various colours of wire and twirled them around a cocktail stick and wove them into the holes for her hair.  That's it!  A pin on the back and it was finished.

Why not pop along to Artful Times and see what the others have done - am sure you will be delighted with their makes before you embark on your entry - there are lots of things you can use as a base - I might even do another with a bottle cap!

Go on you know you want to make something - Give it a Go!

WOYWW 255

Here we are again showing our desks and what we are up to (or in some cases what we have recently made - Not Here sadly still making) or should I say "A meeting of friends brought together through the wonderful Queen of Bloggers, Julia."

Well, motivation has eluded me again but I am hoping that later, or as it is turned midnight should it be tomorrow - oh heck I am all confused -  I will get on with something I am making with my envelope maker so here is my desk.

all tidied up from yesterday.

I am using my iPad to help me make something but I took the page off so you couldn't see it yet (sneaky).

Last week I got a wonderful surprise package in the post.  Can you see the black and white box on the left?  It is an envelope box beautifully made by Sam(ski).  I love it and normally it will sit on the coffee table but I just had to have it with me for inspiration.  Inside she had given me a selection of notecards and matching envelopes using her Gelli Plate.  Now until I got these I did not want one.  Now ...  I rest my case.  Want to see?

Wish you could all see and touch them, they are really beautiful and yes, this is posed, but I just had to share.  Can you see the little notebook in the top left as well.  I am so lucky to have Sam as a friend. Thanks for cheering me up Sam.

If you go to the photograph above this one you will see my docking station which was my 'teaser' for you a few weeks ago.  How you missed it I will never know.  But ... one person did guess it the second week and that was the lovely Shaz from Oz.  It was a birthday present from my friend Lorraine, I was so surprised to open it but, as she said, her ambition is to bring me into the current century.  

Well, what have you got on your desk?  Pop along to see Julia and find out how many others have joined in this week and what they are all up to.  I guess most of them are getting the atc's done ready for the mammoth swap.  Must get some work done and then I can get on with mine.  Take care.  See you!