WOYWW 456

Consecutive numbers!  Next time this happens will be 567 - my head hurts so I won't be working it out, am sure someone has done.  What on earth am I on about - why it is the weekly workdesk show organised by Ms Julia - see here for how to join in (and we have a crop coming up so it's a good time to join in and then come along to the crop and meet up with like minded souls).

Woke up to a winter wonderland yesterday and more on the way according to the forecast.  It sure looks pretty with the sun shining on it but I don't want to go out in it as I hate slipping and sliding.

This Christmas tree was about 5' when we moved in (I brought it from a previous house) but it is now towering above everything.  I refuse to top it!

Well my workdesk has been a hive of activity as I am getting ready for the Leigh Show at weekend.  Got sent lots of lovely goodies to play with work with in readiness for Sunday.  I am super excited too, as I am going to meet up with Heather for the very first time.  See what it does when you are a WOYWW'er!

Here's my desk after a bit of a tidy up session.  As you can see I am still playing with my Distress Oxides.

 A couple of sample cards of one technique

Masking off for the Oxides to be put on

Not sure if you can see my "find" (but then maybe it is not something I dreamt up and others have done it).  The daisy on the left has been painted with water so it now has lighter areas for the petals and a bit on the leaves.  Maybe you can see it more on the tulip in the first photo.  I thought it was kool!  Saves you having to smell bleach too!

Right off to visit Julia and others (link at top) - Toodle Pip!

Journal - Dots and Dashes

Why the heck did I choose this title/theme?  Bet Wendy is wondering that too and I can imagine her comment on my blog later.

Well, I began painting the page in the required Bubblegum Pink and then I used the nearest stencil I had to "dots and dashes" with London Blue paint across the top and down the side.  Of course I never stick my stencils in preferring to juggle and jiggle about (and 'cuss a little) (only clean 'cussing of course - like "tutt's").  Then I came to a full stop and all I could think of was Morse Code.

So my page was born - took me longer to write the morse code message than do the whole page I think.  I just couldn't get it right.  Do you know what it says?

Today is Thinking Day for the Girl Guide Movement so I am wearing my Thanks Badge (I was a Guide Guider, Ranger Guider, Division Camp Adviser, County Outdoor Pursuits Adviser whilst in uniform) and thinking about Girls in other countries all over the World.

Now to see what Wendy has done.

WOYWW 455

Here we are again - and I see we have information on another WOYWW Crop.  If you are new to WOYWW please hurry and look around here and join in - and please please please come along to our crop in Llandudno.  The more the merrier and a merry time it will be for each and every one.

Right formalities over - quickish post - here is my desk this week (taken Tuesday)

A quick card made using one of the stamps I bought in America - Distress oxide background.  I had used those Promarkers to colour the bird with.  My Lamy pens are at the top of the photo, simply because I need a pencil case to keep them in along with their cartridges.  The rest of the stuff is some of my new stash sent to me by Oyster stamps for me to evaluate and "play" with in readiness for the next show at Leigh on the 4th March.  Better get cracking as it is only just over a week away.

Behind me in my craftroom is this little fella

My Unicorn

Hanging there in honour of the Chinese New Year.  We went to Manchester to see the Parade on Sunday - never again - people are so rude.  I was on the very edge of the pavement (kerb) at 12 noon in readiness for the Parade half an hour later.  On the very edge of the road so nobody could stand in front of me, or so I thought.  By the time the Parade came it was about 5 or 6 deep in front of me all spilling out into the road.  I am surprised the Stewards did not move the crowd back.  In LA there are Police outriders who clear everyone back to the pavement and I expected something similar.

Mind you I would have thought people would have been a bit more caring when I was sat there on my rollator but no - so I didn't get to see much at all.  This was my view when I stood up.

The only people who showed any consideration for me sat 'down in the depths' were young couples in, say their 20's and 30's.  Chas, however, managed to reach up and snap a couple of 'reasonable' pictures for me

and another

It was such a shame that the day was spoiled for me as I had so been looking forward to it and the streets were looking lovely with the red lanterns

Still, I did get to see the blow up dragon in St Annes Square

Me well wrapped up

Whilst others sat outside and ate

Ah well, over for another year.

Tomorrow it is Thinking Day for the Girl Guide movement - I will be wearing my Thanks Badge and thinking about fellow Guiders/Guides/Girl Scouts etc.  Anyone else out there celebrate it?

Flowers - Journal

Here we are again - with a last minute journal page now that holidays are over but jet lag and the cold are still here.  Not much in the mood for crafting feeling as I do and I have even sent a non-hand-made card to a close friend whom I never thought would receive one not hand made.  So without further ado here is my journal page - Flowers:

Pink and Cerise were the two colours chosen and I used them both with the blending tool (Dylusion paints of course) on a Gesso'ed background.  It didn't turn out at all right in my eyes and so I went over it with a Tim Holtz stencil.  My third colour was Rose Pink so it was all out for the pinks.

I put the cerise paint through the stencil over the pink background and the pink over the cerise background.  I love this stencil, another of my favourites.

Then I coloured a piece of Dyan's paper with other colours and cut out some `Heartfelt Creations' flowers and then stamped them.  These were then arranged in an elongated triangle across the page.  Two previously die-cut butterflies were added in black.

Sorry I could not spend more time - hopefully next week will be different.

WOYWW 454 Happy Valentine's Day

Now, what colour am I using in my Journal tomorrow?  It's obviously Dylusions Paint but which colour(s) - I usually use three for my background.

Last week I was rather suffering and so I told you I would show you what I had brought back with me, from America, this week when I was feeling more up to taking photos.  Well, there wasn't much at all but here it is - three Sizzix Dies that I got from a workshop I signed up and paid for.  Not a clue where the flowers and the little tags came from - must have been a freebie from some stand.

These were some things I bought from Michaels or Joannes - some faces from Dina (with a stencil behind), some stamps from Jane Davenport, a Hero Arts layering bird, some dolls and rulers from Tim Holtz, a tree stencil and some wooden stamps from Hobby Lobby.

and finally, three 3D stamps from Spellbinders which Mary insisted I got from her shop.  I could have had anything and everything but I chose just these three stamps.  She is just too generous and I don't really need anything.  I did try the feather and the circle out when I was there but I left them for Mary to have as samples.

Well our Julia will be really pleased - some photos but very little words this week, for me - must still be under the weather.

Pop along to see her here and join in with the desk show that is our weekly event.  Remember to visit some more.

Foliage - Journal

Another scheduled post because I knew I would not have time to do one in a day after such a long journey from America.  My choice this time and two colours - namely Chocolate Brown and Ochre, the latter of which is not a Dylusion colour so I used my Amsterdam paints.  

I began with a border of leaves on two pages (oops Wendy, sorry again) in Chocolate Brown and I introduced a third colour White, on top.  Then I stamped some foliage from "Oodles of Foliage" and did three of them as cut outs to create a bit of dimension.  Would have done more but they were so fiddly to cut out and I didn't have the time before I went away.

I used my Promarkers to add some colour to the stamped foliage across the bottom of the page but found they did not work very well over the paint which, rather than give a finish with 'tooth' it was more of a glossy finish.

I then used one of the large figures for a bit more impact on the left hand page and gave her a big head which didn't have hair so that it fit on my square journal.  Mmmm ... disadvantage of working in a smaller journal.  But then I gave her some glasses and I felt that made up for the lack of hair.  Love those eyes.

A smaller figure on the right and the addition of some words (note how 'belief' is mis-spelt above) completed the journal page(s).

I haven't hardly used this "head' before

and the two pages together make the words have sense to them and complete the layout.

Apologies for the shine on the right hand side and also for the curly side to the page.  Late afternoon photography on the bedcover.  Since scheduling this page I have added some glitter, yes me adding glitter (I am not a glitter person at all) to the small girl's eyes and also to the eyebrows on my South American page.  Whatever is happening to me, am I a convert to glitter?  Martine, hit me!!

WOYWW 453

Came home last night and what a shock - weather alert!!!  Left LA basking in 86 degrees arrived home with it mighty cold at 34 degrees.  Cannot get warm and am full of a cold.

Long journey with a layover in London of two and three quarter hours.  We had left my friend, Mary at 11.25 am Monday to catch the 12 noon Fly Away to LAX for our flight at 4.50 pm and we arrived home at about 4 pm the next day, Tuesday.  You work that out, my brain is frazzled and I have a stonking cold in my nose, sore throat and upset tummy.  Imagine all that travel feeling like that.

As a result my WOYWW for Julia and all the lovely deskers is very short and sweet.  I will probably have jet lag so not a clue when I will be linking up.  Could be on time, could be late.  All I know is that things are dumped on my desk, clothes (all washed and tumble dried - thanks Mary) are dumped in the far room, I've been dozing and I am wide awake again.

However, it is so cold in the house despite heating belting out in every room, that I don't know when I will begin to tidy my craft room - maybe when I have had a good - proper - sleep.

So for now working from the left - Sizzix cards made, coloured pens I took plus Dyary (didn't do it),  Kelly pens peeking out underneath for my friend Lorraine (she asked me to get some with a coupon which I had to download so Valetta let her have hers), Craft container with wheels I bought from Joannes and two 'flower thingies' for hair from Chinatown which I bought for pulling to bits and using somewhere - just because they are so pretty.

I'll show you more next week when I get sorted.  Byee..