WOYWW 606

 Oh dear, the news is not good on the Covid front but let's leave that back on the television and talk "desks".  Why desks - because we are showing what is on our desks each Wednesday here and have been doing so for such a long long time.  Last week I showed you my paints, all out on my worktop - well this week they are a little bit more compact - in my new three tier trolley.

I did have a three tier trolley before but gave it to the bathroom, when it was refurbed, as a place to hold our towels.  It was the perfect colour.  So 'housekeeping' bought me a new one - grey to match the filing cabinets.  You can see all those paints are now packed into this trolley apart from the Metallic Berol ones.  So what is next?

Decided to attack (and that is the correct word) the top shelf of one of my cupboards.  This is the result:

or a little closer

empty tins?

The next job was to look at the pencil crayons and suchlike.  Note I counted Gelatos and Distress Markers in with them.  Alcohol Markers too.

Soon we were looking much more like it and ready to start on the second shelf down (as shown below)

Top shelf shows my Prismacolours in the pink case then the silver tin holds my other tins of crayons plus Inktense, Polychromos and Caran D'Ache.  Next is my fold up spray booth, then some Arteza, Chameleon and felt tip  type (Marvy) pens with my Promarkers in the usual box that now needs recovering it is such a mess.  Oh and still in working order - my Archival Pens from way way back.

So my desk today is much tidier

See you next week folks!

Jeudi Journal - People

Made a complete mess yesterday of my journal page.  Went over it with a pale blue that I mixed myself and then decided to use my Eco-Friendly green paint!  It came out oily - you know, when the paint pigment does not mix.  Being in a tube I had shaken it well, or so I thought, but obviously not enough.  It made such a mess.  I then went over the whole thing with a baby wipe and got most of it off so used Forest Moss Distress Ink instead through a stencil.  Then my black pen would not work!

I never normally use this type of stencil and it is supposed to represent a meadow - not a bit wintry as I hope to bring some Spring into your step when you look at this. 

The quote is "I'm running out of people I can't stand" and so the story this week is about Shelley:

"Shelley is a little grumpy at the moment and it shows in everything she does.  She has a wide circle of friends at school but slowly but surely every single one of them is annoying her.  Take Emma for example - the other day she wore exactly the same shade of lipstick as Shelley, much to Shelly's annoyance.  Not only that but she had bought the matching shade of nail varnish too.  That really hit home as Shelley could not afford to buy it for herself - and Emma did not offer to let her use hers!

Then there was Sandra, she decided to be best of friends with Gemma who Shelley could not stand.  How could she do that?  So that meant Emma and Sandra were definitely not in the friendship circle any more as far as Shelley was concerned.

Peter, Imogen and Saira had called but with the mood that Shelley was in she did not know whether she wanted to hang around with them or not.  The temptation was there to say "No" to their invitation to go out but she realised that if she was not careful she would end up with zero friends.  All that was left for her was to give herself a good talking to and she did.  She popped back in the house and shouted to  her friend, Mr Nobody, "I'm running out of people I can't stand" in the hopes that he would advise her one way or another as to what she should do.  In the end she went out to meet them, better to have some friends than no-one."

I am entering this into Erika's challenge over on Art Journal Journey where the theme is 'Favourite things' - now what do we value such a lot?  Friendships.  Friends are more precious than materialistic things and it is the start of a new year when we wish friends all the happiness in the world.  So today I wish you all a Very Happy New Year, may your cup overflow with happiness.

WOYWW 605

Gosh, just struck me that this is the fifth week on WOYWW since our 600th celebration.  Has time gone fast or what?  Hope you all had a nice New Year, quiet and no big parties thereby staying safe and well.  Well, it happened, we are all in lockdown and from what I have seen via messages and FB there was a lot of panic buying the day of the announcement.  

Well, in order to make a good start to 2021 I decided to tackle my craft room, bit by bit as and when I can  (back permitting) so I started off by moving my ink pads all on the same wall instead of some to my left and some to my right.  I found I had duplicated some and had some brand new ones never even opened!  What am I like?  I was pleased at how clean and tidy it looked (not telling how much dust was there). 

As you can see from the top photo I have my Tracy Evans books on display on top of the ink pads - Memento, Versafine, Versafine Clair, Archival, Brilliance, Versamagic, Adirondack, Stazon, Opalite, Ton and Chalk Ink pads.  There are a few other odds too like Wendy Vecchi, Catherine Pooler and Izink.  My Distress Inks and Oxides are not here but in a drawer and on the window sill.  I must find somewhere else for them at a later date.  Elizabeth's little yellow tray makes an idea home for the tiny Versa Color ink pads that sit with the silver tin of Archival small ones.

The second photo shows my peg wall, tidied up as well.  One of the trays has my Dina Wakley paints on it - I had forgotten they were there - they will be moved!  They were, luckily, photographs I had taken Monday because Tuesday started off badly.  We had to take the tree down.  I do not like the 5th January, (or twelfth night).  I could have happily left the tree up all year, it really made me feel happy to see it this year but as I am a trifle superstitious I can't leave anything hanging about from Christmas.  Only us two to see it but it was worth it and I was so organised in putting the baubles and things away this year.  Left the tree itself for t'other half to dismantle whilst I went in my craft room and began looking at my paints.  

Oh dear, quite a few had dried up and ended up in the bin but this year I decided to be ruthless and not try to reinstate them to their original state (which never happens).  Good job I had shown you my new inkpad display wall or you would not have seen it.  I asked, on FB, for some ideas of how to store paint.  I don't think anyone knew how much paint I was talking about.  Here is most of my acrylic paint.  Only acrylic!  I have sent for another trolley as I decided I would keep them on there but still need something, like boxes,  to hold them in their piles of manufacturers.

Above is a view of the room with paints out - Now individually ...

Liquitex, PaperArtsy (Opaque at the back in the tin, 

Transluscent at the front in the box)

Dylusions, Amsterdam, DecoArt, some Silks, Prima, 

Golden and some from the Supermarket

Berol, Ranger, S Gill, Mariposa, Lumiere

LuminArte, Viva, Silks, Pergamano, Smooch etc

These last two are not really paints but tubs of 'stuff' 

associated with paint (and sticking)

This is just acrylic paint, I have other types of paint and colouring mediums that I will leave for the moment but as you see I have a task ahead in putting this lot somewhere handy for me to get to when I want them.  Think the trolley is going to be the best idea yet, just takes up more floor space and I like my floor space to wheel around in.  Ah well, better get painting and use some of it up!

Happy New Year Everyone|1

Jeudi Journal - Happy New Year

 Well, first of all here's wishing a Safe and Well New Year to everyone!  What else can I say with the world in a turmoil with this Covid blighting our lives.  It seems wrong to say 'Happy' because it cannot be "happy"  as we know it of old but it can be as happy as we all make it.  We have just gone into Tier 4 so all non-essential shops are now closed as from midnight last night.  At least it stops the mad parties some folks were no doubt going to have.  (Or does it?)  So I wish you all a Safe and Well New Year and will leave it at that.

My blog page is sticking with the old saying because it fits on the top of the page.  Apologies for it being a bit hazy but it was right at the bend so didn't scan very well.  To begin with I inherited a previously painted blue page so I stencilled some stars randomly in gold and silver, mainly silver all over and then stuck a couple of pieces of washi tape on for no reason than I always forget to use washi tape so am trying to remember in the future.  Because of the quote I wanted to use a figure in a leotard type outfit and as I only have tall figures like that the page had to be portrait style.  Not much room for anything in my journal with these larger figures.  Anyhow, the story is:

"Angelica was a pretty young thing with quite a tidy figure, but then what do you expect at eighteen.  She had spent Christmas with her parents and had the usual Christmas Fayre which included puddings and chocolate; lots of sitting around playing word type games to keep the 'old folks' happy.  Indeed Grandma and Grandpa had had such a lovely time, especially as they had not been going out much due to the pandemic.  It had been 'touch and go' as to whether they would be able to spend Christmas with the family or not but luckily they were allowed to meet as a 'bubble' and have a lovely day.

Luckily because Angelica's home came in a Tier 1 area she was allowed to go and take part in sport as she had only made up 18 in mid September.  Her friend Sally had also only made up 18 in September so it was fine for them to attend a sport area at the moment.  Thrilled to be able to have some exercise Angelica had rung the local sports hall and found out that there was a Yoga class running with four spaces.  She had hurriedly rung Sally to ask if she would like to go along and on Sally agreeing she had booked two of the places.  How good it would feel to get some exercise and get out of the house and away from all the tempting sweet things.  It was almost a week away but at least it was something to look forward to.

Thursday dawned and Angelica got dressed ready for her exercise.  Leaving her yoga mat at the door she went in to find Sally sitting there fully clothed and with a drink in her hand.  An alcoholic drink no less!  Putting her head on one side and looking a trifle puzzled (wide eyed for you, the dear reader) she asked what on earth was going on and why was Sally not dressed and ready for yoga?  Sally had obviously been to the hairdressers and had her hair coloured and recut into a stylish bob so it was obvious she did not intend going doing any exercise that day.

Imagine Angelica's dismay when her friend answered "Yoga Class!  I thought you said 'Pour a Glass'!"

I want to add this to Tracey's challenge at Art Journal Journey, it's the last day to do so, which is "The meaning of ..." and I think there is a lot to think about with this blog post.  If you have read the story and looked at the picture you will no doubt have come up with one or two ideas for 'the meaning of ...'

Take care Everyone!

WOYWW 604

Christmas is over and done with for another year, I do hope you all had a nice one despite the restrictions that we have had to abide by.  Now it is time to reflect on the year we have had and look forward to the next one.  I suppose we are all hoping that it will be a much better one than 2020 has been and with the starting of the vaccine programme it looks to be heading in the right direction.

Anyway, you came here to see my desk, along with others on the WOYWW blog hop and not for me to woffle on so here it is

As you can see, there is not much for you to look at.  The plastic box on the left contains some pens and card, some stamped, some stamped and coloured - my start for next year's Christmas Cards.  Told you I was going to start.  Next there is my latest workshop with Tracy Evans but the front cover is not complete yet, those sticks in front are part of the next bit - and I am still looking for the mica sheets!

Because I have nothing much to show you I thought I would show you my Advent House, made some years ago.  The house was purchased and then I foraged all over the German Christmas Markets for things to put inside each window.  The top has a piece of acetate behind it that I coloured with Alcohol Inks to replicate a stained glass window.  A tiny wooden angel on top of the metallic borders I made, as cladding, and a Father Christmas in the chimney finishes it off.  The back of each window features different techniques as back cloths.  I probably have featured it before but it is quite a few years ago so most of you will not have seen it.

All that remains is for me to wish you a Happier and Healthy New Year - please let us get rid of Covid for once and for all.

Jeudi Journal - Calories!!

This week we have the quote from Dyan which reads "Christmas Calories Don't Count" - something we perhaps would all like to think but something which most of us know is not true.  Maybe there are one or two out there who can get away with eating exactly what they want in the sweet line and maybe some who can shed the pounds they do put on quite quickly.

"Here we have Mitzi surrounded by lots of sweet things such as Christmas cakes, Christmas puddings and gingerbreads.  By the look of her she has put on a pound or two from eating all these rich foods, including the majority of the turkey with lashings of apple and of cranberry sauce.  Her two young friends are quite shocked, particularly Carol who is expecting her first baby in February and so has had to watch what she consumes over and up to the festive period.  

Holly, agog at what Mitzi is eating is holding her hands out in despair and berating her friend for everything she is eating.  Holly is a sensible girl and attends keep fit classes at the local school to keep her sylph-like figure.  In fact that is where the three girls actually met two years ago when they became good friends.  Holly thinks she is quite right in saying what she thinks to Mitzi but Mitzi firmly believes, as she says "Christmas Calories don't Count!"  She might just change her mind in the new year."

For my page I swiped Peeled Paint Distress Ink across the page both vertically and horizontally following it with Broken China in exactly the same way.  This was a technique we had used on a workshop I attended (virtual) last week.  I then used some white paint through a stencil (AALL & Create Superbly Square Stencil by Abs) before stamping a border with one of Dyan's stamps - holly and some stars and Christmas trees, again by Dyan.  The figures are, as usual, all by Dylusions and Mitzi is the largest figure I could find along with some legs from a much taller figure to emphasise the weight she has gained.

I guess I am highlighting the problem of over-eating at Christmas, something which is quite easy to do when faced with all those goodies that people tend to bring to you which fits in with Tracey's theme over at Art Journal Journey this month.  So I am linking this page, once more, to AJJ and will be linking it again next week which will be New Year's Eve and the last possible time to enter in with this theme.  

All I am left with now is to wish you all a Very Happy Christmas and the hope that you all stay safe and well in these turbulent times.  Here is our tree.

WOYWW 603

Ooh, it's nearly here.  Two more sleeps and it will be Christmas.  Sorry for all my friends down south who have ended up in tier 4 but I don't think it will be long before we are all joining you.  I just feel sorry for all those lorry drivers who may not get back to their loved ones in time for their children to open their presents.  Plus it has been going through my mind, that apart from food and drink (how do they go to the toilet?). I mean, come on, we all need that!

What are all you WOYWW'ers up to?  Is everybody busy and flying around like scalded cats?  Hope you are not too busy to treat us to a short post to tell us what you are up to.

Well I have been busy doing a workshop over five days, yes, five days, with Tracy Evans.  Not full days, a bit over a couple of hours each evening, but then lots of time outside those hours amending things that did not go according to plan.  I can't show it to you yet as the cover is not finished.  It was the first thing we did but I could not find my Mica so, as my back would not allow me to rummage, it is still missing.  I only had it a couple of weeks ago but where it is remains a mystery.  When I have done the cover I will load it up via video but it will most likely be in the new year as I want to do some chill things, like eating, drinking and being a couch potato for the coming days.

My room is in a bit of a mess and my polymer stamps, used in the workshop, are in a dreadful state so want a good scrubbing.  Only trouble is rubbing anything, therefore cleaning stamps, sets my back off so I might just have to delay that or do them in stages.  Here it is:

I need to put things away as I want to get my journal page painted for tomorrow and I do not want paint on my stamps.  I also have to make some mince pies as we have eaten the ones we bought and I have the fruit cake to  ice.  Oh, don't ask about it being a fruit cake and not a Christmas cake.  Please!  Well, I may as well tell you as I have mentioned it myself and got my BP up yet again.  Checked the order the night before and glaće cherries were still on the order.  Brilliant!  Next day the order came and the long awaited cherries turned out to be Maraschino Cocktail Cherries!!!  The air was blue - the phone call was almost blue but I managed to contain myself.  "Do you want a refund?" - "Too beep beep right I want a refund" (sorry if my vocabulary offends anyone) - even though it was only £1.25 - it became a principle.

So we don't have a proper Christmas cake, just a fruit one!  What stupid person told the picker to put cocktail cherries instead of glaće cherries in my order.  Do they not know the difference?  However, Chas also has a cherry-less pudding I made, but I only did a tiny one for him as I can never eat it after a huge main course, prefer my veg.

Thank you for the lovely Christmas cards that have been dropping through my letterbox.  I will try to scan them at some time and show them to you.  Well, must get on, hope you all have a lovely Christmas and above all Stay Safe and Well.

Happy Christmas Everyone!