What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday 382

A mess is on my desk. It's unchanged from the weekend, except for the added packet from Snapfish.

I ordered some photos because I'm going on retreat in a few weeks and the 2 kerjillion unscrapped photos I already have didn't really inspire me to scrap them. And a 'few weeks' is 3 weeks and I really, really need all of that time to get prepared. I do. I'm not entirely sure how my desk has become such a mess, but if it's a reflector of the rest of my life, it's entirely accurate! Shopkeeper Gal has been patient with me and I did say I'd like to do some winter workshops. So now I must walk the walk and really look forward to clearing this lot up and doing some intense card making!
Inspire us all, will you - join in. Put a photo of your desk/work surface on your blog and link it here. Please don't blatantly link and advertise, just show us what you're up to, and with what. We'll search and buy or ask you how to get it if we want it, honest!

Lovely, innit.

Here's the label that was on my desk on Wednesday - I had die cut the word out of it as a start to another card, but then the idea digressed and it was unused. Now I don't know about you, buut I find the cost of decent kraft luggage tags to be higher than I'd like. I'm often surprised by it. Anyway, on that basis alone, I didn't want to treat the tag as waste, so yesterday managed to at least get as far as filling in the negative and considering other moves.

I'm so idle that I hadn't even thrown away the little bits of kraft that formed the centres of the loops and things, so I didn't have to cut another word to fill them. By 'eck that were fiddly though, I'm not sure how many I'd want to do! I've used some Basic Grey from a cherished 6" pad, love that mixed up tile effect. Totally not sure what else is going to happen to this. But it is lovely to be fiddling about with paper and glue. I have been either a bit poorly or too busy for the last few months and just haven't felt like it. Now I need a bit of therapy, and I find this works perfectly. Lovely.

Part of the reason for needing therapy is that I'm having to clear my lovely Mama's craft stuff out of their house. There is a lot of it and I will be listing the stamps and other useables for sale on

'Loved and used, but now forsaken' . I've listed a few Christmas stamps to start with.

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday WOYWW381

And since I totally forgot last week (until LLJ reminded me), I must start by saying that the WOYWW Crop has moved to November 26th. Please feel free to join us if you can, it will be fun. Details are HERE. This links to a permanent page shown at the top of the blog. Fun!
And talking of fun. No wait. I think I mean stress....

All of this was for one card. We went to a wedding. I really wanted to make the card - after all, I've got all the kit! It took me about three hours. I finished it on the morning of the wedding. I forgot to take a picture of it, of course.  You can just about make out the word 'lovely' die cut from the tag right in the middle of the working space. I copied Darnell's idea and cut the word out about 6 times and layered them together to make a chunky word. Oh and I cut off the 'ly', so the word was just 'love'. Anyway, apart from the impossible length of time it took, I felt quite pleased to have used my desk for card making. Haven't quite got back to it this week though, although taken this morning, this is just as I left it at the weekend! Bet you've been a bit more prolific though huh! Show and tell will you?

Put WOYWW in your post title ad link here. That would be fabulous.

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday WOYWW 380

My word, I'm a bit surprised at the number - 380! I don't know why all of a sudden it should hit me - perhaps because for the last 30 or so my poor desk has seen very little craft action. I seem to be getting back to the feeling that I'd like to be doing something craft related though. So now I just need to clear all the foreign objects...

I'm not overwhelmed with, but certainly up to my eyes in paperwork!  It all relates to my late father's Estate and so I need to be sure of my every move, and looking through it in batches before filing it helps me better absorb things I think I need to know about. There's light relief at hand - sight of my tool bag for crop days, and on the iPad deckchair is one of a couple of beautiful cards that Sally sent me. I'm thinking of it as a challenge - to actually make something and send it to her! The desk will be clear before the week is out - so dare I put in writing that I have intentions..? Hmm, it's also a bit weather dependant, am led to believe that the rest of the week may well continue to be lovely. In which case...no chance!
Share your work space with us will ya - link your WOYWW entitled post here so we can browse at leisure! A friendly bird reminded me that I failed to mention the WOYWW Crop and a new date....details on previous post AND a page link at the top of this page...

Change and Save the Date

We've moved the WOYWW Crop, people. The new venue and other details remain the same, but we're moving it forward to November 26th. It's still a Saturday. We could call it an Early Christmas Crop if you'd like. Or, The Last Payday Before Christmas Crop.

Whatever, we think you'll be better prepared for the month that follows if you come to chat and craft

with us before the annual assault begins. This may be the perfect opportunity to make the Christmas cards that you otherwise simply don't carve out time to do. I may be thinking aloud here.

Sorry to mess you about if your diary is now untidy; but you'll see, it's better this way. For some reason!

Fascinating times...

At 5.30 in the morning, it only takes an hour and a half to drive from here to Heathrow airport to entrust my lovely Sissy to a big old aircraft to take her home.

I was born at 10 past 6 in the early evening. So was my daughter. Clearly, it's a genetic thing, not just a coincidence.

Since my sister made me, I have had 2 cream teas in the last week. One was at lunchtime.

There are 4 more listening hours on my latest audio book. Wild Swans - Jung Chang. I'm very late to the party with 'reading' this - I'm finding it quite compelling.

It takes me 3 minutes and 38 seconds to walk to Jan's new home from mine. Well done Neet! I loved some of the guesses!

This will be the 1,302th post that's been published here, the Blog is 7 years and 8 months old. Or should that be long. Not sure.

No matter what, I cannot, just cannot, run a mile. In under any number of minutes.

Last time I had to do it, it only took me 2 minutes to reload my ATG tape runner. This is a triumph.

It takes a good 10 minutes more for brown rice to cook to the same consistency as white rice. I always forget that, and I'm going back to white. Impatient. I'll get my roughage elsewhere!

These fun facts about time are brought to you in an attempt to use a small portion of time effectively. I suspect some will think it was a waste of time, but that's ok. It's all relative. Apparently. Whatever that means.

Whats On Your Workdesk? Wednesday 379

Huh? No desk per se.  But I can tell you, a lot - a lot -more work has occurred in this teeny kitchen than has taken place at my desk over the last week. That luscious blonde you see there is my sweet big Sissy, Stephanie. She was cooking a salad. She seems to be cooking in rubber gloves which, even for my family, is a bit strange!  The salad was served cold but vegetables had to be roasted and bulgar wheat had to be cooked and cooled. You know. It was delish.

Steph has been here for just over a week and goes home tomorrow; its been lovely of course. We certainly spark creatively off one another. What we don't seem to do is stop talking long enough to actually fire the spark and make anything! Apart from food, of course.  Ah well, plus ca change.....

So how's your creative week been? Show and tell will you, Steph and I both need encouraging back to real desk action! Put WOYWW in your blog title, link the post here and put the kettle on; we'll all be round in a jiffy.

Hmm, thinking cap on, gentle reader

This is the first time I've used the stop watch on my phone. I think that says a lot more about me than really I'd like to make public, but hey, we're all friends here. Now, this is the time it takes me to do something that, officially since Friday 26th August, I've done almost every day! I invite you to guess. First correct answer will receive erm, a round of applause, or something unexpected to cause a happy smile. Please keep your answers within the boundaries of my sensibilities! Ahem.