Wednesday 30 October 2019

What’s On Your Workdesk? Wednesday 543

How much faster can it go?!  

My lovely Jan came to visit with her gorgeous G. They were valiant in living with the upheaval. It was great to have them here, lots of light relief! I’ve had to have a tidy round and clear my desk for some re-jigging of card ideas. You can see one at left...still not right, but I have an idea. At last. There’s the usual detritus but not so much of it. The bright pink tissue paper indicates the presence of gifts and the nuvo drops are in the the basket to make moving them a little easier...I’m off on scrapbooking retreat this weekend. Also in this horrid temporary light, note the floor in the extension has been tiled. So now, that hole behind my desk which was a door will magically become a stud wall.  And finally..I have no idea why the packing tape is on the desk. How odd. Amazing what you notice in a photo!  Please chime in and show and tell, as usual, put WOYWW in your post title, it makes finding it so much easier. Link here. I thank you. 

Monday 28 October 2019

So now can we talk?

It’s very nearly November, so sod it, I wanna talk CHRISTMAS. Specifically, cards. If you aren’t a card maker, keep reading anyway. It may help you remember why you HAVE TO appreciate and love the hand made cards you receive. Sorry to dictate your required reaction, but well, you know. Hand made.  For me, this particular year, I had to start early because Shopkeeper Gal was getting demand for Christmas card workshops earlier than anticipated. And oh boy, even with all the lovely new stamps and dies that have been released since August, it’s been like pulling teeth to get an idea onto a card!
I bought a couple of the most lovely 3d embossing folders. I went to a lot of trouble (A LOT) to fashion suitable thicknesses of shim to use them in my Big Shot. And then I couldn't think of a thing to do with them. I had - well, have - a problem with the size of the embossed images in relation to ALL of the stamps I thought would go with them. Oh boy. Bad lighting and navy card stock means you can barely tell that there is an embossed forest below and surrounding that big old silver moon. You’d think that new stuff would inspire me, it always has before. I think I’ve got early Christmas card fatigue. Seriously, in the best tradition of it being all about me, I’m worried about me! 
Shopkeeper Gal has a traditional card making Marathon day. She, me and Ink Blender Gal present 8 original cards each to as many people as want to book themselves in and they make the cards from provided kits. I can honestly say that I have never, in about 10 years of doing this, had so much trouble making 8 cards I think are suitable. I’m in a state of worry that the techniques I’m using aren't really interesting, the images I’m using are too ‘samey’ and my colours are questionable. I can’t say I’ve ever deliberately used black ink for Christmas images on a card. Not for any reason in particular, I think I just used (or overused) other colours, including the traditional. Now I see the most beautiful cards with black stamped text or images and wonder if it’s a trend that I’m missing, or if I’ve just completely ignored the obvious! See why I think I’m fatigued!  Last weekend, I allocated a whole day to making Christmas cards. For the Marathon, for friends, for our business clients, for family. I made 3 in the whole day. And I’ve since sought judgement about them from others and re-made two of them! I’ve lost it.


See what i mean about the size of the folder in relation to the stamps, or is it me?
Like magic though, I think I have the solution already. It’s straightforward innit. Do them. Do them my way and move on to whatever it is I intend to do after Christmas cards. And stop whining. Seriously. Sod it. 

Wednesday 23 October 2019

What’s On Your Workdesk? Wednesday 542

No sign of panic here! Shopkeeper Gal told me last Thursday that it was just a month till the Card Marathon. It made me feel a bit queasy and gave me an urgent need to get to my desk. So at the weekend, I spent way too much time making this mess and have only three cards that I think are worth submitting for others to copy. Why, another week of uninterrupted desk time and I might be ready! I think the only thing that might need explaining is the empty cotton bud pot next to my ATG gun.  It’s there because Zsuzsa had a fab project on Marit’s Dutch Summer series and I intend to copy it. It will make an excellent and useful pot to put things in, as Winnie the Pooh would say. I intend it to hold my lovely foam moulded pieces. I love a plan. 
So lovely desker, when your eyes are less sore from the shock of my desk, please show me yours. It’s all about reciprocity. Put WOYWW in your post title and link here, the one part of my week that stays routine and makes me thankful.



Tuesday 15 October 2019

What’s On Your Workdesk? Wednesday 541

Well hello whizz day! This week has been even shorter for me, we ran away for the weekend and left the plumber and his mate to take up floors, drain down the system and connect new heating areas into existing systems. I can’t tell you how nice it was to be out of the house! It means however, that I’m behind with stuff. Nothing major, but my desk shows a hybrid of work and play. Ignore the ledger, that’s boring. The shapes on the iPad stand are Quietfire Design pouch gift bags that I cut out on Monday morning and haven’t got any further with - the trial is on the drawers, really sweet, isn’t it. The plastic files that are still in their packet are flap-closure plastic sleeves which I thought would be very useful for my latest problem. I’m doing a lot more scrapbooking these days and I find having the 6x6 or 8x10 paper pad version of a collection I really like is a very useful tool for layering, and doing that mis-matched-matchy thing. But I like to keep scraps together rather than in my ‘general’ patterned scraps folder, so I will be trying to do just that with these files. Ask me again in a few weeks. So come on then, show me how much more successful your work areas are looking, I honestly could do with a push back into getting it all done! Please put WOYWW in your blog post title and link it here. Marvellous. 

Wednesday 9 October 2019

What’s On Your Workdesk? Wednesday 540

I hope you’re all easing into early Autumn. I cant say I’m easing in, but hey, if it stays this busy, autumn and winter will be over in a jif and I will be back in my favourite season before I get the house clean! You can see more clearly that the missing door leads into another room now. The rubbish in there is totally down to the plumber and Mr Dunnit. The furniture comes out tomorrow - underfloor hefting to be put down over the weekend. Meanwhile..the mess on my desk is quite extraordinary. The lovely printed Arteza box contains self adhesive vinyl - me and my Scan N Cut are going to make some pressies. The alphabet at far left is remnant of a scrapbooking session over the weekend. The plaid paper on the iPad stand is still there. 15 sheets of it for a card marathon card. The brown paper bag contains gifts that you can’t see, but that I have to do something to, so onto my desk they go. Just below that and left of the mug of early coffee is a very old wedding photo. It’s practically black and white even though its been in an old fashioned album these last 34 years! We look like ghosts! Then there’s the usual detritus. Stencil paste...yep. I do do mixed media, just not a lot! So while I wade in and tidy up, please show me what you’re space reveals about you. As usual, put WOYWW in your post title and link your blog here!  Oh and please Polly, put the kettle on, it’ll stop we whining about tidy up time!

Monday 7 October 2019

Impressing myself.

Remember ages ago on a WOYWW post there was a packet of moulding foam and a mould? Remember I said I’d report back as soon as I’d done something with it? Well. I totally forgot. Was too busy impressing myself with the new embellishments I was making and choosing new moulds. Honestly, this is the easiest and possibly the most effortless way to make an embellishment that I’ve come across. And so quick. So you can see why I’m sold! 
First of all, I bought this from Shopkeeper Gal. It’s white. I figured that I’d make a couple of frames and lose interest, but I was quite keen to make frames - I’d been at a workshop with the Scan N Cut genius who turns out to be a mixed media genius too, and she had these frames.....and I wanted some. Anyway, here we are. I couldn’t find a frame mould so I bought the twirly leaf thing instead, I do like scrolls and such. It takes a tiny amount to fill one of these silicone moulds and I quickly realised that I NEEDED more moulds and fast. 

I filled ‘em and left them overnight because I was busy. I cant say they actually dried out because they remain pliable and reasonably foamy. And boy, don’t they hold the detail well! They also colour well. Which is great for spur of the moment requirements. I used a teeny bit of sponge and Distress Oxides to colour the stars on this LO.
Incidentally this LO is a result of a difficult Challenge for October Festival on Facebook at Scraptastic Inspirations by Jux Creates
- you should join in. It would help me. 
Last time I was there, I bought a packet of coloured foam - blue, I think. And Shopkeeper Gal told me that I could blend it with the white to make different shades. Well! That’s amazing value. I would of course be delighted to show you the size of the smaller, blue bar, and the result of some blending. But I can’t; I can’t find it. It’s a victim of all that is going on around here. To distract you from disappointment, here’s a couple of tips. Fill the aperture, but don't leave any foam spread across the mould - when you turn them out, they’ll need to be trimmed and that’s just plain fiddly. (Look at the snowflakes in the middle picture.) It cuts beautifully, but its easier to avoid having to really! Second tip: make loads. If you have different moulds to mine, we could trade!

Friday 4 October 2019

Save the Date!

Can you believe this:
Wipso and Twiglet have offered to host the WOYWW Crop next year! 
6th June 2020. I think it must be like having a baby...you forget about the hassle and pain in the fun of the moment and then look back on it with warmth and affection, so doing it again seems like a good idea! How marvellous. 6th June 2020.
Seriously, huge thanks to the Sisters of Stitch and really, try to come and see some of your fellow Deskers...my word it’s a lot of fun. And food, actually. A lot of both! 6th June 2020.
No commitment required for ages yet...but do make up your mind to join us for some fun. I cant guarantee you’ll do any crafting to speak of though! 6th June 2020. If I say it enough, you will automatically write it in your new diary at Christmas. 6th June 2020.

There was a um, crowd of press photographers at WOYWW Crop 10. Actually,  it’s some of our lovely partners taking our group picture once or twice.

Wednesday 2 October 2019

What’s On Your Workdesk? Wednesday 539

Welcome to October, gentle Desker. And that is all I have to say about the passage of time. Now, through a haze of dust, electrician work, dust, brick cutting, dust, plumber work, dust, moving furniture, dust and planning, I bring you an alternative view of the chaos. Please don’t say too much about what a good idea using a dust sheet here and there could have been. I wasn’t there. The noise drove me out, and look - *pouf* no door to the outside, so a new angle! 
I didn't say it was a better angle! So thats what we call the workroom, hence the Workdesk!  The door at the back is nothing more interesting than access to the garage and this missing door will be panelled to form part of the wall in the new room. The workroom will have a window or door in the wall at left. AT SOME STAGE. Meanwhile, the days of natural light on my desk are looking a bit numbered! 
Show and tell, do. We wanna see what you’re doing and read about it too! Thank you very much.