There’s a lot of pressure on every service at the moment and several people have pointed out that our usual ATC swap would just add to the burden that the Post Office is experiencing. So we won’t do that.
Of course, a lot of us make extra ATCs for trading at the crop. and we aren’t doing that.
So I think we should really make something of this locked down Anniversary and take the opportunity to do something lovely for our enjoyment. So how about this: drag out a UFO (any craft, any age) or a kit, or ‘thing’ that you’ve promised to do ‘at some point’ and actually do it. Take the challenge and show us on WOYWW 572. I’m such a skilled procrastinator that I have quite a selection to work from.
These cards are a case in point. Shopkeeper Gal has been putting together workshop kits and posting them whilst we’re all staying at home. This was the first workshop, I did it yesterday. It’s been in kit form on my desk for a month. Must be maddening for you doing types! Select and commit then, tell us what you’re going to do for yourself for the Anniversary, I’ll be collecting answers!
My desk is busy but to be honest, it doesn’t look very different to last week. It’s covered in scrapbooking stuff and apart from the page that I’m working on, I don’t know if you could tell the difference. So I thought you’d like to see another surface that we’re both using for pretty much everything except it’s intended use. This is the island in the new kitchen. You can see, I’m using it to sort and select photos and also as (temporary) home for my Big Shot and die folder. The torch and livid pink string and other bits and pieces are from Mr Dunnit’s tool box and are in constant use between cup of tea time and sitting down to supper. Lockdown means that the final pieces of work that were to completed by electrician and plumber have had to be postponed and it’s starting to frustrate him. So he’s been doing as much as he possibly can to be absolutely ready...for example, the cupboard under the sink has to house the ‘box’ that will heat the water to one of those fancy taps that delivers boiling water as well as hot and cold. Well, he’s cut a hole in the base of the cupboard to drop the box into so that it doesn’t impede the waste pipe plumbing or the fitting of a centre height shelf. Loads of things like that. You know, stuff that might slow the final plumbing down. So hey, we’re sharing a workspace! 
The right hand end view. At least it gives you some idea of the situation. LOTS of light and the remainder of the patio that is still a building site but I’m slowly reclaiming it. I’ve got, plenty of light (!) at this desk and because it’s actually in our lounge, we’ve already learned to ignore the mess. So you can see my Options bin, which gives evidence that I’ve been crafting, and the little pot of unused die cuts that I put on cards etc seems to have emptied itself. They are a bit difficult to wrangle into any order...I must store them flat really. Or use them! I tidied after having the plastic boxes open and strewn about yesterday, so any productivity doesn’t show. The red basket contains my Bramble Fox collection of acrylic words, sayings etc, called Perspextives. I was a monthly subscriber but had to stop when they started to get the better of me. Now I enjoy having them at hand but they don’t appear on every LO anymore. At least that part of my formula has changed! 
All my scrap stash boxes are open and piled on the left as they were last week. You can see from the working space that I’ve used a Distress Stain to colour one of the snarky comment stickers - trying to use the least offensive! Distress Stain.....I felt like I was doing retro crafting! I really must get back to some proper, ink-on-paper stuff. Let’s face it, there’ll never be a better time! Meanwhile, lemme talk you through a couple of newbies on my desk. Lookit, lookit, I’ve got the most fab little Polaroid type camera. It was a Christmas present from my Sissy and till today I’ve been ridiculously mean about taking pics. Only ten in a cartridge which isn’t cheap, huh! But yesterday I downloaded a cut file from Paige Evans that I thought I could use today, with 2 or 3 of these little photos showing life in quarantine. but I took rubbish photos. Really. So now I’m waiting for Paige to come up with a suitable cut file for them. You can also see my coffee stained drinking vessel, in front of the cylinder bin thing. I like to put my cup there because it lessens the chance of spills in that sort of ‘cage’ arrangement. No spills today, but a lot of little bits of paper and tape peelings ended up in it...should have moved the bin forward! Now I have tidying up agony. Year end and a strange form from the Office of National Statistics that I have to fill in before May means that I’ve got to get into normal work mode. When I eventually go upstairs to shower and dress this morning, I may have to put on a suit! 
Ya see, I got involved with the idea of using scraps to make up some cards. Then I realised that I should be using some of the scrapbooking stuff that I likely won’t use on pages too. Cue all the boxes and balancing. There’s a die cut flamingo peeking out of the tub at right of the cutter. I’ve done a few cards with multiple layered die cuts on them. Actually it’s all a bit of a lie...I’m making card fronts, there aren’t many that are actually made up onto proper foldy cards yet. I need to stop and do that otherwise they will be UFOs and I can just guess they’ll turn into a chore of a job, like adding inserts! Ages ago I bought a book of snarky comment stickers from the Tim Holtz range and I’ve been able to use one or two. Most of them though, although amusing, are a bit too snarky to send on a card in my opinion; it wasn’t my most cost effective purchase!
I’ve done a lot of scrapbooking in the last week, and inevitably in doing so have created scraps. The LO you can just about see on my desk is waiting for some journaling. And then, card making for me. I need to use up some scraps and there’s no better way to make a big dent. Do you like my new trolley? Cart, I believe some will call it. It was a panic purchase because I need to keep things relatively tidy in here and I find myself carting stuff from my workroom and not really putting them back (see dining chair at left!), and...oh I don’t know. Mr Dunnit put it together for me without complaint. I still have that desk top bin (the Options hot chocolate powder drum) and I use it, it’s useful. One day, I might spare some scraps to decorate it. Disguise it a little! Show and tell then won’t you, above all, report in and let us know you’re OK. and if you’re not OK, please say...we may between us, be able to help!
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