Wednesday 6 July 2022

What’s On Your Workdesk? Wednesday 683

I was supposed to be making a sophisticated and lovely birthday card for a cherished aunt. It didn’t work out so I went back to paper piecing the stack of birds!
You can see the first ‘stack’ at top right, I was using scraps and think I over co-ordinated the colours and patterns, think they look a bit bland. Am preferring the newer, yet to be finished stack, using SU! Papers…I even have an idea to actually mount them and make a card! As for the birthday card - it’s a deadline event now, so will be spending some of today having another crack at that. Last week lots of you mentioned the old red book on my desk - not reading material, well, not for me anyway! It’s an old novel in foreign, so I use it to stamp on and generally rip up…I know a lot of you will swoon at the thought, but I think of it as rescued from a bonfire or landfill, so it’s ok for me. 
See that brown paper bag under the stack of purple birds? See how it looks unused and brand new? I bought a costume jewellery bracelet, wrapped around a piece of card in a sello bag. The whole package is about 10cm square, and I ‘had’ to have the bag because it acted as a sort of receipt. I turn down receipts quite often when asked these days, but have never had a bag insisted upon me before! I shall re-use, it’s actually very nice! 
Talking of insisting, please join in and show us your Workdesk, surface…..armchair…wherever and whatever you’re doing. It’s fun. And a welcome distraction.

21 comments:

Helen said...

I love that stack of birds, the latest colour combination is definitely the better, although I do like the purples in the first one. Hope you get it finished in time; nothing like a deadline to concentrate the mind! Have a good week Helen xx

Mary Anne said...

I do still love them, those birds. So charming and colourful and I like this set a lot! Great papers.
I miss the old fashioned big brown grocery bags. Such useful paper! But hey, a tiny one is cute too…
Happy Woyww!
Mary Anne

Sarah Brennan said...

I am with you on the 'foreign' front Julia and have various books in different languages for that very purpose including one bought in a second hand book shop in Bucharest for that very purpose for 20p. Good luck with the card! Stay safe and Happy WOYWW. Sarah #3

Neet said...

Love a foreign book. Especially if it is in an unusual script. Recently got some pages from a log book. Love to use things like that in my card making.
Also like the stack of birds and agree the brighter ones are better than the others but I still would kusek the purplies. A nice colourful mount would bring them out.
As I am ukp early I might start on my thinchies gosh what will they think of next - foursies?
Hugs, Neet (foursie) xx

Annie said...

I really love that bird design and can see me using them for an idea with fabric and appliquΓ©. Hope you’re having a great week.
Hugs,
Annie

Kyla said...

Lovely desk and those birds are so bright and cheerful. I am with you re the old books, I have several "unusual" ones I have either "found" or bought in charity shops everything from very old advertising books, ledger accounts and advertising books, some fantastic background papers as you say, saved from landfill.
kyla #8

Catriona said...

Loving the birds and using up small bit of paper. My favourite reading material to use id old road maps that have been updated. I try to use appropriate pages to where the recipient lives. I also use pages torn from old books that would go to landfill as most charity shops don’t want them now. Good luck with the special card. Catriona

My name is Cindy said...

Morning Julia!! Deadline events are the only way anyone gets anything from me! I too have a couple of old books that are great for recycling as backgrounds or stamping on. Much as I love a book, there are more than enough around, people are too precious about them. I do love that stamp!! Happy WOYWW, love n hugs Cindy #11

Felix the Crafty Cat said...

I love all the birds and it's a great way to use up any small pieces of left-over paper which is something I've been working on put still got lots as i find it difficult to throw them away no matter how small they are. I did get some old books to use in my crafting but I already have some of my own but can't decide "Do I cut them up or don't I" I know it's silly really! Have a very happy and creative woyww, Angela x12x

Lunch Lady Jan said...

I don’t have any problems with using book papers as source material, as you say, it would only be going into landfill anyway! Same with old sheet music. Those birds are fun and have a bit of character about them unlike the awful TH Crazy ones, still dislike them! Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow kiddo, see ya soon xx
Hugs LLJ 5 xxx

Lynnecrafts said...

I love your birds Julia. The newer colours work better but the purples are pretty too. That bag is a nice one. A bit over the top for a 10cm square!
Good luck with your special card.
Take care and happy WOYWW
Hugs
Lynnecrafts 13

Sylvia/LittleTreasures said...

Good morning Julia, it's 2 a.m. here, rousting about and dealing with ? a kidney stone? or something painful. Glad to know I am not the only one meeting deadlines with my card making. I don't understand why I can't work ahead of the calendar. What you are doing would at this point in my life drive me over the edge. But I do like what you've done and will be a cheery card. I love that brown paper bag design. Enjoy a fun week. It was 107 and high humidity and we have several trees ripped up after a derecho passed thru a few hours ago thankful for electricity.

Crafting With Jack said...

Good morning Julia. I hope you day is warm and sunny. It is a bit overcast here and windy of course. I Say of course, because it has been windy since we left home😳. Thinking about your birds just off camera, I have been watching a few tutorials where they have used white- dashes, spots, stars to bring some excitement in. I guess the assistant thought if you went out with goods in a bag you couldn’t be accused of stealing! πŸ™„. I buy more books for using in collage in charity shops than I actually use. I have them hidden in various places 🀣🀣. Happy WOYWW. Angela #10

Tracy said...

Goood morning to you Julia πŸ’•πŸ₯° I've had a lovely nosey at your desk 😁 loving your stacked birdies ... got save the first stack though 😘 such happy wee birdies they are ... I'd add some white dotty dots with a pen or acrylic paint or add a few wee paper piece with pages from that gorgeous red book from last week ( I truly did spot that treasure on your desk and swooooned 🀩😍🀩) I loooove and adore all old books to use in my art 😘 right down to the ... smell πŸ˜†πŸ˜…πŸ˜ ahhhh bliss lol! I go to an auction house that's in an old mushroom factory... yooou would loove it Julia ⭐ What a treasure of a paper bag, so pretty and delicate 🌿🌱⭐πŸ’• Wishing yooou all the good things jn life this week. Love and hugs Tracy #14 xxxxx

Spyder said...

Morning!! I love those birds-just like the ones in the garden all scrapping over the crush I just threw out! I haven't got those but I could use my own! I'm early! I missed the #16 spot by one! The foreign words would look really cool, as long as they aren't swearing! have a great week! Happy WOYWW! Stay Safe. ((Lyn)) #15

BJ said...

Oh My! I had to have another look at last weeks desk for said "old Red book" still don't see it - LOL. I certainly don't have a problem with using old books. I have an old falling apart dictionary I use too and of course I "altered" a book with Elizabeth some years ago too. Bought some more to do the same with but never got around to it - not there's a thought.
Anyway returning to this week I can now see how your bird stack is made up with patterned papers (not colouring in) Now that really appeals to me. Might have to give that a try, although I don't have many stamps! I do like your current colour combo although purple is a favourite colour on its own the multi coloured stack is much more appealing.
Have to say I just woke up from a quite disturbing dream which left me in tears so to be able to pop along here and see your happy bunch of birds has brightened me up considerably. Thanks Julia (PS don't know if you saw last weeks post but I received your duplicate ATC and love it.) Hugs BJ#16

Lindart said...

Hi Julia! I love getting cool bags, sometimes better than what's inside them! I even asked at a restaurant once, for some of the deli papers that they wrapped their food in because the papers were so beautiful! They probably thought I was crazy! Good luck with your birthday card, I know it will be awesome! Have a great week, Lindart #18

craftyani said...

Why do I nearly always miss commenting on your page. I read then get down to all the other names and start clicking on them. Your comment button doesn't appear until the end. I love your birds and don't think you over co-ordinated with the colours. I often use old book pages from the charity shop and especially old music scores. Ani

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Susan Renshaw said...

Love that stack of birds!
At last trying to comment - am in a hotel in Adelaide...