It's not gloomy today, just that my desk is facing the side of the house that doesn't get sunshine till later in the day. Recently of course, that has turned it into a little hot box, but it's OK, as you can see, I've managed anyway! Our WI branch had a stall at the town's Party in the Park last weekend and in terms of homemade items to sell, I could only offer cards, so I had beetled away to put together a few of varying appeal. Then as you can see, I had presents to wrap, which naturally I left till the last minute. I had to go back to check out the shiny thing at left...it's a pack of cellophane bags catching the light! Very attention seeking.
And here's a swing to the right....I suddenly took the fancy to clear and tidy the shelving. By which I mean unpacking the stuff I haul to Crop once a month and ridding the floor of the boxes and carry-all that I use. That inevitably led to other ideas and so now I'm mid flow on quite a lot of sorting. Largely this 'fancy' was prompted by the imminent arrival of a large new resource which will need a flat, accessible space. Consider this a 'before' shot and if it goes anywhere, I'll do a braggy 'after'. That white basket at the right is almost overflowing with ATCS now, so they're going in an album for bookshelf storage and easier access. I find them an inspiring resource too, when I'm looking for styles or ideas, they're like the scaled down samples that travelling salesmen used to present!
On top of all that self imposed work, it's still sunny and warm (but not indecently hot) so there's still a lot of outside to be in too. Sarah, you're going to love retirement, the days are busy but oh boy the choices are better!
Please join in by linking over at Sarah's, there's calm and sanity there and you may need it after this!
I had to make an ATC for a monthly swap; themed 'plants'...not exactly my most ambitious interpretation! The good thing about ATC making is that I need to clear off whatever is on the desk because otherwise I get lost in my mess. See above my ATC there's Neet's anniversary ATC to me. I didn't show it last time because it was *of course* moved off the desk in a pile of stuff. My sweet great neice has also given it the seal of approval, we had to go through all my ATCs to see if there were any other mice...it was fun! And made me splash out on a couple of proper storage binders. Now to sit in the sun and fill them.
Look at that - the tomato tins are getting the treatment! My inside desk looks as it did two weeks ago but with more space because the tins are missing. I'm using a very cheap acrylic to base coat them and the drying is patchy to say the least. Not too concerned because the napkins I'm going to use for the actual decoupage surface are quite patterned. I'll second coat and possibly even third - just to be sitting in the warm shade really! I have a ton of cards to make over the next few days; Mr Dunnit is working away till the end of the week so am going to try to make hay; I keep odd hours when I'm on my own so assuming the mojo is up and running, it should be a productive week for both of us!
Weird isn't it, how I needed to leave a tidy desk! The big tins are waiting for a coat of paint in advance of a bit of napkin decoupage. I did one at a workshop some time last year and wanted to do some more but couldn't source the catering pack size tins. Me and Mr Dunnit were taking advantage of a wood fired pizza 'kitchen' that turns up in our little town once or twice a month and I remarked to the chef that the tin he had on the counter with a basil plant in it was just the size I'd like to get my hands on. He laughed and said on an average night he got through three of four tins and I could have time whenever I liked! Happily walked home with a carrier bag full of dirty tomato tins. And after washing and drying, that's where they were put. And have stayed. It'll be another 'don't hold your breath' I think.....but I'll show you when I've done something with at least one of them! 
Obviously, the sheet will divide into 9, so if anybody would like an actual ATC, please let me know, happy to post. Here's a close up:
As usual, the link for viewing all the blogs that participate in showing us your work space is at Sarah's. There's no better time to join in!
So. I've been card making and testing my patience I can tell you. Last week Mr Dunnit had an online meeting at home so I sat at my desk as quiet as a mouse whilst he erm, meetinged. I bought this die set for no other reason than I liked the picture on the packet and spent bloomin' ages cutting out the relevant parts. I cut out enough to make six cards and set to whilst listening to a client and his joiner discuss cabinets and worktops. This is the last card which I finally put together yesterday; I had to get it off my desk, I need to move on. It was all a bit painstaking! The teeny tiny flower heads are cut from one of the Pixie dust
The flowers are as big as dinner plates and that hint of pink blush has arrived in the last five years or so and we put it down the fact that we planted a red bush peony right next to it about ten years ago. Well, we would want to claim credit over such beauty, huh!
This was Tuesday afternoon at cuppa time. I didn't go back to it, so it's waiting. More patiently than I am, frankly. I'm doing a scrapbook 'workshop', so although the desk is cluttered, it's all stuff that's relevant to the layout I'm making. I splashed out last year and bought a 12 Days of Christmas set of kits and instructions from Bramble Fox. Beautifully put together kits and great instructions, and styles that I usually wouldn't make, so it's very enjoyable. But, it's not for just chucking in the rolling tote and taking to crop (which is kinda what I thought - save me having to think and pack for a couple of months) - each kit needs extras like paint or punches, that I have but wouldn't normally take to crop. Or indeed, think to use. So this LO doesn't look much at the mo, but I'm keeping on. The instruction said to paint or ink three stripes which will ground the multiple photos I'm going to use. Here's a blast from the past...I used Twinkling H2Os! 
Real work in progress! I started last evening by clearing up a bit, and then had an idea for the monthly ATC I swap with Karen. Her choice of theme this month was ' Vintage Lady'. You can just see her ATC poking out from under the ink pad at right; I was so surprised at the speed of its arrival that I felt the need to not put off what can be done today.... Mr Dunnit has gone to the East for the day (Kent!) and had an early start so I did too and here we are. You can't tell, but I've just stamped the big foliage stamp in white onto the layered papers of the ATC and I've embossed it with clear powder. I'll photo it more closely in a minute because it made a really nice but not white image on the printed 
I'm very into paper piecing it at the moment, and was totally inspired by Shaz in Oz to pull out some scraps and then by Helen to use a stencil...I mean, I often say in their comment sections how I'd like to do more with scraps or use one of my handful of stencils. So I did. At last you yell,not just talking the talk!
My desk and mojo have benefitted from a recent holiday. I've tidied up a bit and set to making. First of all an ATC for my monthly swap with Karen. How's this for seriously worrying....I made an ATC based on the theme of 'sunshine' and was pretty pleased with myself..done and dusted and ready to post before the end of the month. Hurrah! Well, it would be a hurrah, except when I checked through my 'to do' list this morning, it says...ATC Chicken....a theme that I chose for February because before I went on holiday I had a great idea. Obviously that's gone. As for making up an entirely different theme - absolutely no defence! This was taken last evening, am ashamed that I don't have a mug of anything with a biscuit on my lovely board, and depressed that the box of creme eggs at the back there is actually a container for receipts - my aunt and I have been collaborating on selling some of her fabulous clothes on Vinted and the receipts for the postage/delivery companies live in there till I receive confirmation of delivery. It's a system, and it works for me, which is more than I can say for my memory!
We had a late week in Portugal, The Algarve. I don't speak the language and believe me, the Spanish I do speak is absolutely nowhere near the Portuguese language at all. I'm taking a liberty then, by saying that 'The Algarve' translates roughly as 'the beaches are under the steep cliffs and if you want to access them, you have to walk down the steep cliffs and then back up the steep cliffs because your resort is at the top of the steep cliff so you can enjoy the magnificent view'. I think that adequately describes everything about our stay.
What a great menu! Love the blue and white anyway, reflecting so much of the patterns and tiles everywhere, but just look at those tabbed pages, neatly organised and labelled for ease of use. I loved it.When Kelly returned with my 'Elliott's G&T', I asked her "so you've got a Cinch then?". She sat down in her excitement and we chatted paper crafts, laminating, Cinch versus Bind It All, good glues for hot weather - supply chains...all sorts. We had a lovely meal and when we left, I picked up her business card and introduced myself to Kevin,a character that she's created for her stationery biz.
Actually, go me...I did remove the coffee mug for washing and refilling! I've been playing with birds and scraps. A continuation of what I was doing last week really, in ten minute snatches. It's not ideal but it does ensure that I get something done, excluding tidying up of course!
Actually, the desk looks worse than it is, but if you haven't been here before, that may be hard to believe! The alphabet covered case at left is full of pens and paint pens. I was using it to colour some images that I then put in the bin...when I came back to them I was very unhappy with my chosen colour combinations! There's a rolled up tshirt next to it, safe to tell you that it's for Mr Dunnit as a gesture towards his birthday which is next week. I'll show you and no doubt tell you the story when he's received it! So those items are on top of the crafty bits I was playing with, my journal and yogurt pot filled with foam sticky pads have been pushed over by the tshirt; just straightening those would create a much less disorganised look. But it's nearly 16 years too late to start worrying about public exposure of an untidy desk! 
Whilst chatting to our LLJ on FaceTime I stamped and coloured and I tidied up. Then later in the day, I went back to it and started some more...and didn't tidy up. This is how it looks this morning and that's how I know the new year hasn't changed my mindset! 
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