What’s On Your Workdesk? Wednesday 886

We were away last week, enjoying slightly lower temperatures in Crete and very much less amazing Internet connection at the place we were staying. Ironically, on Thursday we took a boat trip to Spinalonga and somewhere off that peninsula in the beautiful clear water my phone pinged to life and downloaded a week’s worth of messages and emails. Anyway, I did some gentle crafting…

Yup, crocheted a few poppies! Our church is doing a hugely ambitious display (in terms of numbers of poppies required) for Remembrance Day and has asked through the WI, Town Council and other organisations for donations. You’ll probably see more of these on my desk as the year proceeds!

Here’s a few shots from lovely Crete. We were too early for a lot of their really interesting places to be open for tourists which I was very surprised by, but it didn’t spoil the scenery, weather or the lovely smell of wild oregano in the out of town areas. Lovely.

Join us for some real crafting desks at  Sarah’s.  I’m going to be sitting in the garden under a tree not doing much for a couple days, my word I love the heat but it’s not conducive to daily routine! Take care. 

What’s On Your Workdesk? Wednesday 884 - 17!

 Well happy birthday Deskers, WOYWWers, friends..we’ve made it to a seventeenth anniversary; with great thanks to Sarah for womaning the controls!

Like Sarah, I spent some happy time browsing through my ATC collection last night. Well, probably half of it actually. They are stored in football card files and I only have the current one instantly accessible, the other is in the attic. We have a walk up attic, but *cough* I’m not sure where to look once I’ve walked up….

Anyway, here are some ATCS that Neet has sent me over the years. They weren’t hard to pick out, in fact the fascinating part of going through so many years worth is that some of you brilliant crafters have such a distinct style that I could identify the makers without having to look at the backs. Amazing art, I can tell you. 

So if the last 17 years have taught me one thing…if art (craft in my case!) makes you happy, do it. I am thankful for the positive impact it has had on my life in so many ways: meeting you on here is the biggest. 

WOYWW 883 The One About Neet

Neet, of Hickydorums blogspot died last week. Her cherished husband Chas let us know and has posted on her blog about her quiet and restful passing. She hadn’t been well for some months and spent Christmas in hospital, full of praise for the staff who looked after and who she instantly befriended.

That was Neet to a tee: befriending. And warm. And oh so craft talented. And rather enabling. Indeed her own blog bio suggests that she hopes to be an enabler…..

I guess you would call me a crafter. Mainly paprcrafting but I enjoy Friendly Plastic, Shrink Plastic, Melt Art, Clay and Jewellery making. I teach various workshops and demonstrate at shows (now totally independent - whoo hoo) and I get most of my pleasure from passing on to others what I have learnt myself be it from the internet, other workshops I attend or simply messing about myself. I like to think I am an "enabler" and so help people to become more confident in themselves and enjoy what they are doing. If they are making something like a book, canvas or a piece of art I encourage them to produce something which is different from that of the person next to them, or mine - ie with their own personal slant.

Of course, Neet enabled in a way that was entirely giving, helping others to acquire skill and improve their crafting confidence. How typical of her. I learned from her, and she enabled me in the other sense too, tuning me into Janet Klein’s designs and happily giving me ideas and suggestions. If I’d been another foot taller, I’d have asked her for wardrobe advice too, man was she a cool dresser and so casual about her look. 

Neet joined WOYWW in 2011 and until late last year, she contributed almost without pause. Always positive and so very humble about her teaching and demonstrating;’I guess you would call me a crafter’…. she really had a reputation, and I’m sure that her local group, Victoria Crafters will miss her just as much as her online community of friends will. 

I searched for Neet’s blog rather than typing in the url, and look what came up - even the AI Dolly knows her - 

Based on the search results, Hickydorums (often referenced as hickeydorums) is a blog and creative persona associated with Neet, an active participant in the online art journaling community.

I don’t know where Alvin and Alvira came from, but a Neet gave them life and giggles and I’ll miss their stories on her blog, I’ll miss her incredible modesty with all of her creations, and I’ll miss my giggling at her idea of an untidy Workdesk. I cherish our friendship online and the memories of meeting up at WOYWW crops. I miss reading that she drove into the nearby Barrow to post her blog because there is no internet at the holiday caravan. Dedicated. Another word that describes her. 

My heart goes out to Chas at the loss of his life’s love, and I hope that he finds some small comfort in the memories of the many friends that his lovely wife was surrounded by.