Oh what a beautiful day

Now just cast your eyes over these home-made pretties. Lunch Lady Jan made them, she plans to sell them for small amounts of money at her school fete and then a couple of local craft shows - aren't they just about the most cheerful bags you ever saw? I know the little ones are 'dolly' bags and little girls will love them - but wouldn't you just love to go to work with your summer time lunch in one?

And there's PE bags of course, and there's proper totes too. See, yesterday, when some of you expressed a wish to see the bags, you didn't think I'd deliver quite so efficiently, huh! *Cough* Thanks, Jan for the very prompt email!

So now you see where my logic over the pegs comes in - surely a painted, sanded and vaguely decorated peg will be the clincher in terms of style and purchase decisions! I know I'm delusional, but look at Jan - she's got pink string for hanging them on - I'm in good company, non?!

Fun, this

My life appears so charmed doesn't it, that I'm able to say - oh no, can't do that, it's no fun. Well interweb, there's a lot of things I do that I try to make fun, and there really is a few things I have to do that I don't enjoy. And then there's the things I won't be doing again because good grief, how short is my life? And one of those 'things', is painting pegs. Yep, common-or-garden wooden clothes pegs. Not the round, somehow voluptuous dolly pegs, not the exaggerated, memo holder type pegs. Just pegs. See, me and that lovely Paige saw some in John Lewis last week that were painted and decorated and outrageously expensive and very very pretty. So I thought I'd make some for lunch lady Jan who is running a couple craft stands at shows this summer; she's made some absolutely lovely fabric bags in varieties that make you swoon - and she quite likes the idea of pegging them up on a line for display. So you can see, this is to be a gesture of friendship and solidarity. I think it's safe to say that she doesn't read this blog, so it's also safe to say that I won't be so stupid next time. This is an hour and one coat later. I can't do another, I was covered in paint, the little bits of wire that I really thought would help - didn't and even though I was sitting in the sunshine with he sound of other people busy, it just wasn't working for me. AM I a tad impatient? Or really, are my sausage like fingers just past the joy of fiddly? Anyway, now they're nice and dry, (the pegs) I'm going to sand them back a bit - distress them a little - you know that vintage look that Cath Kidston is charging mega bucks for? Then finish them. With buttons, paper and doodads. But absolutely no grace. Although, I will hand them over with as much grace as I can muster because I know she'll like them and I know she'll appreciate every minute of fiddling about that I spent on them. Man, I don't do fiddly very well! Or gracious, come to that. Thanks goodness I have a blog where I can whinge!


Here too is another of Crafthouse Press' die cut Gorjuss gals..the card is mirror turquoise which is why my conservatory roof is reflected as weird stripes - you ain't trippin' man. Sorry CP, but you didn't check my photography accreditation and now it's too late. Cackle.


St George's Day today, may you enjoy every minute of having a patron Saint who slays dragons. Marvellous English man! We are celebrating with roast beef in giant yorkshire puddings this evening. It's OK, that is not any sort of crystal ball gazing; believe me, I already know how giant they are!
Have a smashing weekend. Rumour has it that some of us will be blessed with real summer time type sunshine. Some will be cyber cropping over at UK Scrappers And some will be making an attempt at the Room of Shame. If I'm not back by Monday, send in a good looking fireman!

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday 46

So this week sees more desk action, I can sit for longer and am actually getting stuck into some work. Some cards siting at the back waiting to go into little bags for a sale, some instructions for a folded card and the first real attempt - not rocket science,but it wouldn't be for me, huh! And a lovely shot of my plain scraps box too, for those that have heard me brag about my success with it but can't envisage it. Am still happy with how it works for me. Patterned papers are stored similarly but obviously, separately - and not colour optioned - that would require difficult decisions!
And finally, Kate wanted a 'full frontal' of my untidy stamp shelves. They looked alright in real life, but now I realise that I must have a moment or three of organisation!

We want to see what you're up to this week - take a pic of your work space - no matter what you're currently doing - load it onto your blog and then link it here - we'll swing by, gawp at your work in progress and rummage in your stuff. Lovely. It takes a while to visit all the desks - be patient. AND - be generous, leave a comment; we know in a lot of cases this is a promotional aide, but it doesn't mean that you should ignore those of us who just wanna show you around!

WOYWW HOUSEKEEPING:
Here we are on the run up to a year of WOYWW! I have to admit that I thought it must surely be getting boring by now, but I actually really like seeing what everyone's up to - it's only my desk that gets boring! Anyway, all this is a preface to a WOYWW Anniversary Challenge. Yes, the WOYWWAC. Be still my heart, these pointless acronyms just get better! Angie's idea, I seriously hadn't thought that it was an important enough anniversary to make anything of it, but hey - why shouldn't we! June the second. 2/6/2010 - or if you're on the USA side of the pond, 6/2/2010 is the actual 52nd week. That's over a month people to get something off the ground and make a project to fit the challenge criteria. Because we all do different things and because WOYWW is not about competition, more about our desks, here's the challenge: Make something (anything) that will beautify your workspace - desk, tray, wall, window, seat - blah, wherever you craft. The catch? Somehow, however discreetly, include the famous acronym WOYWW. You don't have to register or join or follow to enter, just like WOYWW - your entry will be your regular WOYWW post on week 52 showing your finished project in situ, enhancing your workspace. There will be prizes, and they will not be randomly selected. Sissy Dunnit will choose. OK? Have a bash, it'll be fun!

There is also rumbling talk of the desire for a WOYWWers meet up - would you express any vague interest in your comment please? I'm thinking sometime over the Stitches Exhibition at the NEC in October.

Re-use, refresh

I went out with girlfriends on Friday. We were looking at card samples and other handmade bits and bobs - we were very struck by a floral felt mobile, actually. Anyway, it struck us that several of the stamped cards we admired most were made using some of the original techniques that we all learned. Like masking, shadow stamping, silhoutte images, embossing and using the same image for foreground and background. It was fascinating: how much you know, how much you've forgotten you know and how many ideas you kinda shelved in favour of other, perhaps 'newer' techniques. For example, how many of us don't 'ink the edges' these days? !
I think the advent of different inkpads for different applications changed the way we stamp and colour, and no doubt that the use of stamps in scrapbooks has changed the consideration when you decide to buy ink. I've spent some time this weekend playing with older techniques; some I like, some I remember why I don't like them! It was quite refreshing to make a couple of cards without using printed papers as embellishment or background. Equally, it was nice to simply pick up a completely 'normal', felt tip and just colour onto a solid stamp, and fiddle about a bit with some watercolour pencils....just add water, no colouring mediums, nothing complicated and certainly no stress over matching or cutting into paper that I've been saving for something that might, apparently, be worth it! It was great. So there's definitely more mileage in your stash which you've vowed to use up anyway - try all the ideas and techniques you thought were out of date - they aren't - they're just out of mind.

It was something Paige said

That made me realise that I have passed a milestone in my own scrapbooking story. Man, how deep is that! We were in Southampton, so obviously Paperchase and Hobbycraft were in the mix. But my goodness interweb, we were grinning and smug at the sophistication of our purchasing decisions. Honestly, in many cases we considered need over want and indeed, even asked ourselves if we'd actually use it before putting it back or adding to the basket (which Paige carried). I'm pretty confident that we weren't dancing around trying to impress each other either; I'm so in awe of her that it wouldn't have been possible anyway.
The thing is, over pudding (which was the coffee and eaten-too-quickly-to-photograph-doughnut) we talked about the 'need' thing and cited moments where we and people we know, have bought two or three pieces (of paper for example,) so that one can be used and others kept for purposes of admiration. That 'can't-bring-myself-to-cut-into-it' thing. And I had the moment of epiphany. Whilst licking every shred of calorie off my fingers, I realised that I'm totally over that. I scrapbook stuff that I like. I use stuff because it's lovely and I can keep it. And I no longer have a problem using it. Actually, it may well be the relief of using it that adds to the pleasure of using it. Does that make sense? The hoarding was giving me the guilts, not the buying. Oh Paige, please bring me more moments of clarity. I'd like one that can help me stop buying the stuff faster than I can use it now please! As for the doughnuts - between us it went like this - one each for pudding = 4 Miss Dunnit and her chum came with us), 2 for Mr Dunnit to try, 2 dozen to be taken back to the Isle of Wight (they freeze, doncha know) and 4 for Miss Dunnit' s chum to take home to the family. See, split it down and it's not quite so outrageous. Just like the stash - use it, you'll love it!

What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday

This shameful situation was recorded yesterday as the sun finished moving round the garden and finished up in my workroom - I even had to open the door - if I could remember how the locking mechanism works, it would have been the top half of the door - Mr Dunnit created it as a barn door but the lock-one-half-lock-both-halves thing fools me at the beginning of each year; no doubt he will be patient when I ask for the 3rd lesson in as many years! The table is just covered in everything, even I can't pick out specifics; and really I call it shameful because I didn't do any 'work' at all yesterday, as you may well know, I went off to meet that Paige, Ladybird, Ladybird. She's just as you think she will be, except she's nicer. We shopped, walked, enjoyed sunshine and chatted. The day inevitably involved the purchase of 34 Krispy Kreme doughnuts! I hasten to add that we didn't eat that number, but I also hasten to add - don't ever challenge me! Anyhoo, I've tidied my desk out of respect for Paige's working method and because I really need to get things sorted today! So first thing, my desk looks like this

Bit gloomy in here; the promised sunshine even slower than me in getting it on today! Now, in terms of swing I have not much to offer, but I thought you may like to see the one thing that I continually move out of the way when I'm photographing the desk etc - my chair of choice!
It's a tractor seat with adjustable height. It's great when you're fit and happy to sit for hours; sorry to say at the moment that isn't me, so it's currently being alternated between stand and sit - the old yo-yo thing. Drives me nuts, so glad I don't have onlookers to see me fidgeting and crashing about! You can also of course, see how untidy I am under the desk....and how many times I miss the bin! Yikes. Will go tidy up presently.

Show us your work surface then, show us what you're doing. Doesn't have to be paper and doesn't have to be a real desk, our interest is in what others are doing with whatever you've got. Join in by uploading a pic or two to your blog and then link it here - loads of us will visit. Please bear in mind as there are so many of us now that it takes a while to visit; be patient! Grab a button from the left side of this blog if you want to go public with your Wednesday revelations. The worst thing that could happen? You might make some new friends.

Wearing a red carnation..

Another cutie from the Crafthouse Press die cut range - the gingham paper is part of the kit and the white spots on the card backing were my idea. Hmmm. Hats off to the gingham then!

Actually this card is all about clues to my day out today. The cuppa of course, is a dietary obligation for a day out with a friend. The Ladybird - is who I'm going to meet! Yep, Paige is setting sail from the Isle of Wight and we're going to have time out in Southampton today. Hobbycraft and Paperchase form part of the agenda. Naturally. So forgive me, I'm off to make a poor man's version of the red carnation - otherwise, unless she hears someone whingeing about waiting for ferries, driving in the city, parking, blah blah, how on earth will she know me!