The WOYWW Crop

As with most things that I'm involved in, I like to document it in my scrapbook.  And so yesterday the one thing I did ensure to take with me was my camera.  And ask me, dear reader, how many photos did I take?  So many I can't choose from among them, probably. Yeah. Four.  And two of those are so shakey that I can't tell what they are really.  So that goes to my state of mind really.  Shakey.  I collected a trio from the station and that stopped me being shakey because they had already introduced themselves and were getting on perfectly well,  and just piled into the little green rocket and carried on chatting.  Phew.  

A partial  shot of Donna's table, about five minutes after she arrived...

Real life WOYWWers!....L to R: Lisa, Pam, Cardarian photographing Jo, Jan, Helen

Zoe's bag..perfectly packed, perfectly proportioned and yielding enough stuff for more than a day...brilliant!

Jan and G3 and important G had set up the hall while I erm, toiled at the steering wheel.  We arrived almost as the majority arrived. 
LOTS of hugs, instant friendliness, because after all, we know each other don't we. It was so, so nice to see people and know that you're already friends. Important G was a brick, he hung around to take proper photos of us all as a group and it took some doing to stop us faffing! No doubt Jan's blog will be a far better place for photos.  
I've got loads of observations to share about meeting this selection of bloggers, but will take my time in writing them up.  Meanwhile, the knee jerk reaction is this - it was fun, it wasn't nearly as scarey as I thought it would be (although there were a ridiculous number of cameras for a few minutes!). If you're a WOYWWer and wanna be involved in a meet - what's stopping you? Set it up!

Quick, While I'm in the mood..

So, this week I seem to have been busy squaring up and finishing off some autumnal works of art - oh, OK then, call them cards.  And all the time, I'm in the mood to make a few Christmas cards.  Why does that happen?  I do not know.  But it gets in the way of what I'm meant to be doing. Or rather it doesn't, but it makes me impatient to move on.  To this end, I've finished, tidied (really - even cleaned a whole overflowing basket of stamps) and started on a few Christmas ideas.  The card above is not a product of today's snatched desk time.  No.  It's one I made for an event earlier this month, and which, if you're coming to the WOYWW Crop, you can make tomorrow.  You can see how simple it is.  So anyway, back to today.  I've had a couple of ideas rolling around in my head for single layer cards to help the old 'quantity making' along.  I spent ages and wrecked about 5 cards before I even got the idea from my head to a card, let alone before it started to look familiar as the idea I started with. But, these snags have not diminished my enthusiasm for the job at hand. Yet.  Maybe that's because I'm so busy that I'm falling into that 'give a busy woman another job and she'll make time to do it' category.  Maybe I'm starting to feel that inevitably, my attention must turn toward this Season.  Maybe I'm scared that I'll get left behind.  Or maybe, just for once, it's because with no immediate deadline or reason for making them, I'm feeling like having a bit of fun.  Gawd,  I'll be using glitter in a minute!

Have a super weekend.

International Day of the Girl

If you do nothing else today, please visit Plan and browse their site, consider signing the petition and maybe get a little more involved.  Most of my readers are first world women.  Who once were first world girls.  Our advantages and rights to education have already been fought for and achieved by previous generations.  Time to make that happen again, elsewhere.  The world is tiny and you're a part of it. 

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday 175

So here's my real workdesk, about 4.30pm Tuesday.  It's got normal stuff on, enhanced by a large box of clear embossing powder - I was refilling a smaller tub..to be seen in front of the big yellow tape gun runner thing.  Against which is leaning a small square green notebook.  A gift from Lyn and her doodlybirds which is currently in use as yet another book of lists.  Naturally.  The gold leaf is in the bag and still in use...I'm playing about with samples for a workshop at Japonica in a couple weeks.  And that's why you're seeing my real workdesk.  Because it looks not at all bad. My other workdesk is the lounge floor where I'm tracing and cutting shapes out of paper.  It's a long story and I've no doubt at some stage, you'll read about it on a WOYWW post!  I'm trying to multi-surface multi-task and I'm not sure its a good idea. I think it just causes me to panic because everywhere seems untidy!  Ah well.  
SO share your space, creative, working and tidy or not, we love to have a nose  browse around your spaces.  Please put WOYWW in your post title, link here and we'll come round and enjoy.  Thank you.  For your invitation and hospitality.  

A Winning Post (Housekeeping, really)

Remember the give away of tickets for the Crafts at Christmas and Hobbycrafts show?  Well the end of month deadline for adding your name to the draw has passed. And it passed without incident frankly.  So now we've had an evening of family togetherness, I've at last been able to harness the power of Miss Dunnit as adjudicator and referee and Mr Dunnit as the random selector.  You never knew it was so complicated did ya.
Delighted to say that Misteejay came out of the hat/bowl/vase. See, it was a crystal bowl that I occasionally use for roses.  So it was metaphorically, a hat, but in reality a bowl/vase.  You could always click away...but this sort of logic will haunt you.  So well done to Toni, I know it wasn't an arduous task, but I bet we're all glad that's over!

Currently I'm preparing for our regular Crop tomorrow. By sitting in front of the computer writing a post.  Yep.   It's in advance of the WOYWW Crop.  Some other stuff has arisen from my post about that:  

• Janet of Fairythoughts has also volunteered to conduct a classette, which is so nice of her it leaves me breathless. Check out her blog post for details.  Janet will teach you and let you actually make something beaded.  I won't spoil the surprise - go look at her blog...it's amazing.  
• A 'dry craft' doesn't mean no ink, honest.  Nor does it mean that you can't make a mess.  Good grief, I can't unpack my tote without making a mess!  It does mean that batik, tye dyeing, hand felting and the like will be a tad inconvenient for those of us planning to use the kitchen for a real craft.  Cooking.
• Shopkeer Gal will not be able to supply a shop.  But that's OK...if you aren't taking a class and fancy a little visit, I'm more than happy to drive a car full over to her place.  Show you our gorgeous locale and a craft shop...what's not to like!
• I'm going to be sending directions over the weekend.  Look out for 'em, won't you.

Have a lovely weekend!

Now then, this WOYWW Crop....

Take a mad idea, (Jan) put it to a few internet based WOYWWers and watch it bloom into a reality. That's how it's feeling right now.  So here's some info about the WOYWW Crop that you need to know if you're coming.

• It's on Saturday 13th October.
• It's to be held in the village of Burbage, Wiltshire.  If you've emailed me to say that you're coming, you will receive an email from me soon - with driving directions and postcodes and such stuff as is necessary to get there.
• We need to know if you're coming before you turn up. There's table numbers to consider, and more importantly, there's catering to be done; the thought of spreading it too thinly makes Jan and I giddy with hunger.
• The cost will be roughly £10 per person.  It simply is to cover hall hire and food; if there's any profit, Jan would like to nominate The Wiltshire Air Ambulance as the beneficiary.  
• Bring a dry craft to do.  If you want to knit, stitch or darn, no problem.  Scrapbooking, card making, whatever it is you want to do, bring it with you.  Don't worry if this involves turning up in a lorry, you will be in good company!
• There will be a range of tables: 
• one for selling unused/unwanted stash - label it with your name and a price and put it on the table.
• one for giving away stash that you no longer want/part used or that you simply don't think you can charge for. Swapping is not uncommon.  If you want it to be a swap...label it with your name so that you can be approached.
• one for selling any hand made goods that you produce for sale (for example, Jan will have some Fabric Frenzy products).  Again, mark them clearly with name and price.
• Our Diane (Morti) will be running a demo/tuition about the fantastic altered dominos that can be found on her blog.  If you want to have a go, please bring your own domino(s).  Consult her blog for real info, this post in particular.
• It 'starts' at 10.00am....you don't have to be bang on time, it's just that there has to be a start and stop time really!  We'll pack up at about 4.30.
• Please don't bring presents for Jan and I, there is no need.  We want to meet you, have a fun day of chat and craft and not cause any pressure or stress.

So, if you haven't yet, email me - juliadunnit@me.com to let me know you're coming. It will be fun.  Jan promises.  

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday 174

Well, the 2 Scrap Ladies Card Marathon day is now but a memory. Except for the few stamps I still have to clean...in the basket at the far end of the desk.  But they're Christmas stamps, so I won't need them for a while.  I'm getting back into season, have an urge to do something in Autumnal hues.  Ok you guessed it - another deadline looms and this time its for something seasonal.  So my desk today has been the 'blank page' starter desk.  I've got the prescribed ingredients out - the stamps I must use, the product (gold and copper leaf, yum) and card stock...and have spent some time fiddling around making up some sketches and trying to get the ideas flowing.  I think you can see from here that the cherry fabric is my desk bin that Jan made for me, the chewing gum is centre desk in a big blue pot, and the ipad's there on the little deckchair - fear not Bridget, if it's not there it's just being recharged somewhere less convenient!  

Thought you'd like to see this.  Miss Dunnit, last week,  checking through my workshops baskets of 'ingredients' against the lists of what should be in them.  She doesn't wear glasses, but look how she wears mine; like I do when I don't need them for reading...is that because she wants to be like Mumma, because she's taking the erm, or because she saw me coming with the camera?  

Share your workspaces with us please, we like to see what you're doing and where you're doing it.  Make a quick post to your blog that includes WOYWW in the title, then link it here. Reciprocal visiting is de riguer.  Thank you!

Oh and sorry to hijack it for publicity - but if you want to read about the WOYWW Crop Meet on Oct 13th, please pop back for tomorrow's post.  Thank you!