Stcky business

My very good friend Laura is one of those people that you want to be. She has time for everything but seemingly no time at all - works full time, has a young family, boundless energy..you know. She crochets and sews as the mood takes her. Her forte, for me, is the papercraft. Her scrapbooking is what I would call sublime. She has been quite an influence on my pages, especially over the last couple of years. I dare not call it style. There's one thing though, that I've resisted and resisted until last month.

Glue.

I get it, and as you can see from my to hand sticky collection, I do use it. I stick on tiny embellishments and fabric-y things, lacy bits and tricky die cuts. But only if I have to. I watch gals at workshops using glue like a pro and I wish I did. It buys you a few seconds to straighten stuff up And then I do, and then I get covered in it and my work looks like nursery school stuff. I use too much and end up with globs on the side of whatever it is, fingerprints and smear marks. I use less and the damn thing (whatever it is) doesn't stick. It's a bit of a nightmare for me. Last month though I deliberately chose glue as a scrapbooking adhesive because Laura uses it all the time. And frankly, she powers through a LO and I want to, too. I may be in my fifties, but I am very, very childish about these things.

Crispy, weird finish LO. Left edge is there, I just cant make anything straight at the mo!

Well, it didn't make me any faster, obviously. Nor frankly, did it make me a super LO maker - no surprise there! Yesterday I finally filed the LOs I made at that crop. They were crispy. That's the lasting effect I can tell you about. The rest of my experience was very normal. No one noticed or commented; after all,  I wasn't doing anything unusual really. Only stepping out of my comfort zone! S no, the grass wasn't grrener and yes, I'm a tape gal. But glue will always have it's place. Just not as my 'go to' adhesive. And certainly not in my heart; more all over my fingers.

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Well actually, I've done something! Nothing major, don't get excited! There's instructions and a 'What is' page at the top of this blog if you're new to WOYWW. It's just a show and tell really. But it's so much more than that!

 I made up a very quick page for April. The rule is to use 12 x 12 that is no longer 'floating my boat' and to try and use up letters and stickers from old kits that I wouldn't otherwise use. It's working..but makes for a plain calendar! You can see at top left that I've been playing with new stamps too. I cant get enough flowers apparently. As if I don't have a few already! I'll show them in greater detail when I've decided or not about workshop suitability. Only 2 pairs of scissors that you can see, I must be improving - although I seem to be making up for the lack of them with acrylic blocks!  You also get good view of today's top - at last it's not today's boobs!

Join us if you can - take a picture of your workspace, blog about it with WOYWW in your title and then link your blog here. That will lead to visits. The rule is to reciprocate when you can. See ya.

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This is scheduled. I'm not any more ill dear deskers, I just know that at 6am tomorrow I'll be asking myself why I got out of bed when I don't work anymore and could schedule this. Let's hear it for bone idleness! The thing about sitting at your computer in late afternoon sun is that it shows up every speck of dust in your home, and makes your windows look filthy. I might learn to schedule in the dark from now on!

I went to a crop last Saturday and decided to try to finish the LO you can see. It's actually no further along because I still don't know what I intend for it....I'm used to formulaic one photo layouts, so this is proving rather difficult! On the right in front of the acrylic drawers is a roll of printed tape. It says lovely things about sending love and good wishes and I was drawn to it because of that. And because of the fonts. And because it is printed tape. OK. It was £12. (17 $). I bought it with a bunch of other stuff at Christmas so sort of didn't notice till I used it yesterday. Most expensive tape ever? In this house for sure. Don't tell Mr D! There's a little tiny tin on the right too, with a money box type lid. Its the first of this year's Christmas stocking fillers. I know. Yes, I'm smug about it, you would be too!
So show us what you're up to will you, I need scrapbook help this week!
Put WOYWW in your post title and link here....thank you very much. Especially for the support. You lot are better than any bra.

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First...thank you so much for your kind messages; I feel truly supported and also let's hear it for Jan. When the time comes, she'll be the temporary home for WOYWW. Even if I don't feel like blogging, I do want WOYWW to continue without a break!
So, to the business of the day. My desk looks like this:

It looks as though I haven't done anything, but in reality it's just sorted ready for the next session. Which really ought to be today; I have a tranche of birthdays beginning on the 18th! My trusty notebook where I've written the 'how to's' for a bunch of workshop cards. There's a packet of square purple cards that I had to use with the new papers in the packet underneath. I've done some paper piecing with them already. I have photographed what I've done, but you cant see 'em until the workshop is over, fair's fair! You can also see a roll of double sided tape at the basket edge there..it's glazing tape that made it's way home. Can't imagine why. All the paper you see is waste from the printer; I use it to protect my glass mat (ha! - not the table!). My deckchair iPad stand is empty because I was using it to take the photo. Show and tell then - we love to see where you work and what you're up to. You know the drill......put WOYWW in your post title and link here!

There's something on my mind...

You may have noticed that I haven't posted so much recently. You may not. It may come as a relief, one less blog post to read, I don't know! I have always pontificated about saying nothing if you've got nothing to say, and that still holds true for me. I've had little to say because I've done very little.

Late last year, I was diagnosed with a brain tumour. I'm physically fine, but am coping with increasing symptoms. Nothing awful, no pain thank goodness. But it's knocking me for six. There's little I want to do and luckily, because I work for Mr Dunnit and he's a sweetie, little I have to force myself to do. I walk like a drunk, half of my face is frozen, I'm deaf in my right ear, my right eye is sore and my vision is double until I've been awake for a few hours. Oh yeah, and I'm super tired all the time. It's very, very boring. But it does account for the lack of posting. I know, any excuse! Below  are a few details that you may or may not want to know. Read on if you do, finish reading here if you don't!

It's not malignant. Doctors tell me it's therefore benign. But I'm avoiding use of that word; a brain tumour that makes you permanently deaf on one side and has a slew of side effects for life isn't really benign by definition is it! I'm on the wait list for surgery, it will probably be May. More than happy to wait my turn, there are people discovering malignant tumours and other brain disorders who need not to wait. In summary people, I'm not about to die. I am however, not rolling in clover just now. So I'm not going to be posting nearly as often, because I'm not doing much that's worthy of blogging! Having said that, I will continue to blog; but I already know it won't be very often. The gracious Jan (LLJ) has agreed to take over WOYWW so that we don't experience any interruption in the week numbers. I'm not sure when this will be, but I'll flag it up so that you know to visit her blog as the host. 

Well, that was horribly serious wasn't it! I just wanted to explain my absence really - and remind you - Carpe Diem, gentle reader!

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Well, to be honest there isn't much on my desk that's worthy of discussion, so this morning I offer you a twofer; you'll understand immediately.

Yep, work stuff. Yawn. It cant be escaped, so whilst everything is tidy, the surfaces became office-y.

You can't tell at all from this, but its raining really hard and is set to be a horrid day. Urgh.

I don't remember if this is a rare sight or not,  but here's a swing to the left, you can just tell; the left end of the desk butts against the worktop. My desk is on locking wheels, so that in theory, it comes away easily. You see here the things that are needed to hand - obviously my dies and embossing folder and Big Shot. The basket is home to all my DI sponges...yes, I have to rummage, but the storage suits me. Not least because it catches lobbed sponges way better than my last solution! (Ignore the hole punch..it's something to do with filing..) You can see my scraps box too. I use the white pieces up quite regularly, but the colours don't turn over well enough! I'm a 21st century gal now - using windows 10! I cant for the life of me make it not centred...the button at the page top is useless. Any ideas? Anyone?

So this is how it is this mucky morning, I've shown you mine..please show me yours! Put WOYWW in your post title and link here. As easy as that!

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There are instructions on pages linked at the top of this blog if you want to join us. Any probs, email me. Or comment here. Don't comment on the pages (even though you can) because I forget to look!
Hey ho. Here's my mess today:

My word that's a clear picture isn't it...the camera has shown way more than I expected! It's nothing I'm ashamed of though, so I'll explain a bit and see if it's even vaguely interesting. Inevitable there's my glasses. And an ice cream pot full of refills and re-inkers which I recently found in my old workroom. Aka the Room of Shame. Aka The Wrapping Room. etc. Despite their lengthy hide out, they are all OK, so I shall assimilate them into my stash soon-ish. You can just see too on the near right, the shelves that hold my stamps and other stuff. There's a tin of what was playing cards but are actually now ATCs. Mine to send to others...the received ones are much better treated! Just on the floor, but supposed to be under the desk, is my tote for scrapbooking. You know you have more stuff than you need when such things don't need to be unpacked in between crops! It all looks clear and ready to roll huh. Well it is. I finished prepping for a Workshop on Thursday evening (stuff now cluttering a seat in the lounge) so the table itself is momentarily clear. But not for long. Or so I intend. Share with us your work surface, and what you're up to - it's inspiring. Put WOYWW in your post title and link here; we'll visit.