I bought a couple of the most lovely 3d embossing folders. I went to a lot of trouble (A LOT) to fashion suitable thicknesses of shim to use them in my Big Shot. And then I couldn't think of a thing to do with them. I had - well, have - a problem with the size of the embossed images in relation to ALL of the stamps I thought would go with them. Oh boy. Bad lighting and navy card stock means you can barely tell that there is an embossed forest below and surrounding that big old silver moon. You’d think that new stuff would inspire me, it always has before. I think I’ve got early Christmas card fatigue. Seriously, in the best tradition of it being all about me, I’m worried about me!
Shopkeeper Gal has a traditional card making Marathon day. She, me and Ink Blender Gal present 8 original cards each to as many people as want to book themselves in and they make the cards from provided kits. I can honestly say that I have never, in about 10 years of doing this, had so much trouble making 8 cards I think are suitable. I’m in a state of worry that the techniques I’m using aren't really interesting, the images I’m using are too ‘samey’ and my colours are questionable. I can’t say I’ve ever deliberately used black ink for Christmas images on a card. Not for any reason in particular, I think I just used (or overused) other colours, including the traditional. Now I see the most beautiful cards with black stamped text or images and wonder if it’s a trend that I’m missing, or if I’ve just completely ignored the obvious! See why I think I’m fatigued! Last weekend, I allocated a whole day to making Christmas cards. For the Marathon, for friends, for our business clients, for family. I made 3 in the whole day. And I’ve since sought judgement about them from others and re-made two of them! I’ve lost it.
See what i mean about the size of the folder in relation to the stamps, or is it me?
Like magic though, I think I have the solution already. It’s straightforward innit. Do them. Do them my way and move on to whatever it is I intend to do after Christmas cards. And stop whining. Seriously. Sod it.
No sign of panic here! Shopkeeper Gal told me last Thursday that it was just a month till the Card Marathon. It made me feel a bit queasy and gave me an urgent need to get to my desk. So at the weekend, I spent way too much time making this mess and have only three cards that I think are worth submitting for others to copy. Why, another week of uninterrupted desk time and I might be ready! I think the only thing that might need explaining is the empty cotton bud pot next to my ATG gun. It’s there because Zsuzsa had a fab project on Marit’s Dutch Summer series and I intend to copy it. It will make an excellent and useful pot to put things in, as Winnie the Pooh would say. I intend it to hold my lovely foam moulded pieces. I love a plan. 
Well hello whizz day! This week has been even shorter for me, we ran away for the weekend and left the plumber and his mate to take up floors, drain down the system and connect new heating areas into existing systems. I can’t tell you how nice it was to be out of the house! It means however, that I’m behind with stuff. Nothing major, but my desk shows a hybrid of work and play. Ignore the ledger, that’s boring. The shapes on the iPad stand are Quietfire Design pouch gift bags that I cut out on Monday morning and haven’t got any further with - the trial is on the drawers, really sweet, isn’t it. The plastic files that are still in their packet are flap-closure plastic sleeves which I thought would be very useful for my latest problem. I’m doing a lot more scrapbooking these days and I find having the 6x6 or 8x10 paper pad version of a collection I really like is a very useful tool for layering, and doing that mis-matched-matchy thing. But I like to keep scraps together rather than in my ‘general’ patterned scraps folder, so I will be trying to do just that with these files. Ask me again in a few weeks. So come on then, show me how much more successful your work areas are looking, I honestly could do with a push back into getting it all done! Please put WOYWW in your blog post title and link it here. Marvellous.
You can see more clearly that the missing door leads into another room now. The rubbish in there is totally down to the plumber and Mr Dunnit. The furniture comes out tomorrow - underfloor hefting to be put down over the weekend. Meanwhile..the mess on my desk is quite extraordinary. The lovely printed Arteza box contains self adhesive vinyl - me and my Scan N Cut are going to make some pressies. The alphabet at far left is remnant of a scrapbooking session over the weekend. The plaid paper on the iPad stand is still there. 15 sheets of it for a card marathon card. The brown paper bag contains gifts that you can’t see, but that I have to do something to, so onto my desk they go. Just below that and left of the mug of early coffee is a very old wedding photo. It’s practically black and white even though its been in an old fashioned album these last 34 years! We look like ghosts! Then there’s the usual detritus. Stencil paste...yep. I do do mixed media, just not a lot! So while I wade in and tidy up, please show me what you’re space reveals about you. As usual, put WOYWW in your post title and link your blog here! Oh and please Polly, put the kettle on, it’ll stop we whining about tidy up time!
First of all, I bought this from Shopkeeper Gal. It’s white. I figured that I’d make a couple of frames and lose interest, but I was quite keen to make frames - I’d been at a workshop with the Scan N Cut genius who turns out to be a mixed media genius too, and she had these frames.....and I wanted some. Anyway, here we are. I couldn’t find a frame mould so I bought the twirly leaf thing instead, I do like scrolls and such. It takes a tiny amount to fill one of these silicone moulds and I quickly realised that I NEEDED more moulds and fast. 
I didn't say it was a better angle! So thats what we call the workroom, hence the Workdesk! The door at the back is nothing more interesting than access to the garage and this missing door will be panelled to form part of the wall in the new room. The workroom will have a window or door in the wall at left. AT SOME STAGE. Meanwhile, the days of natural light on my desk are looking a bit numbered! 
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