Keeping Calm? No.Still Laughing though. At myself.

It's official:  I am in a bit of a panic about how much you lot are doing about Christmas compared to how much I'm doing, or indeed, getting done!  

Here's a non sneaky peek..one of the Calendar LOs for tomorrows workshop.....

Yesterday at the routine Workshop -  which we had called ' Ho Ho Ho ' on the published schedule - my time bubble was burst good and proper. BANG! A customer told me how much she was looking forward to the Card Marathon day that Shopkeeper Gal , Mrs Precision and me are running in the shop next Thursday and Saturday.  I could not believe what I'd heard, and could not collect myself quickly enough to agree and tell her that she would have a fun day.  Instead, I looked horror struck and said "WHADDYAMEANNEXTWEEK". Ho Ho Ho indeed. And then of course, I had to admit that I seem to be 2 weeks behind in my head although I'm well aware of the date. (How does that happen?) And I tried to reassure Shopkeeper Gal that I would turn up with card kits, samples and Christmas festivity in my heart. And I will. Please can I borrow some midnight oil?  And a whole heap of fab ideas?

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday 232

We need to open this week's blop with a message of love and support to those suffering the effects of the hurricane that has wreaked such havoc across the Phillipines.  Peggy and Patsy are there, and us regular Deskers know that they will already be heavily involved in help, aid and crisis management, it is the stuff of which these two strong and loving women are made. But really..please, reach out if you can...the shock and trauma alone must be appalling for everyone, and to have to set that aside to help takes a major act of faith and will.  We're at your shoulder girls, and wish with every fibre that we could be a practical help.  Perhaps we can.  Please ask.

I have no desk to speak of - it is strewn, as last week with kit preparations for this weekend.  So instead, here's my lounge floor, showing the progress that the kit packing has made...the light is coming from my little workroom...I've run out of surfaces in there, can't help but feel that the trail will almost inevitably lead me eventually, to the kitchen!

Actually, it doesn't look as untidy here as IRL!

So tell and show us what you're up to this midweek will ya?  I know there's bags of Christmas underway, just to increase my sense of panic!  
Put WOYWW in your blog post and link here.  Tis easy, there are instructions at the top.
And don't forget to refresh this page after you've added your link...you may not be the number you think!  

Recruited!

It doesn't mean a thing to anyone else, but I'm proud to be the owner of a good sturdy pair of steel toe cap boots.  Especially as they don't look too butch or even as if they came from a prescription.  I'm proud of them for two reasons..the first is that Mr Dunnit has been nagging me to get some for ages, and I kinda didn't get around to it...because, well I don't really know.  So now I've got them and that part of the Health & Safety at Work lecture can cease.  But more than that, and here's where it gets a bit childish...now I've got them, I feel like I really am a team member.  Remember, it's just him and me as a bit of help, so this 'team' analogy is a bit elastic. But I think that's the point - he is looking at me as a help! Too chatty,  physically out of shape and not strong enough,and probably more willing than I should be, but help, nonetheless.  
We had a recruitment drive last week.  And we've learned stuff about ourselves as potential employers, and remembered stuff about having employees from days gone by that has decided Mr Dunnit.  It's going to stay at just him and me.  If we can't fit the work in, we decline it.  Simple.  Relatively stress free.  And so, just to keep my feet on the ground, today's delivery of particularly heavy oak boards fell to me.  I got the van stuck in the mud of the car park (field) that I was directed to use.  The bright side....5 or 6 builder types had to help push the van out.  The dark side.....5 or 6 builder types with their shoulders to the bonnet of my van whispering to each other that I had the handbrake on whilst they were pushing.  The bright side....I'm not afraid of that sort of implication - I jumped out of the van, offered  one of them the job at the steering wheel and took his place at the bonnet.  The even brighter side......my fantastic pushing ability got the job done and freed the van. And the darker side...of course, I was showered with mud from the spinning tyres.  

bepattered and filthy.  Must have been on site then.

Ah well.  I didn't hurt my feet!

Deskers who may have tuned in for news - Patsy has posted post-storm (HERE) which I presume means that (as she and Peggy are neighbours) they and their immediate families are at least safe.  More, and ways to help too, on Patsy's blog, and we'll arrange ourselves a bit for an update on Wednesday too. 

The quickest retreats are the best....

..that's a life tip - if you've gotta run away, make it a really fast run!  And also, if you want to go away with your girlfriends and plan for two nights, Friday to Sunday, take my advice..try to plan in the whole of Friday or maybe make it 3 nights.  As a retreat - it went so fast!
There were 9 of us.  And we've known each other for years. But there's always something to learn isn't there -  I laughed and laughed at revelations that aren't secrets so much as strange little foibles.  I have to admit to never having seen the Slipper Lady so much as wink nervously whenever anyone says the word 'belly'..but apparently, it sets her teeth on edge.  The Baby Mumma (and a lot of others I suspect) has a mental face pulling moment if you use the 'moist' in your sentence.  You can imagine where the conversation went after that.  I can't reveal any that do that to me...I was laughing too much to think!  I laughed until I cried at the spontaneous outbreak of competition over a game of Articulate at midnight on Saturday.  Really, some of my lovely good natured friends became edge-of-their-seats-win-at-any-price competitive.  I smiled smugly to myself over my sensible decision (and I still don't regret it) to pass on the idea of a soak in the hot tub at 7.30 on Saturday evening.  Pitch black, force 9 gales.  Yep, most of them did.  I did the drinks run, tried to work out the control panel and then retreated into the warm.  And made a layout instead.  Talking of which - yep it was a crafting retreat.

We had  room for 9 scrappers..and we used the room.  This was just after breakfast on Saturday.  Which is why it was tidy.  We drifted to it eventually, and made a lovely spready mess! Ironically, we ate in the lounge, using our knees as tables so as to avoid the heinous clearing up thing.  That of course, is when we ate meals.  There was a lot..a LOT of chocolate,  and cheese and biscuit type snacking going on.  And after five o'clock..well, there was a fridge full of wine.  And why not.  So, a full two days to make stuff and do some crochet work and plan some Christmas gifts and visit with friends....not long enough gentle reader.  If you've been to a WOYWW crop, you'll know exactly what I mean.  I managed 12 granny squares and five LOs.  Not exactly prolific.  Totally worth it.  

My sweet darling sister and my  dear Papa...role model.. oneto the other, or to me?  You choose..

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday 231

There's a flashy bar across the top of this 'ere blog with buttons to press...two of them will explain how to WOYWW.  Not that it's a verb you understand, but oh, well.  

Stand back people.  

I may have been a bit absent from the blog (on my recruitment drive!), but not all my moments have been spent at real work.  Look and wonder...

Wonder at my inability to work tidily.  Or indeed, to fully tidy between things.  Look at the overflowing bin..good grief, you'd think I'd empty that before I swung around on my lovely stool and kicked it over wouldn't you?  Hmm...it would seem not...this is the 'after I knocked it over' look.  Wonder too that I'm almost  - almost - playing.  Just fiddling about with the germ of an idea that was blown to me via Pinterest.  I think.   You can see the old fashioned land line style phone.  I was pretending to be in the office! Now I can see two pairs of glasses...my workdesk glasses and the ones I keep at my armchair for iPad and crochet and reading.  Must relocate those before I forget where they are and have a tantrum! The basket in near front is a leftover from the workshop last week and an item unpacked but not put away from our Retreat weekend.  They are MDF bauble shaped blanks and I was going to decorate a few.  I may yet.  The idea of leaving it in the way is to force action.  Watch this space!  Or better yet, watch some spaces by visiting a few participants....and then join in yourself.  Link here, put WOYWW in your post title so that we can find you easily.  Scheduling a post for WOYWW is not against any rule as far as I know.  What I'm trying to avoid is the linking of posts that weren't written as/about WOYWW and dated days ago...those are just linked here to achieve more traffic I guess...but it doesn't pay off particularly..once I realise it's not a WOYWW post I click away, and I can't be the only one!

Anyhoo...link on Deskers, there's inspiration to be shared!

Real life ....advert

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Joiner required immediately for short term contract. Minimum one year experience, and Woodworking machinery experience an advantage.
Application by email in the first instance, but please include a contact telephone number.
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Run Away, Retreat, even!

Today has been long in the planning. I'm off to the wilds of Dorsetshire for a Retreat.  Of the crafting and girlfriends variety.  Nothing quiet and contemplative about this! Am already smiling in anticipation!

It's all thanks to the Baby Mumma in our group; she's the organiser extraordinaire.  Really. Believe me, she will have a back up plan ready to drop into place for anything that could go two ways over the next 3 days. Impressive.  Exhausting! I do a lot of organising and communicating as part of my daily life - as y'all know - I moan about it, often.  So today is marvellous for me.  I wrote the date in the diary, answered a couple of emails and will simply turn up at lunch time. Easy!  I should also point out that I wrote the date in our work diary, some months ago. And have had to email and ask twice about the date.  First of course, because I couldn't remember exactly when we'd planned, and certainly didn't think to turn pages in the diary to see if I'd written it down! And second because frankly, I couldn't believe how close and sudden it was after we came home from our holiday!

Cuttlebug Embossing folder, distress stains and inks, Woodware stamp

So, to prove that I've worked ridiculously hard this week to get ahead enough to be able to go and do hobby stuff instead of work craft, here's a couple from a handful of cards for workshops.  I've finished the base kits and samples for the calender workshop.  I've helped Mr Dunnit clear out the unused end of the Workshop so that it can be used.  That made my shoulders ache!  I've done a couple deliveries in the big white van.  I collected my darling girl and boyfriend from a hellish train journey caused by the 'storm' on Monday. I've nursed her, she was poorly. (Although her sweet boyfriend did more nursing than I - how the world turns!). I've cooked and cleaned (*ahem*) as usual, I've tried - really tried to catch up on ironing. I've done the books, now it's November I need to close October and submit the VAT return, but it's OK to do that on Monday. I've done a teeny bit more shopping for Christmas.  I've actually planned and picked out 'kits' for scrap booking over the weekend. I've planned and am about to finish cooking the main course for our supper this evening. I'm walking around a pile of boxes and stuff on the workroom floor..destined to go into the car - loads.  

I'm reconciled to the fact that I may have to come home earlier than the others - that's OK..any time away is going to be lovely.  Listen to me; I make it sound as if I never get any time to myself! Actually, the thing I'm looking forward to is probably the same as everyone else - having a conversation that doesn't have to finish because one of us has to leave to collect children, go shopping, try to sleep, check on parents..you get it.  

Grand Impressions & Dovecraft stamps.  Distress Stain and Inks.

It's not that I deserve this any more than any other - all of us work and run around like crazies....the trick to this is that it was planned, far enough ahead for it to be OK. And because I'm smiling in anticipation, I hope it's OK to link up with Annie's Friday smiles. 

If I actually get any crafting done, I'll show you next week!

Have a lovely weekend!