WOYWW 417 - the atcs are landing..

.. which is somewhat embarrassing as I only had two (as you saw) to send out myself.
But first, let me welcome you back to WOYWW as we start the 9th year.. I was able to visit every desk last week but couldn't comment on the google + desks, sorry Sarah!

Despite having a long Bank Holiday weekend, I don't have any finished "stuff" to share as I just lazed about after going to Kew on Saturday morning (pics here if you are interested, some of you have seen already)

But first the atcs - I knew that Jo and Annie had kindly put me on their list of recipients but I was delighted to also receive one from Jan and yesterday from our lovely Julia too...
My swappee was Elizabeth (and Bleubeard) and hers is on it's way so I will share that another time.

top left is a dumfing beauty from Jo, top right is Annie; together with a card and poem inside.

bottom left ( or middle, really) is Julia's and bottom right is Jan's a gorgeous copy of her new blog header.

I think you will agree, that they are all gorgeous.

there is a bit of faffing going on again in the journal though, although it's not done yet and I haven't taken the picture in close up just to tease you a bit!


short and sweet for me today, happy desking.

For Manchester...

The tragic events of Monday night's bomb attack in Manchester have affected everyone. There are no words...

This journal page is to show solidarity.... the background started with loads of leftover paint and Lindy's sprays smooshed about,  and I can't remember what else!  I don't have any pictures of it in progress

the wall is Tim's mini layering stencil, with crackle paste (Deco Art) which makes lovely aged brickwork.

The bees are the symbol of Manchester that were already seen around to represent Manchester's worker history, but are now everywhere apparently (not living anywhere near I cannot say I have seen them, but the radio has been talking of it)....

The bees are by JoFY and stamped on the original (discontinued)  Paperartsy tissue paper (hoarding it!) and coloured with Fresco paints in Yellow Submarine and Brown Shed (over the black stamping)

WOYWW 416 - we've been doing this 8 years!

Eight years of desking (I didn't join in right at the beginning, and back when I started blogging and began joining in, in those days only had a film camera, not digital - so had to rush to get pictures developed to share) - eight years through which we have seen friendships (real and virtual) forged and strengthened - thank you SO much Julia, for starting this, and keeping it going through thick and thin all this time.  To all the deskers who have visited and shared their own desks and stories and lives - it's been great fun!

If you really need more whys and wherefores (how? I just told you, it's been 8 years....!) then the link to the desks and all the info are available at Stamping-Ground

so this week, do I have new stash to share?  is my name Helen?  of course I do...  balls I say!

 polystyrene ones!

and some new stamps

and some paper dolls











I actually bought them a few weeks ago, in a local shop that has a fairly basic craft department upstairs with some art goods too... they're intended for use (the big ones certainly) for some Powertex experiment when I get time...
I was somewhat bemused by the idea of Tim Holtz bringing out paper dolls (memories of childhood with badly fitting paper clothes with little paper tabs that always tore so the clothes fell off...) but when the eventually came back in stock I grabbed a pack.

So once again we are doing an ATC swap/PIF for the anniversary..  I haven't been able to make loads, but have one for my swap partner and one for Julia for her friendship... I probably should keep them secret till they've been delivered, but there isn't anything else to share on here today, so have included them.

coloured with distress oxides and the flowers are coloured with that fateful gold spray

Now, I am off to clean up the backs and get them ready for posting....


Happy happy WOYWW and, once again, thanks to Julia (and Jan who steps in when needed) for sterling work in the desking department!
Here's to the next 8 years!

The world can be a scary place sometimes but remember - there are happy places too, and WOYWW and it's participants is one of them.  I am proud to be a part of it.

WOYWW 415

No sooner have I cleared gold powder off my trousers than we are back again.. no more disasters luckily!

Time for another desk share then... have been shopping again (and only some of the orders have arrived, to tease you all..)

a nice large picture for you to see easily... some fabulous new stencils by Stencil Girl (courtesy of Artist Trading Post) and my replacement Lindy's sprays... not mixed them up yet.
the stamps are a gift from a friend who was having a bit of a de-stash and these were the ones I opted for... and a pack of Yupo paper which (once she found it!) she's been offering to send for me to try for ages.

as you can see I've used one of the stamps already, on a pre-played with journal page...

Oxides again, for colour.
Hiding in the background, some tissue wrap (Tim Holtz) that I had used for a birthday card..

  Some mark making with white and black paint and stencilled flowers (a Donny Downey stencil) with black gesso.


Another one of the stamps from Miriam, always love a dream stamp !

this journal is now nearly full, just a couple of pages left - can't wait to start a new one!

 The gold trees are progressing... lots of texture paste round the edges - there was a layer there last week, but I have added to it, to highlight the white edges where the gold didn't spread.
added some birds flying round the trees

and some tone on tone yellowy-orange stamping in the background. you can't see it very well in this picture



We'll see how this comes on for next time!
Depending on whether the new stash has arrived  that may also make an appearance..



till then, happy desking - see you at Julia's 
sorry to keep you longer than I should... hope I don't get told off!

WOYWW 414 - an oops moment

Hi deskers welcome to another Wednesday WOYWW  As always our lovely host is Julia

Regular visitors will be not at all surprised to learn I have done nothing with either the book or the box yet.
On to the desk... a tale of oops indeed..  Artist Trading Post recently got in some Lindy's sprays.  Everyone I know raves about these sprays.. I took advantage of a special offer and ordered 4 to give them a go... They came on Thursday.  I opened the parcel at work and thought... oh.  bubble wrap looks kind of orange.  Didn't think much more of it...

I didn't unwrap the bubble wrap till the following morning, sitting on the sofa, ready for work, in black trousers...
You can see from the picture the mess... no wonder the bubble wrap looked orangey (gold actually) - one of the bottles had smashed in the post and the powder (you mix it yourself with warm water) was everywhere.. including my trousers..  This is how I left it and went to work..
sparkling gently....


On Saturday I salvaged what I could and tipped the remaining powder into a bottle (not a lot!) . What I thought was a bottle lid just not being screwed up tight, was a completely smashed bottle.   I tipped the powder contained in the bubble wrap onto a couple of journal pages and spritzed with water..

two very gold pages - one in my smaller (A5) journal and one double page spread in the big A4 one...

very very gold!

later on in the weekend I added to the big pages - the tree is a huge foam stamp by Donna Downey - you may have seen some of her stamps, they come glued to an acrylic mount.

I used cut and dry foam to apply black paint (Little Black Dress by Fresco) - the lumpy pages beneath made the stamping a bit wobbly, so I filled in some bits with a paintbrush.

it's not all bad news though, as ATP are sending a replacement (and a second, as compensation) which should be here soon.. So a big thumbs up for service - thanks Sue!
And, thank goodness it comes as dry powder, not ready mixed spray!!

Have a good week, and happy WOYWW!

WOYWW 413 - May already!

Welcome to the first WOYWW of May... anyone else feel this year is simply flying?!  It's time for another desk-fest... Julia as always, hosts at The Stamping-Ground

you'll never guess what has finally arrived! yep, the last 4 distress oxides!

 I've had a bit of a foraging week... and work know me well!  We had some new business cards arrive, and the old ones were shredded... someone was going to throw the boxes away... WHAT!!!!  These boxes are perfect for little trinkets and embellishments. (I have lots already)

the next day I got to my desk and found a box on it with a note... saying Monica (my boss) thought I could do something with it.... she meant it as a joke... but it's fabulous!
You can see it has a sliding lid... it's lined with foam which I'll take out.. but how could you NOT like it!

Then, on Saturday, I was heading down the High Street on my way to my hairdressers.
The Library were selling off some sold stock, and I had time to rummage... I was looking for a foreign language book, but there were only dictionaries, which I didn't want.

I did see a book of lettering and illuminating
techniques... a snip at 90p (considering £1 is currently about $1.29)
Not decided yet if I'll just use loose pages for projects, or keep the book whole and do an altered book... either way, I have plans for it!  Although, of course, if I do an altered book, I will have spare pages anyway... win win!

finally, another journal page in progress.

the music comes from a book of tuba music.

hmm.... wonder who could have donated that!!

so far, only infusions, dry brushed Fresco paint, crackle paste and gesso... now in the thinking stage!!

Hope you've enjoyed your snoop, see you at yours soon!
Oh, and I went to Kew on Monday.. pics here