you'll never guess what has finally arrived! yep, the last 4 distress oxides!
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!
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
Off to Kew in a minute (via Helen of course). Glad the oxides eventually found you - I now await your play with them.
ReplyDelete"One man's trash is another man's treasure" is certainly the case with crafters and I am so envious of your slidey book. Bargains galore on your desk dear Helen.
Hugs, Neet xx 4
Hi Helen Its always great to find a bargain. Us crafters don't throw anything away without thinking if we can use it for something else do we? That would account for piles of stuff in my craft room as yet unused!
ReplyDeleteHugs Lynda B #3
Great finds Helen, I can never turn down a container. The wooden box and lettering book are pretty special.
ReplyDeletesandra de @8
Being an "EX" teacher, I know what keeping boxes, paper...you name it, is like.Now, I am much more selective in what I keep. It has taken years to get to this point.It is a constant battle with my Desire to be orderly and have only those resources I need, and my hoarding instincts. Whenever I see it creeping back, I get stuck in and make loads to give away, or I give it away first!
ReplyDeleteAt present I am making lots with fabrics I have had for years. I am giving little toys to a Children's Charity.
Tuba music?? It was n't me that threw it out, honest :-D. I'm glad you're putting it to good use. When I volunteered in Oxfam, I used to quite often rescue books that weren't good enough to sell (with the manager's permission of course!) and give them to Julia who'd distribute it around her crafting buddies. Win win situation! Enjoy your new oxides :-D
ReplyDeleteHugs, LLJ 5 xx
What fab finds. I hate to throw anything out that can be reused....and I'm certain you will do a great job of the reusing.
ReplyDeleteHope you have a great week.
Hugs,
Annie x #11
Love all your finds. i always look in the library to see what books they are selling off from a crafting point of view. All my book text comes from a biography of Byron now! Happy WOYWW Sarah #19
ReplyDeletewell done on your fab finds. I love a box :-) DH says I can't possibly find room for more- little does he know :-) I'm a hoarder - trying hard not to be these days though and also have decluttering in progress. I was a teacher in a former life and kept everything - 'just in case ' Anne x #18
ReplyDeleteHappy WOYWW. That lettering book is fabulous. Our library is moving to a new building later in the year - wonder if they will have a sale?! Ali x #10
ReplyDeleteMorning Helen. Glad your last part of the order has finally arrived. Enjoy. Been to Kew, courtesy of your pics. What a glorious morning - as you say, well worth getting up early for! The light is so good early and late, isn't it.
ReplyDeleteTake care. God bless.
Margaret #22
I think if you'd look up the definition of a crafter in the dictionary there would also be mentioned that crafters are hoarders, euhm, collectors :-) I think you've decided on your book then, an altered book and the leftover pages you can use as collage :-) Happy WOYWW, Vicky #6
ReplyDeleteFun post ! I too have a thing with small boxes. I had a big smile on your comments about your boxes. My DH started last week..with any mail item, "No doubt you can use the"...thought I'd better check if you need this" Glad you got your Oxides. Love that lettering book I've quite a few mail items coming from orders I placed while all cooped up. Waiting 3 months for T.Holtz stamp platform. Kind of disgusted. Have a fun week.
ReplyDeleteHi Helen, love that book, the lettering is gorgeous. Laughing at your boss, she clearly knows you well. But I do agree, it's awesome. Have a lovely week, Hugs, Shaz #2 XXX
ReplyDeleteOh my! So many wonderful finds. Love the started art journal page. Can't wait to see what you do with it. Elaine no 7
ReplyDeleteI still haven't seen the new inks in the shops around here. I know I can buy online but trying to stay away from buying online as my cart seems to end up with too much in it. I'm off to Minnesota to visit daughter where there is a large craft store so hoping to see some there!
ReplyDeleteHappy WOYWW
Sharon k #27
Glad your oxide set is competed, now you just have to satisfy the crafting OCD itch to use them... NOW.... no wait do the journal, no the other thousand things running around your head!!!! Glad to see you are multitasking as usual H, Dxxx #29 blimin heck that not a robot thing is a right royal pain...
ReplyDeleteThat box is awesome - and it comes with a great quote! The book you found - I would totally use it for projects - great find! Thanks for sharing, Lindart #32
ReplyDeleteYour book looks like a great find and how lovely to have work colleagues that leave you such lovely boxes, i need to get mine trained better, lol.
ReplyDeleteHave fun with the Oxides.
Hugs Lisax #20
Oh, have fun with your oxides! They are certainly all the rage right now! I wish they were in our local craft stores, but not!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the peek this morning! #37
I really like a good forage so your story made me smile. I also have a thing for boxes - have had all my life. Just ask my mother! Lolz She enjoyed storing her shoes in their appropriate boxes when I was a child and I spoiled this for her a few times by occasionally...um...well...making something out of one of her shoe boxes. Today, wooden ones are the ones I'd choose 9 times out of 10, and I'd say you've got a really good one! Nice lid! Fab foraging!
ReplyDeleteRose
So satisfying to recycle anything and I have a love of boxes and hate throwing them away - they always have a second life - even if I don't make them into something special.xx Jo
ReplyDeleteLove that book, what a great find for a quid! Glad your last 4 ink pads have arrived, it was a long and patient wait wasnt it! I'm a sucker for those little poly business card boxes, they are just the best, trouble is, you have to be quite organised or you end up going through loads of them. Labelling, if you end up with a load, is a must. Ask me how I know!! Glad to see the tuba music in use - must admit I've found my donated music extremely useful!
ReplyDeleteHi Helen, everyone, that is anyone in the crafting world, is talking about those distress oxides but I haven't got any yet! I'd like to say it was the spending freeze, self imposed, but it isn't because I've just broken that this week!!! No, it's because I don't know what they are. Must look into how they are different from the old distress inks. I like that box because of the Bob Marley quote and the sliding lid, and the book is fabulous. Music seems to be a bit of theme for you this week. Have a great week. Elizabeth x #33
ReplyDeleteHi Helen, I still find it difficult to take pages out of books but I keep putting them in my craft room with the intension of using them and I have been brave and started on one of them. I always love to see your art journals and look forward to see how this develops. Thanks for the visit to mine, have a great crafty week and a happy woyww, Angela x14x
ReplyDeleteLooks like some fun goodies to play with! Cute boxes, and that sliding lid one is just too cool! Looks like a good start to your page, too! Thanks for the visit and happy WOYWW!
ReplyDeleteCarol N #28
Yes, the year does seem to be flying by! We like to say that we have a box-fetish around here, so I totally agree - how could you not like that box!
ReplyDeleteWOYWW#44 (Melissa) :)
Know how it is when folk find out you craft they offer all sorts of things! Glad you got your oxides at last. Love your photographic trip around Kew oh how I miss those sort of outings, but hey can't have everything. Anickoana
ReplyDeleteHi Helen,
ReplyDeleteWill be interested to see what you do with the book. That box is crying out to be embellished. Your journal page is intriguing. I've thought about taking up journaling, but I don't know where to start.
Thanks for stopping by my blog.
Happy WOYWW
Sue #12
You're going to have fun using that book, it looks like a great find. I love the journal page already!
ReplyDeletehehehe I get stuff left on my desk at work for me as well, and my husband and son know the kinds of things I might find useful - need an extension to keep it all in though! Love the start of your journal page, gorgeous texture on there :o) Annie C #21
ReplyDeleteGreat little boxes, are they ATC size perchance? I have some of my ATCs on a bought box but they would be perfect. Sliding box excellent and the book too what great foraging.
ReplyDeleteI'm a bit behind here as I wasn't well earlier in the week, feeling a lot better now but still spotting so not fun at all!
Thanks for the visit BJ#26
Oh wow. LOVE those boxes. And the box with the sliding top is fabulous. I can't wait to see what you do with it.
ReplyDeleteI'm playing catch up and am off to Kew now. Yes, I've been offline for about a week.
I've definitely got box and book envy!! And who on earth would throw away those fantastically useful card boxes? Honestly, people are very strange. Shredding the old business cards seems a waste too - could have been layered into journal pages too...
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to seeing where that musical page goes next - it's lovely already.
Alison x