Wednesday 7 March 2018

WOYWW 457 - upcycling

Time for another WOYWW - luckily we are rid of the snow and freezing cold we had last week - the UK - especially where I am "down south" gets it so rarely (thank goodness) - but as you may have seen on Facebook or in my post on my photos blog (here if you're interested) - I fulfilled an ambition to enjoy Kew in the snow on Saturday. 

Glad it's gone now though!

So, upcycling... one of the advisers at work (I work for a firm of mortgage advisers) had a "thank you" gift sent from a client after he moved into his new home... and they didn't even have to ask me...
the stack of boxes (had been filled with chocolates and other edible goodies) - came straight my way as they emptied!
I was more interested in the boxes, honest (but did help out eating the contents!) and I finally got my hands on the last one today, hence them making an appearance here
I love how they stack, Russian doll-like, inside one another before I "do something" with them... which takes up lots less space round here!   No idea at all yet what I will do with them, but that isn't the point, is it?!!

at the weekend I finished a journal page I'd started just for fun, a while ago - background was some stamps from a new set by Tracy Scott for Paperartsy.

I turned it into a piece for the prompts challenge I'm doing with my friends, the butterflies are cut out from the Tim Holtz tissue paper and coloured with Fresco paints in some of the new greens and blues.



the green page on my workspace next to the boxes, is the latest spread for the France Papillon FB challenge.   To answer someone's question from last week, about how I know when a page is finished... well for this challenge, after a week, as it is a layer a day challenge, over a week.  so 6 (or 7) layers.   If I'm doing a page just for me - well, when it feels finished!!

Have a good week, and happy desking!

I'll leave you with a peek at snowy Kew!

"my" fountain! 

28 comments:

BJ said...

Oh that's my FAV Kew snowy photo. But look we have both bemoaned the lack of The Range on Shaz's post. Love the box set, I would have wanted them too, can't wait to see what you come up with. Super Journal page as always. BJ#soon

Nikki said...

Your a busy as ever like how your journal page Turned out
Hugs Nikki 8

Sarah Brennan said...

So glad you managed to get to Kew on Saturday. I'm pleased the snow has gone too even though I got two days off work as a result. Thanks for the idea with the butterflies; I have that tissue paper as well. Have a good week. Sarah #10

Ellie said...

Oh my goodness that journal page is great, I love it!! The butterflies pop off the page. Gorgeous Kew gardens pic too. Have a good day !
Ellie #13

Annie said...

Like you I’m really pleased to get up this morning to find the last of the snow has gone....we had 1-2feet drifts in places and I was happy to stay warm and cosy in making my quilts.
I love your little stacking boxes and can’t wait to see what you will do with them.
Hugs,
Annie x #14

Christine said...

Another busy week! Love those boxes, will be a very interesting project.
As I sit here in the sunshine, it is hard to believe we have just had all that snow ......
have a good week
Christine #23

Felix the Crafty Cat said...

Hi Helen, loving the boxes and look forward to seeing how you use them. Photographs are lovely but looking at them I think we had a bit more snow. I am putting my photos together and will post them Friday if you're interested. I have to say this weeks journal page is one of my favourites. I really must make more effort to try and do more in my art journal, just seem to be busy with other stuff. Maybe I need to give myself a specified date at least each month and stick to it. Have a great woyww, and a happy creative week. Angela x22x

glitterandglue said...

Morning Helen. That's a lovely journal page - well done. Popped over to see your Kew photos as well - wonderful - all that space to yourself despite there being many others in the grounds. Great photos - especially the one of the statue.
Take care. God bless.
Margaret #3

Julia Dunnit said...

Love that your colleagues know so well that you'll collect their *rubbish*! I have seen nesting boxes decorated and suspended upside down, slightly out of each other as a lamp shade...or you could just decorate, fill with goodies and pass on as a gift! I get it now, the Papillion prompts, a layer a day..makes sense as to pointing you to a finish. If it were left to me, each page would end up as thick as a book!

Anonymous said...

Happy WOYWW. Glad you got to Kew in the snow. I remember going there in the 80s as a child - and very deep snow. Lovely butterflies. Ali x #26

Neet said...

Kept up with your Kew photos on FB but need to go to your other blog for a proper look (at more I guess). Fab photos up to now and the promise of more to come.
Love your journal pages, the butterfly one is gorgeous - can't help liking Tracy's stuff and she is so nice too (and a good tutor).
Those boxes, wouldn't have a clue what to do with them but I agree, too good to miss out on. Enjoy thinking about them.
Hugs, Neet 6 xx

shazsilverwolf said...

Hi Helen, I love that shade of green on the butterflies. Always been one of my favourite colours. Those boxes look great, so neat they stack one inside another. Have a lovely week, Hugs, Shaz #4 XxX

Elizabeth said...

Hi Helen, interesting how most of us have used the big freeze/snow days to do things that we've been putting off like your trip to Kew. Love the photo of 'your' fountain - I'm convinced the world looks better under ice! The tower of boxes is rather lovely as it is but I look forward to seeing how you transform them. Pretty green butterflies too. Have a great week. Elizabeth x #27

Lunch Lady Jan said...

Your colleagues obviously know you too well! Those boxes are fab and I'm sure you'll have a fun time altering them. Love your journal page too, gorgeous colours and your Kew pics were brilliant!
Hugs LLJ 8 xxx

Monica said...

The chocolates must have been delicious. I think you have boxes for a lifetime. Love the butterflies they look real.
Have a great week.
Monica

okienurse said...

great looking desk as usual today! I love the addition of all those 'nesting' boxes! I am like you I gather stuff up and keep all sort of stuff that some consider trash. There are endless possibilities fo what you can do with the boxes! Have fun. Love the journal pages. Kew is awesome! My husbands great grandfather worked there before he immigrated to the USA in 1850(ish) He was a gardener but had trouble with the Latin names of plants and he was told to either learn them or move on!! He moved on and helped establish Lindenwood Cemetery in Ft. Wayne, IN....def has a British look to the gardens. Vickie #32

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

I SO like those upcycled boxes. I look forward to their eventual evolution...

Heather M said...

Hi Helen. Nice collection of boxes, and lucky you enjoying some of the chocolates. I really like your journal page, the butterflies are beautiful. Thanks for stopping by, and have a lovely week Heather x #13

StampinCarol said...

I enjoyed your post with all your pics of the Kew. How fun! Love the fountain and waterfalls with the icicles. Beautiful journal page! And a very busy desk! Thanks for popping by and have a great rest of the week!
Carol N #26

craftytrog said...

Great page, and love the peek at snowy Kew!

Kim said...

Thanks for visiting earlier. Today left us with another 12 inches of snow, and its still coming down! I love March! I love your butterfly page! and I have to thank you for your post a few weeks ago with the new stencils from Joefy (arcs and masks)...I found them and they arrived Monday..now to find time to play! Have a great week.
-K #29

buterfliecrafter said...

Hello Helen, all the sacrifices we make for our craft, because eating the goodies would have been agony 😂thx for your visit yesterday, off to have an echo lade from my knee 😞Vicky

Sue said...

Hi Helen, I love the stackable boxes.

Your journal page with the butterflies is fab.

Thanks for stopping by my blog.

Happy WOYWW
Sue #20

pearshapedcrafting said...

Love the journal page! Looking forward to seeing the boxes some time in the future! Off to Kew now - hoping to get there IRL next month!!! Hugs, Chrisx

SusanLotus said...

Very nice Art journal page!

Shoshi said...

What a beautiful page, Helen, with the fabulous butterflies! I love the gold nesting boxes too. I've got a set of round gold ones like that somewhere that I've had for years. I look forward to seeing what you do with yours as it may give me some inspiration! Thank you for your visit and sorry to be such a tease about my mystery project! I'm hoping it won't be long now before the wraps are off.

Happy belated WOYWW,
Shoshi #17

Annie Claxton said...

Aah yes we all have our friends and family trained not to throw away anything which might have a crafty purpose!! Your journal page is really beautiful. Annie C #14

Lindart said...

First, sorry for the late reply, it's the first time in awhile I've had the time!I know when a journal page is finished when it tells me, and won't let me add anything else to it. Now on my 14th journal, it probably comes with experience!My journal pages are talking to me a lot lately! Your butterfly page is wonderful! Thanks for your visit, and I can't wait to see what comes of those boxes! Lindart #31