WOYWW 525 - 60??????

Hello fellow deskers and welcome to another Wednesday.  This one is kind of special (even more special than most WOYWWs though as it's my birthday... somewhat hard to believe I find I reach 60 today... I swear it was only yesterday I was 40, never mind 50!   Anyway, time for desk sharing day with Julia.

It's staged, I am afraid and I am writing this on Tuesday night -  a little pile of cards and gifts to open before work. (I have never been one for taking the day off on my birthday)

I've been doing a bit of journalling again too, although it's stalled since the weekend!

 Although I haven't been following the challenges along for many months, I am still in the FB group for France Papillon's ALAD (a layer a day) journal challenge.

Last week the prompt was "flip it" - every day you flip your journal - either 90 or 180 degrees - and add your next layer.

so this is the first 2 days, two layers of stencilling

and this the next 2.  I did the crackle paste upside down (although you can't tell) and the washi tape was back to the way the photo is oriented  - next layer will be back to the right way up.

except I am stumped for what to add next.














Sadly I can only offer you a slice of virtual cake (and I haven't made it myself either) but hopefully you'll join me in cake for breakfast (elevenses/lunch/tea/supper)

and I'll drop by your desk when I can!   ooh, nearly forgot - last weekend's visit to Kew!

WOYWW 524

Happy Whizzday Wednesday (again) - time for WOYWW hosted by Julia. 

this page started off quite bright, with torn book and music score pages.  (the latter a gift from LLJ at a crop several years ago)


the colours are Neocolour IIs then blended with a damp brush,

 before adding more paper, and gesso (it was just too bright)


I took a stencil (had it ages, not used it) and some blue paint

added some solidifying crackle paste (Deco Art) through a stencil, was pleasantly surprised to find it still crackled


added a sentiment (Paperartsy stamp set)which I cut up










and scribbled round the edges.



am really impressed that the paste crackled in such small spaces in the stencil.  They are really tiny squares.


That's it for me today (apart from the obligatory Kew link!) 

WOYWW 523

Welcome, to another WOYWW  - that week really did whizz by!   No sooner one Wednesday than another.. heading back to Julia's again
Today I am sharing some journal pages I started at crop and had time to add to at the weekend.

First up,

 I added some more die cut wildflowers and then die cut some words (testing out the die I got a few weeks ago)
took a few goes to get right as the card I was using is very thick

 next up, I gesso'd the background to knock it back and used some texture paste through a dotty stencil.


added the die cut butterflies that I'd made from scraps of masterboard

stamped out the words (I have a stamp that says this but wanted a bigger font)

 close up of the texture

 and finally (to borrow an enabler phrase)

Paperartsy launched a few new sets of stamps last week and you know how much I love JoFY flowers and stencils..

they came in super-quick time from Country View Crafts though I have yet to ink them up!

if the angle of the photo looks odd, that's because I've rotated it to see the images properly, for some reason I took it on the horizonatal! 

oh no, there is another "and finally"


a completely staged shot (given that the mug is empty)  of my raffle prize mega-mug (it holds a lot of tea and weighs quite a bit when full too!) and another journal page (using the Inkylicious planets stamps I got in the raffle)
I would never normally rest a mug on my journal!!
That's your lot, apart of course from the Kew link - despite the forecast I did stay largely dry!

WOYWW 522 - after the crop was over!

Well, didn't we all have a lovely time the day we went to Bangor   Radbrook.. (showing my age there). As I said in the previous post with the write up thanks to Jo and Annie, Julia and Jan for everything... and all you lovely deskers who came along.  Link your desk here with Julia.... it's time for WOYWW again, already!!

I thought I'd better do the review post when i got home so that this one, with the atcs and swaps, isn't any longer than it will be already!  Else I'll be expelled by Head Girl, Queen of Snoops, Julia. 

 there are so many gorgeous atcs and book marks etc but I thought I'd better get as many in each picture as possible.

the two on the left of both rows are from Wipso,then across the top, Anne, Camilla, Jan,
Julia,
bottom row, Chris (pearshaped); Christine, Heather (2) and Maggie

 However, Debbie's gorgeous powertex'd atc has to have a close up!

 Jo, Julia (booklet and chocs)  Margaret (more chocolate and atc) Shaz, Caro (atc, badge and bookmark) Elizabeth (paper and fabric) Neet

bottom row, Mrs D (Chris) Debbie, Sarah and Catriona (Scottish oatcake)

 really hope I haven't forgotten anyone (Annie, group photo has been edited, so sorry!!)

 one of my raffle prize pics is this fabulous huge mug just perfect for my tea... Given the wrapping it came in I am guessing it was donated by Julia...
another lady who loves her tea!.

 just before I left for crop, this atc and these pretty extras arrived from Kyla


thank you so much for all the lovely swaps, you talented lot

I really MUST find a good way to display them all... I know Shaz recommends a binder from Amazon.  will give it a think..
got a fair few years' worth to store!

some crafting did get done at crop (I forgot to include them in the write up!)
 this page is part done (needs a title of some kind)

and so is this one - this is just the background (will need knocking back with some gesso so I can add a focal point of some kind)

this was the page I made for everyone to sign - carefully checking with Jo on her list so I didn't miss anyone!  If anyone wants a copy of it for a memento, feel free to copy it off the blog.  Just realised I haven't added the date, will do that right now!

couple of close ups (as this post is now very long indeed!)

oh, and if you were wondering... yes I did go to Kew on Monday!  got to get my weekly fix in somehow!  Pics here...https://photosbyh.blogspot.com/2019/06/when-you-miss-saturday-at-kew.html
although I know several of you have been to have a look.

the WOYWW 10th anniversary crop

I know Jan posted her pics yesterday but I got home from Margaret's in Wales at 3 (about an hour ago) and here I am posting mine! (watching the recording of the Liverpool win in the Champions League final whilst I do...)

 I travelled with Margaret, Mrs D (Chris) and Camilla (pictured)  from Rhos on Sea, through some fabulous Welsh scenery (separate post on the "other" blog to follow)

bagged a table and went to get tea and cake.. start as you  mean to go on.

 Sarah came to join us on our table, and it was great to see different people some of whom I'd not met before at earlier crops, this is the first one I'd made on it's journey into Wales.


Sarah and I had a good natter about football

 Mrs D proving it is possible to craft one-handed

 before I settled down to crafting I wandered round for some random shots!

Christine in her fab pink hair is hard to miss and PJ had his train with him

 Margaret, Caro and Annie (Wipso) chatting away as atcs are swapped

 Anne (Copper Beech Craft) Jo (Twiglet) and Neet with her back to me

time to get crafting  chatting

Caro was a newbie to the crop and it was so nice to sit and chat with her too

 Mrs D and Margaret - she was edging a crochet'd blanket and feeling rather warm under it!

 Margaret chatting to Jan (LLJ) who was on photo duty, she did a grand job as you'll have seen

Caro getting down to crafting

 lunchtime already!  we'd barely demolished any of the cake by then,  but what a spread Jo and Annie put on.

Shaz deciding what to have..

 lovely to see Chris (PearshapedChris) who turned up during the proceedings, was lovely to see her again.  she's having a good catch up with Margaret.

 the girls put on a photo booth this time... had to get Gordon and Doug in costume!

 after lunch I went for another wander... Catriona (another newbie) talking to Jo, Wipso is talking to Elizabeth (Silverscrapper and the EM) who'd driven down from Scotland (so had Catriona) - great dedication to the cause!

 Zsuzsa managed to pop in for a little while, it was lovely she could make it - here she is talking to Christine.

Neet taking pics on her tablet whilst Heather is examining some atcs

 Jo and Annie made a fabulous banner... now, who's going to host next year?

 getting ready for the obligatory group shot...No, Julia, you're the wrong side of the camera...

  thanks to Doug who took most of the photos for everyone whilst Gordon was doing the "official" ones for Jan

l to r top row.. Shaz, Christine, Chris, Sarah, Camilla, Zsuzsa, Annie,  Heather, Jo, Margaret, PJ (hiding behind) Anne, Caro, Elizabeth Neet and Catriona    (edited the list sorry Annie! )

seated - me, Mrs D, Julia, Jan, Dolores and Maggie C

 one two three smile!

 finally everyone's phone or camera had been used... back to cake/crafting!

 as it was the 10th birthday the girls had a surprise - Prosecco for a toast and a special cake (cos we hadn't eaten enough yet)


Jan ended up with two!  as you do...
Cheers!

 Jo made a lovely speech which was lovely but Julia, do you have something in your eye, lol!!

every word was heartfelt and much deserved!

 Chief photographer snapping the cake...
it was worse than a wedding!

 go on Julia, stab it!

 of course the Queen of Desks had to have a tiara on her cake!

 then it was time for a little pressie....

 Snoop Queen, WOYWW 10 in case you can't read it fully

 Cheers!!!   Julia gets the right of reply!

 photographing the photographers...

 Queen Julia has been crowned

 Shaz and Zsuzsa





all too soon it was time to pack up..

I am sure the boot of Margaret's car wasn't this full a few hours earlier!!

here is the link to the scenic bit!