WOYWW 604

 Good morning and welcome to the final WOYWW of 2020 (thank goodness 2020 is over!)  WOYWW is the brainchild of Julia at the Stamping-Ground    I can't say I will be sorry to see 2020 come to an end, although it doesn't look as if 2021 is going to start off much better with COVID numbers shooting up again here.  

I hope you all had a happy Christmas and were able to spend it - if not exactly how you wanted - doing what you wanted!  For me, that was a lovely roast dinner (for one)  and lots of tv. 

I had a small pile of gifts to open...

which I meant to re-photograph in daylight but forgot

the box just off shot to the left is a bath/shower set (part of the gift from my boss Monica, with the pashmina/scarf  and a gift voucher ) and the box on right  holds a stencil and some mixed media "souffle" texture paste; from my sister in law and brother

I've intended to do lots of crafting over the holidays - I am off work until next Monday - but not got a lot of it done yet..

but I've added some stencilling over the A4 journal page I shared a couple of weeks ago when I played with some of the gloss paint sprays

the stencil is Dina's too...

and my smaller, normal journal - a mix of Dina stamps and stencils and some added Paperartsy leafy stamps (in the dark green) 

I may not get to link quite as early this week as I've been enjoying lying in and not waking as early as normal but will have plenty of time to visit your desks during the day. (I'm writing this and scheduling as normal on Tuesday night)

WOYWW 603 - it's Chriiiiiisssssstmaaaaaasssssss

 Well, nearly!  A very unusual Christmas for everyone this year, obviously, and those of us in Tier 4 means no mixing except for people in your "bubble"  but I don't really have a bubble (apart from socially distanced covid safe work colleagues)  so it will be Christmas at home for me.  Not that that is all that unusual, I often do it after all.  

but before we get on to that, time for our final WOYWW before the big day!  

I don't have any crafting to share this week - unless you count some wrapped Christmas presents!  Luckily, I decided to get out early on Saturday morning to buy the few gifts I needed - thank goodness I didn't leave it till Sunday or I'd have been reduced to wrapping vegetables from the supermarket after the announcement of tier 4 and the shutting of non essential shops.

so Sunday morning saw me wrapping said presents...

you can see what a small space I had - good thing the gifts were small in size and number!  (my space I kneel to craft in...)  

I hope to be able to at least swap gifts with my brother before Friday even if it means just a brief chat on the doorstep! 

I have said before that I don't have room for a Christmas tree - well I sort of do, a tiny tree with lights on the tips of the branches, on my hall window cill overlooking the street (that's the lights further back, outside lights from along the road.)

I finish work today (Wednesday) until 4th January, a nice long break - would be better if I could go to Kew as I had intended, a couple of times, but whilst they remain open I will forego my time slots and follow the rules to stay home where possible.

I hope that most people will also follow the rules and not mix in larger numbers than allowed, or travel too far, or we'll never get out of this mess!

Wishing you all as happy a Christmas as you can this year - and hopefully next year we will be better placed to celebrate .  Happy WOYWW!  

WOYWW 602

 Time is flying, and it is  Wednesday again - time for WOYWW  when we share our crafty spaces.... not that there is much happening here.  

I finally got my list written for this year's cards and on Sunday morning I got them written...

in bed!  laid out on the duvet  (them, not me)

I really must put a cover on the second half of the duvet (it's one of those dual weight ones so you can mix and match and the lightweight summer bit is now pulled up too... but it should be in a cover really.

I went out on Sunday to post them so hopefully they're well on their way now.   The cards may be sent but there hasn't been a lot of present buying yet - running a wee bit late on that front... good job there aren't many, but I can't say I'm really in the mood this year.  

I spent a little while on Sunday testing out some of the gloss paint sprays I got last week - they take a bit of shaking to mix and there is at least one that doesn't seem to have a mixing ball, I've tried stirring it with a stick to loosen it,  but with no luck yet.

I'll give it another go soon (been too tired after work this week)

the colours are good though,  and the on the smaller journal is one of my new stencils (firework bursts) which I like.

(distress oxides for that)

I had a great morning at Kew last Saturday - was lovely to be back again, although now London has gone into tier 3 restrictions I don't know if I'll take up my time slot this week - although as I come under tier 3 here anyway, I am allowed to travel there... will see  how it goes.  The photos are here  

what a colour these callicarpa berries are!

Happy WOYWW to you - I'll catch up with your crafty spaces soon.  

WOYWW 601

 Well Saturday was a lot of fun hanging out on Zoom with fellow WIYWWers,  Good to see so many of you there!  

Unlike a normal crop though I didn't just eat cake and had to make my own coffee!  I know, shocking!

my set up for the morning made my  knees ache even more than normal when working on the floor

as i had to keep kneeling up to be seen!  

(I'm second in on the top row) 

In the afternoon I did clear a basket of "stuff" and put the computer a bit lower down, but it still wasn't very good - the lead didn't reach any further though

I got quite a few more Christmas cards made and carried on crafting before the afternoon session, when I took to my journal

my pile of cards (teetering on the basket I moved for the afternoon..)  now comes the writing and posting!  

I have started to receive some lovely cards so must get them on the way.

this is the journal page I started in the afternoon

now, enabling... 

the goodies that I had hoped would arrive before Saturday..

these came on Tuesday (today as I am writing)

and these on Monday to work 

hoping to have a play with them this coming weekend..

although I have got a time slot at Kew so will be going there on Saturday morning

Right, had better stop,  taken up too much of your time

head to Julia's for the link for the desk hop - see you soon! 

WOYWW 600

 so we finally made it to week 600 - a huge number for this desk sharing blog hop.  All the information and link you need is here - the  stamping-ground  Julia will look after you!

I was reading Julia's post yesterday about WOYWW  and Robyn's comment about finding all the trades over the years.  Well, I've not done that but I have found :

one year we encouraged each other to incorporate the logo - I printed off the then badge from Julia's blog and it's still wrapped round a pen pot (well scissors and tools)

I also still have the easel Mr Dunnit made to help us display all our projects... mine lives on the table my tv sits on and yes, Julia I still have your note that came with it  - and some badges Julia's made us over the years.

So 11 and a bit years since I started,  and I am still crafting on the floor - yes, really, and yes, my knees and feet do suffer a bit for it but I've not got round to organising a  work desk yet... a bit like I haven't got round to tidying or re-organising my supplies!  

 On my "desk" this week... 

another journal page from the weekend - I needed a break from Christmas cards, didn't get as many made this weekend as last... 

Still hooked on Dina Wakley products - have 2 separate orders I'm waiting for (I had hoped one may arrive on Tuesday but no doubt it will be Wednesday after this is posted so you'll have to wait for next week - or possibly Saturday!)

a wider view from the doorway. all a bit cramped but it's what I am used to!

on the top of the towering pile in the basket are my Christmas cards - a few different designs last time. 

So that's me this week, I'll catch your desks soon as I can and to Julia - happy 600 and thanks for everything!

WOYWW 599

 you know what they say,  blink! and it's Wednesday... time for WOYWW week 599  nearly time for our 600th celebration.

Don't know what WOYWW is?  where have you been!  Julia will tell you all about it here  

So, desk sharing day.  A bit of a cobble together today...

Sunday I set to and made another batch of Christmas cards - quick and simple,  several of each to make them quicker still... and got 20 done in total so there is a reasonably satisfying pile...

(there were a few left over from last year, which helps!)

After all that industry it was time for play!

I added some more layers to the loose journal page I'd been playing with last week

which I managed to forget to photograph before I cut it to fit the journal!

the white circles are a Stencil Girl stencil I've had ages but never used before.

I added it to the journal with strong double sided tape and added some stamped images (Dina Wakley) stamped on tissue so they'd glue well to the pages

Obviously (or it wouldn't be me) it's not finished - needs some words of wisdom still

and finally - some enabling!  

I liked the look of the new Distress ink colour so bought it in Oxide and Distress spray and yay!  crackle paint (would have got crackle paste too/instead of  but it was sold out)

and I couldn't resist a couple more of the Dina Wakley paints.

So, that's me this week... can't wait to see what you've all been up to, will come visit soon.

WOYWW 598

 I can't believe we're here again for another week's WOYWW  - week 598 .  Nearly time for the week 600 virtual crop.  (note to self... download Zoom and check you can use it...)  

Had a bit of a weird weekend, had something on my mind and Saturday I couldn't settle to anything - would have loved a walk at Kew!  But Sunday I pulled myself together and -   shock!  started some Christmas cards!!

Of course it's only the fronts done, no insides stamped (and some of them may need inserts this year (I never ever do inserts) as the base layers are a bit dark for writing on)

however, it's a start

I also dug out some embossing powder, which I haven't used for years, to find it not working - although it turned out it was largely the cardstock I was using that was to blame

I did find my Paperartsy smoothy card worked fine though

Needless to say I soon got bored and had to swap to journalling... I'd watched a lot of You Tube on Saturday and had a play on a loose piece of mixed media paper (from Cass Art, I love this paper it takes all sorts of wet media.  

the actual page is a little darker in reality and will probably need a little bit of gesso or something to lighten it back up a tad.  I've used my  Dina Wakley paints, which I  haven't had long and love already and want more colours, although of course I have hundreds of different paints.... but hey ho!

Anyhow, this is just a start and I will probably add some more stencilling and some of Dina's figure stamps.  Watch this space!  

Happy Wednesday and I'll come visiting later.  

Hope you are all staying safe and surviving whatever level of lockdown or restrictions you're subject to.  

WOYWW 597

 Morning deskers, we find ourselves at Wednesday once again  and time for another WOYWW  - check the details  here 

I still haven't ordered the crackle paste so there is no enabling this week and precious little else either...

A journal page with some of the new Dina Wakley stamps but nothing to write home about.

No Kew last week (as you probably knew from the lack of facebook posts!)  I decided that as we are meant to be staying at home and not taking unessential travel (even the relatively short journey to Kew)  I would play by the rules.  So let's hope it really is only for 4 weeks till the beginning of December and I can visit again.  (although of course the first Saturday in December is our zoom crop - still have to download the app and test it!)  

So, there we are,  short and sweet !  Happy WOYWW  and I'll come visit your desks soon 

WOYWW 596

 Welcome to November... Desk day....  WOYWW  head for the Stamping-Ground and Julia will dish the dirt explain all.

No enabling today as I still haven't ordered my crackle paste I forgot to buy last week..

I did have a chance to have a bit of a play with a couple of the stencils though

I added some more of the flourish stencil to the journal page

and some stamping in the background

I took my ideas from a You-Tube video from Niamh Baly who uses a lot of Dina Wakley products and I love her work.

then I stencilled the "pretty as a peacock" girl on a sheet of Dina Wakley collage tissue (the one with the white words - this is from an old pack)

I used wilted violet and peacock feathers (obviously!) distress oxides

I absolutely LOVE they way this stencil comes out (Imay have to buy the bigger size too)

I very carefully stuck it to the journal page so as not to smudge the inks

quite fortuitously the tissue shows the word "perfect" in the middle of the girl's neck... not that it is a perfect page, but not bad for random placement of the stencil!  

I have some finishing off to do, but am really pleased with this page so far.

I'll be late visiting this week as I have a Dr's appointment at lunchtime so have to get back to Sutton from work and then back to work after the appointment so won't have time to do any visits then.  

Nearly forgot -  last week's Kew pics -   where I met an old friend.. 

and got quite wet!

Kew will be staying open during the new lockdown, but as we are only meant to be using transport for essential travel, not sure I will be able to keep going (though it is essential to my mental wellbeing to visit Kew so...)  

WOYWW 595

Time to assemble and report for desk duty once more.. Julia is waiting at the Stamping-Ground for us.. 

I had a little play with the crackling campfire ink pad over  some strips of collage tissue

over the tissue, I added a layer of gesso and then added some texture paste through the stencil of the faces. (stencil and tissue by Dina Wakley)

I did add some crackle paste before the faces but it's not crackled hence adding the faces.  I tried another pot of crackle paste... that had dried up....

I used the crackling campfire and picked raspberry distress oxides, spritzed with water and blotted.   Neet is right, she commented last week to say what a strong colour that orange is!  It's ok blotted off though. 

at that point I stopped,  will add more to it at some stage

Just before I went to bed on Sunday I put in an order with Stampers Grove for some more stencils (ok, so I have an addiction!)  having watched a lot of you tube videos on Sunday when I kept seeing stencils I liked... some of which I found available and some I haven't yet tracked down..

Anyhow, 10pm order submitted,  came home from work Tuesday to find...

the service from the Stampers Grove is really excellent!

and we all know, given how fast the weeks go, it will soon be the weekend and i may have time to play!

I was meant to be buying a new pot of crackle paste!!

No doubt that order will go in soon...

which just leaves me to leave you the link for Kew last Saturday - cloudy but wow the colours, I do urge you to check them out! 

Looking forward to your desks - no doubt you've all been busy making Christmas cards!  

WOYWW 594

 Another week, another desk share day... Wednesday is time for WOYWW  

I forgot to show you last week, the coaster that came from Jo's talented daughter Maxine, Tilly Tea Dance..based on one of her gorgeous sunflower designs and a pretty card with  note too.

I can't bring myself to use it yet !

There is enabling to be done, too.. 

the new Paperartsy stencils and (finally succumbed) to the new Distress oxide colours..

and another one by CraftersWorkshop, thrown in for good measure.  

I opened the leafy stencil you couldn't see last week, it;s actually a mask and stencil so you get positive and negative images

I had a quick play, (photo looks out of focus, not sure how. unless it's my eyes!)

was just trying it out, it's not meant to be anything fancy.

I think I'll use ink rather than paint next time.  

all the fronds on the leaves are quite delicate too, I can see it may tear easily if you apply paint or ink too roughly

Saturday was a Kew day of course - no sun, but no rain either (yay)  

the colours are getting better and better!

hopefully, London won't be put into more severe restrictions too soon so I can enjoy them as long as possible! 

thanks for visiting - I may be late getting back to you as work is insanely busy and I haven't been getting much of a lunch break this week 

WOYWW 593

 And here we are again.  Wednesday.  Which means the best day of the week (apart from Saturdays at Kew, sorry Julia) WOYWW  with Julia and the gang. 

I'm in enabling mode again today as my latest splurge goodies arrived...

2 more stencils and some stamps, plus a couple of stabilo all pencils (finally! been wanting these for ages)

the stencil you can't really see is a stencil and mask set - a leafy shape

I tried to take a close up 

but not sure you can see it still... you'll have to wait till I use it!

I added some more to the page from last week

in the hopes that adding to it would hide (in my eyes) the bit at the top I didn't like 

I used the faces stencil and the quote from one of the stamp sets as they seemed to go together

I also used a white posca paint pen to outline one of the sets of leaves stencilled 

I stamped one of the other images on the second page I'd started last week..  No I don't know where this page is going yet! 

I have yet another order placed too (in a bit of a spendy mood at present, can you tell!!)  hopefully that will be here for next week's desk share!

I'll leave you with the weekly link to Kew... no rain this week luckily - or very little.  Pics here   and a teaser or two

one of my favourite autumn views from Kew

and  some of several funghi patches I found on Saturday

I'm hoping for an equally enjoyable visit this Saturday coming

Making the most of it in case London joins other areas in the country under tighter COVID restrictions... if you find yourself unable to go out and mix with friends and family I feel for you.

WOYWW 592

 Morning deskers... that was a super fast soggy week!  

Once more it's Wednesday and time to share our crafty spaces with Julia... 

I managed to use some of the new stencils although I made a bit of a hash on the first page...

but it's only paint on a page and there's always next time...

the face is a piece of a previous purchase never used before, some of Dina Wakley's faces collage tissue.

the second play with the flourish stencil was more successful... 

I gave in and ordered some of Dina's new stamps from Art From the Heart and am waiting for them to send them ... hopefully will be hear for next week..

I spent a wet couple of hours at Kew on Saturday - in fact the rain wasn't as bad as I had expected (good job I didn't go Sunday.. a friend at work's husband was running the London virtual marathon in all that rain... )

but,even in the rain, Kew is beautiful!  

there is a new exhibition on called Paradise Lost by Dutch artist Jan Hendrix which I am going to spend more time exploring over the weeks to come..

I bought a scarf (I am addicted to Kew's scarves)  as a souvenir...

I am so tempted to buy another and hang it on the wall!

I'll catch you up and see what you've been creating soon ..