WOYWW 490

Happy WOYWW again - the day we meet at Julia's and share our crafty spaces.

Trouble is, nothing has happened here since last week!  I can't share my untouched Christmas cards again but I couldn't bear not to join in as I haven't missed a week in years.

so, time to 'fess up, a staged desk!  well, a staged floor....

 a journal page I did for the France Papillon challenge (I must be 8 weeks behind at least) and I haven't done any for ages now, not even a single layer .   (and I can't even remember if I already shared this...but it's the last one that is finished!)

this was a week where the prompt was 'my ideal day'  which, you won't be surprised to hear, featured Kew Gardens (for last Saturday's visit see here)  My reference to emergency party shopping the previous week intrigued some of you... accessorising for a dress to wear to a party at my boss's last Saturday - so no, Jan, no thigh high boots!   but I still managed a few hours at Kew in the sunshine in the morning.   

oh, and the party was great - I amazed my work colleagues by dancing (badly, have no sense of rhythm - I'd be rubbish on Strictly!) for most of the evening, 

so, my staged desk.  hopefully next week, something else will have happened to share properly! 

Neet wanted to see a pic of the new party dress... well it's about 20 (at least ) years old  and only a poor selfie as there is no-one to take one of me here...

WOYWW 487 - back to work

So my time off work has come to an end and I am back to work today... had a great few days though, some glorious warm sunshine and lots of photos - couple of trips to Kew (here and here) , one to London and one to Hampton Court..    Somehow we have found ourselves in October... how did that happen?! 

time quickly to share a floor space for WOYWW  with Julia and the gang
I didn't go out anywhere on Tuesday to give my legs a rest (and the camera!)

 I got a few more layers done on a couple of the FB challenge for France Papillon..

this one is "pretty in pink"

and this one is "nobody said it was easy"

bit random on this one..


of course I didn't make a start on the dreaded Christmas cards (it was only a very vague idea, the weather was much too nice to stay in!)
guess I will have to soon though.

I'll visit as many desks as I can before work, the rest once I get home.

WOYWW 486

Welcome to another week of desks... Julia is hosting, as always - catch the link here 
I'll be late this week getting to your desks - and linking too, as I am off work for a week and taking an early trip to Kew today so unless Julia is really early, I will miss when the post goes live and have to catch up later.

but, you're here for a desk.. not that I have one of course; still working on the floor.

 the stencils I was waiting for last week arrived, and have been tested already... should have included the results... hang on I'll see if I can find them


(more stencils you say... yes. . what of it.... there can never be too many stencils) 

aerial shot of the tatty rug and my France Papillon journal (page doesn't really fit the theme but it's another one finished...)

here's the test of the harlequin stencil.  was only playing so it's not meant to be fabulous.



Anyhow, I will visit your desks when I can,
catch up later! 

WOYWW 484

I have poured over the photos from last weekend's crop - complete with surprise overseas guest!!  and am even more gutted to have not been able to go.  Jan posted about it here and there were various other reviews too.    But, it's time for another desk share.... not that there is anything really going on here...

in my most recent spending splurge, there is another order on the way!

 I haven't cracked on with anything much - but this the first couple of days layers on another of the France Papillon challenge... I forget which week and forget what the theme is!

so I can't leave you with just that.. I thought I would share the storage for my Paperartsy stamp collection.... although a couple of the boxes do have a few stamps from a couple of other companies (Carabelle mainly) these 4 boxes are all Paperartsy.. and as you can see there are extras on top that haven't yet been filed away!

I think you can safely say I am a Paperartsy fan!

but you knew that.




There was a visit to Kew on Saturday of course, when the crop was in full swing... pics (lots of pics!) here 


I am um-ing and ah-ing about going to Ally Pally craft show on Saturday (after a trip to Kew, obviously) - haven't quite decided yet.  If so, there may be extra new stuff to share next week!!  Til then, happy desking with Julia for WOYWW... 

WOYWW 483 - happy mail

Hurrah, lots of happy mail in fact!   Before I enable you though, let me tell you why you're here.. it's Wednesday, so it's WOYWW   (what's on your workdesk? wednesday)  week 483... brain child of our beloved leader Julia. 

so.  happy mail...

 this one arrived on Tuesday....
the Dina Wakley collage papers are mixed in the packets, the Dina stencil looks great in action (it's called ladders) - I saw it on you tube somewhere, it makes a fab background...  and I loved the Aall & Create one with the little squares..

they came from Artist Trading Post and I only ordered them on Sunday!


these ones arrived last week - the ones I was waiting for


the Dina stamps and the stencil came from That's Crafty and the paper dolls (Christmas edition) and trees from Country View Craft - Sue had a bank holiday weekend sale....

I finished another delayed  page for France's facebook group challenge.


this one was the one that was entitled "self talk" or how do you talk to yourself...
and was from week 30.  we're on week 36 now.. so I have a few to catch up on (although I've done week 31, that I shared last week)

Don't blame me if you now go shopping...!  enjoy your WOYWW.. 

WOYWW 480

Well that week went as fast as all the others... so it's time for WOYWW  again..
still haven't heard from Oyster Stamps about  my Oxides so they are still missing in action...
Couple of other orders are on the way... so also missing in action!

 couple of first layers on some more spreads for the France Papillon ALAD/ASAW challenge..

this one is from about 4 weeks ago...

theme "self talk....  they way you talk to yourself"    bit deep for me so may just play on this one!

and this is from the next week.
theme " a bright idea"  should be a bit easier..

but right now,
not a clue where either of them are going






the trouble with August galloping away as it is, and with me prepping my post on a Tuesday evening, means that already the light is going earlier than I like, luckily I took these the other day when I was uploading them to the facebook group.
Hopefully (here we go again) next week I'll have some more crafting to share and new goodies too!
For now, I'll point you at Julia's for the link to the best blog hop there is.

WOYWW 479

Hello and happy Wednesday again!!  Can't quite believe it's time for another desk share... not a lot has changed since last week.

It is finally meant to be becoming less intensely hot... a little more bearable this evening (although I still have a fan on wafting the hot air about and it is warm and muggy this Tuesday evening as I write this )   and we are meant to get heavy rain here overnight...    It was so hot at Kew again on Saturday I only stayed a couple of hours (pics here again!)

so last week I shared this journal page for France's ALAD/ASAW challenge - the splatters did make an appearance eventually

 the following spread for the next week's prompt "what makes your heart bounce"
also got finished.

Kew, of course...  I have used Kew as inspiration before for a prompt I think, but heck, so what!!

and week 29 theme - still in progress- is geometry and numbers.

no idea at all where this page is going.

It has about another 3 layers to go (given that it's a layer a day, a spread a week, in case you weren't sure of the ALAD/ASAW thing ...)

plenty of texture here so far - crackle paste, thick gesso (the white circles) and clear gel (you may not be able to see those circles!)
I am now only (only!) 3 weeks behind after this one...

I am still waiting for my new Oxide inks (the third and fourth sets, ordered all together) and I really hope they come soon! 
Hoping that you are enjoying some cooler weather too... can't wait for it personally... till then - go visit some desks at Julia's The Stamping-Ground for WOYWW...

WOYWW 478

Happy Wednesday once again.   time to re-group for desks with Julia at WOYWW   -    Since we last met, we've had some rain and some blissfully cooler, more normal summer temperatures... and I've been trying to catch up with a few of my layers for ALAD/ASAW for France Papillon's facebook group... I am about 5 weeks behind oops...

this one is more or less finished, I might add one final layer (splatters, can't beat splatters!) and then I'll share it with the group. 
the theme for this week was "message to the world" - part of the reason I fell so far behind (apart from the awful heat) was not knowing what to do .... I was rummaging through my stencils when i came across this one by Stencil Girl that I've had ages and not used.   so my message to the world, is Art is Good For You!  It was good to get painty again, shame the forecast here is set to hot up again into the low 30s by the weekend..

to save this being the shortest ever desk post, here's a couple of my favourite pics from last weekend's trip to Kew!    more here

 yes, those are rain drops! 

thanks for stopping by, have a great week.

WOYWW 476

Well, what a surprise, it's Wednesday again and time for another desk share post for WOYWW.. and still no post since last week's! 

There isn't a lot going on either (done some shopping, orders in transit ... well one is, one is pre-order) but I did manage to finish the neon journal page

(must put away my birthday cards soon... the pile on top of the ink pads to left of craft mat)

close up


the words are some under-used Remnant RubOns of Tim Holtz...





I am 3 weeks behind on this challenge, so much for A Layer A Day/A Spread A Week...so I am trying to work on all 3 of the next spreads at once!

still, the World Cup is over, Wimbledon is over.... heatwave seems to be abating even if temporarily, so maybe things will get going again...

and I'll soon have more new toys to play with, that must be worth catching up for/with!

No trip to Kew this coming weekend, I am going to York on Friday for a few days, for a get together with some friends.. so different places to photograph!   I love York, so am looking forward to that.
Last week's Kew post is here though! 

WOYWW 474

Come on England.....
sorry,  I mean welcome to another WOYWW (writing this watching the World Cup on Tuesday night.)

journal page on the mat is last week's so far unfinished ALAD/ASAW page.. using my birthday neon paints...  loving them!  I will be toning down the page soon...

in the wicker basket below and left of the tv is the empty Kew gin box... obviously the bottle is in the fridge, that isn't empty yet!!  I love the box, it is very pretty and will be using it somehow for something... I have sampled the gin, it is very nice!
Wishing my American friends a very happy 4th of July.   Catch you at a desk near here very soon...

edited after the end of the game... woo hoo England won a penalty shoot out...
Plans for the weekend have now changed, was going to the Hampton Court Flower Show on Saturday but that's when we play next, so will go on Sunday so I can watch... and may, just may, squeeze in a quick trip to Kew on Saturday morning...   Happy days! 

WOYWW 471 - not a lot..

Well, yet again, it's Wednesday... time for WOYWW  again! 
I've not been doing much lately, desks come and go and there is very little new crafting...
I am trying to keep up with the Facebook group challenge with France Papillon... week 24 nearly half way through the year; nearly half way through June - flip!! 

 I am determined to keep going, though

this week's prompt is "what is holding you back"

I find it hard to interpret some of the prompts, I'd much rather be told to use blue or green or die cuts or something but it does make you think a bit...









thought you might like a bit of a close up too, I haven't been doing that for you with the ALAD/ASAW challenges

trying to get lots of texture on this week's spread.

we've had some nice skies the last few days - this was Monday night, but I've not been taking them on the camera and can't transfer them from the phone easily; but I took this one to see how different the colour is on phone to camera - much more realistic on the camera!


I missed the one tonight (writing this Tuesday as always)



Will be heading back to Kew on Saturday - I miss the weekends I don't go, but don't miss the very early waking to get there for 8, so last week was a nice treat! 
Have a great day! 

WOYWW 470

Wednesday again!  time for another round of desk sharing.. it's WOYWW time .
I have an apology to make to Jo and Annie because I posted their atcs to Jo's old address... she assures me they will get forwarded eventually!  I really hope so..and have updated my address book!  What a complete numpty... 

I was surprised and delighted to receive another atc during the week, from Christine (Bishopsmate)

 isn't it wonderful?!

It's sitting on my latest ALAD spread for France Papillon's challenge (A Layer A Day)  which this week is "practice" 
I haven't progressed it because I can't decide what I'm practicing!

this is last week's spread.

"Beautiful Memory"

flowers... colour....

could only be one place really!






Talking of which, my last visit (resulting in another 440 photos...) can be seen here  
You - and my feet - and the camera  - get a break this weekend as I have a hair appointment.
Have a great week and happy desking! 

WOYWW 466 - still no atcs..

Welcome to another desk.. well, floor space...  as you may have gathered from the title, I still haven't done anything about atcs for the anniversary that is fast approaching..
Anniversary? WOYWW, week 466... just two weeks to the 9th anniversary of this desk sharing fun we have each Wednesday.. all the details are here  

I have several excuses... Bank Holiday weekend in the UK.  For once, (here anyway) it was HOT and DRY and SUNNY.... Spent a long time at Kew on Saturday (440 photos... didn't put them all on the blog! )
Had a birthday card to make (can't share yet) 
Had to cut the grass
Faffed about and generally forgot about atcs..

Take your pick! 

 been working on another journal page...

 finished last week's ALAD challenge for France Papillon's facebook group..

 I CAN share some birthday cards as both have been received..


backgrounds on tissue paper using my favourite masterboard style

needed to keep this one flat, for posting

 but could go a bit made with the height on this one as it was going in a parcel that was already bulky..

ok, better see if I can think of a theme for an atc or two....

Have a great Wednesday



In case you don't have time (or the inclination) to read the Kew post here's just one for you!

the newly re-opened restored Temperate House

magnificent inside and out.

WOYWW 460

Wow, another Wednesday already!  Time to gather at Julia's again for WOYWW ..

 I am hiding my latest week's spread for ALAD/ASAW (France Papillon's A layer a day, a spread a week) FB challenge)  under some MORE new goodies!!

more stencils, and some more stamps...

oh ok, then. here's the spread up to day 3...
1. paint.   2. leaves stencilled.  3.  stamping



can't tell you what is coming next... it's a secret...

this week's prompt is "secret garden" 

I know what I want to do but my final layer that I am practising isn't going to plan so far...


so time to leave you to head on to the next desk... happy WOYWW!!

France Papillon FB challenge - week 10 - Broken

Although I've still been playing along with France's FB challenge, I haven't got round to blogging one of my spreads for a while.

However, this week, the theme was Broken; with no other prompts or hints... to be interpreted anyway we fancied.  

Just because it was new, I started with painting the page in Fresco paint shade Sargasso.

I didn't take any step by step photos of each day's layer on my camera, so we'll go straight to the finished page:

and then I'll talk you through  what I did.

Day 2, layer 2 was the brick wall - using fibre paste (mine is by Golden) - used bits of the stencil so the wall looks broken... 

 next I added some stamping - a stamp from a new set for Paperartsy by Emma Godfrey, inspired by her love of Portugal.
It's a kind of crazy paving effect and I stamped it without an acrylic block (broken stamping!)

 I added some hearts and coloured them red.


My main focal point was a stencilled heart - I took a piece of Tim Holtz tissue wrap and a Stencil Girl heart stencil, and Deco Art crackle paste.

As the paste dried overnight, it caused the tissue to crinkle and the paste cracked - never mind crackle!

 I tore the heart in two - do you see where I'm going- broken hearted!

as I tore the tissue, little bits of crackle fell off, and I decided to stick them in the middle of the page

I stamped a border at the top of the page and the word broken on a piece of card (Tim Holtz foam alphabet stamps), and stuck as shown


close up of the cracked crackle paste

I've had to seal it with clear gesso as the pieces were still falling off and I realised I wouldn't be able to close my book (heaven knows what will happen when I do something on the next page!)

however, I really like this page and am very happy how it came out - especially as after layer 2 I had no idea what was happening next! 

ALAD/ASAW - week 5 - Darkness has it's beauty

Hi, still keeping up with the fabulous daily/weekly challenge for France Papillon's FB prompt.
This week, the prompt was "Darkness has it's beauty" and you could either go darkness as mood, or darkness as colour.

I kind of went the colour route.

 I started over my gesso'd background with Izink pigment ink, (colour is Iris, a beautiful deep rich blue) applied from the pipette across the middle of the page - I dripped it up and down a little, and then dragged the ink with the pipette

 to create slightly longer streaks of colour.
I did this stage last Saturday evening after watching Casualty (a hospital drama in the UK if you don't know) - I think it looks like a heart monitor! 

 next day, layer two,   I added some die cut claw marks - a Tim Holtz die that I hadn't used before (personal 2018 challenge, use stuff - tick!)

and laid them across the inky streaks

 day 3, layer 3.   A bit of an in-joke with my friend Lesley here, as she has lost her sari ribbon and we'd been talking about where it might be.


I dug mine out and rippled it (stapling with Tim Holtz tiny attacher) and glued it to the middle of my page.

the matte medium I used to attach it took a while to dry, and has lightened some of the blue bits of the ribbon.  but I quite like it...

Day 4, layer 4, Stampotique image, stamped on cardstock and coloured with blue and purple Stabilo felt pens

Fixed him with 3d pop dots to sit on the ribbon.

 Day 5, layer 5 - I mixed some Midnight Fresco paint (Paperartsy) with 3d matte gel, and applied it through a stencil (mini tile texture, by the Crafters Workshop)

Day 6 layer 6. 
day 6 was originally going to be text but I decided the pages needed bordering (Cobalt and Black archival inks, and Faded Jeans distress oxide) so I did that first, with a blending tool.


Must have been a very old piece of foam on the blending tool as it disintegrated on me, and had to be replaced!

 day 7, layer 7
my text, my page title.

a quote from Alison Bomber set EAB02 for Paperartsy

stamped and layered on black card and cut into individual lines

 and placed on the page

it reads
I wish I could show you
when you are lonely
or in darkness
the astonishing light
of your own being

fabulous quote!

I really love this page and hope you do too!

looking forward to the next prompt tomorrow