WOYWW 865 - the New Year Edition!

 Happy WOYWW to you all. I hope you managed to have a happy Christmas. Mine was very quiet. 

I had a couple of gifts to open on Christmas morning (didn't get to see my brother until Sunday) - some perfume from Monica and a notepaper block from my cousin

I had a large roast beef dinner...

then on Monday I had to make space for the man from Virgin to get behind the tv to replace the modem on the computer as they told me it was very outdated..  luckily he arrived early (9) and it was soon all back in place.  You should have seen the dust... oops.  I threw out some dried up ink pads I found whilst there too...

My amaryllis is growing well and about to flower

my fabric tree on the window sill.  

I met up with Kim at Kew on Saturday (27th)  for the regular Saturday trip... it was beautifully sunny again. 

the witch hazel is out in the winter garden so another bright spot of colour. 

there are signs of daffodils in shady spots already coming through too,  so Spring is coming!

I was watching You Tube in bed on Christmas Eve and saw a fabulous Stencil Girl stencil which I ordered from Stampers Grove - not expecting it to be despatched until New Year - but found it on the door mat when i got home from Richard's on Sunday (Royal Mail working overtime!)

so had a play in the ledger journal 

3 rows of different sized people - didn't use the smallest row

(there may have been one or 2 other things in the parcel... )

I am off again today to Kew for my bonus in between trip - we are back to work on Friday to ease us back in gently before next week fully back - so my visits to you will probably be later. (watch out for the Kew pics too later)

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year and much good health and happiness for 2026... 

WOYWW 864 - the Christmas edition

 Welcome to those of you that have time on one of the busiest days of the year (if you're hosting Christmas or travelling to visit...)  it's WOYWW again with Sarah and the gang at The Craft Shed 

A couple of weeks ago Sarah suggested we share a card to the group here as not everyone sends cards in the post...so here is mine.  I have been lucky enough to receive quite a few cards and so to those of you who did send one, thank you!   Sending lots of love to Neet especially.  

as usual my designs this year were simple, and flat, and non glittered (not for any environmental reasons, I did intend to go back over them and add some, but my glitter glues were dried up and then I ran out of time... ) 

I haven't done any crafting this week - unless you count wrapping up the few gifts I give.  

it seems a bit out of focus, sorry!!  oh, no look, I did craft, I stamped the tags for the gifts!!  

Kew last Saturday was, once again, sunny!  2 in a row... made a lovely change 

the dogwoods in the winter garden were amazing 

there were loads of gulls, 

and they were very noisy!

I am writing this on Tuesday evening, not long after getting in from work - we're finished now until 2 January (Monica decided we wouldn't open tomorrow morning after all)  and it feels like Friday... there's no chance of me knowing what day it will be when I go back to work..!  

Wishing you all a very happy, peaceful, food and drink filled (if that's your bag)  Christmas with family, friends, or your own company as I am (hurrah, totally able to please myself!) and hoping that 2026 brings good health and fortune to all.  See you on the other side!

WOYWW 812 It's Chrisssstmmmaaaaaassssss!

 I'm getting this ready early as I am off to my brother's for the day so I'll be round to visit over the next day or so ...  

I did a fresh food (salad) run to M&S early on Christmas Eve morning (though didn't get there for opening at 6 am!) but I was home by 8.30  so had the rest of the day to myself.  Time for Christmas TV and Carol's from King's which I never miss. 

Wishing all deskers a very Happy Christmas WOYWW....  

I still don't have room for a Christmas tree, but do have wide window sills, so decorate them each year - this is part of my living room one.  the card at the front is from Kim, it's  like a snow globe, very clever. 

so my desk... 

not much any more  but this was after the wrapping session... 

they're now in a bag ready to go with me...

I'm  hoping to get an extra visit in to Kew whilst I am off work (not back till 2 January, and we finished early on Monday so it's going to be a nice break.

This is the link for last Saturday when it was grey and dreary...

oh... baubles!!  

the dogwood in the Winter Garden was gorgeous though

see you all next year - hopefully 2025 will be happy and healthy for everyone, and if anyone has the pause app to slow time down a bit that would be helpful!  Happy Christmas One and All !  

WOYWW 800

Welcome to WOYWW - week 800.  what a milestone!   Sarah asked us to share the week we first joined in with this desk-filled fun... I had trouble searching back but found a post from February 2010 which I think is  when i first joined in  back in the early ish days at Julia's .  Not a lot has changed  - still working on the floor, still buying lots of stuff!  

I found an earlier week from 27 January 2010 when I commented but couldn't link due to not having gone digital so that was my first week almost joining in!   We are so lucky these days to have the linky tool, it makes it so much easier!  Thank you to Julia for starting this fun, and Sarah for taking it over. 

This week I have...... made a start on backgrounds for Christmas cards... yes, really!  

first off I went for a painted background and stamped images (Tim Holtz stamps, a rare outing these days) 

and then I went back to my more usual masterboard style.  

I think the snowflake shape was a Paperartsy stamp and the yellow swirly things are an Inkadinkadoo Christmas set 

it wouldn't be me on a WOYWW especially for a big week special, if there weren't new stuff to share... from last week's Paperartsy release week.

restrained I think!  the ledger patterned tissue was a must have and so were the new Mattints (not paints, matte tints,  glazes)  brings their numbers to 12 now I think.  

and some new Seth Apter mini stamps.

and finally... Kew.  

it was as you know the last 8am entry till next May - the only thing going for that is a bit of extra sleep and not waking at 5 to leave at 6... 

it was a glorious day, sunny, (cold to start but warmed up) and Kim and I had great fun... all the photos on the link above (lots!) here's a taster.

there was a touch of grass frost but amazing shadows... 

 

we couldn't resist having fun one last time with the sculptures.  Marc Quinn, you have been a blast at Kew this summer!

Till next week, happy WOYWW and happy crafting. 

WOYWW 760 -Christmas

 Happy WOYWW fellow deskers, I hope you enjoyed your Christmas celebrations and if they are continuing, I hope they are remaining so.  

I went to my brother's for the day and we had lots of food and drink, none of which I had to prepare (even better!)   Since I came home on Boxing Day I have cooked my own roast dinner and am looking forward to leftovers! .  

there was a pretty tree

gift opening 

Richard got a good flame going on the pudding 

he used quite a lot of brandy!

I had some nice presents,  chocolates, a book I'd seen that I thought would be interesting and a gift voucher and the calendar from my  boss.

Needless to say no crafting has been done since last week!

I am hoping if the weather remains decent, to visit the Tower in London and check out their Christmas celebrations. 

In the meantime, Happy WOYWW and wishing you all the best for the New Year.  

WOYWW 750

 Another week has gone in a flash and it's time again for WOYWW.  

 

I did stamp out some Christmas sentiments for trimming and adding to the images from last week - once I cut them down!

I decided to do some in coloured ink to tone with the colours in the masterboards that I'll be cutting up, although mostly I stamped in black. 

I also started playing in the small kraft journal 

I cut some circles from a sheet of collage tissue (Dina Wakley)

and added some neon to them - the orange and pink are the paints and the yellow is the gloss, because I couldn't get the yellow paint out of the bottle and couldn't be bothered to go and find a pin to clear the nozzle.

I've been too tired after work since to add to the page. 

Saturday's trip to Kew was chilly - it's definitely autumn now, but at least it was sunny (this weekend will be chilly and wet and no hint of sun at all!)

the colours are really developing in the trees. 

the lake was especially beautiful  

Hope you are all well, I will be round to catch up with your crafty spaces soon. 

WOYWW 708

 Happy WOYWW everyone, (at least I think it's Wednesday and I think there'll be a WOYWW!)   I hope you enjoyed your Christmas.   

I don't have a desk to share today so I'll add a few photos from Christmas at my brother's.  

there were lots of presents under the tree - they took a long time to open as it is always one at a time rather than a free-for-all   

my niece likes to spread out present time!!

my brother opening one in between cooking dinner

the table was smartly laid - Christmas at my brother's is about the only time I eat at a table these days (can't get to my dining room table)

my niece and my SIL on either side at the front, my SIL's mum and dad and my nephew on the right.

brother is taking another photo at the same time...

I had rather an uncomfortable night on the air bed on the floor.... hence only staying one night (but my brother was driving his in-laws home today 

so wouldn't have been able to bring me home then too)

I had some lovely gifts, (plus a bottle of wine from my nephew which is missing from the photo)

the handbag is from my boss, the colouring book from someone at work at the rest from my brother and fmily.

Tuesday I went to Kew, pretending it was Saturday and confusing Julia, sorry!  

I'm hoping to get some time to craft today - I have to wait in for a new lens for my camera as when I got to Kew and tried to take the first photo, the auto-focus wouldn't work, and I could only take photos on manual mode.  Luckily although the camera is now several years old, the lens is still available and good old Amazon will deliver today! 

  I should at least be able to get to visit you all in a timely fashion and in the meantime will wish you a Happy New Year .  Wonder if 2023 will flash by as fast as 2022 has done!  

WOYWW 656

 Hi one and all, and a happy nearly New Year to you all...  I hope you had a great Christmas and Sana brought you some good gifts.  It's time once more, and for the last time this year - to meet with Julia and our happy band of WOYWW deskers...

I bought some extra (battery operated) lights for the window at the top of my stairs 

this is in daylight 

a small but perfectly formed pile of Christmas gifts  - I spent the day at home just me,  as is quite normal - having seen my brother the day before to swap gifts.

there's a lovely soft grey jumper from my brother & sister in law (and some edible goodies) and the grey/yellow thing at the bottom is a scarf from Monica (with a gift voucher and the selfie stick cum tripod for the phone.  The bottles were from a couple of people at work - champage and a clementine gin liquer. 

I had half planned to go to Kew today but didn't - the weather forecast said there was a fairly high chance of rain (and it was windy)  which after I'd not got up and ready in time to go, didn't materialise. so of course I could have had a good walk in the fresh air. 

after spending another day lounging around and watching TV I played in my journal for the first time in quite a long time... It's not finished I don't think,  it needs some hand writing or something else on it and possibly a main focal point... we'll see!

There is more chance of rain for the rest of the week until Saturday so it looks as if I won't get to Kew mid week as well as Saturday, but never mind, I am enjoying some relaxing days and not getting up early.

Wishing you all a very happy New Year and stay safe - I really hope that we can stop having to say it soon (not that I don't still wish it)  but somehow I fear not....

I'm posting early as having just gone to visit Julia for the link, her post is already up.  

WOYWW 655

Welcome one and all, to the desk before Christmas....if Julia thought last week that time was hurtling - well now it has well and truly hurtled!  Time for one more desk hop before the big guy comes down the chimney...

Head to the Stamping-Ground for all the details. Of course since last week I have been super busy and creative.. er not !  I did some speed-buying of Christmas presents and even have them wrapped and ready.

well at least the tags are hand made!

as always I didn't get round to clearing enough space to decorate properly so did the same as most years and just decorated the living room window sill but it doesn't photograph very well 

but my Powertex angel looks festive in her lights!  

I've received lots of beautiful hand made cards -thank you to everyome who sent one - they're hanging in the hall and are even harder to photograph so I haven't!  

I had a morning at Kew last weekend of course,  with hardly any photos - this is the link - 

I can't give you holly, but I can ivy - in flower.

Unfortunately Kew aren't opening especially for me this coming Saturday (cheek!)  but I hope to get a visit in, during the break between Christmas and New Year, Covid willing!

I'd just like to wish you all a very Happy Christmas and healthy and creative New Year - see you soon!

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 551 - it's Christmaaaassssss!!!!

Well Happy Wednesday deskers and a very Merry Christmas to you all - there may be fewer of us gathering today but before we all get on with our Christmas duties, I'm sharing a quick desk for you....it may be Christmas but it is WOYWW too..

Firstly, 

a Christmas greeting for all of you, may the day be filled with sparkle and fun! I used a bit of the background I made for my brother's card - it can go in the box for next year !

Secondly,

some "almost" crafting got done when I was making a kind of tag/wallet thing for some money for my niece and nephew...(they are of an age when they appreciate hard cash for gifts from their auntie!   I stencilled one tag with distress oxide spray and used the leftover in the (very nearly full) journal.... Forgot to photograph the finished tag/wallets though... doh!

I am spending the day at my brother's with his wife and two (grown up) children and my sister in law's parents;  so will be having a busy old time. 

their gifts were wrapped at the weekend and are now packed ready to take when my brother collects me later (depending on what time you read this)   I had to use the hallway as there wasn't enough space in the living room so it was a bit dark

I know lots of you will be too busy to join Julia and the gang today, but for those that do, I hope you enjoy your Christmas!