WOYWW 572 - happy birthday to us

We made it to another anniversary - who'd have thought when Julia started this weekly blog hop with a simple question - "What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday" that we'd still be meeting, sharing and enabling after 11 years - 572 weeks later!

We normally celebrate by swapping atcs but with the Covid 19 pandemic still rife, and causing havoc with daily life, Julia thought it best not to over-burden the postal services.  Instead she set a challenge - find and finish a project - a UFO or as some like to call them, an unfinished symphony.

Well I showed you a canvas I had a couple of Christmasses ago, that hadn't been touched.  I doubted that I would a) want to do it; b) start it or c) finish it....

Well ye (and me) of little faith...

I had some better photos saved on the computer but blogger won't add them!

That was Saturday afternoon - I used my Pitt Artist pens (indian ink)  which I love, and need some more colours!

Although I don't really enjoy colouring per se, I did have a couple of fun hours doing this, you were all right!











I was on a bit of a roll then and on Sunday had a play in my journal

for some reason blogger won't preview the photos that are stored in my google photos file but will actually add them - hopefully when I publish this you will be able to see them too!
I had hoped to add some more photos but can't persuade blogger to play  nicely so will leave it at that!

Happy WOYWW to us all and especial thanks  to Julia for keeping it going all this time, and to everyone who has taken part, shared desks (11 years on and I am STILL on the floor...)  and enabled* week by week...
*light bulb moment... I have enabling for you..

chickens!  I haven't used any of these yet - maybe by next week.
where was I...  thanks to the friendships, both real and virtual and the support and the encouragement

See you next week for the start of year 12! 

WOWW? 508 - WIP, that's what!

Amazingly, at the weekend after Kew on Saturday (glorious - check here - )   I, (much like Julia it seems)  spent some time on Sunday  morning pruning a couple of large shrubs in my garden (it is at the front of the maisonette, so meant to be kept neat... ahem!) and then I played...

So, for the first time in ages, for my WOYWW desk share, there is actual proper crafting!!

It is still only a WIP... needs lots doing to it but I'll share a couple of the in progress pics - that amazingly, I remembered to take as I went along...

 I started by sticking some pieces of cheesecloth to a canvas board with heavy gesso

 and then got out my Dylusions sprays that hadn't seen the light of day for a fair while...

 added more texture... torn book pages, and scraps of paper (using scraps, whatever next,  from the leftovers of diecuts cos you just can't throw them away can you...)


then added glass bead gel and some art stones

starting adding metal embellishments and some wooden flowers too...

added some more sprays - Lindy's this time... in the gorgeous colour that is Tibetan Poppy Teal and Bells of Ireland Green (way too much) 

and thought oh s&*t I've ruined it... but they dried lighter and some dry brushing with white acrylic paint helped


and there it sits... waiting the next layers..

needs more metal.. and some more stamping and text of some kind... but that is for another day and I have kept you far too long, Julia will be putting me on the naughty step!



Do try and check the Kew photos - there are some beauties.. let me tease you!

not bad for a phone pic, eh! 


sadly after a fabulous few days we are forecast rain on Saturday so the droplets may be rain rather than from a watering system!   

A fantastic couple of days away - workshops with Antonis Tzanidakis

Just got home from a few days staying at my friend Lin's in Poole, and a great couple of workshops organised by Brigitte of Let's Be Creative with the very talented and very funny Antonis Tzandikis in Rogate. 

Friday afternoon was an altered book. 

 we were each given a book and started cutting out our pages...

 the other attendees were all regulars at the  barn but we were both made to feel very welcome and were soon having a right laugh...

Antonis showing us the next steps...

 stencilled some paste on the insides

 which we painted a creamy white...

the centre of the aperture is a clay molded piece that Antonis prepared for each of us while we were cutting our pages

 mine and Lin's books drying

 more air drying clay for the front cover.. made from a stamp
(Stampendous if you're interested)

 adding some colour...





seem to have got too messy to record the next few steps!
rusting went on...

 Antonis added some gold patina that will tarnish overnight...

the rusty front

 front and back

 and as if by magic, it is the next morning!

Saturday morning we drove back to Hampshire for day two - a fantastic workshop again with Antonis,

 where we were working with a large mdf board and a beautiful image...

 again Antonis showing and helping us with the first steps..

 a gorgeous grey green colour was applied...

 and some concrete paste....

 was great to see familiar faces (Nikki Acton and just behind her Brenda Brown)   sorry for catching you mid biscuit Nikki

 is it inside outside or up and down Antonis??

once the first layer of paste was applied it was time for a thicker layer with a feather stencil.

coffee break in the sun outside whilst the paste dried..

 the barn is in a beautiful setting

 then time to add colour, brown water colour,

 bit of mischief going on with a spray bottle..  payback for Nikki decorating the back of Antonis' hoodie...

 the finished piece

 Lin's

 time to clear up...

 and at home today.... need to find somewhere to hang her on the wall now, I love how it's come out

slightly different angle (and no flash) 

 


It was a great couple of days - you won't be surprised that I also got out and about with Lin and my camera to see some of the sights of Poole - head over to photosbyh shortly (need to eat my dinner first though!)  for those! 










Whilst staying at Lin's I slept in her craft room which doubles as a guest bedroom... on Saturday night I did a bit of late night doodling...

what a lovely room!

.. in my France journal for the facebook group challenge. 

a small gift for RAK week

I didn't know RAK (random act of kindness) week even existed, till a friend mentioned it.  But I am in a small private chat group on FB with my friends and we decided to take part, amongst ourselves.

Names were drawn and we each had to make a piece of art for one person.  Until then, we weren't to say who was making for whom...
My gift has been received so I am sharing it here with a few pictures in progress

 I started with a square shallow canvas (the Works) and covered it in pieces of paper from a Prima pad  (Epiphany)
the idea for this sprang from a you-tube video by the lovely Maremi Small Art (Marta Lapkowska)
This is the link (hopefully) to her you-tube channel which is full of fun..  Of course I can't find the link to the right video.....but you'll have fun looking

I added stencilled layers of texture paste through a couple of stencils

 then I sprayed with Colour Bloom sprays (including the infamous Cobalt that fell all over my rug a few months ago)....

I always forget how sticky these dry, so I tried to seal it with some clear gesso... lots of smooshing of the blue colours... but I quite liked it so carried on..




time to add some stamping (Lin Brown for Paperartsy from ELB33) in blue archival ink

 adding layers of texture - an mdf heart got painted and coated with DecoArt  crackle paste
and some paper flowers got the spray treatment, plus a few dabs of paint on the petal edges..
I left some smaller flowers white

 some metal embellishments

 close up of the flowers

 some metal leaf embellishments too

and the final piece.  This was loads of fun to do!!

(edit.. no prizes for guessing Sam wasn't my swap partner, it's covered in flowers!)

(2nd edit.. just realised I made a big boo-boo.  the video I saw on you tube was one of Vicky Papaioannou's    )   sorry to both her and Marta for getting confused!  they are both super talented you won't be sorry if you check out their channels!)