WOYWW 786 - the birthday edition

 Hello deskers,  it's Wednesday again, time for another WOYWW... You can find the link at it's new home of Sarah's Craft Shed  

What's on my desk today?  

not at all posed... some early birthday cards waiting for me to open then (by the time you see this they will probably be open)   and some champagne - help yourselves... although being staged of course it's not chilled...

65 today... not at all sure how that happened... 

I am spending the day at work, of course!  I did think about taking the day off but it wasn't possible due to other absences . 

I did a bit more to the "mop up" page from last week... then it got too hot and there was too much football on so I haven't done any more!

Last Saturday was of course Kew day...   and boy, since than has the way blogger uploads photos changed!!    

the early light on the poppies was amazing...

this is why it's worth getting up at 5 and going out at 6 to be at Kew by 8... especially if the sun comes out!

the scabious were lovely too 

I may be late getting round the desks again this week, but enjoy the champagne!!  it's yours in virtual reality! 

Happy WOYWW 

WOYWW 785

 Welcome to another week of desk sharing now with Sarah at Sarah's Craft Shed for WOYWW 

 so the new goodies arrived... on Wednesday of course but too late to make an appearance last time

the art cards are a set of cards of Dina's art work with one-word prompts on them to kick start your creativity.  I wasn't going to get them but then needed to bump up the order for free postage (as you do)  so what the heck!  

so I also took a photo with the cards splayed out too 

the backs all have the same design on them. 

as you can see from the stamps standing up, space is at a premium round here...

I had a play in the large kraft journal with some of the new bits - right page is just mop up over gesso 

the silhouette stencil (mask) with distress oxide ink and then splatters .  The word is a Tim quote chip but I see it's not fully stuck down despite weighting it down to grab to the page!

step by step (in reverse order as I don't know how to put them side by side)

stamping on top

stencilling (the yellow is distress oxide ink the teal colour is Peacock paint 

starting point was strips of collage tissue and then gesso

Saturday's Kew trip is here... rain and sun, but not cold... 

lots of poppies in the wildflower bed

Kim and I were hoping "stinky" (titan arum) would open for us... but no, not on Saturday - it opened Tuesday so we've missed it again! 

I'll be late visiting this week unless I get to drop by before work, as we have a team meeting and then a quick meal... so I'll catch you when I can!  

Happy WOYWW 

WOYWW 784

 Welcome deskers,  time to join in our weekly desk-fest with Sarah  for WOYWW

I thought I'd have some new goodies this week but they're not here yet! (teaser for next time)

Don't have a lot to share this week - i made a birthday card for my cousin whose birthday is later this month, the day before mine. 

the stamp is one I have had ages, by Carabelle Studios, and not used for about as long!

I coloured it with Dina neon paints and neon scribble sticks and the background is Sage distress oxide.

I might add some sparkle before it has to go off to her. 

Saturday was of course,  Kew day.. the goose creche was back again but they've all grown so much 

the wildflower bed is growing

and I am still in love with the daisies in the rock garden 

thanks for looking, put the kettle on, I'll be there soon!  

WOYWW 783

 Hello deskers, it's time for another WOYWW with  Sarah hosting.  

I bought some new Dina goodies - one of the stencils I wanted was out of stock so will look for that another time and so was the stamp set, that I will probably get another time too! 

I remembered to photograph the atcs from Lyn (Spyder) - top

and BJ - bottom  that came last week.

thank you both of you. 

I was trying to  make a bit more space around the "desk" at the weekend - behind the craft mat used to be my Dina paints but that means I don't really have room to kneel at the mat properly.  So I found a couple of boxes - stacked next to the clear boxes of Fresco paints - one has the Dina paints and one the gloss sprays '

it hasn't noticeably made more room but it's marginally tidier!

I did play too - another journal page in the square kraft journal and one of the new stencils, and the yellow neon scribble stick in the hair on the image. 

the words are from one of the older packs of Dina's collage tissue. 

It wouldn't be the weekend without a trip to Kew - 

the first day of meteorological summer - boy was it chilly!  

I had fun with the globe lens and one of the Marc Quinn sculptures

and some globe-like alliums!

thanks for looking I'll be round to visit when I can.

Happy WOYWW  

WOYWW 782

 After the fun of the crop, life is getting back to normal... work, a bit more work and more work.. Good job I only had a 2 day week last week and then a Bank Holiday weekend to get used to being back!

Anyhow, it's time for another Wednesday meet up.. the end of another month!   Sarah will have the link 

with my extra day at the weekend, and some typical bank holiday weather, I had a bit of time to play in the small kraft journal... the page is black because I didn't like what i did to start with... 

I don't much like the second incarnation of this paghe either

but did have fun on the facing page with lots of splatters!  

I nearly left it just as splatters but had to faff!  

this is a page that I started on my and Cindy's play day after the crop before we came home..

I had intended to paint over this too but decided to push through and see if I could improve it.

I want to do something more to the letters but ran out of time.  

Saturday was of course, . Kew day.. 

it was the nicest day of the weekend, sunshine and warmth.  

we loved the gosling creche... 36, and of differing sizes so they can't have been all the same family. 

trying to get underneath the daisies in the rock garden 

sadly this weekend looks like it may be damp, but that means raindrops!  

Happy WOYWW and thanks for looking.  

I am hoping the links work, blogger was being funny!  

WOYWW 781 - the crop

 Hello, deskers.  Last weekend was the Crop in Stoke.  photo heavy post to follow...  We were all stunned last week to see that Julia is stopping co-ordinating  WOYWW but Sarah has stepped in to keep us running in order!  for now, here is the story of the crop (and the rest of mine and Cindy's time in Stoke - if you want to see our exploring of Stoke (and Trentham Gardens) head to my other blog - here    

I don't seem to have started taking photos very early..

 Eva, Pat (Sarah's SIL) and Cindy

Julia (sitting)  at the far end of the table is Angela (Felix the crafty cat)  Annie (Wipso) Caro and Mary Anne

I was playing with the Mattints

lunchtime - lots of cake was on the counter where Mary Anne is standing with Jo and Annie

far side under the window - Lynne's husband Brian, Sarah and Cindy, table on the right Julia and Caro

Sarah and Jo (Twiglet) behind the counter 

Annie getting ready to toast Julia 

Neet in her new stroller talking to Lynne and Brian

Jo making her speech of thanks to Julia

"unaccustomed as I am ...." 

then it was time to get crafting again!

Eva, Cindy and Pat

time for the customary group photo

cue Brian who was going to act as photographer

back row, Pat, Lynne, Caro, Sarah, Jo, Annie, Angela, Eva, me, Mary Anne,  front, Neet, Cindy, Julia 

trying not to let anyone escape before we'd all finished our shots

I had been working in a journal as well as the tissue painting with Mattints, and Sarah asked if I was going to get people to sign it again as I have a few times...

Julia,  mid signature, was the final desker to sign! 

if you have had a chance to see the "Stoke/Trentham Gardens " you will have seen that Cindy and I went back to Sarah's so got to see the Shed

and on Monday we decided not to go out and about but to stay and have a crafty play day... this is at the house we rented.

so 2 desks in one WOYWW... next week it will be back to the floor at home. 

oh hang on, I forgot one.

the atcs!  

for those of you not at the crop:

top row, mine, Angela, Cindy, Eva, and 

the print top right is from Pat,  gorgeous!  

middle row, Lynne, Annie, Julia, Neet (overlaid with Jo) Neet, and the tag is Sarah's

bottom row, Caro (plus badge) and 

Mary Anne, bottom row  right had done her usual stunningly intricate folded holder for her atc and badge! 

Thanks to everyone!  

I do have some left so am sending some out randomly!   Happy WOYWW  all.