WOYWW 696 - didn't we have a lovely time the day we went......

to Bangor.. no, no, Radbrook. (showing my age there with the song reference)     ok so I will start with an apology as this will be a very photo heavy post as I haven't had time since I got home to write a separate post for these photos.   Julia was kind enough to drive Cindy and I there (we got the train down to Andover where we set off on Friday afternoon. A long wet journey but we settled into a very nice Air BnB that Julia found

in the morning we headed to the hall to help Jo and Annie set up

the cake table...

crafting tables set up

can't forget the banner

once all was ready there was time for a cuppa and early cake before the deskers arrived.

Annie's hubby Doddy chatting to Julia 

Sarah (in the black) Angela (Felix the Crafty Cat) with her back to me, Dee (who drove Christine)  Angela and Eva (the other side of the desk)

Cindy and Neet

Caro, Annie and Julia

and a better one!

some opening announcements from Jo 

being carefully listened to!

then it was time to get on although still lots of milling and chatting!  

I did a journal page for everyone to sign again, this is the third time I've done it now (creature of habit)

and took it round the tables for people to write in

waiting for inspiration!  

even Annie and Jo had some time to craft

you can't mistake Christine with her pink hair

Eva - Sarah is trying to get her to start a blog.  

towards lunchtime, Jo's daughter Maxine (Tilly Tea Dance, needle felter extraordinaire) popped in , it was lovely to meet her

Pear Shaped Chris's turn to sign...

and when everyone had finished...

it's a lovely way to remember a great day.

time to get lunch laid out

before the gannets pounce! 

afterward sit was time for more chatting

then some group photos - with Jan and Gordon away celebrating their ruby wedding in Scotland, we got Chris's husband Tony to take some of all of us but I grabbed some too

there will be one somewhere with me in! 

a bit later I was astounded to see Julia doing some stitching,  she said it's the first time she's ever sat down and crafted at our crop!

so had to record it...

after we drank a toast to dear departed friends, but especially our lovely Shaz, it was time for more chatting.  we had a raffle too and raised some money for a great local charity 

to finish off the afternoon I managed another journal page!

phew, if you've made it this far, well done!  

Once again, thanks to Annie and Jo for organising, sorting the food,  to Julia for the driving, every desker newbies and regulars, for making the journey, for a great day!

Happy WOYWW  

just realised I haven't linked why we're here and where you can find us... head to Julia's for more stories of the crop 

edit

forgot to add the lovely atcs, tags and items other deskers had taken - I failed miserably

so thanks,one and all 

WOYWW 695

 Welcome back for another Wednesday's WOYWW  - the pre-crop edition. Have managed to book train tickets now just need to decide what I am going to bring to craft with at the crop!   Will be trying to travel light for once....ha ha!  

I spent some time at the weekend trying to get my Dina gloss sprays to  er-  spray -  and created a few backgrounds that may or may not make an appearance on Saturday depending on what makes the suitcase!  

I was rummaging through the box of pre-stamped Dina images and collaged a journal page together,  as I was determined to have something to share this week for a change!

Last Saturday was the final Kew early opening of the season (well it runs to the 30th )  and of course I was there for that 

will really miss the gorgeous low light in future weeks

I'll be really busy at work today (partly because of having a couple of days off but mostly because of the crazy things happening in the mortgage market at present meaning we are madly busy)  so won't be visiting until after I get home,  but happy WOYWW and see you then!  

Really looking forward to the crop, too, and catching up with those of you able to make it.  

WOYWW 694

 Morning deskers.  Happy WOYWW to you all.  

I feel since last week all I have done is watch TV - I certainly haven't been crafting!  

I found myself watching the live stream of the Lying in State for ages, on and off.  I didn't manage to catch sight of Sarah though!  I hope your feet have stopped aching Sarah!  

The coverage of our wonderful Queen's funeral was just perfect and all the people who took part and organised it should be very proud of the show they put on.  Britain really does do pageantry and pomp well.  I barely moved all day.  

so, I don't really have a desk for you this week, it's another staged one

I bought another paper today  (Tuesday as I write this) which was as you'd expect, full of photographs from the day.  

the pall bearers who carried the coffin at various stages were amazing

but perhaps the most impressive were the sailors of the Royal Navy who pulled the Gun Carriage Perfectly in time, not a foot out of place. 

I still have the funeral march music in my head as I look at this picture.

this is an image I borrowed from the official press photos.

Saturday morning was Kew 

thanks for looking - I will try and having some crafting to show by next week!!  

WOYWW 693

 Happy Desk Day -  a week since we last met, but what a week it's been!  

The news from Balmoral was sudden and devastating and since then I have done little but watch the coverage of the events, well planned, heartfelt, incredibly moving, and just right.  I was surprised at how affected I was by the news, after all, 96 is a great age and it wasn't totally unexpected.  But somehow, I think we all thought Her Majesty would go on  - if not forever, well, for longer! I feel so very sorry for King Charles and the rest of the Royal Family having to grieve in the glare of the world's media and send them my sincere condolences.

My desk today is unashamedly staged! 

I don't usually buy newspaper any more, but wanted to have something to keep.

You may have seen I took to my journal after paying my respects at Buckingham Palace on Saturday morning 

my A4 Seawhite journal,one of my favourite stencils, and a simple message.

Whilst at Buckingham Palace, I got spotted on BBC news...

I had been watching to the presenter, John Maguire, interviewing visitors but hadn't realised I was in shot, till a work colleague What's App'd me 

I haven't totally decided if I am going to go up to London again to stand in what is going to be a very long queue to pass the Queen's coffin lying in state.  I think not, probably.  I know that Sarah is and wish her well. 

I did also follow on to Kew from London 

Please visit Julia's for the link to other crafty desks for What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday

Remembering Her Majesty

 The news on Thursday of the death of Queen Elizabeth II came suddenly, if not unexpected, given her magnificent age, and  I have like so  many since, been feeling very strange.  It is such a big adjustment to have a King not a Queen, so many of us  knew no other monarch than Queen Elizabeth.

I went to London yesterday to pay my respects and - well, to just be there, it felt like something I needed to do.  The atmosphere outside Buckingham Palace even at 7.30  in the morning, was unlike nothing I have felt before.  There was a quiet, almost hushed feeling,  Many people leaving tributes and others like me, just wanting to be there.  there are some photos on my other blog if you are interested

Today, I took to my journal.

The Queen was known for her strong Christian beliefs throughout her life, and whilst I do not necessarily share them, this is one of my favourite stencils, (Stencil Girl)  and I wanted to use it for my backdrop to the postcard I bought yesterday  (I don't have a printer to copy one of the many thousands of images that have been shared since her death, and I didn't want to cut one out of the paper I bought as a memento of this sad time)  

We will never see the like of Queen Elizabeth again, but I think we are in safe hands with King Charles III (how odd does that sound, it still doesn't seem real, although watching the TV coverage of the coffin leaving Balmoral this morning, it is sinking in)  

I send the entire Royal Family my sincere condolences (as you have to grieve in public) at this sad time.  

 Rest in Peace, Your Majesty. 

WOYWW 692

 Morning  deskers, time for another week's WOYWW     We're edging closer to our crop, I must do some travel sorting!!   I have accommodation sorted thanks to Julia but right now no idea how I'm getting there. 

But first, some crafting!  I was watching YouTube on Sunday morning as I often do, in bed on my phone (useless, screen is too small for that really but I don't have a tablet or laptop). Anyhow, I saw something that inspired me and I was up and at it! 

the background on the journal page already had a gloss spray of the flowery stencil on it and I just went in over the top with more stencilled layers

it is a very loose interpretation of my visit to the Tower of London to see the Superbloom planting for the Queen's jubilee.  (pics of the real thing here)

I even used the foam alphabet stamps (Tim Holtz) for the first time yay!

then later on another page,

again, some of the pink background was already down,  leftover from something or other.

the faces were already stamped from an earlier session (a Dina Wakley supporter demo probably)

Had another lovely visit to Kew on Saturday - a first real taste of autumn mist in the air, just gorgeous!  pics here 

and as I shared to FB at the time - double shadows just for Julia!  (my buddy Kim from the regulars group on the left, me on the right)

both equally laden with camera equipment!  

Thanks for looking, happy Wednesday.