WOYWW 69

Yet another week has flown by!  Not much on my desk at the moment as I have been spreading myself all about the house with lots of clutter on my dining room table and beside the settee - however I spent Tuesday afternoon tidying it all away (well most of it) and haven't crafted since so this is my, unusually, tidy desk!

The house and mailbox I have had for ages and have only just gotten around to covering them (this was done last week) - mailbox is covered with old book pages and the house with music sheets with some bazzill cardstock inside, coloured with distress inks and then put through a Tim Holtz embossing folder.  The tags have been moved from the table downstairs to here now but obviously haven't been used yet!  The mushrooms are a new little treat from Hobbycraft - well it was their first birthday!  Pumpkin is still in the same state it was in last week and that is still, hangs head in shame, on the dining room table!

If you want to confess to the state of your workspace this week pop over to Julias and join the fun and games!  Kate, I reckon I am a 2 or 3 this week as you can actually see the desk!

Is anyone else going to Artisan this Friday or Saturday?  Bernice we will no doubt see you there as we are there all day Friday (doing 4 classes) and all day Saturday (doing 3 classes) - I am telling myself that I will not be spending any money as its Hobbycrafts at the NEC soon but I am sure that will all change when I see the shops there!

Thanks for looking everyone :)

Magnolia Card

Here is the card I have just made this weekend for my Sister-in-law - am well ahead of myself here as her birthday isn't until the 9th October!

Can't remember what promarkers were used as the main image was coloured in a while ago, as were the mushrooms, but the tree branches and leaves are done with Terracotta, Burnt Orange, Moss and Gold.  The stamps are Berry Tilda, Old Stand, Spring Tree and Goblin Fungi.  Papers are We R Memory Keepers - their Grandma's Kitchen range.  Flowers are handmade using the same papers and leaves are punched out with gold and green bazzill and then white bazzill which was inked with rusty hinge distress ink.  Bazzill cardstock is inked with Rusty Hinge distress ink too and all edges are inked with Tea Dye.  Letters are old Cosmo Cricket ones gessoed, painted with brown ink and then covered with orange stickles so are nice and sparkly.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
http://www.justmagnolia.blogspot.com/ - sketch
http://www.stampchallenges.blogspot.com/ - fall colours
http://www.stamptacularsundaychallenge.blogspot.com/ - seasons change
http://www.delightfulsketches.blogspot.com/ - make it sparkle
http://www.cinspirations.blogspot.com/ - 2 or more stamped images
http://www.promarkerchallenge.blogspot.com/ - make your own flowers.

Thanks for looking :)

October Class layout

What a busy weekend - spent yesterday catching up with jobs around the house, and as I had to get my car MOT'd I had to have a quick peek in Hobbycraft (as you do) as it was their 1st birthday celebrations - such fun!  Then today we have been to the "Fun in the Park" day at Tudor Grange Park and also been and had a pub lunch in Solihull - very nice. 

I have also been having fun creating the class layout for our next crop on Sunday 17th October:

The class kit includes some fabulous My Minds Eye glitter cardstock and diecuts from their Lost and Found range.  The layout is then complimented with crepe paper and some Tim Holtz tattered flowers.

Have also been busy covering lots of the chipboard bits and pieces that I have been collecting for ages and not using!  They just need finishing off now so I will showcase those later this week.

So is anyone going to Artisan this week then?  Morag and I are going on both the Friday and Saturday so let me know if you are going so we can say hello!
Thanks for looking.

Christmas Cards

A big welcome to Shelbert and Andrea - thank you for following me! 

I have been busy making two cards for a workshop in November - one is traditional using a resist technique and the other is a cute one using Martha Stewart punches.  Apologies if the picture quality isn't good, the weather is not good today and I am working on my laptop - hopefully I can get some better ones done in a few days time but I just wanted to upload these today.

Traditional using a resist technique



Cute using Martha Stewart punches

Both cards will be made during the one workshop - details are at http://www.whathousework.co.uk/

Thanks for looking :)

WOYWW 68

Not much happening on my desk today but this is on my dining room table:

Just need to paint the stalk, distress and decorate it now!  The tags are just soaking up the adirondack colour wash I used (can't waste anything me!) so I don't know what I will use those for yet.

But also I have a confession which is:

These are the bags I took to my crop on Sunday (didn't do a thing whilst there!) and they are still here in my dining room, am now rather ashamed of my laziness and am going to put them away!  That big bag of white in the background is a load of tulle I bought whilst on holiday for 50p!  bargain eh!  and no, I didn't take that to the crop but it's there because I made the Christmas house in my dining room (post is below for those that are interested in what I did with the dog house last week!).

Thanks for following me Bernice, it was nice to catch up with you on Sunday - have you seen I have put a countdown thing to our date with Tim on my blog? (I don't like it so might have to write my own when I get 5 mins!).

Thanks for looking - if you want to come and join in the fun at seeing a group of tidy/messy desks then pop over to Julias.

How cute is this?

Firstly can I say a big thank you to Secret Scrapbooker for following me!  It's lovely to know someone is interested in my ramblings on and artwork.

Secondly - how cute is this???

House front

House back

House roof

This is going to be my table decoration for the centre of my Christmas Day table - am very pleased with it.  If you are interested I will be teaching a class on this on Wednesday 8th December from 10.00am - 1.00pm (cost is £15) where you can make one of these adorable houses for yourself - unfortunately the chocolates aren't included I'm afraid.  Am hoping to fill the house with little gifts for everyone who comes to lunch at my house on Christmas Day (so far that's me then!!).

If you are interested in any of the workshops that Morag and I have put together then please visit us at http://www.whathousework.co.uk/.  I have also been busy these past few days making some cards so will post back with those later in the week.

Thanks for looking :)

WOYWW 67

Well I have to say that my mojo is back!  finally! I am also such a happy bunny as I managed to get a ticket to the ArtsyCrafts class in February so I will finally have a class with Lin and Leandra (wanted to for ages but can't afford the weekend one just yet!) and then a class with Tim himself.  Have done a few classes with him before and enjoyed every one so I am so excited to be on another - have no idea how I will manage without popping with excitement before February!! what with that and Artisan in a couple of weeks - it's all go here!

Anyway here is my desk on Tuesday:

Here is the clutter on the floor next to my desk:

and here is my dining room table:

I have to confess that my dining room table was actually tidy on Monday but Morag popped round on the night to have a scrap so I didn't tidy up at midnight when we finished and have been out all day today (today being Tuesday) so haven't had chance to tidy up, well that's my excuse anyway and I am sticking to it!

If you want to join in the fun and have a peek at lots of other desks around the world visit Julias.

Thanks for looking :)

Card for Mom

This card is for my lovely Mom who's birthday is it today:

Papers, alphabet letters and chipboard are all Prima from our lovely kit, which still has loads left in it - enough to make at least another 3 cards if not 4!!  Stamp is Non Sequitor, brown bazzill cardstock and I think Frayed Burlap distress ink.  There are still a couple of kits left if anyone is interested - details are here http://whathousework.co.uk/kit.aspx.

I based this on the sketch here:  http://www.sweetstopsketches.blogspot.com/ so I would like to enter it into their challenge and also to the http://www.stampinfortheweekend.blogspot.com/ challenge which is shabby or vintage.

Thanks for looking - off to Nandos now for the birthday celebrations!

Got mine!

Just booked my ticket to ArtsyCrafts next February so I will be doing a class with Tim Holtz (this will be my fourth class with him - he is just so much fun and a great teacher!) and also with Leandra and Lin.

How excited am I!!!!

Cant wait - please let me know if you are going to the class too - I am on the Friday one at 10.30am.

Whoo hoooo

I have finally done a layout!

Can I just say a big hello to Ohhh Snap and Julia who have kindly started to follow my blog although I am going to waffle on big time now so I hope you don't regret it!

This is actually the fourth layout that I have done for myself this year, I kid you not!  I did two layouts in February - both Disney ones and then a pirate layout in April (probably because I had just bought some pirate stamps rather than the scrapbooking side of it!).  Apart from a couple of class layouts I have prepared this year that is it!  That is how bad I have had scrappers block, anyway I have ignored it and got on with other projects knowing that I will return to it in the end.  I had scrappers block once before, a few years ago now, and I struggled so much and tried so hard that I almost gave up scrapping altogether.  But today I got the urge to make a layout - so make a layout I did!  here it is:

And it's a double layout too!  Actually I have to confess that it's not really my style but I think the reason I have been struggling so much is that I have wanted to get these Disney photos scrapped for so long now and I haven't known what to do with them.  What is it with Disney that you go and have a fabulous time and then you wander around the shops and you just have to buy some scrapping papers - how do Disney do that?  so wish I could bottle it and bring it home to use!!  Anyway you buy the papers - you know you do - we all do! and then you get home and you look at them and you just wonder "Why??".  The papers are so not me and they are so hard to use.  And don't get me started on the photos - you go on a ten day holiday and come back with about 5000 photos - how does that happen?  Anyway I really wanted to scrap these photos - I love them but they were so difficult.  Then I came across this website http://allisonrdavis.blogspot.com/ and she talks you through sketches.  It's a known fact that I am rubbish at sketches - firstly I never understood them for years, honestly I didn't, now I kind of get them but find it very difficult to break away from the sketch and make the layout my own - but I am going to try, I really am.

Anyway back to this sketch, I apologise for the poor photo - the layout is actually white and inked around the edges with mustard seed.  Other than that I have used a Disney patterned paper (so not me) and some stickers (again so not me although I have a drawerful) and a couple of nestie shapes (so me) and some ink through sequin waste (so me) and I have completed this layout.  I have managed to do eight difficult photos in one go and now only have about three left to do plus some beach photos from that holiday sixteen months ago - see I am getting there!

If you managed to keep going this far - thanks for reading!

Learn Something New Everyday

Here are my next three entries to my Learn Something New Everyday book for 2010:

Day 7

Day 8

Day 9

 All very quick and simple for me, but I have to say if I hadn't already got the backgrounds prepared I probably wouldn't have had chance to make these today.  I have spent most of the day making a birthday card for my Mom but can't post it on here until next Tuesday (cause that's the big day!) so if you are interested pop back then to take a look - I am very pleased with it!

Haven't done the LSNED prompt for today yet but have got it all written down and will hopefully make that tomorrow - and also doing these quick and simple prompts has finally bought back my mojo! At least I think it has - I have the urge to do some scrapping but as I am off out in a bit and then have guests round tonight I won't have chance to do any more today - let's hope the mojo is there tomorrow eh!

Also can I just take this opportunity to say a big thank you to all my followers - I have been meaning to thank you all individually but time keeps getting in the way and I keep putting it off - so if I don't do it now like this it might be another few days again etc., etc., - so thanks for following me, it makes my day knowing that people are interested in the artwork I create and, possibly, my mad ramblings on!

Thanks for looking :)

WOYWW 66

Well I failed miserably at getting around to all the desks last week - managed about 60 I think!  Oh well better luck this week I hope!

Here is my desk as of yesterday afternoon when I was just finishing off my day 6 entry for Learn Something New Everyday (yes a day behind I know!)

As you can see my bunting now has pride of place over my desk, the Tim Holtz feet are still in the pack, mini suitcases still not done, a wet wipe has been left precariously close to some finished artwork (does anyone else do this?  and do you always tell yourself when the artwork has ended up on top of the wet wipe that you won't do it again??? I know I do!!) and just to the left of the picture (you can't see it) is a pile of bits of pieces and when I looked yesterday I found two "Back to School" cards half done - which, considering my two boys went back last Thursday, I don't think I will be finishing them anytime soon - honestly mind like a sieve!

If you would like to come along and join in the fun visit Julias so that we can all have a nosey at your desk too!  Thanks for looking and looking forward to all your comments and will hopefully be visiting you all this week.

Learn Something New Everyday

Thought I would join in with Shimelle's class again this year in the hopes that it might lift me out of my scrappers block - I went great guns to start with but have suddenly started floundering again the past couple of days so I am going to keep my entries short and sweet and use up some old stash rather than trying to make a perfectly coordinated book which is usually my style.

I have inked up loads of cardstock 6"x3" and punched holes in the left hand side - I will complete the book by using the bind it all and a hinge made from grungepaper when all entries have been made.

So, here we go, here is my cover:

<><><><>

<>

<><><><>

Day 1 2010

Day 2 2010

Day 3 2010

Day 4 2010

Day 5 2010

Day 6 2010

Hopefully I can start updating my blog a bit more regularly and not post six days at once!  Still havent sorted out todays entry yet.  Thanks for looking :)

WOYWW 65

Sorry I didn't make on it here last week, we had a few days away in Brighton and also went to Chessington World of Adventures and Legoland too.  Best thing about the trip was that I found some Washi Tape!  so I have treated myself to three rolls of it although it's still unused at the moment but children are back at school tomorrow so let's hope I find some time to myself, although I have to confess that the house has been a bit neglected during the summer holidays so I really should be catching up with jobs around the house first - we shall see!

Anyway this is my desk as of yesterday afternoon:

Same old, same old really - baby boy card still on the desk as I haven't yet seen the baby or posted it yet!  Pink bag holds my 3D tapes, that blue string is new (bought it the week before last when we went to Bristol for a few days) and I know that it looks like I have just plonked the bunting on the desk but I have, finally, taken it down from the lounge wall (just yesterday and my birthday was in June!) ready for OH to put up above my desk as I can't reach and I don't want to have to tidy up to clamber on the desk - so hopefully next week that will be up on the wall behind my desk for you all to see again!

If you want to join in the with the fun and games of looking at people's workspaces then come along and join us at Julia's.  I managed just over 100 desks two weeks ago and now that the children are going back to school I am hoping to visit you all! (housework pending).

Thanks for looking :)