Wednesday 14 September 2011

Whats on Your Workspace Wednesday - 119

Missed last weeks' tour round the workspaces of the world as I was on holiday but I had to take part this week as my desk is a total mess - and it's a lot tidier than it was earlier at that.

 On my way home from Wales I bought some silk and Setasilk dyes as I saw a demo and thought 'I could do that' only my first efforts are not half as good as the demonstrator's were - and my kitchen doesn't half pong of warm vinegar.  You soak the silk in a mix of water and vinegar (don't ask me why) before adding the dyes, squidging the silk and microwaving it for 4 mins.  You can see some of my efforts above, quite like the blue/purple one and the green/blue but that orange/red combo is hurting my eyes and my reactalite lenses have darkened to cut out the glare.

I also called in the cheap craft shop in Llandudno and bought two wood mounted stamps from the bargain bin - £1.50 each so a good buy and the block designs will be good for resist backgrounds.

Last but not least on my desk is my second attempt at a one-layer card made yesterday for a challenge on the KCUK Yahoo Group.  The edges of the card were masked and inks sponged/stippled to create the border.  The first one was OK - until I picked it up from the table and realised the card opened from the left - Dohhh - not the first time I've done that.

... and finally.  I was doing a bit of browsing earlier to check the timings for dyeing the silk and stumbled across a site about printing on fabric.  Now I've used some odd things as stamps in the past but this takes the biscuit - and it's a little bit fishy.

OK thats me finished for now, off to have a cuppa and a browse round Julia's fantastic blog and find out what the other WOYWWers are up to this week.

14 comments:

Sandy said...

Very creative place.
Looks interesting.
Happy WOYWW.

Sarah said...

Sounds like a great time and those are great colours on the scarves! Also loving the colour combi on your card!
Thanks for sharing today! Sarah (at 2)

Julia Dunnit said...

Ok, I believe you - you have one or two Adirondack ink pads!! I've browsed your blog this morning - what an amazing coincidence about the lady and Dennis - teeny world, huh! Love the silk colours - made me LOl about your reactolites though - that's my fave! Do you know of Rainbow Silks? They have a huge online presence and if anyone will know the best ink for stamping on silk, it'll be these gals.

Twiglet said...

I have little bottles of microwave silk dye but don't use vinegar. I wonder what that does.

Anne Campbell said...

I love all your Welsh pictures, and crafty creations. The teeny owl is a real cutie, love from Anne xx.

Di said...

Hi Ann. Don't waste the card stamped the wrong way, trim it and use it as a topper on another one - waste not, want not and all that jazz. Those silks you dyed are amazing :) Di xx

Lunch Lady Jan said...

Lovely rainbow colours on the dyed silks - it's something I've always wanted to have a try at :) x

JoZart Designs said...

Oooh I thought I'd already been on your WOYWW desk... but it was your previous post. glad you got to the shop in Llandudno.
Great goings on there on your desk!
Love JoZarty x

Angie said...

Love your silk work ...if this is your first attampt then your future ones will be even more awesome. What a bargain those stamps were.

Cath Wilson said...

Those silks look lovely, Ann and I like the orange and red - just stamp on it and add a bit more colour x

Anonymous said...

Love those dyed silks, I actually like the orange one! Love the card, especially the colours, trim it as Di said and use it for something else. Love the doggy coincidence, how amazing and that was a fantastic little cottage you had. Used to stay in Penmaenmawr as a kid, loved the beach there!

Hugs
Brenda 88

Elizabeth said...

Just a quick visit this week due to illness but hope to do better next week ... thanks for sharing your desk. Like the dyed silk and chuckled at the reactolite quip :) I hope you have a great weekend. Elizabeth x #121

Neet said...

Oh Ann, that silk is fab! You should bring it to the club to show us all. Great desk full of goodies this week. Thanks for sharing and thanks for visiting my blog. Hugs, Neet x

Tertia said...

I love the red silk! Such happy colours.
I have forgotten about it till now, but I did some silk painting a couple of years ago and really loved it, wonder why I stopped?
Happy realy belated WOYWW