What's on Your Workspace Wednesday 134

It's the last WOYWW of the year and once again my table is filled with Christmas, but presents this time - all for me.

Here they all are on my Christmas table -no scruffy table cover this week just a fantastic crocheted table-cloth my sister-in-law made for our wedding present - must have taken her months.

The box on the left is the 'surprise' pack I bought from the LB Crafts close-down sale and a Christmas present from my sister.  It was a great surprise to open it finally and find out what little treasures there were and so much for £20, two wooden stamps, a plate of clear stamps, tags, embossing powder, ribbons, ink pads, silicone mould...and much, much more. Other crafty presents included the first issue of my Somerset Studio subscription, a book - 1000 Artist Journal Pages - to inspire me to start my own journal, and some stunning silk crepe fabric pieces all the way from Japan.

Aren't they absolutely gorgeous?  They are from the Japanese wife of Mr B's cousin who has sent/given me some beautifully crafted items over the years including the little ovoid box you can see in the centre of the picture.  Hard to believe she made this from pieces of a butter container.  You press on the opposite corners to open it like this...

I will clear them all away today and get down to some serious crafting - so many ideas buzzing round my head.  Haven't felt like doing much these past few days as my little doggy is not well.  Think she ate something bad last Thursday and is still not right.  Have been up once a night every night since to let her out to do her business - was 12:15am, 2:00 and 4:30 last night so we are all tired. She seems fine in herself, eager for her walks and to play but is on a strict boiled rice and chicken diet and I will ring the vets this morning to get her checked over.  Supposed to be going to see family in Bristol on Friday but cannot see that happening at present unless she makes a speedy recovery.

So that's what's going on at my house this week.  If you want to see what other WOYWWers are up to then pop over to Julia's house at Stamping Ground for a quick trip around the world.

Happy New Year to all WOYWWers, may it be all that you want it to be.

What's On Your Workspace - Wednesday 133

Not much on my space this week, all tidied away ready for the weekend.  I'm like a big kid when it comes to Christmas so I can't wait, and as one of my presents is a subscription to a Stampington Magazine  I know what I will be doing Christmas morning.

Had a bit of fun using my craft space and various items, ink pads, pens etc, to created this greeting for all my blogging and WOYWW friends, especially Julia from The Stamping Ground who encourages all crafty types to show the rest of the work what is on their workspaces.

So its a big thank you to Julia and to all of you who have left comments, shared your inspiring desks and work and offered encouragement in the last 6 or 7 months since I started this addictive hobby.

The biggest Merry Christmas to all of you and I wish you a healthy and happy New Year.

Oops almost forget, Jude has some fantastic birthday candy on her blog over at Crafts International, why not pop over and have a look.

Good advice

Frantic at my house today as I try to finish the Christmas card for Mr B, put up the tree and decorations and make a couple of money envelopes for the last round of presents before I pack all my craft stuff away next week so we don't need to have Christmas Eve dinner on our knees.  So how appropriate is this...

Bought for a Christmas present but decided my need was greater so I'm going to keep my pens and pencils in it, either that or a very stiff drink, for when things get a bit hectic.

Anyway, do you want to see my decs?  Of course you do.

We used to have a 6 foot tree but that had to go in the loft when we got our first computer and now have this cute 3 footer that I finished decorating about an hour ago.  Tradition in our house that the tree goes up on the 17th (was my Dad's birthday).

The oldest thing on it is a little white Father Christmas bought for me when I was a baby, it still rattles but has become a grubby shade of cream.

You can just make him out in the centre of this close-up - looks better on here than he does in reality but I love him and he is the first decoration I put on the tree every year.

My decopatch NOEL flanking Santa on the mantelpiece (the brass candlesticks were my Great Grandma's).

Crib scene at base of tree in front of a Marks and Spencer card my Step-daughter sent us four years ago.  It is one of those with a little battery in it - and the twinkling lights still work.

And lastly this cheery little Robin sitting in his nest in my hallway.

I'm hoping to be able to take part in WOYWW next Wednesday but if life takes over and I can't get round to posting again before the weekend I wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Peaceful New Year from me and Sorrel (wearing her new Christmas sweater and looking slightly embarrassed).

Here comes summer - Just For Fun Challenge

If you read yesterday's WOYWW post then you will know that I am a guest designer on Just For Fun this week and the theme is 'Summer' and as snow is forecast for tonight it couldn't be more appropriate - not.
As my Grandson would say ' Whatever!'

Maybe with snow falling, winds blowing and the world and its wife succumbing to coughs and sneezes we need a bit of warmth and memories of lazy sunny summer days. Yes I know we didn't get that many but the few we had were good and I can still feel the warmth of the sun on my face - or is that the central heating?

Enough you cry, just show us what you made for the challenge.......

Well nothing reminds me more of summer than the great British seaside (?) so here is my beach hut complete with sand, shells, pretty stones and a bit of stamping.

Here's me in my new cozzie ready to dip my toe into the balmy waters of the English Channel - I took my own sand 'just in case' (raided Sorrel's sandpit - yes, my doggie has her own sandpit) and an umbrella, posing as a sunshade.

Don't think you can find many pearls in cockle shells but I live in hope, failing that I can always get the Glossy Accents and add my own again.

And just to show that I didn't just do the bits you can see, but I'm not showing you the back because that was my testing ground for the paints.

I really enjoyed doing this, thanks so much to Neet, for suggesting me, Zoe for inviting me to be a part of a fab challenge and for the rest of the JFF team for inspiration and a warm welcome.  Why not take a bit of time out from the hurly burly of Christmas shopping, get out that summer stash and join in the fun over at Just For Fun.

Whats on Your Workspace Wednesday - 132

Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way over to Julia's Stampingground today for a crafty peep at the desks of some of the worlds most inspirational crafters.  Yes. it's Wednesday again (how many Wednesdays are there in a week? not enough.) when the international world of crafters share their workspaces with you.
This was my desk on Monday.

Not an inkpad or stamp in site just a pile of presents waiting to be wrapped, all now safely stowed away ready for Christmas day.  My favourite on there?  The pink soap microphones, ideal for singing in the shower - stocking fillers for my Great nieces Emma and Sophie.  They may be 24 and 19 but they love their little treats.

Back to crafting and this was my desk last night after I made one, yes I said one, more Christmas card.  All this stuff just for one card, but it is a special one for my sister.

 
Melissa Frances papers, plain cardstock, cuttlebug and folders, lace, Distress Inks, DI stains. two tape guns and an overall mess.  I used to make Christmas cards for everyone I knew, including all my work colleagues but got the feeling some people weren't that bothered about a handmade card (you don't want  people to gush their thanks but some appreciation, or even thanks, would be welcome).  My sister on the otherhand has kept every card I have made her in a shoebox; I only found that out this year and I can't tell you how touched I was.  So here's another one for the shoe box Margaret.

No stamping on this one apart from the words, just an image I downloaded years ago from the Art-e-zine site, some pretty lace, a perspex bubble filled with some crystal 'snow' that Jozart gave me the other Saturday - sorry I can't remember what it's called (Diamond Dust???) but it is very pretty so I added some to the edges of the flower as well.   It is an easel card and the inside has the same paper edged with narrower lace.

If you come back tomorrow I have a little surprise for you as I was thrilled to be asked to be a guest  over at the Just For Fun weekly challenge.  They invite a 'designer' - in this case me (that sounds posh) to choose one of their themes for the month and make something so I chose the one starting Thursday. 

I'm so excited but I can't tell you what it is yet but the challenge for this week was Spring so what do you think?   I hope you are able to pop back tomorrow to find out what I made.

Happy WOYWW everyone, jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way........

Spring is in the air.

May not feel like it today with the hail, rain, cold and Christmas shopping but spring is just around the corner and this week's challenge on Just for Fun is Spring.
The bulbs in my garden are mistakenly thinking the last warm spell is continuing and are pushing their little noses out of the sodden soil and I heard a blackbird sing this morning so what better to brighten the heart than to look forward to a walk in a bluebell wood.

Well I haven't quite got a wood for you but I do have a bluebell or two in this quick and simple card.

Quick because I really, really should get a couple more Christmas cards made (still only done three) and that's what I set out to do this afternoon, simple because I used a Crafty Individual paper for the background.

I inked the edges of the paper with Dusty Concord DI and stamped with an old Graphicus image before getting out the Promarkers.  Final step was to glaze the flowers and leaves with Glossy Accents and Bob's your uncle (who was Bob?)

Whatats on Your Workspace Wednesday - 130

Wednesday, the day when crafters all around the world share their workspaces, or in my case, my mess, care of our hostess, Julia at Stamping Ground.
This is my desk at 4:00 pm Tuesday, before the light went completely.

Not a lot to show apart from the gorgeous Clarice Cliff fabric 'hang-about' made for me by the talented and truly lovely Jozart, a Christmas present to me all the way from Japan (Mr B's cousin is an English teacher in Tokyo and his talented and beautiful Japanese wife, who is also into various crafts, sends me little treasures), isn't the leaf stunning?

What else is on my table? My prize from Crafty Individuals for the November challenge I was lucky enough to win - a new stamp plate featuring perfume bottles, a handbag mirror and a cute brooch.

Finally my attempt at a paper angel which didn't turn out at all well.  The instructions are from The Paper Trail but I must have gone wrong somewhere as I can't get it to stuck together - must need stronger glue or thinner paper.  This is what it should look like...linky........ and this is what I ended up with,,, oops!

Not a lot of crafting done since weekend as my little doggy has not been well since Sunday.  She woke us up at 2:30 am on Monday morning barking to go out to 'get done' and we ended up sitting watching TV with a cup of tea until she settled.  Did the same Monday night, only this time it was 3:30am.  She's fine in herself, eating, drinking and playing but obviously has some sort of bowel upset so it was rice and fish for her supper Tuesday night (as I write) so fingers crossed we get a good night's sleep.

Finish with a photo of our craft group Christmas party on Saturday (you may recognise Jozarty and Neet of Hickydorums) as I'm lucky enough to be part of the same group of lovely people.  We had great fun, especially 'pass the parcel' - ask Jo.

Neet is front left, Jo is centre, with the pink jacket and mistletoe headband, and I am to the right of Jo in the jade jumper (my favourite colour).

Less Is More - Bling

This week's challenge on Less is More is 'Bling' so what better time than Christmas to get out the stickles and add a bit of glitz.

When I was a child I loved the cards that showered glitter all over the place when you opened the envelope - not quite as keen now but a little gives a simple card a bit of a fillip.

Think my youngest Grandson (7) is a 'Less is More' kind of child.  Came home from school today with a handmade card.  Simple red card with three cut-out snowflakes on it.  His Mum suggested he add a bit of glitter - didn't want that.  Then suggested he write a greeting on the inside. His reply -  'I think it is fine as it is'

This is only the second Christmas card I've made this year, (note to self- get a move on).