Wednesday 25 June 2014

WOYWW #264 updated

Morning Everyone!
What is this that I see before me?   
An empty desk!?!  
'Fraid so.
I have to tackle the I*****g, I really have to clear it all away - I need to pack a case and my 'case packing' clothes are there in a pile ..... my excuse.
But there is still plenty to see .... Summer of Colour ATCs, wool bands (very pretty, there just HAS to be a use for them!), bits and bobs of die cuts.
My desk is presented through the good graces, and generosity of our Hostess, the one and only, recently returned safely to us ....Julia!
UPDATED:  
Change of desk view - just received my order from Lelli-bot!!! 
I saw a gorgeous card on another Blog and fell in love so had to send off for the card package. :-)) 
BUT I have to wait until Saturday until I can play ....... :-((

BTW
..... .I had so many wonderful comments about my wonderful wig that I have now gone and done it!!
I spent yesterday having my hair transformed ..... 
MUCH brighter IRL


I just want to say a big THANK YOU  for all the wonderful positve comments I received ref my avatar - I have done something I have wanted to do for soooo many years .... I really am a happy bunny.
Thank you all so much for your love and encouragement.

Enjoy your WOYWWeek ....

Tuesday 24 June 2014

Another June Birthday card

I have had this card base for some time, it is patterned one side and plain pink on the other side (plain white inside).

I water coloured one of the butterflies from my last visit to the DIY wallpaper section, using my metallic markers to highlight the blue circles on the wings.  I am impressed with how this turned out and must admit to looking forward to colouring the rest of the butterflies.

It was slightly larger than the card but that made it perfect when I had fussy cut it and adhered to the patterned side of the card.
I found a small sentiment that just fitted to the top right hand corner.

Happy Birthday H  



Wednesday 18 June 2014

Rick St Dennis Progressive Challenge - Steampunk week 2

When I joined in the Rick St Dennis Progressive Challenge at Sparkle and Glitter, I knew I would be challenged ... and I am .... and it is only the second one!!!!!
Last month we were challenged to use an image that we already had in our stash.  This month Rick has sent us a free image for our card, still using the Steampunk theme.
When I received You're a Winner, my pencils had 'gone walkabout' so I coloured the image using the Paint software that came with my laptop.  Then I forgot about it.... until I received an email from Sue ..... that's this evening taken up!
I thought that I would use the coloured image and stay digital.  I found a steampunk paper and a sentiment - I am not a digital artist, didn't matter which way I tried, I could not make a card!!
So I printed out the images and sentiment and then ......
I found a piece of card which was the right colour, and could be cut down to size.  After folding the card in half I spritzed the front with green gold and when it had dried, spritzed it again with red.  These colours were in the steampunk background paper so I was a happy bunny!!
I fussy cut Rick's image, coloured the sentiment (from my stash - if it's yours please email me so that I can give credit) and cut the paper to size.
I now had the components all ready to be used.

I showed the image to PJ, telling him how it was coloured digitally but still not to my taste, and he suggested that I use an Action Wobble (see tab at top of page) to attach it to the card - BRILLIANT! - I knew there was a reason I married him.

I attached the paper to the card and then accented some of the circles and wheels with my metallic markers.
I cut out the sentiment in a box shape but didn't like it so I fussy cut all the word and placed them on the card at different angles .....
I cut the 'legs' from some steampunk brads, dabbed them with my metallic markers (from Lidl) and used some 3D pads to attach them to the bottom of the card.

Here is the finished card ....

I showed it to PJ and  .... there was silence .... that's not a good sign!

PJ suggested changing the letters .... hmmmmm.....

I had bought this Circus Alphabet die by Tattered Lace when PJ bought me the Grand Calibur way back at Christmas, so thought I would use this to change the letters.  I diecut the letters in a dull gold card, dabbed the required letters with my metallic markers and added them to the card in place of 'attitude is' keeping with the uneven theme on the original sentiment.
MUCH better .... love it ...... I'm off to enter this card in the Challenge.

Oh!  Here is the Action Wobble in action!

WOYWW #263 (starts with a rant which can be skipped!)

I love Wednesdays and visiting desks ..... I must remember not to phone the Doctors's Surgery until after I have 'signed in'.

RANT....
I am in need of new tablets - in April I had a heart 'incident' which meant I spent the day in hospital and am now taking a googly selection of tablets - so, in my simplicity, thought I would find out if they were on a repeat prescription or if I had to order them.  I phoned and gave them my number (D.O.B, quite Scriptural as the Book of Revelation says we will have numbers) so that they could find out my name ..... I then explained that I wondered if my new tablets were on Repeat Prescription, the receptionist spoke over me so I had to stop speaking to listen to her and the upshot of it all was that I was soooo upset over this 'me trying to say something and her talking over me' when all I wanted was a yes or a no.  
She couldn't give me one lot of tablets because the computer said I was too early              that shut me up     
Finally, after much 'discussion' the answer was yes .... I can go to my Chemist and pick up my tablets.
What a to do!  I am left angry, upset, my blood pressure must've gone through the roof (yet again after talking to them) and I am now in tears as the pressure is released and I am venting out to you all.   
Why do I not change Doctor's you ask?  'Cos I live in an area where that surgery is the only one I can reach without a car ..... I do not drive or ride a bicycle and there is no bus to the only other Drs near to me.   
THANK YOU - I feel much better now ............ 
END OF RANT .......

Let us talk of better things ...... my desk (or dumping ground)

 I was creating some 'fairy' ATCs when I was called out to visit a DIY shop (wallpaper, wallpaper, wallpaper...).  Wallpaper samples later were cut and placed into red edged rexels and put under a weight to flatten.  Then, when looking for embellishments, I found an article on Ribbon Embroidery, this has to be revisited.  
On the way to Crunch (Craft at Lunch) I popped into W H Smiths. as one does, and saw some ribbons at 24p a roll so they fell into the basket along with a mag (four embossing folders free!).  I did make it to crunch where we made an 'envelope' photo album wrapped with a band - a piece of red paper in my case!!?!
Eagle eyes may also see my Summer of Colour ATC still on my desk and the envelope to a WOYWW 5  ATC sent from Dianne (midteacher).
I will tidy up at some point today - if it rains - otherwise I shall be working and it will have to wait until tomorrow!
So that is my desk for today - messy but happy.
I am thankful that Julia is back safely amongst us, nay leading us, and is hosting, once again, all these desks (so varied and noisy!)  More WOYWW info can be found at the top of the page.
Thank you for visiting and listening to my rant - or skipping past if you're wise - have a good week with lots of laughter .....

Saturday 14 June 2014

Summer of Colour

BJ had an interesting post for WOYWW #261 and a link to an interesting Challenge ..... The Summer of Colour 
I left a comment for Kristin to say it looked very interesting and I wanted to join in.

Then I forgot about it!!!

Today I was checking my comments on this Blog and found one from Kristin ... one click and I am in panic mode!!!

Here are the colours for this week ....



I have decided to make ATCs using a magazine from Paris, so I will be posting this on my other Blog - ATC Wannabee - and in the meantime I have to say - Thank you BJ and Kristin .... this will definitely be a Summer of Colour for me.

Pop Up Box 2

Weeeellllll, I enjoyed making the first one and they came in a pack of 5 so  .......  here is another one!

This time I am making a card for a special lady who is 70yrs young.  She runs one of the ATC Groups and has no idea that anyone knows!!!  Secrets? in our group?  lol

So I took some sheets from the Craftwork Cards pad, some punched flowers as before, some diecut flowers (HUGE) two numerals and a few sentiments from my stash.


I cut all my pieces of paper ready to stick to the card and used a piece of the blue paper as my backing sheet.

Three different papers for the the tops as well as the sides and then left to one side to dry.

A good strong piece of acetate already cut to make an ATC provided the 'stalk', I managed to cut three strips from this.

I made the 'trees' with longer stems this time so that hopefully the flowers will rise higher above the box.
in the sunshine ....

glittery ...
I attached a diamante number to each of the acetate strips and again left to dry as I was using a 3D glue.

After I had added various flowers to the 'trees', lots of sizes and colours, a different sentiment along with a few butterflies and flowers was attached to each of the outer tops.






I do hope that Jan will like it ..... after she gets over the shock of me knowing her birthday!?! lol

Friday 13 June 2014

Sympathy card in June

Not my normal style of card but I do not have any Sympathy peel offs so I had to think a bit (not a good ideal any day!).

I found this beautifully embroidered cross amongst my stash, and I just knew it would have to take pride of place.

I had visited the DIY shop a few days earlier so had to have few paper samples .....

One deckle edged card, one piece of deckle edged wallpaper, one PC printed deckle edged sentiment - put them all together and voila!

Not a good reason for meeting but, as you can read on my Recollections Blog, a good time was had by the main characters.  
I think Betty would have approved and looked down on us all with a smile on her face.

Thursday 12 June 2014

June Swaps for CWS

 An exciting month this time ...... with the added benefit of a fantastic technique.
1 to 1 swap



A white card with a fussy cut flowered circle in the centre front.  I added a smaller plain pink circle on top, then a decoupaged rose.  I love this rose design and have managed to get a matching background paper.
I dry embossed the corners with an almost matching rose design.


I received this card which made me laugh.
Thank you Helen





This stamp is absolutely fabulous!  I just love colouring it up with my pencils and/or watercolours.  I cut a strip from the front of this card and then covered the remaining back card with a floral washi tape.






CMW swap - Purple card with Grey colour embellishment and one other colour.

I have 'cheated' with this card as I could not find any suitable grey embellishments.  I took some grey papers into my Craft Group as I knew that one of the girls was bringing her dies into the meeting.  Carol very kindly die cut a latticed frame from one of the pieces and then a butterfly from silver card.  I am amazed at the quality of the cutting.  Thank you so much Carol.
I placed the frame over the card and then the silver butterfly at an angle so that I could add the sentiment to the top left corner.

Because I am using some cardstock from my stash so my card was cut to fit the frame!  This looks good but now it is not a standard size so I need to make an envelope to fit.
Some time ago I received some ATCs in a fabulous envelope and was determined at some point in time to make one like it.
Today was the day!
I used an advert page from 'Tatler' magazine that my daughter brought me back from Vegas.   Not only was the page the right size but the bottle of perfume advertised was just right for me to place the address label.

Hope you get the idea from these pictures.






Technique Swap - Pop Up Box
I also cheated on this swap as well - I bought the basic Template for the card.  I found the instructions on how to make it on the web so I printed them out and gathered the papers I wanted to use, plus some punched out flowers from the same papers.



I cut all the papers for the sides and back ready to fix to the box, embossed and shaped the flowers, and now put it all together so that I have a box of flowers.


It folds flat for posting and then just 'pops up' when opened.



I applied different papers to each side.



The sentiment was in my stash folder.


I can't take a good enough photograph to show the embellished edges of the petals but I tried ....


I have received this beauty back .....


The card in its closed state ........




.... open .....






.... gorgeous bow on the side .......




..... the tiny flowers on the paper are embossed and glittery, the blue card has a linen finish.
Thank you Helen. 



Wednesday 11 June 2014

WOYWW #262

Another WhatsOnYourWorkdeskWednesday, I have only just arrived back home so my post is a tad late today.
I am as per usual multi-tasking .....  doncha just love my little pills?
I do!?!
I say God Bless our hospitals who have Doctors and Nurses who care ........... and may God be praised and glorified 'cos He loves me!

So here is my desk for today - as it was on Monday ..... I am in the middle of making a card for a good friend.
It is a pop up box card, my second one and I am just loving  making them.

 The card box is finished, there are the 'trees' ready to have the flowers affixed and lots & lots of flowers all over  the desk.  I have punched out and die cut different flowers then decorated with pens and embossing powders.  The finished article with feature on this Blog at a later date.

I have been crocheting the little blankets for our local hospital Premature Baby Unit and, while travelling down to St Albans and back over the last two days, I have managed to finish another four blankets.
They are 30cms square but soooo small ..... when I think of the tiny bodies that will lie underneath each blanket to keep warm........
I have bough a LARGE ball of double knitting wool to make the blanket and am using up all my left over wool to add variation to the designs.  No pattern is involved because I am making it all up as I go along!
30cms square.
No 4 crochet hook, 50 chain using the last three as the first stitch on the next row and then off we go on another blanket, adding colours as I go.

Have a good week my WOYWW friends, enjoy visiting - hopefully our honoured leader Julia will have returned from foreign climes and even Mr Linky will make an appearance.

Wednesday 4 June 2014

WOYWW #261

Well, you will be pleased to know that I think my tablets are working so we have a busy desk again.  
I have managed to get to my new craft group and persuaded one of the girls to Cuttlebug die cut some toppers for me, grey background with a silver butterfly.  One of the decoupage roses, donated by Shazsilverwolf at the crop last week, is going onto an ATC.  I have almost finished my first crochet blanket for the Prem Babies at our local hospital.  It has taken a week for me to do as I didn't know the finished size, but I shall buy some wool and crochet some more squares - 30cms is not much and when I think of those tiny babies lying under it to keep warm ......
I have also had a bit of a spend in The Works - can't help it as I have to pass the shop to get my bus!!!  Some stamps and punches.  
Oh! the grey paper comes from the new Book of Papers which popped into my basket while buying printer inks from W H Smith!!!
So all in all I have a pleasant week ahead of me regardless of the weather - pouring down with rain as I type and thunderstorms forecast - I shall be in the 'Cat Free Zone'.
Have a good week everyone, into our sixth year .... well done Julia!   
Who's Julia?  
Click the tab at the top of the page ...... and join in.

Monday 2 June 2014

This one or t'other one.

I know that this is an ATC but ........  I can't post it on my ATCWannabe Blog as it belongs to WOYWW!
So there it is ..... and here's the card.
BJ sent this little beauty through to me ..... isn't this gorgeous?  Aren't I lucky?


BTW - hopefully there will be more ......