Tuesday 24 March 2015

WOYWW # 303

So after much faffing about with my phone - when I could get a signal of course!!! - I gave up.  No doubt my visitors just saw a blank screen ..... no visitors as I couldn't link up!!!

But here I am  ..... back home to reality.

I will be updating my other blog - Recollections and Memories - soon with all my wanderings exposed.
So my desk on Wednesday was a trip on the Ferry - Oban to Mull.




Happy days!!!




Friday 20 March 2015

Background Technique

One of the swaps this month was a Background Technique swap and this really intrigued me and I saw this a challenge.

Now that the swap has come around I am finding it more of a challenge than I thought and I tried several designs ... dry embossed, wet embossed, crinkled etc.  Then I saw a link on Pinterest ....
I found some pieces of polystyrene blocks and then drew a design on each one.  I cut away the background to leave the design proud of the rest of the block.  I tried the designs out on several pieces of paper and used several different types of ink until I was satisfied it would be good.

I took a craft card and, using several shades of green, stamped the leaf design round the edge of the card.  My idea was to make it look like foliage for a little bird to sit among.


I fussy cut an owl out of some wall paper samples along with a butterfly.
After attaching the owl and the butterfly, I felt the card needed something else but among my peel offs I found the perfect one.  Hello.

I am not sure of how this card looks, maybe a bit childish, maybe a bit folksy.  I have explained the technique I used to my swap partner and I hope that she likes it.

Thursday 19 March 2015

Number one 70th Birthday card

1945 was a good year for babies, lots of wonderful people were born that year - some of them were Rover Scouts together in Linslade!!!

The Rovers are having several meetups this year so I am preparing .... in advance?  Trying to.

Here are two cards I made over the weekend.  I used some papers from my stash and then cut out the numbers 7 and 0 using some vinyl templates I have had for years.

The idea was to then dicut the leftover paper and use as a background for the numbers.  Unfortunately the numbers when cut out where too large to go with this idea so I recut the leftovers to fit the front of the card leaving a small margin round the edge.

I attached the numbers and then decorated the cards as follows:
I used gold peel offs at the top right and lower left of each card - CELEBRATE and Congratulations.

 I stamped Happy B*day in the centre of the 0 to connect up the spots.  I stamped off with black ink and then added gold ink so that the gold looked as though it was outlined with black.

On the other card I added gold peel offs to spell JOY to set off the dark stripes.

PJ chose the spots background on a peach card so the striped on kraft card is put away for another birthday.

Wednesday 18 March 2015

WOYWW #302

I am creating ATCs again, Christian ones for these two swaps, I have them finished all but the label for the backs which, as you can see, I am cutting out to shape.  Tomorrow the labels will be stuck on the back of the cards and the cards will be posted off to their new owners.


If you look carefully(!!!!) you might just see a few(?) bottles sitting there on the side ...... I am starting to gather together items needed for the production of a journal ... in my opinion.  
I hope to start work on it when I return home from Scotland ..... 

If you want details and the wheres and hows and why - the details, wheres and hows can be found by clicking the WOYWW tab at the top of the page, the why .... who knows why?  Just for the fun of it!!
Big thank you's go out to Julia - our hostess with the mostess.

Thank you to all my visitors last week, sorry if I didn't make your desk.

BTW .... I managed to finish the matinee coat, mish mash of a piece of knitting - never was any good at knitting so I am not surprised at all (it is hidden in my craft room to be undone and re-knitted again ..... one day!).

Wednesday 11 March 2015

WOYWW #301

Really??!?!!
What happened to last week then?
I am sure I woz 'ere but then again ..........


I am doing a lot of this lately.

Had to be sourced first as I only have crochet hooks ......

..........then I found my patterns .......
.........then I visited AgeUK and bought some needles ............. our local shop in Solihull has all the knitting needles in a needle roll, labelled and stored, under the counter ...... 
They also have patterns ..........
Marvellous for someone like me who has put all her needles in a 'safe place'!!

So knitting and crocheting here I am, which means I have a happy young daughter who is pleased that her mother is now getting into the 'mood' as there are only six weeks to go!
  
Thanks to Julia for hosting and all the details of WOYWW can be found if you click the tab at the top of the page.
Have a good week everyone and I will try to visit some deskers this week .....

Wednesday 4 March 2015

WOYWW #300

I feel I should be celebrating this milestone figure in some way .....


Here is my desk .....

Good innit?!!



Actually, I am working on removing, clearing, sorting, reducing these boxes.  
I shop for my fruit and veg at a market store and my purchases are placed in a box on the trolley for ease, then the box goes in the boot of the car, the fruit and veg is unpacked when we get home and ..... and .... before I know it ..... the box is filled with craft materials and in the craft room!
 These boxes stack neatly and have small holes on the ends for handles so they are very manoeuvreable .... I did think of covering them with paper and paint ......... mixed media sortof thing ........... then I thought NO! .... CHUCK 'EM OUT!
 I don't know if you can see the shelving just to the right of the brown box!  Lots of empty containers, neatly stacked, waiting to be filled with papers and embellishments.  I can't get to them because of the boxes .... sounds familiar? 
So today is a good day for emptying boxes .... not only that .... it's rubbish day tomorrow and I would love to contribute in a big way!!!

Have a good week .... I will be late in visiting ......

Sunday 1 March 2015

Get Well Card for Roger

Our dear friend Roger has to go into hospital for a hip replacement.  He works hard on the trains, he still finds time to make drinks for all the volunteers and is always cheerful.  So we couldn't let him go all on his own .....
 I bought some diecuts and stamps of and for trains for this purpose, which to use I did not know.  The idea is to make a few cards and send them while he is indisposed.  Some diecut and some stamped.
I diecut several trains, various colours .... if you know out about steam trains then you will understand the three colours - black, red and green.

A plain white card stock from my stash folded in a tent fold was my base.  I then added the black diecut but only the outline.  I took some of the diecuts from the red train and then added panels to the outline - starting to look a bit like 6201 Princess Elizabeth.
Roger and PJ spend a lot of time cleaning the engine during the non-trip times so I really needed to add some copper piping ...... sentiment found .... and a puff of smoke of course!

Roger had his operation and was sitting up in a chair when we visited him in hospital .... can't keep a good man down!!!