WOYWW #376

This is What'sOnYourWorkdeskWednesday - if you want to find out more then checkout the WOYWW tab at the top of the page - and our thanks go to Julia for hosting this weekly meet up.

Ooer!  quick look round  You shouldn't be here ..... another quick look round ..... you can't see this ...... looks round again .... you'll get me into trouble if you tell ......

Do you see those blue pictures on the right .... I am about to make some ATCs for a  ..... THAT'S RIGHT! HOW DID YOU KNOW?!!..... a Blue swap.

I am going to start on the blue butterfly and I know someone who has lots of butterfly stamps and dies ........ see the black box .... I have filched it so I can have a good look through and choose the right Butterfly for my card.

Look ..... lots and lots of Butterflies .... woohoo! .... so long as I keep my craft room door shut .... and you don't tell him .... I shall have a lovely day tomorrow!............ and if PJ sees them before I can get them back onto his shelves .... I  will  know  that  it  was  YOU  who told him!!!!

Have a good week.

WOYWW #375

This is What'sOnYourWorkdeskWednesday - if you want to find out more then checkout the WOYWW tab at the top of the page - and our thanks go to Julia for hosting this weekly meet up.

Well, this is a sight you won't see very often!!!!

I have finished the ATCs so before I start my next creation (or move to a larger room - here's hoping!) I thought I would sort through the 'box of bits' that is now filled to overflowing ..... how did that little stamp NOT get put away!?!!
Sorry it is such a boring post this week .... next week I will try to give you the links to some of the past projects .... so you can see how well  (or not!) they turned out.

Here's a thought ..... I see Melons are back on the shelves!!!

......... till next week .... take care my friends.

WOYWW #374

This is What'sOnYourWorkdeskWednesday - if you want to find out more then checkout the WOYWW tab at the top of the page - and our thanks go to Julia for hosting this weekly meet up.
Another busy week!  I am so caught up with making Teddies and Baby Blankets that the time just flies by.  I did make time to finish my ATCs and am now moving on to making a card and some ATCs.

I have found one of my Creative Stamping magazines (from last year) so that I can glean some inspiration for my card swap - Summer Holiday Theme.  
The printed photos on the right are for my ATC swap - Bridges Theme.  I joined in a similar swap last year but only used photos of Paris Bridges, this year I thought of using some Birmingham Bridges!

I searched for some photos of bridges in Birmingham and was pleasantly surprised to see such a variety.  The first bridge was built back in the 1800s and still stands in Cannon Hill Park, which is much used for events.  The picture below that was built in 1711 and is known as the ZigZag bridge over in the north of Birmingham.  The viaduct bridge is in the middle of an industrial estate which was being developed when the photo was taken. The top two bridges are over one of the many canals in Birmingham out by the University which was built in the 1800s, one of the first Unis in England.  I just love the photo of the bridge in the centre of Birmingham, such an unusual angle of a great bridge, again built in the 1800s.

This photo shows the bridge as it would normally be seen.

I must admit that I didn't know we had so many interesting bridges here in Birmingham, I spent an interesting couples of hours researching this theme!!!

I hope to spend some time at the weekend turning the ideas in my head into the reality on paper ....... we shall see.....

Off to make some visits now while Little Soldier is asleep, see you soon and if not ...... have a good week.

WOYWW #373

This is What'sOnYourWorkdeskWednesday - if you want to find out more then checkout the WOYWW tab at the top of the page - and our thanks go to Julia for hosting this weekly meet up.

Please excuse the lateness of my joining the party, it's been extra busy this week.... more birthdays .....meeting up with Darnell et al  (super time, short but so very sweet) ...... catching up with the Railway Garden .....excuses, excuses!!

So my desk has the remnants of the work being carried out BEFORE  the birthdays hit in!  
I was making several ATCs for swaps and more importantly .... I was organised!!!  I had a list of designs, indicating which stamps to use ..... I managed to make two, although there are several on the left of my desk, only two are suitable (in my opinion).
Now I have moved onto using the film strip stamp ... I know what I want to do, I know how it is done...... when I do it .....hhmmm.  This one will not be used so I shall have to start again.  
I only hope that I can spend most of my weekend playing.
Until then my friends, I shall be visiting and exclaiming!  Stay safe ......

WOYWW #372

Ho! Ho!  Welcome back Julia!  I do hope you can cope with us all invading your space ...... I can just imagine you sitting there while we all surround you with our love.....

Jan .... It isn't that we don't love you .... it's just that it's good to be home again!  I'm sure you're there .... ready to catch Julia if she falls down underneath all of our love ......

So here's my desk ....

I ordered a few items from CraftStash, see them on the left, and then I received all the items on the right for free!!!!
I am trying not to spend too much at the moment what with all the July birthdays in my family, but this was too much to resist.
The bicycle die has come free with a magazine and is not yet filed.
I shall be spending a few days filing and I may even get round to trying a few items out!



We had a super day for PJ's birthday, everyone fed the ducks, ran around the grass, climbed on the ferry, had lots of things to eat......

..... and at the end of the day .....

Real good birthday ...... which finished on Sunday at a family meal where PJ was presented with a voucher to be a Zoo keeper for the day at Dudley Zoo.  All good.
I hope to blog all the details over on my Recollections Blog later on.
Have a good week everyone and I will catch you later ..... when it cools down a bit.......

WOYWW #371

I am scheduling this post as Wednesday will be busy .... I hope. 
I am also hoping that Jan will still be hosting, and that Julia is still recoup  recoupera  recouperati  getting better.  In which cases - thank you both both for helping us to have a weekly get together - details can be found on the tab at the top of the page.

My desk ..... that's if it stops raining!!!



Today is PJ's birthday so.... if it stops raining ....


....... we will be here.....









.....Doing this.....



.....don't ask me!?!?!  

Out of the blue he decided he wanted to feed the ducks on his birthday ...... at Stratford.







.....I hope we'll be visiting these .....




.. if it stops raining of course!





You all have a good week, I'll be round to visit later when/if we arrive back home after a lovely day out!

WOYWW #370

Thanks to Jan for hosting again - amidst everything else.  
What's it all about?   Check out the tab at the top of this post ......
My desk this week has my latest ideas for cards and ATCs.  
I have just finished ATCs (can be found here) for a Challenge and now have two of the images printed out ready to make a card.  My humble paintsets can also be seen - nothing posh round here ...... left over kids paints although I do have tubes of paints waiting in the wings, as it were.  I am hoping to make some feminine Steampunk ATCs later, so the digis for those are also printed out .... to be coloured in shades of pink and purple .....

At the top left there are also some cards waiting for the July birthdays' posting dates.

I have some 'stackers' to give away but, unfortunately, cannot afford the postage (they weigh 90grams without stamps etc.).  I have a PayPal account so if you are interested in having a few let me know and we can see what we can sort out.  They have been hanging around for a couple of years now and we really need the space .... if we can meet up somewhere convenient to us both (in England) then they will be totally free!!!  Well, maybe the price of a cup of coffee! 

That's it then, hope to get some visiting in before the little soldier arrives, see you later .....
UPDATE


After our meal last night we found the Art Shop in town was still open so managed to pick up a few really neat brushes ....... they have a sale on at the mo ...... can't wait to start painting ...... 'tomorrow, tomorrow' she sings to herself!

WOYWW #369

Another week has just flown past, missed it again!  
After recovering from all the acci's last week, we then went into the Open Weekend at Tyseley Steam.   I managed to get into the gardens and tidy them up a bit - weed and strim -  but could not make it over to the opening.  PJ donned a flat hat worn low over his forehead and manned the car park for both days.  Now we are recovering!!!

My desk this week has the remnants of trials using some of my new purchases.  
We had several errands to run prior to the weekend and a couple were on the same site as Hobbycraft.... had to pop in ....... then, halfway through my selecting, PJ had a phonecall from the Drs (an earlier appointment to have his stitches out was available) so we checked out and set off.  Wasn't till I arrived home that I checked the bill ..... didn't have time at the shop to sort through the basket and put back what I didn't really NEED so ...... ooops!  
The dies were ones that I wanted, I don't have any squares ...... the jigsaw was a maybe ......  the ink was also a maybe ...... then the  ...... well, you get the picture!
The corner rounder punch was perhaps the only thing I would really have bought, along with some other steampunk dies (put into my steampunk box) but when you're in a rush ......
I do seem to be the only one that is bothered by the amount of money spent as PJ did point out that I haven't had a good spend up for ages! (Bless his cotton socks!) 


I have been trying out different patterns on my baby blankets and last night found an interesting site, Little Woollie, which offered a pattern that was just tooo tempting to miss.  
I have managed the repeat a couple of times, it's called 'Catherine Wheel' and not too difficult for me.  
I am now hoping I have enough green wool to complete the blanket.


Thanks again to Jan for hosting the get together - glad that Mr Linky is now behaving ....
Have a good week.

P.S.
...... sometimes it is hard to take in all that vastness when you first visit the beach .........

WOYWW #368

Good to have Julia joining us this week.  Keep up the good work.
Thanks to Jan for hosting again - hope that this weekly meet up is getting easier to arrange.
What's it all about?   Check out the tab at the top of this post ......

So what have I been up to I hear you ask? 
 Why has there been no input on the old PC?  
Well, I'l tell you .....


This is the desk I have been working on.  
I have ticked off my list of swaps....tried to print out some paperwork.  
My black inkwould not co-operate so I had muted grey, which is very nice but not quite right.  
Have managed to get it to print now, it has taken nearly all week off and on but then again .....  I have been at the Chemist, Doctors, Hospital ........ 

 I had some new tablets from the Doctor, I felt fine but he did insist so ...... This rash appeared ...... return visit informed me it was just a side effect and would go away - yeah!  By Friday night both legs were burning up, I stopped taking the tablets and applied cold compresses.

Saturday morning I was awoken with a phone call to say that PJ had fallen and (he was in Derby with the Steam Engine 6201) would be on the next train home.  I met him at New Street Station with his glasses and ended up in Hospital with him having his head stitched.  As the Doctor stitched his head she noticed my leg - couldn't miss it really! - and suggested I went back to the Doctors with it.
I went back Monday and now the Doc wants me to try a different tablet  ... hmmm ....
SIL's foot got crushed at work so we were at a different A & E for him!!

All in all an eventful week ...... 

I'm afraid visiting, crafting, life in general was put on hold but we are all ok now and getting our lives back ..... I would say back to normal but  ..... that's not us!!  One of the good things to come out of this is that I have crocheted another pile of baby blankets!

I hope to catch up with as many desks as I can this week, also with the life that was put on hold while I was incapacitated.   Maybe I will take up a craft .....

You all have a good week, take things easy but above all ..... enjoy!

WOYWW #367

Linking up with fellow deskers with our honoured Temp Leader Lunch Lady Jan  who provides a link for us to a World Wide Group, although at the moment she has more important business to attend to - Our prayers are with you and yours at this sad time.  You're next to Julia ......

Good morning fellow Deskers.
We have rain again .....everything has been washed and well watered .... the chickens look bedraggled but it doesn't seem to be bothering them.....Little Soldier is asleep .... PJ is waiting to go on a run with the Steam Engine 6021 ...... I am linking up with fellow Deskers .... all's right with the world!!!!  
Round here it is anyways .....
My desk has new on it .... I have made a 'floral' card, a pop up box from a kit given free with a magazine.  All the pieces were diecut so it was easy to put together although quite an intricate project.

Also on my desk is the start of an experiment ......
Creative Stamping is one magazine for which I have a subscription - a Christmas present from DDC.  I love the stamps and all the ideas but then they are filed away ..... and promptly forgotten!!!  Mainly because I don't do a lot of stamping, I feel that I lack the imagination needed to use them properly - there's a good negative thought!! - but this month one of my swaps is 'Stamping' so I have signed up for it..... good practise .....
I am going to attempt the lower of the two cards and, as I don't have a mask, I am using a Fiskars Template.  The 'Mackintosh' stamps were the freebie so I am looking forward to creating ...... 

Off now to try to visit a few deskers before sleeping babies wake up!  Thank you to all my visitors last week, I'm afraid I only managed to visit a few desks ..... hope to do better this week.
Have a good week.

WOYWW #366

Say Hello to Julia - on a sabbatical for a while - so handed reins over to LLJ.  Visit here and you can meet up with all us WOYWWsers - info on top tab - Jan is looking after us all so well, even managed to arrange the Birthday Party!  ThankQ LLJ.

Good News today .....

ShazSilverWolf

More ATCs arrived safely, ShazSilverWolf and Angela@FelixtheCraftyCat.  

Angela@FelixtheCraftyCat

Thank you so much girls.





Here is the desk then ......
You may not think it has changed but it has ....
.... the papers have moved to the 'working' part of the desk and some ATC bases are also there .......

Just for information - I went to a BBQ on Saturday and the food was served on these dishes with wooden cutlery.  
So what?  


I could not throw my plate away so it came home, is washed and ready to use either to hold my embells etc or to be cut up and used.  
It is made out of what looks like wood fibres.
The cutlery will be used for mark making.


That's it then, I'm meeting up with CRUNCH friends in Solihull Library at 12.00hrs and I want to have a look round the town beforehand so I will catch up with you all later  ......
Have a good week and take care.............

WOYWW #365

Thinking of you Julia and praying for perfect healing, comfort and strength.

Linking up with fellow deskers over at Jan's  who never thought she would be the Leader of a World Wide Group .... but she is ..... and she's making a grand job of it!!

My desk today is just like my life at the moment ..... a mess!  Full of the past, present and future!!

There are the remains of an artwork created for the Steam Trains gardens - soon to be seen on my Recollections Blog.  
The box containing my glue gun and tapes, the plastic container containing my left over diecuts - just slung there while I moved on to other things ..... no time to sort .... no time .... doing the whole white rabbit thing!!!  
A June birthday card is to the left just needs an envelope nearer the date (wonder if I will be able to find it  .... the words 'safe' and 'somewhere' come to mind!)
Then there is the gold paper waiting to be changed into ATCs (where are the fairies when you need them - just cos they appeared on tv doesn't mean they can shirk!)
And then .......... my received ATCs, for which I thank the senders.... Cindy for the busy bee, Jan for the heart and our beloved Julia for the blue cards theme.

My cards went into a post box we happened to be passing over the holiday and, on reflection, maybe I should have picked a better situated one .... I just hope that the postman collects from there ..... I will wait patiently to hear that they have arrived ..... 

Now here is a story of my life ..... today we are going to buy a swing for Little Soldier .... it is pouring with rain ..... ha! ha! ha!

Thank you to my visitors last week, I tried to visit as many as I could but if I didn't make your desk then please forgive me ......  White Rabbit syndrome remember!

Happy Anniversary to WOYWW!!

Happy Anniversary to Julia et al.  
I hope we all have a wonderful day!  Mine has started well .... had to explain about 'Conservation Area' to our new neighbours who started to have the front garden removed!!!  More flooding as we will catch the water run off, less oxygen in the area .... don't get me started!!  lol

So ....onto the good things in life such as the Wednesday WOYWsers .... my desk has changed at the moment.  I am preparing another batch of Prem Babies' Blankets.  They are all ready to be washed and then we hope to deliver them to our local hospital early next week.  Then I think i will start some more as I have tested out a new pattern on some of these and rather like the idea!   Useful use of odds and ends.

Have a good day, lots of chatting and ATC swapping - mine are ready to post so if anyone is interested in swapping...... drop me an email and it will be in the post tomorrow.

Have a fantastic day ......

WOYWW #363

Well, it's all change here while our usual Hostess takes time out for herself (enjoy!) and then gets a 'seeing to' .... which will be successful of course, why? Because we say so!!  
Love you Julia.
The Party is now being held over at Lunch Lady Jan's for a few weeks so just ignore any links if you visit the tab at the top of the page ...... the info is the same but the link is now here.  You will receive a great welcome over there and lots of info, laughs, well I nevers etc.
As for me?


Well, here's the desk ....
Just as I left it on Monday night.  
And here's the telling of it ......

I have had a very busy week as I have started the garden tidy up after the Chicken Ranch has been finished.  Yeah!!!!


We took advantage of the good weather to get out into the gardens ..... yes, there supposed to be an S there! 
In one week ...
.. spent time at the Client's garden, at the Steam Train garden and then our own garden.  Shame it is raining today because I was just getting into the habit of spending all day outside!!
On top of all that I made my first cake in ages ..... trying out a new 'cake tin' with which I am very pleased - I might tell you the story on my Recollections Blog!

I visited the Doctors - I just wanted a short pop-in but  ..... I am up the hospital today for an XRay ..... 


Then I remembered that Little Soldier turns one this week so a card was the order of the day .... then I didn't like it so tried to re-do it.... looks a bit better but I think my brain was somewhere else!  
No change there then.



So yesterday, I shut the craftroom door and went out celebrating with Little Soldier et al.

Now I am going to spend the day after the celbrations just playing around with ..... guess who!!!

You all have a good week and please forgive me if I don't get round to visit many of you.
Updated to add that I have made several ATCs for the birthday swap so if you are interested in swapping please drop me a mail.

WOYWW #362

Welcome one and all ..... hope the rain and wind has passed you by and you are back in the sunshine.  I really thought that summer had arrived, the swallows are here and the sun was shining.... for two days!!

My desk has the makings of an ATC double sided swap.  Yes, I know!  Another one!  Couldn't resist this one.  I have sorted out the sides, direct opposites this time - thumbs up/thumbs down, Red cat/green cat and male/female.  I am using ideas collected from the internet and sorted some direct opposites.

ALSO on my desk is a cow mug - a present for DDN, a few diecuts  - new dies had to be tried out!, and if you look carefully you can see a pile of ATCs..... I am also working on my Birthday swap ATCs, the backs are all I am showing today!!

Here's a smile for you - Little Soldier tried out the lawn!!!

Thanks to all my visitors last week, if I didn't make it to your desk .... sorry, I'll try to do better this week!!!

My thanks also go to Julia, our wonderful hostess, who provides the space for us all to meet up.

WOYWW #361

Thanks to Julia for hosting this weekly deskhop, all the details of WOYWW can be found if you click the tab at the top of the page.

This week I am reminiscing ...... I was looking for something ...... you know how it goes ..... in a box I found several items which brought back lots of memories .....


Here is the infamous desk and I am smiling to myself.  
I'll tell you why if you want to stick around to find out ..... on second thoughts you better grab a cup of something and find an easy seat!!!




There's a map of Southern France and the Alps.  I sat looking for the Tunnels (du Chat, Monte Bianco, Frejus) through which PJ and I crossed into Italy (he used to make this trip every week).

Here is an interesting leaflet I found in the Chapel in East Midlands Airport as wewere passing through to go to Lago di Garda with GDTK.  The leaflet suggests how to spend five minutes with God. 

Just underneath all that is a serviette from a restaurant on Malta.  That particular meal was taken with our friends, after spending a great morning walking round Marsaxlokk.  This is a small harbour in the south of the island and is famous for its seafood restaurants. 

The business card is leftover from our Paris trip, we called into this Bistro to get out of the rain - Rylan Clarke look alike works there. :-)

A miraculous medal, still on its original string.  As children we were all given these medals, to keep us safe and help us pray.  The wording round the edge reads - O Mary conceived without sin pray for us who have recourse to thee - and the words were repeated often!  Then I became 'born again' and, in finding Jesus, didn't need Mary to pray for me as I found out I could speak straight to Jesus myself..... and He hears....



A keyring from Gibraltar.  
We had a holiday in Spain  and managed a daytrip into Gibraltar.  I had so wanted to go there as my Father was stationed there for several years during which time my Brother was born. 
My mother used to speed round the island in an open topped car and this is where she developed her love of speed. 
Such happy memories from her and for me!!!

Another list!!!!  lol
This time it is for a trip to Africa and was attached to the flyer.  We used to go to Nigeria every year, and at the same time - according to my list - I was learning Shorthand at Evening Class and preparing for an Executive Skills exam.  May I say that I was in fulltime employment back in the day .... must have had a lot (lot) more energy then!!!  lol
More happy memories and a chance to have a good prayer session for the people there.

Woo! Hoo!

I found my 'button' diecuts!!!  I bought the die to make some 'buttons' for an ATC swap, but then lost the diecuts!!!

Talking about ATCs, there happens to be some gold papers and oriental images/papers .... sorted ready for another swap .... betcha can't guess what themes!!!!!

The stories behind my desk this week ..... hope you found them interesting.  
I am out today checking out Chicken Houses with PJ and Little Soldier, sounds like a fun day ..... hhmm .... we'll see ......

..... in the meantime ..... enjoy your deskhopping and, if you haven't joined in before, maybe this is the time to join in.... details on the the tab above.
Have a good week, stay safe and happy.