WOYWW FOR THE LAST TIME IN AUGUST.......

The latest talk is all about the lack of summer this year. I also think there have been a lack of months. Where on earth did the last 8 of them go? I vaguely remember a few days where there was no wind and it was lovely and warm so I crafted outside, but I remember more cold, wet and windy days. The leaves on the sycamores have been turning for nearly 3 weeks, my Russian vine is red and the leaves are falling into the big pond, the blackbirds disappeared ages ago and now the swallow numbers are thinning. The worse bit of all is - I've been making Xmas cards!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm still 'plodding' away at the bead project but it is getting there and looking lovely.

Had to sit at the table for this one so that I could leave it out each day.
My little workspace is empty just now following the massive Ebay sale I did. Nearly half of the items I listed sold. Trouble is, I can't tell where they came from as I had to put the other half back!! I'll have another go probably in October as we are going away in a couple of weeks. I've taken a picture of my space from the other way round this week. Still not much going on though.

Well, another day beckons so after a trip over to Julia's and a few others, I'd better get on with it.

ATC CHALLENGES - OWLS

If you scroll down you will find a link to the ATC Challenges blog on the left hand side, failing that just click the highlighted bit in this sentence.
Challenge #9 is anything goes - as usual - but if you want to take the challenge, try OWLS. Having re-read the rules, I note you can enter up to 6 times so I have bitten the bullet and have 4 cards to show. Here goes:

This one uses the tiny cottage, tiny and medium trees plus the fence from Lindsay's new Xmas stamps 'Build a Snowy Scene', the little owl is a charm.

A very simple card indeed. The background is kitchen towel that was used to dry off inks from a journal page and the little owl is from the set of stamps mentioned above.

This is a fun card. The background is chalked and over-stamped with a Hero Arts swirl stamp for the owl to sit on. He was a free stamp from a magazine, coloured with water pencils and goggle eyes added. The moon is just a circle covered with stickles.

This one speaks for itself and is just a giggle. I called it 'Head to Head'.
Right, off to start the day.

A BIG XMAS CARD

First of all follow this link to Andy Skinner's post.
The tag card he has made using a set of his new stamps - Winter's Tale - is just stunning. You will note that he does say in his post that you may make this card following the instructions, so that's just what I have done. Please remember though, I am no artist so I did find the snow shading a little difficult - actually - a lot difficult!!!!
Here's mine then.

I love these stamps, they interact with another set of Andy's stamps I have - Back to Nature - and, they can be used with Lindsay's new Xmas stamps too.
This was fun this morning.

BACK HOME

After 11 months of being apart whilst trying to sell their house, my step-daughter and family finally made the move from Beverley to the North West yesterday. The settling in begins today.

PHEW!!!

What a marathon.
I had a clear out of some crafty stash - you know, stuff you haven't used for yonks - and put it on Ebay last weekend - free listing.
Over Sat. and Sun. I listed 110 items. I then discovered that I had listed 2 twice so ended up with 108. I've managed to sell 46. I reckon that's a result. Just hope someone buys my ottoman bed base this weekend now so that I can sort out the bedroom.
Anyway, the pile of craft stash started like this:

plus:

and has ended like this:

and this:

I think there may have been many crafters who have bought from me, but who ever you are, can I say a Great Big THANK YOU because I really needed the space.

WOYWW AND THANK YOU JULIA

Our amazing WOYWW leader Julia, not only started this Wednesday fun day allowing us to sneak around to other crafter's houses and have a good 'ol rummage through their craft stash, but she is also a jolly good sport and generous to a fault. Last week, Julia mentioned that she had some cards that she would give to anyone who supported a charity. I send all my 'not needed' items etc to my local North West Ambulance shop in nearby Lytham St. Annes, and told Julia this. Not a moment later, this massive bundle of cards arrived from her. I immediately whisked them off to the shop who were so grateful.
So, a great big THANK YOU Julia.
Not a great deal of crafting this end since last week. I am in the process of something that will take a long time to complete and unfortunately, as it's part of a birthday card, I can't show you. Speaking of birthdays though, the project I can't show is linked to a lovely lady whose birthday is today, Heather. Have a lovely day xx.

So, what is on my workdesk today? This little(!!) lot.

I just have no space left whatsoever so decided stuff has to go. As Ebay had free listing last weekend, I set to and listed 110 items before my computer got so hot I just had to turn it off!! All this stuff and to honest, I can't tell where it's come from!! So much for making space. But really, it had to be and I'm just hoping now that it goes or I will be spending this weekend putting it all back again!
Some of you may recall me mentioning that my step-daughter and family want to move back to the NW from Beverley to be close to family. Well, after nearly a whole year apart, they finally move this Friday. That's one big item off the list at long last. Her 'dadi' and I are now looking for a new home in Dorset!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
Have a fun woyww and get the kettle on, I'm on my way.

POP OVER TO CRAFTING BUDDIES

http://craftingpets.blogspot.com/2011/08/theyre-churning-water-up-again.html

WHAT A WEEKEND

I decided that a summer clearout of my craft space was long over due. as Ebay had free listing this weekend, I was prompted to make a start.
2 days and 110 items later, my computer over heated and I had to switch off.
So much for a craft clear out though. This is my room now:

Where do I craft??
Hope it all sells or I will be spending next weekend putting it all back again!

SHE DIDN'T THINK SHE WOULD LIKE JOURNALING BUT.......

This double spread started off like this:

and ended like this:

No time for any more this weekend. It's free listing on Ebay so my craft room clear out has begun. I've filled the dining table with stamps and photographed them individually ready for the off. Just got to list them now. Not sure I will be finished by midnight tomorrow though! Having a good ol' clear out so if you want to follow my listings, please email me for my seller details.
Here we go then..........

FOR THE SAKE OF JOURNALING

I got inky and had a ball.
After watching a demo by Dyan Reaveley, the mistress of art journaling, I decided to have a go at a double spread.

I missed out using distress stains first (only because I had forgotten that bit from the demo!!) and started by water misting the pages. Adirondak colour wash sprays came next and when dry, I added gesso through the gorgeous butterfly stencil. That took a bit of drying but once it was, I sprayed some blue colour wash over it, allowing it to run down the page.

Next, I searched out some stamps and a coffee Archival pad which I used without a stamp block over bits of the pages.

Becoming more interesting now.

More searching for stamps and I found these leaves from the Artistic Stamper. I inked them up with black Archival this time and stamped them along the top of the pages.

The circles at the bottom are some Claudine Hellmuth stamps and the saying is one of Tim's. I used distress ink to colour in the leaves and some white paint dabber to fill in a few of the circles. Lastly, I cut out a bird from one of Dyan's downloadables and hey presto! job's a gud 'un.

This was such fun that I started another..................

Not sure where this one is going as yet, but I'll keep popping back to it through the day.

WOYWW AND I WON AGAIN

The incredible artist - Laura Carson - from Artfully Musing blog fame, hold a draw every month to win her art. I was so lucky that random org picked me at the beginning of the year and I received an amazing winter scene ATC. This time, I have won this one:

Another to deck my walls.
Well today being another Wednesday of What's on your Workdesk Wednesday fame run by desk-hopper extraordinaire Julia, means we get to do a bit of travelling and poking around other like-minded crafter's space. Mine started off like this:

A couple of packets of dagger beads and some beading thread. to the left of these are the 3 packs of stamps I bought on Sunday at Lindsay's workshop:

The 2 larger packs are some of Andy Skinner's new stamps. I adore the trees which cane be used for all sorts of projects and will also mix and match with that pack of Lindsay's stamps.
Left again are all these:

Little packets I have made up from my odds and ends drawers of children's beads, confetti, tags etc. This is the start to my major clear out (which may take months I hasten  to add). I need the space!!! How many of us have said that then??
Anyway, the tiny bit of space I generally work on look like this this morning:

The beginnings of more Xmas cards based on the ones from the weekend workshop using Lindsays stamps. I think that little elf is so cheeky.
Well, the sun is shining today so it's time to get some washing done because I have no doubt that the rain will be back again tomorrow. Have fun  today and watch out for me calling round.

BE PREPARED TO BE AMAZED

Any one never been to a craft workshop?? You are really missing out if you haven't. I remember my first many years ago now, where I learnt to heat emboss. The lady who taught me now has her own shop and has had  for the last 10 years, The Stampers Gallery, The Boskins, Tarleton.
I've amassed my own craft stash and could probably open a shop of my own, however, I think I have found my niche and prefer to play with inks, paints and stamps now rather than peel offs, stacks of patterned paper, felt or Lace. So, when I attend a workshop now, I expect to do just that and attending a Lindsay Mason workshop amazes me every single time.
I went over to St Helens yesterday to Crafts 4 U 2 Do for one such event and was so happy with the 3 cards we made, I even stayed up 'til 2.30am this morning finishing one off!!!

My workshop space before the off. The middle was filled with lots of Distress Stains - yummy!
Our first card was just amazing. Made with Lindsay's new Xmas stamp set 'Build a Snowy scene', I could not believe the techniques we were shown and had to ask where these amazing ideas come from because I see a stamp and just - well, stamp it. Look at my card.

Isn't that stunning?
The next was more traditional but again, incredible.

We used alcohol inks to create the background and another of Lindsay's new Xmas stamp sets - sorry I don't know the name of this set, but go onto the Personal Impressions web site for the info. The trees and minarets, oh and the little (shed) can all be used throughout the year, so this set is really useful.
Finally, we started the 3rd card but ran out of time in which to complete it, hence my stopping up late.
This one is just so hilarious.

I don't know why I didn't buy this stamp set but I really must. The holly frame is made with a new Martha Stewart round the edge punch. It is proving extremely popular and is already in short stock. We used Distress ink for the background and to colour the holly, a tricky manoeuvre but fun to do. I finished my cheeky elf with some liquid pearls on his hat and a little bell. I think Lindsay has arranged more workshop dates, so pop over to her blog in a few days for details and treat yourself to some amazement.
Here are some photos of Lindsay's sample cards. If you compare those with the ones I made, you can see what a good teacher Lindsay is because there is hardly any difference!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for looking.

JOURNAL JOURNEYS #2 - FAIRIES

The August challenge theme over at Journal Journeys is FAIRIES. Follow this link for the details
http://journaljourneys-dawn.blogspot.com/2011/08/journal-journeys-ch02.html

I don't really have a clue how to journal by that I mean, I don't know how to use magazine images or what order to make my backgrounds and stamped images stand out. It's just like making cards, tags etc I realise that, but somehow I think this is more complex. That's the reason I keep having a go at these challenges. So if you want to learn and have some fun too, just go for it.
This is my page:

I used distress stains for the background, a mixture of blues and the new picket fence stain. then I used a couple of green Stazon inks to stamp some ferns and Ginko leaves. The lines are made using a piece of card dabbed into the ink then swished randomly on the page. I tried to spray some water through a stencil here and there but I think I dried the ink too much so that didn't work this time. The whole page is sprayed over with perfect pearls and a green home-made spray to make it glisten.
The fairy is a free download image which I cut out and stuck to the page after giving her a 'wash' with pearl dabber. Her wings are highlighted with rock candy distress stickles. Computer words finished it all off.
I took this photo and got a lot of flash back, but you can see the pearls glistening.

Right, I'm off to enter my page in the challenge.

HEATHER'S JULY BOOKMARK SWAP

I received my 3 bookmarks from Heather and jumped up and down with joy because they are so gorgeous.
Another special part of this swap is, I personally know each of the girls who made the bookmarks I received, including the lovely Heather herself. That doesn't always happen when you join in a challenge.
Heather made a 'thank you' tag for me based on the author Jane Austen. Have a look:

Aren't those colours lovely, My favourite.
The first tag I took from the envelope was this one from Chris.

Her book was the Darling Buds of May by Ernest Bates. Do you remember the tv series? Lovely choice of subtle colours for a spring theme and the whole bookmark is glistening with perfect pearls spray.
Next out of the envelope was this laminated bookmark by the super talented Sioux.

I personally did not know the book Sioux chose, 'Into the Blue' by Robert Goddard, but having won the W H Smith "Thumping Good Read" award, may just give it a go. Sioux has great imagination for all the projects she works on, my bookmark is no exception.
The final one out of the envelope was this beauty from top demo and workshop attendee (and friend) Sheila.

Based on Lewis Carroll's 'Alice in Wonderland', Sheila has interpreted Alice in a whimsical way. The whole thing is tactile due mainly to the subtle embossing and I just love the 'splattered' background.
If you would like to see the bookmarks I made for this challenge, follow the link here: http://mytobyjug.blogspot.com/2011/07/heathers-bookmarks.html
Thank you girls for these bookmarks. I will keep them all safe, and a great big THANK YOU  to Heather for running this exciting challenge.

WOYWW AND WHAT A WEEK

Since last Wednesday I have been away for 4 days, I painted preserve on the wooden garden furniture, heard some sad news from 2 crafting friends and our Susanna has sold her house and managed to get another about 6 miles from us. Phew!
I took some images and my Copics away with me but only managed to complete 3. The show was really good this year although the model flying was not, so I've been trying to catch up on some projects I need to have done within the next couple of weeks. What's on my desk is not one of those but a technique I wanted to try.

I have used tissue paper, matt medium, gesso, sprays and ink pads to make the bird images and decided to cut the whole thing up and make 4 ATCs.

My box of sticky gems is in a right 'ol mess as you can see.
I received my bookmarks yesterday from Heather, but will blog a separate post on those. My swaps are just gorgeous.
I'm in a rush this morning as I'm off to the hairdressers to get this bird nest on the top of my head sorted out. After that, I intend to pop over to Julia's and then take the woyww express around the world to yours. I'm also hoping to get this Blogger comment thing finally sorted in the next few days when computer Dave comes to make some changes to 'T's' computer. Maybe then I will be able to comment on your space.
Until then, have a wonderful WOYWW.

BOOT STASH

At the Woodvale show is a car boot sale. This year it was 2 aisles long. I'm not actually a fan of them, I find that most try to sell junk and charge shop prices. However, I now have a bit of fun searching out stash for my crafting. This is what I found on Saturday -

I've already broken down the beads. The 'Goth' necklace has flat-backed crowns and crosses, super for sticking to projects, plus the chain is 'Tim - like'. A really good find. those little pink beads are just like fresh water pearls and have holes too. The bracelet is made up of all sorts of goodies.
A good bit of 'booting' there me thinks.

HANDY FLOWER VASE

The Woodvale show is over for an other year. I was pleasantly surprised at the craft marquees this time but did wish I was rich because one stall was selling the most gorgeous scarves I have seen anywhere, but at £22 and £25 each, I gave them a miss. However, I did find this little beauty.

A mere £2.
It's actually a flower vase and I got it for the motorhome. No glass to break and it's lightweight. All you do is add warm water to mould it into shape -

Tip that out and add cold water plus your flowers -

When your flowers are past their best, simply pour away the water, wash out the vase and fold it flat ready for the next bunch. It's really substantial although top heavy flowers would not be a good idea. I love freesia and this will be perfect for those.

AN EMPTY WOYWW

That's right. There's nothing, zilch, nowt, not a thing, zero, an empty space.

Apart from my reading glasses that is, my little space is devoid of crafty goodness.

It's all clean and waiting to get messy again next week. Why so long? Well we are going to the Woodvale model flying show again. I didn't go last year, and to be honest, I don't want to go this year either, but with 'T' just having had his operation and still not able to lift, stretch or do anything like that, I need to keep an eye on him so have to 'suffer' the boredom (for me) once again. This is definitely the last time for me.
Now don't get me wrong, this show is a fantastic weekend of fun, flying and all manner of things for the whole family. It's just we have been going for the last 9 years or so and I've had enough.
I'm taking some stamped images with me to colour with my Copics. Should keep me busy for  a while I hope.
Well, our lovely leader Julia will have posted her entry for today along with dozens of you around the globe, so I will post this little ditty and fly off to yours for a look around.