MIDNIGHT SUN

This is a rubbish photo but I tried to capture the daylight still around just after midnight last night. The bright light is a street light, but you can see the light in the sky. Just amazing.

ATC's/CARDS WITH ATTITUDE # 17 - ANYTHING GOES

Another 2 weeks have flown by which means another chance for you to show us your projects, whether they be ATCs or CARDS over at ATCs/ CARDs with ATTITUDE. Remember though, we are an ATC or card challenge blog only but if you decide to make a card you can enter it into our sister blog, Fat Pages with Attitude too.
We have amazing sponsor prizes for you :
Sassy Studio Designs are offering 4 digis for the winner
Anitas Digital Designs are giveing the winner a choice of digis
Fresh Brewed Designs are offering 3 digis to the winner, their choice.
I was greedy and made 2 ATCs this time:
#1 - Breakfast at Tiffanys from Sassy:

# 2 - Ashee from Anita's:

The images are so very different which meant I have had great fun making them both. Come and join us this fortnight and have just as much fun.

WICKED WEDNESDAY ATC #38 - F IS FOR .................

F is for fairies, flowers, friends etc over at Wicked Wednesday Atc challenge this week. I chose flowers.

A vase full of home grown flowers to show off this little ATC.

I cut a tiny aperture in some plain card, mounted it over a real pressed flower under acetate and matted it to coloured Bazzil card. However, before I did all that, I stamped some tiny flowers on the plain card, used a white sakura pen to colour some, added gold Sakura pen to the centres and then distressed it all. I twisted some fine wire into scrolls, added a couple of sticky gems and a butterfly, card done.
I used to make a few of these ATCs several years ago and they are still a favourite of mine.

WOYWW - AN EMPTY WORKDESK BUT I CAN SIT AT IT....

I've come to the conclusion that the cold weather is playing with my sense of time and that is the reason I think it's a whole week since I last wrote a woyww blog post. Not sure whether our lovely leader Julia has come to that reasoning or whether any of you have come to the same  conclusion, but I can't think of anything else.
My little work area is clear at the moment but has seen activity this week as I have been working away trying to complete challenges, tutorials and my DT pieces, none of which I can show - bummer!! However, time will allow me to showcase my art - ha!! that's a laugh, me making art... I do try hard though honestly. Here is the clear space but look, I have a seat at last that allows me to preserve my ailing neck and back....

Still sharing with the washer but it behaves, LOL. You get the perspective of size of my room in this photo but remember, the doors to the left conceal lots of space for my stash.
I do however, have to hang stuff on the little bit of wall and the ceiling plus over the window on a tiny shelf:

Can you spot my gorgeous clock? That was my 2nd Anniversary woyww pressie form last year (still waiting for this year's to arrive) I also note that showing you this also gives away the fact that I had to take my photos yesterday, can't trust the light with all this rain so grabbed the moment before tea:

This is my little wall of special art from friends. I change it every so often but tend to keep on display the very special pieces. Actually, that's not altogether right, because most of my collection is very special:

All I do really is change it around.
I managed quite a few trips round to fellow woywwers last week even though it was spasmodic over several days, and hope to do the same this week. See ya then x

THE OLYMPIC TORCH CAME PAST ME

After the most awful weather ever yesterday, the sun came out just as the torch went by me. Here is the procession in pictures:

WICKED WEDNESDAY ATC # 37 - LAZY SUMMER DAYS

Summer??? I've heard of that! Just wondering when we will see some of these lazy summer days here in the UK. Today is cold, windy and raining - again!
Still, over at Wicked Wednesday ATCs there are some lovely balmy scenes on show. I found a sleeping cupid picture in a book I have which is full of Victorian images. However, it comes with a CD rom so you can print the images instead of cutting into the book, but it won't load on my computer. I had to revert to making a photo copy instead.

I used up some bright, fancy paper from my stash and some peel offs just for a 'lazy' change. Well if I can't have the summer bit I thought I would try the lazy bit......

WOYWW #159 - WATCH OUT FOR ME.....

What better place than woyww to tell Julia and all you lovely woywwers throughout the world, to watch out on live tv on Saturday morning for me!! I think you can get the stream on your computer from typing in 2012 Olympics/flame, or bbc.co.uk/2012.
Well I suppose I have gone a little overboard with that intro, but I hope you will see me because the Olympic flame will be passing through my village and past my house around 7.25am BST.  I'll be there with my camera trying to capture the moment. It starts off from the Royal Lytham and St. Annes golf course where this year's British open is being held in a few weeks, travels along Clifton Drive, past the White Church and my lovely Susi and family, round the corner where Lytham fair is set up for this weekend's gala, to Lytham where it will pass Lytham green and our famous windmill, shown in many adverts and plays etc on the tele. It then goes by coach to the new Land Registry building in Warton, my village, passing houses, BAe - where the Typhoon jet fighter is built - and then ME, before going back on the coach just a few yards from me at the roundabout to travel on to Preston. How exciting. I'll try and give you all a wave.
So to the real reason for a woyww post. Here is my desk:

A new set of Tim stamps - new to me that is - I just got these on Ebay, some lovely Tim and K & Co papers, an open exploding box that I have been taking the measurements from to do a tutorial for the lovely Jenn, the usual scissors etc. and a timetable for Condor ferries out of Poole to France. I thought we could take a trip whilst down that way in August, but the ferry times would mean having to stay in Cherbourg for 2 nights thus leaving the motorhome unattended longer than we would wish. Not looking good.
I hope I can get round more desks than I have managed these past few weeks. I have been crafting but mainly to get ahead of myself in readiness for our holiday. I know you lovely crafters understand.
So, see you Saturday then.

SUMMER DISTRESS INK PADS

Ranger have picked me to win one of 12 of the new Summer distress ink pads.

yippppeeeeeeee!!!

Just had to share this as I am so excited. I knew 2012 was my year.

ATCs/CARDS WITH ATTITUDE # 16 - ANYTHING GOES/A SUMMER'S GARDEN

Another 2 weeks have gone by which means it's time for another challenge over at ATCs/Cards with Attitude.  Last time we had over 100 entries which is absolutely fantastic.
Our sponsors are Delicious Doodles who are generously giving 4 digis to our winner. So come on, pop over to our challenge blog, have a look at what the DT have done and then make either an ATC or CARD and enter.
I chose a gorgeous poppy image and made a card this time.

I coloured it with Copics and had a ball doing so, mainly because it turned out really well - for me anyway. The edges of the orange vellum have been punched with a Martha Stewart around the edge punch. I didn't use the corner punch because the size of the vellum didn't match the required measurements to actually go all round the edges.
I'm waiting for your entries so let's get going.............

WICKED WEDNESDAY ATCs #36 - PANTOMIME or EXPRESS FEELING WITHOUT WORDS

Another big thank you to Jenn and her DT for picking me as one of their top 3 last week.
I had more fun with this week's challenge. KennyK downloads was my source for an image having chosen the theme Pantomime. My image is called Jeannie and she is perfect for an Aladin ATC.

The background is stream Adirondak colour wash sprayed through a mask, dried then spritzed with a little water to make the ink wick, dried again then over sprayed with perfect pearls. I printed Jeannie on to thin card and coloured her with metallic Sakura pens. These added a bit of sparkle. I cut the images out, used 3D foam to stick them down adding a little bit of fairy fibres behind the lamp.
This one worked well and I am pleased with how it all came together.

WOYWW #158

I'm whispering this post because I no longer have to shout or repeat myself. My DH has finally got his hearing aids
WHOOPEEE! Sorry, I forgot.
Actually, I have become so used to having the tele turned up loud that I could hardly hear it tonight. Might be my turn next.
No good me shouting about what's on my workdesk this week, Julia, because I have been trying to get ahead of myself with challenges etc. so can't show you any works in progress. My photos are therefore - just for the record:

Being only about 7' long, my little room is just about shown in all it's glory here.

The space over the washer is where I do most of my crafting. I now have a bar stool to sit rather than stand, but I have to sit at an angle because as you see, there is no room for my knees!!
You can see my blending tool holder hanging from the ceiling in the first photo. It is completely full and has 2 blending tools already resting on the bottom shelf because all the little 'cut outs' are taken. Tim has just launched his Summer ink pads, so when they arrive - yes I've ordered them - that will make 5 on the shelf. All I need now is another few blending tools - can you hear me darling? please make me some more.......
I'm still waiting for my 3rd anniversary ATC to arrive so am sorry I can't show you it this week. I did however, make a new swap friend and I received today, the most gorgeous 'dumfling' from Twiglet. Sorry, but my step-daughter is going to have to fight me for it, it's far too gorgeous to part with.
I hope to be able to call round at yours over the next few days because I haven't been able to get myself into gear for the last few weeks and wish to make amends for that before my holidays in a few weeks time. Have a good woyww day and a 'brill week.
Oh! happy birthday to the amazingly talented Hels and happy 40th birthday to my youngest son, Neil. Crickey! I feel old now...........

HAVE YOU SEEN THEM???

Better still, have you got them yet??

SALTY OCEAN
MOWED LAWN
PICKED RASPBERRY

WICKED WEDNESDAY ATC #35 - LET THE MUSIC MOVE YOU

Last week turned out to be a very special week for me over at Wicked Wednesday ATC.  I WON and was chosen in their TOP 3 . Whoohoo 'cos I won some fabulous digis which you can see if you pop over to their blog and have a look at the wonderful cards the DT made.
However, on to this week. I'm afraid I cheated a bit and used a photo for my card, mainly because the only 'music' image I have was one I am not allowed to use as it was part of some from my DT work. This is it folk:

Yes, it's my DH in his music shed playing Shadows music on his collection of (4) Fender Stratocasters. Perhaps one day he will let me hear him play because can you believe that to date, I haven't!!!!!!!

WOYWW - 3 YEARS PLUS 1 WEEK

Did you all have fun last week then? Julia added the excitement by suggesting we make an ATC and sending it to the person below us on the list who displayed an * after their name. I made my card oh! and a little pocket for it, a couple of weeks before and Cindy received it so I can show you all now what it was.

I so enjoyed making this and hope it is liked.
Well, the saga of the drier (dryer), how do you spell that word?? is over. My DH finally replaced the kitchen sink - which we found out had holes in  it, stainless steel too - the tap and all the water damaged wood, so we were able to move the machine (haha not going through the spell bit again) into the cupboard next to the sink and out of my little work room. More space she cries..............

Well not any more. I moved my wheelie stamp drawers and my lock 'n lock Ranger stacks into the space straight away. At least I won't have to cope with having the window open in the winter so the dr*** nose can go out of it thus letting cold winds blow me out of my room and all my crafty work with me. Result!!
So that's the story so far, but what is on my work desk then?

Well, I am in the process of a DT piece - covered by the piece of paper on the A4 card. I decided to make a card (A5) this time as the digi I chose has a great meaning just now. Colouring it has given me the chance to practice with my Copics, so that is why they are on my work space.  Other than that, you can see my reading specs - totally blind without them - my Copic colour chart, my melt pot and little tub of various craft tools. Nothing different at the back.
I really suppose that WOYWW isn't the place to say why my mojo has come and gone these past few weeks, but I am also sure that Julia won't mind this time if I tell you why. Our lovely crafting friend Lindsay Mason, who I know many of you have met, lost her precious husband David last week. Some of you will also have met David, a cheeky, friendly, caring man who also became my friend. I'm stuck for words now suffice to ask that you could spare a thought for Lindsay and her family, especially Heather, who has been so, so supportive of her. This is a hard time and when she decides that the time is right to return to showing you her craft skills, that you give her support.

12 TAGS OF 2012 - JUNE

I think Tim's June tag is wonderful. However, I don't have half the embellishments he used so as usual, I had to make some.

I don't have any of the gem paper pins, so I used an ordinary paper clip, unbent one end and stuck a bead on it, simples. I didn't have a single metal number but did have one that said 1/2. I simply cut it apart and used the no. 2. I didn't have the background stamp but did have Visual Artistry - lost and found. I didn't have the stamp he used on the photo but did have one from The Artistic Stamper which works well. The rest is all Tim's stuff, just different. It broke my heart to have to cut into the Destinations papers. I keep going through the whole stash and reading each page. It's a trip back into history.
Another fun tag from the master himself.

ATCs/CARDS WITH ATTITUDE # 15 - ANYTHING GOES or FATHERS DAY

So, so sorry I am a day late in posting this fortnight's challenge. There has been a lot going on around here of late and yesterday seemed not to happen at all. However, I can finally tell you about it now.
We had a little glitch following our last challenge and instead of the next one being in 2 weeks, it was scheduled for last week, so actually you got to participate quicker than normal, and boy did you. So many entrants. Congratulations to the winners and also to our first top 3 winners who now possess a badge for their side bar.
Right, our #15 challenge is sponsored by Meljens who are offering a choice of digis and
                                                              Floppy Latte who are giving a $10 voucher.

I chose this sewing machine image and really shrunk it down before colouring it with distress markers. I then covered an ATC with a patchwork of material, added some faux stitching, buttons and Idea-ology coat hangers before using 3D foam to add the machine.
This week, Team A are showing their samples and next Friday it will be Team B's turn. Pop over to see them all HERE.