WOYWW 835

Received two more ATC's this last week - one from Julia and one from my buddy Cindy.  Thank you ladies, they were such a surprise and cheered me up no end.

Been a funny old week and made a complete mess of the picture in Felted Fungi - thank goodness it looks a bit better in the photo than it does in real life.  We all had to put a photo of our work up and I mentioned mine was 'not quite right' but got some lovely compliments (remember they could not see it for real) but it just shows what a lovely group they are.  Anyway I joined the group for a month.  No point in joining for a year when I don't know if I am going to take to it or not so this month I am going to be trying to make some more sculptures or 3D mushroom as I call them, then deciding is this for me and can I get my monies worth from it each month.  Remember papercraft is my first love and always will be.

I was calling them 'shrooms' which is what I always have referred to them in my journal pages but a friend pointed out that that is what they term 'magic mushrooms' - bet I still call them that though and just hope people know I am not on the 'trip taking mood'.  At my age I think people who know me will understand.

So my desk today shows my yukky picture and my sculpture which I do love.  In fact in the box of supplies you might spy two more I started but these are going to be tiny.  They are on top of the white wool.  The book has notes as I watched the video again so I will remember the stages (I had forgotten the initial shape for the cap already) because at the end of June I won't have access to the videos unless I join again.  That's L"Occitane hand cream in the box as I find it easier to roll when I have creamed my fingers and 8" of an Ikea tape measure I helped myself to on Monday.  That was the kit I sent for with all the colours needed for the Fly Agaric, no I have to buy others for whatever I am trying next.  Maybe the one for this week which is 'Old Man of the Woods' and which I noticed Angela was taking part in making.

You needle-felters out there - I have some rovings but she uses battings.  Do you think I can try using my rovings in a piece of sculpture or a picture of a mushroom?  I don't want to have to start carding but it would be a shame not to use it and some are beautiful colours.

Well, Monday saw me in Warrington but I'll leave the main reason for next week.  I told you, last week, that I could not have a new hip as I was "too high risk".  Turns out my heart failure and copd ruled me out and he said even if I came through the operation the risks afterwards were too great with me (heart attack, stroke, blood clots, infection, rejection of the metal in my body and so on). (I also have 'spondy something' in my spine and that bothers me a lot, nothing they can do for that either.  It is so painful too and I fear I will end up stooped.)  The "if" put me off and I took the news rather badly but after a few days I came to terms with things and now I am ok about it.  The Muskoloskeletal (sp?) guy at the doctors was surprised they would not do it as well. So not just me having a flip,

Will leave it there, cheered myself up with a new sunhat (like a bucket) and some big gold ear rings from M&S whilst in Warrington for something I hope to show you next week.  Adore my big ear rings and I love the smell of the hat.  Now It is off to see Sarah's Craft Shed and meet up with the whole gang.  See you later.  PS my ear rings are really golden and shiny (not real gold).

WOYWW 832

 Happy Anniversary to all your WOYWW'ers out there.  Sixteen Years - makes me think what was I doing on that day sixteen years ago?  What was I doing when I was sixteen?  What were you doing?  

Enough with the questions, today we are celebrating sixteen years since Julia started the longest running blog hop that I know of ever, and now Sarah has taken over the reins.  I remember back in the old days the numbers grew and grew and we had people from all corners of the world joining in.  Today we are much smaller in number but still the wowy'ers continue showing their desks, tidy or untidy and even sometimes we join in with nothing to show but the camaraderie that beats at the heart of WOYWW.

Sarah, in her usual caring way, suggeted that with the cost of postage these days we produce an ATC and show it on our desk, that way we can all share in what we have done for our sixteenth anniversary.  So here is mine surrounded by the things I used to produce it.  I decided to use my new Lavinia stamps (well, that is a shock isn't it?) and show what is sometimes on my desk - books!  So here we have two sets of books with an open one balancing on top - opened with stars and woyww 16 jumping out of it.  One of the little mice is lighting the way for all the magic that is woyww coming out of the book.

Happy WOYWW 16 Everyone

Starting top left we have two of my boxes where I keep different categories of my Lavinia stamps (Accessories and Animals/Ocean in this case), polka dot bag holds my gel pens, Posca's and Pastel Pencils.  Baby wipes with Nocturne inkpad on top, blue bag for my Inktense Pencils and just in front a waterpot and brush.  Back to the left are my black markers, Lavinia Index cards that are inside the stamps when you buy them (I have cut some down to ATC size 3.5" x 2.5") which I have used for my ATC's this time, my 'rough' paper that I use as a pad to stamp on, and to the right the various stamps used still on acrylic blocks.  That's my ATC on the 'rough' paper.

Here is my ATC which you can print, if you want to and add to your collection.

Well, that is it for this week, enjoy the day, eat cake and do whatever tickles your fancy.  Hopefully see you all next week.

WOYWW 799

 Yippee Doodle Doo!  One week and we are at 800in the biggest blog hop I know about that is now being cared for by Sarah, so let's visit her and see if she has something planned for us all.

Well, I've been doing another big page for my friend Jayne to turn into another of those tumblers for me, well, not for me but for my better half.  It had to be Lavinia stamps so he chose ... owls.  This one I did on my first run but I wanted to do another for me and so I decided to go with the Ocean - so far two goes and still not happy.  I might end up with a Halloween one if this next trial does not go well.

So what have I got to show you? Oh, I made a Halloween bookmark - two sides - the main side is purple and the red side is just because it didn't look right left white.

and the other side - both use the new witches from Lavinia which Leesa calls "good witches" - I call them "sexy witches" as they are so pretty compared to the one which came out last year.

My friend Jayne, you know, the one who turned my artwork into a tumbler, she did a swap and made an extra one of each so she could give one to me - her theme was "Fairy Tales".  See if you can guess them.

I can only think this has scanned a bit 'hazy'  because the shoe was decoupaged as were the buttons and the bobbin of thread.  Both these pieces are beautifully made, Jayne is good as what she turns her hand to.

So that's it from me this week.  Next week maybe another tumbler or maybe some Christmas stuff as I have a workshop coming up and it's based around Christmas.  See you then.

Oops - forgot my desk photo.  Helen will suss out what is happening.

WOYWW 782

 Well, I have done it again.  Made another two cards for the swap and forgotten to scan them in.  That's four cards gone off and not scanned.  And adding insult to injury I have made another two birthday cards and only managed to scan one of them.  Here it is before I forget.

BH weekend was spent at home and so on Monday I spent most of the day in my craft room and actually got my blogpost for Thursday done, such a shame I cannot show you but I can't with it needing to be posted tomorrow.  Not like me to be early.

Still not been signed off from the clinic.  Fingers crossed for next week although they have said that before.  To be honest it is healed now even if it aches a bit.

Did you know it pays to be late to the WOYWW Crop?  Poor Julia had run out of ATC's by the time I got there and so yesterday morning the postie came and dropped something through the letterbox.  Special delivery, I got an ATC from Julia which was in a very nice little card.  So I got a 'twofer'.  Only right and proper that I show you:

Thank you so much Julia!  I looked on the back of Julia's ATC and it said "Birds of a Feather" so I wondered what others had called their ATC's - mine had a fairy washing line on and was "What's on Your Washline Wednesday", Cindy had written "Friendship". Mary Ann had put "I Found My Tribe and its name is What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday". That amused me, and Lynne had linked hers to wedding anniversaries - so it was "Crystal Anniversary".  

I hope my PiF, Sylvia, has got her ATC from me by now.  I sent her two with her being my designated giftee so that she had the same as the others and then one just for her.  Just sorry I have no spares to swap with someone else on the group.

Well, I had better get on with something.  Maybe a bit of baking is in order.  I'll go and get my apron on.

WOYWW 779

Wow, even the north of England is having some sunshine at last.  It's been a glorious Bank Holiday weekend but sadly we didn't make the most of it.  Old age, aches and pains put paid to that but nevertheless we had a lovely weekend and it was great to have some sunshine in the garden to enjoy.  Sadly the wind, days before, had taken care of my tulips but there were other flowers to enjoy and the gentle hum of a bee could be heard as we sat outside.

Knee is doing much better, it's at the almost healed stage and I am finding I can bend it more and more as I do my exercises.  The other half is finding his back is improving and he is up to driving around again much to my delight yesterday morning when it was clinic day.

Did an online workshop with Jo Rice at weekend but could not keep up and had to sit and watch the last card as Jo deftly wielded her brushes across the cardstock whilst I sat watching and colouring in one of the ones I had managed to do.  Hopefully will have them done by next week ready to show you.  I discovered it's difficult when you cannot move around your tiny craft room as normal.

I substituted one of the house images but was disappointed with what I did so am turning it into a birthday card for a friend.  Luckily she doesn't come on here so won't see it as it's on my desk at the moment waiting to be completed along with some old ATC's, ATC blanks, my baby wipes and some pockets for storing polymer stamps in.  Oh, the round thing - it's my collapsible water pot - collapsed.

Now to get on with my ATC's for the Crop.  If I say 'see you next week' it'll be true in some ways, all being well.  Have a good week everyone.

WOYWW 730

 Another week, and another ATC to show you from the great big swap.  It was just too late to include in last week's post but here is my ATC from my Pif, Kyla:

Thanks Kyla!

I still haven't done mine but rest assured, all you who sent one to me, I will be doing them shortly.  The pain is nowhere near as severe and I am doing all I have been told to do plus steaming twice a day (something my mum would have had me doing had she been here).  Years ago my son turned up with some menthol crystals, must have had a cough at the time, and I have been using them, but only a tiny piece (gosh they are strong).At last I have been able to lie down in bed so hip hip hooray..(this is for me to look back on, not for sympathy, honestly).

Well what a lot of excitement there has been on WOYWW bloggers pages.  Some gorgeous ATC's on display showing what a talented bunch you all are.  You should all be proud of yourselves, it has been lovely to look through the posts and see what a variety there is out there.

WOYWW 729

 What a lovely week for mail we all had.  Despite not having done my ATC's as yet I still got some lovely snail mail.  I expect this week will be a show and tell session with us all showing the lovely ATC's we have received.

Well, sadly as I said above I have not done my ATC's as yet and I cannot see me doing them for a couple of weeks at least, but I promise I will send them out to those who sent them to me.  Please understand.  I think most of you know I was very poorly for just over three weeks and last Thursday I was happy as I thought I was finally on the right side.  Then in bed, that night, I coughed and tore my intercostal muscles and am now in a great deal of pain.  Because of things that are wrong with me I cannot have ibuprofen which would be the normal medication. I'll just leave it there.

Anyway, here are my lovely ATC's, once again on my footstool.  Thank you ladies, they are wonderful, as were the various little envelopes and cards that accompanied them.

Top middle - Angela (Felix), then starting left and going across LLJ, Annie, Jo, Diana, Julia, Lynne, Christine, Cindy, Tracy.

These will all be put in a book as soon as I can get in my craft room but for the moment they just sit close to me and remind me of some of the lovely friends that WOYWW has forged.

See you next week.

WOYWW 728

 Happy Anniversary!  Congratulations Julia on an idea that started 14 years ago and is still working.  I wonder how many friendships have been forged by WOYWW, how many hands across the sea have been woven together from its early beginnings.  I still remember years ago when I used to go to CHA the thrill of actually meeting up with WOYWW friends from other parts of the world.

Well, yesterday I got some lovely ATC's in the post but sadly I have not been able to do mine as yet.  I PROMISE I will do them asap so thanks ladies for trusting me to get them to you some time soon.  I still have terrible shakes so my colouring skills etc are severely tested.  I know it's no excuse, I should have done them earlier.

Here are my lovely ATC's, not on my desk but on my stool at the side of me.  Thank you Lynn, LLJ, Jo, Annie

I sincerely hope all of you are having a lovely celebration of the friendships that have been made over the years with WOYWW.

WOYWW 677

Wasn't the thirteenth Anniversary a lovely one?  Certainly thirteen is not a bad number for WOYWW'ers and what lovely ATC's I have to show for it.   Here are the ones I received:

Starting top left:- LLJ, Cindy, Diana, Ali - bottom left Annie, Jo, Tracy, Julia - thank you so much ladies - for lovely ATC's and for fun and friendship along the way - roll on 1st October.

And here are some of the lovely cards that accompanied them, envelopes and stamps - delightful!

I must confess my own ATC's were under the theme "communication" and not "connections". I read it wrongly and should have gone to Specsavers.  The trouble is I did!  And only 6 months ago!  However, they did loosely fit the theme, I think.  My ATC's not my specs!  Sorry everyone.

I still have not made any progress on the project I began with my friend last week, neither has she, in fact she has not taken hers out of the bag whereas I have done more die cutting.  I think we need another session together to make any real progress.  However, I have a card I made the other week and forgot to show you - it is Aall & Create as per usual with me these days.

I don't think I scanned the one made last week, however, I will have a look around and if I find it I will post it next week.

Just a note for anyone who is having problems with comments on blogs.  I read a comment on a blog (Sirkkis from Finland left the comment) saying if you have Chrome or Safari as your browser the solution is that you turn on cookies if you haven't already.  If you get a message that cookies are turned off, you need to turn them on to use your desktop account.  This is from Google and it solved her problem.  Worth a try?

Also last Wednesday, for some reason unknown to me, I went to my comment section and began clicking on the ticks and then as I scrolled down past the 'bins' I found a tick (one not published) so I published it and then a bit further down another.  Later I checked through quite a few and found two more hidden in the depths between the ones I had already published.  How on earth they got there I do not know - so if you are having problems it might be wise to check through your already published comments.

Wanted that to grab your attention just in case you have some missing comments or cannot comment.

Now to my desk.  

The coloured card on the left of my little Artisan Explorer is coloured for me to cut out letters so that they stand out on the cards.  The greenish paper to the right is some I coloured with Oxides for the project I am still doing with my friend.  I need to do more of that paper too.

This was my desk last week with my ATC's (communication not connection - although I may have got away with it if you think about it - we connect by phone?)

Well, that is it for this week - quite a long post so I had better sign off.  See you all next week - hope to see lots of ATC's on show today from the awesome event last week of thirteen years of WOYWW.  Thank You so much Julia.

WOYWW 654

Another week gone by and another week closer to Christmas.  Also another week for WOYWW.  Why not join us.  Got a poorly hand, arthritis in the thumb area and all the crafting has finally put paid to it and it is 'proper poolie' in its little splint so not much typing this week.  Lots of photos though.

This is our tree, decorated by my other half  I just did the flowers.

The fireplace in the Lounge:

The crib which I love, it really shimmers

My Advent Calendar which I made with little figures collected in Dusseldorf at the Christmas Market one year and a Father Christmas at the side:

Father Christmas ditched his sleigh

Now finally my Desk with a broken Crib Scene which I am slowly repairing (the Repair Shop has nothing on me).  So far I have got the shepherd, the little lamb, repaired the lower palm tree but the upper one refuses to stick.  Tried Super Glue, Gorilla Glue, Gel Medium - it needs something that bonds instantly.  Just my last card on my desk with the Gel Medium setting overnight on it  It's another 'deliver only' because of the 'bits' on it.

One of my friends thought my fir cones were angelwings.  Do they honestly look like that or can you tell they are fir cones?

I have done a little bit of crafting.  My December ATC's for my bff - she chose "Butterflies" for this month.  She doesn't come on here so won't see them before they arrive.

Have a Good Week!

WOYWW 650

Another Wednesday, these days are on wheels, they are going so fast it's getting ridiculous!  There's just not enough time to do all that I want to do.  Christmas Card making got really slowed down - here's my desk at the moment:

My little Vagabond has been in use again, I only use it for small things as it has a small platform and I was trying out some Christmas dies to use on my three big cards.  They've taken ages to do and now I am not sure if they are worth all the effort ..... and the card (lots).  They will have to be hand delivered ones as they are quite thick and I don't want them damaging in the mail.  Those are the original plates (doubt I could get replacements now) and the white one has had some 'hammer' with cutting on it.  There are just the dies I have been using on the desk and the little black thing is a wallet that my ATC swap came in.

Here are the atc's the blue ones are the swaps from my friend Lorraine which I delivered along with her birthday card (I cannot find the photo of it but am sure I took one), and gifts and the coloured ones are mine - I suggested we do two sets so we have one to remind us what we sent ourselves.

I was a bit naughty and did 4 instead of 3

Her birthday card was Alice themed too as she loves Alice in Wonderland, as do I.  In fact I know she has bought me something "Alice" themed for Christmas.  I am so annoyed about the photo not being on my camera.  Wonder if she will take one for me in the morning (when it is her birthday).  Anyway, it was like these Christmas Cards:

The one on the right is still unfinished

As you can see I have made three but only two are decorated at the moment.  It is difficult finding what fits for the bottom centre for them to fold up.  I really had no idea how to decorate them at all then came across the idea of putting NOEL on four faces so I tried out various alphabets I have.  I then found the snowflake dies and the Merry Christmas.  I cut out quite a few different things but they just didn't fit.  The candles on the top one had to have various bits snipped off to make it fit but luckily the deer family just scrapes in, without a border.  I am still struggling for the third one.  It might end up with a stamped scene.  The black one is my favourite but it started life as a birthday card (intention was) with a Mardi Gras theme but then it didn't get finished in time so I abandoned it and sent a pretty cut out card I made a while ago.  I decided cream and gold was to be my colours for Christmas but now I like the black one.  Now who of my three recipients will get my favourite?

That's it folks, still not done any videos but I guess there is lots for you to see above so I will say cheerio for this week.  Off to see Miss Julia and what she is up to at the moment and then a trip around the group.

WOYWW 633

Phew!  It's been a hot one again.  When I grumble about the heat I just remind myself/excuse myself and say "we are not used to it".  I've not been outside for two days, it's too hot for me to sit in it so I have been getting on with some crafting - but sorry, cannot show you what I have been up to.  I still have lots to do, but I also have a few cards to make, so they will have to come first.  Much easier than the other things I am doing which require a bit more thought - and I am struggling now.

Tuesday I took a couple of photographs of my usually quite tidy desk - absolute chaos at the moment.  And my thumb is hurting me so much - I think it is a bit of arthritis or just plain old age.  I have got a thumb thingie to put on but up to now it is not doing a lot.  It's so hot wearing it as well.  Talking of wearing, yesterday I wore a nightdress all day long.  It was the best thing ever.  So if any of you are struggling and have a cotton nightdress I can recommend them for this hot weather.  Tonight I am going to fill a hot water bottle with lukewarm water and take it to bed - a tip from the TV.  I'll let you know how it goes.

On Monday I told a friend that I often run my wrists under cold water, it really cools you down, so if you don't know of that tip give it a try - I have done it for years.  Anyway, you came here to see my desk so:

Two photos today - the top one shows my little dictionary as I needed to look up a word, my journal is behind it (I have three journals on the go at the moment - all different sizes), a wallhanging I once made that is too heavy to put up, my clock that has never been started despite wanting one years ago, stick on letters (never the ones I need) and a pile of background stamps plus a Non Sequitur stamps set (red rubber).

The next photo shows some bits of paper I might use, then my Aall & Create stencils, my large journal and some Distress Inks (brown shades).  Behind is my ATC holder that I made with A&C washi tape.  I think there are some ATC's inside that you haven't seen before - made last week when I was away.  Hang on whilst I go and look.

Ah well, looks as if they need something else on them.  But I did show you something this week.  Why am I doing this`?  I am joining in once more with Julia and her WOYWW group.  Pop along here and find out all about it.  See you next week all being well.

WOYWW 630

If anyone wants a loan or some viagra just get in touch - I have between 80 and 150 adverts a day for them.  Yes!  Still being haunted by Bots.  Just no idea how to stop them and they are a problem as you have to sift through them to make sure you are not deleting any 'real' comments along with them.  This has gone on for over a month now and it is so tedious.  Anyway, enough of that - what's been happening, what have I been doing?  Here are four atc's I made when I was away

Sorry you have to turn your head to view one of them

But you came here to see my desk so here it is - messed up a bit but by the end of the day it will be cleared up again:

Starting left - my journal with a couple of pages started - brayering and a bit of stencil work.  My travel case with the skull on in 3D, then a black folder where I keep images I plan on using for something I am doing in August and the striped bag behind contains my Dylusion Sayings.  There's a big box on my desk and that has lots of bits in ready for my next trip away.  I just drop things in as and when I feel like it.  At the moment there are some stencils (Aall & Create ones), plus their washi tapes and my flesh Promarkers.

If you look closely you can see a card with a circle spotlight on it - that is from Jan and it is really lovely to see how she has adapted her skill with watercolours to so many different looks.  Well done Jan!

Right, that is it for this week - a bit shorter than usual but an upset tummy is keeping me from wittering on so I'll say Toodle Pip!  Have a good week, a lovely weekend and keep crafting (ideal time for me whilst football is on).

WOYWW 628

Another week has flown by and here we are again posting our desks.  When I say "we" I refer to the members of Julia's desk community and if you go here you will see what it is all about - and possibly you might want to join in.   It doesn't cost anything, you don't have a commitment to post each week but you do find that it is a friendly group of people who will give you a warm welcome.  Why not give it a go!

My desk this week is a bit of a mish mash - a bit untidy but never fear within next to no time I will be tidied up once more and back to a pristine desk (ahem) - no seriously, since I had the massive tidy up  I find it is easy to tidy up after a session and calm is once restored.  It's just the way I am.  Here's my desk taken yesterday afternoon (not changed one little bit since - too much to do in other places):

Just had a delivery - my new Promarkers - the ones I had run out of in the main ie the flesh ones.  Gosh I was really struggling last week with my fading flesh pens.  My little figures were looking as if they had measles!

So what is on my desk?  Starting left - some Dylusion figures, cut out and ready for colouring and using in my Thursday Journal, my new Promarkers, a sheet of card on which I am stamping some Aall & Create stamps for fussy cutting and colouring.  The brown book, in front of my babywipes  is my Dylusion Journal and on top of it is what is in the picture below.  Then we have some scraps of 250 gsm white card followed by some stamps and my Square Journal with some stamped images on top.  The bag underneath the worktop that you can see carries an assortment of large envelopes, I am sure I will never use them all.

Well, just after the excitement of the pens I had another lovely "plop" behind the door - Felicia's pretty ATC and a card and a postcard of Dublin in Georgia, doesn't it look pretty, romantic in fact.

But before that I got another lovely surprise on my return home

from my lovely Crop Buddie, Heather

Love a Cocktail - and Steampunk

Thank you Ladies xx

Bolton is doing well and we are now down to number 4 in the top twenty but I fear Blackburn is going up in Covid numbers and it's where my lovely friend Heather lives.  Thoughts and prayers are with you all in the NW.

Well, that is all for this week, I think.  Sunshine is out again, perfect sitting out weather up north for a change.  Hope everyone is having a lovely week and hopefully see you all next week. 

WOYWW 625

Guess who has been bot/got at again?  The "Bots" are here once more.  89 yesterday, 124 the day before, 186 Sunday morning and another 171 later that day.  I scrolled through and published all those comments that were genuine, then highlighted the Bots and deleted them as Spam.  Trouble was, the published ones went as well.  So now I am deleting one by one all the bad ones!  Scream!!

On a much better note, we went away for a couple of days but had to return when we heard the news about our town having to lock down.  Now we are back we are confused, the news says we CAN travel.  My head is in a whirl.  So now my desk is empty, tidy, and there is nothing to show you that I have made BUT, of course I have some lovely ATC's to show you that I received from last week's celebration:

Zsuzsa - Jo (Twiglet)

(top Jan, Caro, Annie, and below

Cindy, Lynne, Mary Anne)

and on it's own because it could not be scanned

Debbie (against a peach card)

(the photo does not do this justice)

... and Postcards which accompanied the ATC's

I sent 11 ATC's out to either a "Material Girl" or a "Crafter" - all were the same depending on the persons crafting but colouring and backgrounds were different on most of them.

and I still have one in an envelope waiting for the address from someone who asked to swap with me.

So, if you are reading this and not active in WOYWW but would like to join in and swap ATC's at some time why not pop over here to see what it is all about.

Jeudi Journal - Men

A new challenge over on Art Journal Journey by the lovely Jo which is "Texture".  Now that is sweet music to me as I love texture and I had the perfect page to start off with.  Remember last week when I had a page that just would not behave?  It refused to take paint or even Gesso - well I stuck some Art Deco Paper Perfect on it in an attempt to provide some coverage.  I was not sure whether it would stay on the page or come off - luckily it stayed on and allowed me to slap some paint on today.

I think it is really a product that you put on a sheet of polythene and it peels off when dry to make you a sheet of paper to use in your artwork, but it does mention using it on hard surfaces as well, not sure what for apart from to give texture maybe.

Anyway, my page - if you look at my blogpost yesterday you will see the ArtDeco stuff on my page and it is a creamy yellow colour.  I did not put it completely over every inch of the page but it got good coverage.  Imagine my delight when I saw that Jo was asking for texture - my page was oozing with texture and I decided not to put any stencil work on as well as there seemed to be enough.  I had decided on an outdoor scene so it was an obvious choice to paint the top of the page blue and the base green.  It wasn't easy to get complete coverage and so there are bits of yellow showing through but i decided that this just added to the texture for the challenge on AJJ.  My Story this week?

"Four friends, rather militant types, definite feminists, had all decided to go to a rally for "Women's Rights".  There was a huge banner there but the girls had taken their own sign which said "The More I See of Men, The More I Like Animals", funnily enough that is the quote from Dyan that we have chosen to use this week.  Simone, the French girl had decided to take a kite along with her and had tied a notice of her own to the string of the kite (another texture) which read "Women are from Venus, Men are from Mars".  She knew she had the saying the wrong way around but wanted to emphasise "Women" in her own little protest.  Rather a novel way of getting people to see one aspect of the protest and she had climbed the hill to be able to fly her kite as high as possible."

I hope there is enough texture for Jo on here, I can assure her that the figures are all coloured and fussy cut, to give texture in a way, the main sign is mounted on a double sticky tab so it really does stand out, and the page is very textural with the paste. 

Now how can I introduce texture next week?

WOYWW 528 - (AGAIN)

Checked quite a few blogs and it seems as if Julia and I were out of sync last week hence the "AGAIN" in my blog title this week.  Hope I am now right.  WE are!

Went to see a Spinal Specialist last Friday and his diagnosis was that this continual pain I have suffered with for the past 7 months is due to a muscle.  Not much they can do quickly by the sounds of it but I am being referred to a team who specialise in  Pain Management and Spinal Physiotherapy.  Roll on.  The other physio did nothing so fingers crossed for this.

Enough of that - what's been happening?  Well, I went to my local club, Vicky Stampers, on Saturday for a couple of hours.  Didn't feel up to it but armed with hot water bottle and tablets I went along mainly to support my friend Lorraine who was taking the class.

It was "atc's with a twist" and the "twist" was that we were making atc's with acrylic blocks rather than the usual card.  As the acrylic is quite expensive we had some atc coins in our pack for us to do but most people only did the acrylic anyhow.  I managed one but came home and up to now have done another and made some coins.

The coins were easy for me to do as I made several, months ago, in readiness for swapping at the Dutch show, but we didn't make it because of my back, so now I have a few more to add to the collection for when we do go, hopefully next April.

The acrylic atc's I have made are quite simple but you have to work in layers.  You first of all stamp your image with Stazon and then paint it with acrylic paints.  This is painting 'from the back' and you need to keep holding it up to the light to make sure you have no "holes" showing through.  This took several layers of paint before the leaves n the bird one were done.  When you are happy with it you put a layer of double sided sticky tape on (in sheet form, no idea what to call it), carefully peel it off and then add either glitter or, as I have done, gilding flakes.  Lorraine actually put my flakes on for me as I could not get my tub of them open and so she used hers.  Then you rub off the surplus and you are finished.

Well, when I came to do the second one (mushrooms) at home I realised how lucky I had been with Lorraine doing my flakes before.  It was fine getting them on and rubbing them off but putting them back in the little tub was a nightmare.  I could not find my 'tray' to rub the excess flakes off so in my wisdom I used a piece of brown craft mat.  Static!!!  The flakes kept sticking and flying everywhere.  Then in my rush to get them in I caught the edge of the tub and they all spilt out.  They were everywhere ... and flying everywhere.  What a pickle.  Be warned flakes and craft mats do NOT go together!  

Poor Chas had to come in and help me clear up as, by this time, my back was hurting like crazy and silver flakes were everywhere.  I've gone off that idea and might use glitter for the next one even though I am not a bling/glitter person.  On the other hand I might just use a piece of fancy paper or card.

Well you came really to see my desk because I am showing it as a participant of WOYWW - want to know what I mean?  Click here and find out all about the best and longest  blog hop ever - so here it is.

Not at all interesting - some atc coins, a new stamp (Dylusion of course) an old envelope, a sheet of instructions and in the foreground the offending piece of craft mat still holding some silver flakes.  Not at all interesting ... BUT here is something that is.  Towards the end of last week look what dropped through my letterbox, a complete and delightful surprise, all the way from Oz:

So delighted to have one of Sandra de's watercolours and just look at the detail and the colour in the card.  I have long admired Sandra's work and am thrilled to now have these in my collection.

Better go now - this has turned out long but I was trying to share the "know how" with the acrylic in case you wanted to try.