WOYWW 375

Here we are, another Wednesday visit to WOYWW Queen Julia's Blog which leads us to all corners of the earth.  Try it - you might get hooked - you will certainly make lovely friends along the way.

Well, what is on my workdesk today?  Last Saturday we had the lovely Tracy Scott at our workshop at Victoria Stampers which was quite a stray away from what is normally done.  Despite not being ladies who paint I think they all enjoyed the day, certainly Tracy's infectious love of painting whimsical faces permeated throughout the room and got to us all.

Always one who never gets to the end, but I hope I am improving, my journal came home with an unfinished face in it.  On Monday I was suffering with an upset tummy, so, unlike me, I spent most of the day in bed.  Yesterday it was up and off to the doctors (for a blood test with the nurse) and then on to Ikea for the mirror we wanted - that had gone and was now discontinued!!!  Then on for Chas's wireless headphones - no longer stocked!!!

Feeling glum we came back and I fell asleep, woke up, had some poached fish and then got stuck into my journal and the face.

So here it is - do you think I am improving?  Be honest, brutal even ...

OK, she has rather a long neck, but I wanted something different and my little redhead was born with a long neck to show off her pretty pointy chin and turban.  Or so I say. Will I leave it there?  That remains to be seen, I cannot stop playing around if I am honest, and I wonder whether to put some stamping or stencilling around her. Only time will tell.

Oops!  You came for the desk ...

My paints are out of shot but you can see my lovely Prisma's that Chas bought me a couple of years ago for Christmas.  Not used nearly enough but I had coveted the box that my friend Mary had (in America) for too long so when the offer came on at Dick Blick's he made the most of it.

The pages are the ones I took from Craft Stamper when Tracy did a four part article on how to do her faces - really good for reference. Tracy has just got a set of her NEW stamps that she has designed for Stampotique and they are gorgeous.  Just look at the little character she made at one of her workshops based on George, one of her Stampotique characters.

Isn't he adorable?  You can see all of her stamps here and they can be preordered - but not until I have got mine.

See you later, I have a card to make for a two year old - and clear my desk up.

WOYWW 372

Am scheduling this post Tuesday as I am off to the dentist (petrified) for some extractions and tomorrow might not feel like posting.  Keep telling myself I would not be as worked up if it was straight forward but with being a Warfarin taker I am a little worried about the bleeding aspect afterwards.

Kitchen has begun.  Plastering finished last Thursday lunch time so it was all drying out time then on. Chas managed to get two coats on before we left for Harrogate on Saturday morning.  It was good for the two of us to get away from all the dust and mess.  The booking for my workshops had been done before  I knew of the timing for the kitchen and not wanting to miss a single Tracy Scott workshop I was determined to go.

I did a double spread in my Journal rather than two separate ones but as I wanted to paint my butterflies with some more colours I didn't stick them down - they still are not done!!  Typical?  Here it is

It was a New Tracey technique so I won't say anything about it except it was using Dyan's spray inks in a different way and it is very textured. Nice - now she is hooked on it so expect to see more.  I won't upload the next page we did but I will show you my UNFINISHED face from Sunday.  Had to dash as we wanted to get home to put more paint on the walls before the 'Dream Team' came back on Monday.

I want to build up more colour on her face, give her some hair and do her eyes - wonder if I can level her face out too.  I just don't seem to be able to do symmetry!

Anyhow, as our glorious leader is back (Congrats on recovery so far Julia) I had better show you my desk.  It is exactly the same as last week so here is my working area in another room.

a peek in my tote

and my books that are by the side rather than having been put back in the tote (naughty of me I know).  

You can see my clear pencil case at the bottom left and my other one bottom right.  The clear one had a small selection of things for the weekend in it, the other is full of coloured pencils which I didn't use in the end.

Before I leave you I will show you progress on the kitchen

above - looking towards the utility, and below - looking towards the archway leading into the hall which is the next painting job.

Rightio - now head off to see our Julia but be gentle with her, love you Julia - and then off to see Jan who did such an admirable job whilst Julia was in hospital and for the first few weeks of her return home. Jan, we salute and love you too, and all before we head on out to all the links to see what is happening the world over.

Wednesday:  Had extractions, last one was horrible.  Dentist said she had never, in 20 years, seen teeth with such long roots.  I think she had a struggle to get that one out.  Now it hurts and is still bleeding a little so I could have done this post properly as I am up and about.