What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday (16 January 2013)

It has been a long time since I joined in with WOYWW.  Life just seemed to be in the way.  Such things are so unfair when you have crafting fun to get on with.  This is my desk this morning.

 



 

Messy but much tidier than it has beenfor a long while.  A bit of ink spraying yesterday and if you look closely you can see I have bitten the bullet and joined Slimming World again.  It needs to be done and I am quickly approaching the big 4 0 and I need to lose some of those extra lbs.  Sadly there is quite a few.  I'll be back later today to tell you all about my first weeks results on the scales.  All I will say is shocked!

 

Moving on to my chair is my Studio Calico delivery. 



 

 

I've now subscribed for all 3 kits; scrapping, card and Project Life.  Loving the project life pack:

 

 

I really do love their acrapping kits but I have noticed they do appear to be getting smaller and this month the prices went up, the postage went up and the free delivery kicks in now at $125 for international orders.  The card kit which I have been having for 3 months now are not in my opinion that great.  I am seriously thinking of cancelling this kit but the stamps are nice and I don't have any greeting stamps in my kits as I don't make cards but the amount of scraps I have and the amount of money I spend on shop broughtcards that quite frankly are nothing special isgetting silly.  This year I am trying to make all my cards and not buy any.  Whether I can keep this up with Christmas cards will have to be seen later in the year.

 

Well that's my crafty space this week.  Fancy sharing yours?  Then pop on over to Julia to join in.

 

Thanks for looking.



Ta Da; Car Seat Blanket

I finished the car seat blanket as planned but haven't got round to showing the finished item yet.  So without further ado, here it is:

This blanket didn't really cost anything as it was made with ends from my stash. The greatest sort of project eh?

Its just the right size as we have tried it out on a 5 month baby and it snuggles up lovely.

As I am writing this we are still waiting for a little girl to arrive. The hospital didn't induce my Sister In Law as they were going to so we are waiting for nature to do what it does best.

With the change in weather, Saturday and Sunday were both dry and bright, i have managed to get some photos of my project life progress. Plus i managed to complete another week of Project Life at Bromsgrove crop last Saturday. I also made Deb's card class.

Must get me some of the flower stamps and matching dies that she used.  Plus i love the ribbon too.  Can see a Stampin' Up order coming on.

In other news we had 2 new chickens last week.  Sadly we Lost our light Sussex Mo and really noticed the loss of 1 egg to the extent I found I had to buy some!  As you need to introduce at least 2 birds due to them fighting we purchased these lovely girls; This is them still at the Garden centre, Stevie, a black rock:

and Zeberdee, a layman:

And this is the best picture I could get of all 5 of them together:

TFL x

Easter

Hope you all had a wonderful Easter Sunday.  Ours was relaxing with my Brother and Sister in law visiting for a few days.  Kids had plenty of Easter eggs which are being rationed over the next few days!


Two new chickens came to stay!  So annoyed with my Father who rushed in front of me and I was unable to get a picture of their faces when they opened the coop and saw the two chocolate hens sat inside.  After I had got up at 6am to clean the coop I was a little annoyed I missed the look on their faces but you can just about see Freya's beaming smile.  The wrappers were off and were ate before breakfast and before I could get a photo of them with the hens!  


Please excuse the building site in the background as the roof on the kitchen was finished a couple of weekends ago and my Father did what he does best, chuck the rubbish and leave it.  This is his project for next week; taking all that to the tip.

Chocolate flake eggs, that just about lasted to 11am:

Being silly; chocolate ear muffs.  He did have what he described as 'chocolate boob covers' at one point but wouldn't let me take a photo!

Rolo egg from Uncle Martyn & Aunty Deimante and a bunny from Grandad:

As my 36 week pregnant Sister in Law came to stay (she has been warned she is NOT going in to labour at my house when she is 2 hours away from home) my Dad did some DIY!!!!!!  I have only been asking for 3 years for the hand rails to be put back on the stairs after they were removed to strip the wallpaper.  

Liam and Freya did ask what he was doing as if you know my Dad this is a rare rare thing in our house.  He is perfectly capable of doing jobs and to be honest does a really good professional job of things.  Its just the motivation to get started that is the problem and like a lot of men spends more time giving excuses why he can't do something than it would take to do the job.  Then there are the coffee breaks.....and you really don't want to start me on that topic!  

Sadly with everything that needs doing in the house that lovely carpet is going to be the last thing that goes as I am not buying a new carpet to have renovation work done and it walked all over with dirty feet lots of time by lots of people.  

So for now I will just live in a building site stuck in the 80's and try not to depress myself about it.

There are a few other eggs, flake, mini caramel, malteser bunnies and creame eggs hidden away but they are going to be rationed over the next few days.  My kids don't eat much chocolate and it tends to send Liam a little hyper so as they don't know about the other eggs they are staying put and the kids will come down slowly from their sugar high today before they eat any more.


Saturday was Bromsgrove crop.  Libby had very kindly got us all an Easter egg which I tried very hard to keep all for me but I'm sure you can guess who helped me.  This past month has really flown by quick and it feels like only a week ago since the last crop.  I managed to complete 3 LO's and Deb's card class:

All in all a good Easter break.  What's not to like about crops and chocolate?

Making Cards For Men

I don't make that many cards compared to the amount I made about 10 years ago but everytime I sit down to make a male card I struggle.  Little boys, no problem but teenagers and male adults just can't get going.  This week I have made 2 cards, both for the same person.  First one I managed to leave on the train along with their present and have made the replacement one today.  Light was awful Thursday night and I was in a rush yesterday morning so I didn't manage to get a picture of the first but here is the second card:

Could really kick myself for leaving the bag on the train but with handbag & crutches to struggle with I just left it.  Bag has not been handed in sadly.

However, I hope person who has got my bag likes my handiwork.  All I ask in return is you open the present and use the digital camera to take a picture of the card and email it to me.  It will be much appreciated.  

Thank You Card

A Thank You card at this time of year lends itself beautifully to a card to give to a teacher. 

This one is quite plan and simple.  Would like to enter it into:

Creative Card Crew - Thank You Card

Everybody Art - Wings

Stash Used

Bazzill Cardstock, Rose Garden by Papermania patterned papers & alpha, pearls by Keiser,  Nesties label 2 and Martha Stewart punches.  Ribbon & bow from stash.

Jungle Edwin Card

Meet Jungle Edwin:

I would like to enter my Jungle Edwin card in to the following challenges:

Secret Crafter - Sketch

One Stitch At A Time - Boys to Men

Magnolia Stamp Lovers - Fathers Day


Stash Used:

Magnolia Stamps, Nesties Labels 3, Bazzill cardstock, K & Co papers, Keisers rhinestones, copics



Thanks for looking x

Second Challenge Card

Here is the second card I have made today:

I would like to enter this card in to the following challenges:

Just Magnolia - Use a frame & Magnolia stamp - Tilda is framed by Tag 3 Nestabilities

Charisma Cards - Use a flower

Everybody Art - Summer

Stampavie & More - Summer

Stampin' For The Weekend - Summer

Cupcake Craft Challenges - Summer Delights

One Stitch At A Time - Use something New - Magnolia Stamp

Papertake Weekly - Fun, Fun, Fun - Summer Fun

Quirky Crafts - Girly Girl

Raise The Bar - Celebrate Summer

Paper Cutz - Vacation theme, car, plane etc - Country Cycling

Stampin With The Dragon - Summer, anything goes

La La Land - Summertime

Magnolia Stamp Lovers - Summertime

Magnolia Down Under - Flowers

Craftalicious - New - New Stamp

Stash Used:

Magnolia Stamp, Tilda with bike

Papermania Capsule Collection, Sunshine - patterned paper, ribbon, flowers & buttons

Bazzill cardstock
Woodware corner punch
Nestabilities Tag #3 set

Coloured with Copic Ciaos

I have taken photos whilst colouring in Tilda that I plan to put together as a tutorial on using Copics over the weekend.  Please come back and tell me what you think.  I personally am still learning to use the Copics and the tutorial is based on what I have learnt so far from trial and error plus looking at others techniques and advice.  Please feel free to provide me with tips if you know of any methods that I can use to improve my Copic skills.

Card Challenges Enteries

Its been a little hot around here today and as I don't do the heat (I burn really really easy) the planned visit to the park has been postponed until early evening.  In order to entertain myself and 1 little crafty little girl busy we have been card making.  Its the school fair a week tomorrow and we have been making some cards to donate for the school to sell to raise funds.  While making cards I thought we could combine the designs with some of the many card challenges. 

This is the first card:

I would like to enter this card into:

Totally Gorjuss - Wings - Butterfly wings

Pixie Dust Studios - Use Punch - Martha Stewart Around The Page Punches & Emperor & Classic Butterfly punches.


Lady Tilda stamp by Magnolia, Martha Stewart punches, Pearls by Keiser Crafts, Papers by K & Co, Cardstock Bazzill, coloured with Copic Ciaos.

This Month I Will.........

Kiss and cuddle my little babies at least once every day.

Find something to smile about each day.

Have a minimum of 30 minutes every day of ME time, no children, no TV, no computer, no telephone, just ME.  As selfish as this may sound, it needs to be done for my own health, both physically & mentally.

Go for a walk every day, even if it is only for 5 minutes, I will go outside and walk to clear my head and think about life.

Complete 10 LO's.  Entering at least 2 into online challenges.

Make 5 cards.  Entering at least 2 into online challenges.

Complete 15 Granny Squares.

Spend an hour each weekend to work on a cross stitch UFO.

Rediscover the joys of baking.

Plan my next weekend away, we so enjoyed last weekend in London that we MUST go on another family adventure sometime very soon.

Recharge my batteries

Buy no new stash???? mmmm, not too sure about this one.  Can't quite see me going the whole month without finding something that I MUST have.  PS  Subscription kits don't count, but no add ons allowed.

Card Challenge Entries

My first venture in to papercrafting was making cards.  I started this around 1997 and for many years I never brought a single card.  I hand made them all.  In 2003 I discovered scrapbooking and my card making was push aside for this new found love.  I have so much card making stash, that I feel I must put it to use.  I am entering this card in to the following challenges:

Just Magnolia - Use Sketch & Magnolia stamp

Totally Gorjuss - Use Bling - glitter on Tilda and glitter paper

Pixie Dust Studio - Use something round - button, jew drops, flower, patterned paper

Charisma Cardz - Use Circles - button, jew drops, flower, patterened paper

Creative Inspirations Challenge - Use die cuts or punches - Scolloped ovals

Everybody Art Challenge - Fairytale Theme - Princess

Stampavie & More - Birthday for a girl

Stampin' For the Weekend - Card to make someone smile or cheer them up

Stamp Something - 2 of something - 2 patterened papers


Products Used - Princess Tilda, Bazzil cardstock, We r memory keepers patterned paper, flower, button, DMC thread & jew drops

Thanks for looking  Hugs x

Spot The Difference With A Little Crafty Tip & A Tutorial Thrown In

Can't sleep again and was fed up with just lying in bed, not really in the mood for anything crafty and nothing of interest on TV (why do I pay for Sky when there is nothing to watch???)

Anyway, gone into photoshop with the intent of having a little play with my photo's to improve the quality.  First off I started with this:

Well can you spot the difference?

I must be getting tired as I sure can't lol.

The one on the left is the before and right is after I have 'improved' it.  mmmmm, so I went back and played some more.  Started with this:

Auto corrected it:

Looking better, but still had the bright light from the flash, admittedly not as bright.  Turned it sepia:

No, flash still there, but liking this effect.  I know:

If in doubt, crop it out!

Oh my I'm good, cracked this photo editing in one night.  Cracked it so well I am turning this post into a photo editing tutorial!

Tiredness is taking over, gone all delirious.

Should really give you that little crafty tip before I go.  Well you know the Jenni Bowlin Bingo cards.  When you look at the back of the packet there is a card with all six cards in the pack printed for you to see exactly what you are buying.  Don't waste them.  Great for mini books, that's what I used - Cheer, from Sport pack. 

Value for money, 12 bingo cards for the price of 6 - 6 mini and 6 teeny.  Bargain, bargain I say.

Off to bed I go.  Night all ;0)

What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday

Well its that time again when I share with blogland my messy desk. Here it is in all its glory:

To the right we have my craft tote, Martha Stewart punches, tools, papers & paper rubbish bin:

Back Centre is brad box, distress inks, water colour pencils:

Cente front is cutting mat & gel pens:

Back left is ribbon tub, cuttlebug bits, wooden letters & Freya's Hello Kitty toy:

As requested last week, the tubs contain wooden letters of different fonts and 1 tub of inks:

Front left is Liam's 2010 album (MME Stomp papers):

And far left is the Liam's Birthday album, still blank, well his birthday was only Saturday!:

My new copic collection which no doubt will be added to very soon:

And finally todays sunny sunny view through the window:

One last comment about my table as asked last week; doesn't really get de stashed very often, but please note we have a breakfast bar in the kitchen where we eat, trays on laps are not allowed in my house!

I had good intentions last night of showing you what else I had purchased on Monday but instead had a little health relapse and ended up at hospital.  Waiting now for the Dr and nurse to come and see me and home and discuss treatment.  Its somehting that I don't really what to discuss on here but sadly is having a huge impact of my life as of late.  So no work for me for the rest of the week and much rest required.  Will come back later today and finish telling you all about Mondays shopping.  In the meantime this is what I have been making this week:

Two more pages for freya's 2010 mini book:

Some Granny Squares - these are for Liam's blanket:

Some cards:

A LO for Liam's album, made with the never ending March Kit from Scrapagogo:

Thanks for visiting me today.  If you want to join in with WOYWW or just have a look at other crafters work spaces just pop over to the lovely Julia's blog and hop around blogland.