WOYWW 235

How can it be a week already!  Don't blog for months and then suddenly here I am again having even managed to blog in between all this WOYWW'ing.  

For anyone new to my blog then WOYWW stands for What's on your workdesk Wednesday and is the brainchild of the wonderful Julia Dunnit who, each week, gives us the chance to pop over to peek at the workdesks of fellow crafters.  Want to join in?  All those other workdesks can be found here at Julia's STAMPING GROUND

Mr Postman from my previous post let me down BIG TIME (guess it's not really his fault!) and I am STILL waiting for the card blanks to arrive for our Christmas cards BUT the fab - u - lous IndigoBlu stamp did arrive yesterday so I was able to crack open the pots of embossing powder and make a start on the cards ... never, ever, EVER been as late as this but won't repeat myself as to why because last week's WOYWW covered all that sorry tale!

So was up at stupid o'clock in order to Carry On Crafting (hey, that should be a film!!!) and then remembered it is Wednesday so here is my workspace to share ... just the dining room table today as I was SOooooo cold recently and need to be by the radiator.

OK ... first two are a sort of left side / right side of table kinda shot ... I can craft but am a dreadful photographer so bear with me please.

After much experimenting I decided to go with silver for the message ... half the cards will be a dark navy blue with pale blue ribbon and gems and the other half will be black with red ribbon and gems ... will try and add a photo' later today if I ever get as far as the black ones!

And finally a close up shot of the shine on the embossing ... a technique I continue to love to do even though it is time-consuming.  Was going to leave the stamping un-embossed but ... well, did one as a "let's see what it looks like embossed" ... and that was it really ... no contest!

Right, now I have to go and do that linky thing again and then back to the coal face or these cards simply won't ever get made.

Happy Crafting ... Happy WOYWW'ing 

xXx

Plastic Stuff

Ok apologies for reposting a photo' from Wednesday but one of my lovely visitors left a comment asking what the PLASTIC STUFF was and it hadn't occurred to me to explain before so here I am doing just that!

It is just acetate run through an embossing machine (in my case a Big Shot ... but I used to do it before on my Vagabond too before it croaked) in a Texture Fades folder thingy or anything else that you can emboss with.

I now save acetate from just about anything and everything that comes through the door ... I think the plastic stuff used here might even have been the packaging from a Tim Holtz product as it is the very, very thick and sturdy sort ... I did hope for more of a torn look to the edge but the acetate was SOooooo thick I could barely rip it at all ... I am not at all happy with the straight edges here but, hey-ho, 'twas the best I could manage.  I did try cutting a wavy edge but then you don't get the white "edge" as the plastic distresses everso slightly as you tear it.

Nephew has yet to get this so no idea if he will like it ... watch this space!

WOYWW 188

Well, it has sure been a while but here I am!!!!!  WOYWW'ing for the first time in ages and having totally forgotten how to do it!  I shall post my photo of my very messy desk right now and then head off to see if I can figure out how to add it to Julia's list!
Don't know what WOYWW'ing is all about? Well, each Wednesday, in the world of craftland, we share photo's of our desk and have the opportunity of visiting desks all over the world to see what fellow crafters are up to ... it is just fascinating seeing lots of items and products that we all use scattered far and wide and all being used to produce such different results.
Taking a peek at other crafter's desks has kick-started many crafter's-block moments and, of course, it's great just to be nosey!
So here is my work desk right now ... not much going on and not really happy with the card I am making so have yet to decide whether to go with it or bin it and start over!

This isn't yet my "normal" craft desk ... mild here in England but still too cold to work out in the conservatory where my huge table and storage cupboards are so am squeezed onto the end of the dining room table!

These are some of the cards I made just before Christmas for my January birthdays ... used the resist technique for the pink tag cards and had to experiment to see if I liked a cream background showing through or a white one ... decided I preferred the white so will be making more like these for further birthdays throughout the year.  Had loads of little strips of vellum left over from making some invitations so am using them up by adding the person's name ... super and quick to emboss and saves throwing away such lovely thick vellum.

It is not often my sister has anything nice to say about my cards but she did comment on the one I made last year for daddy ... I used a beautiful brass stencil that I have had for years ... so I dug that out and the men's cards this year will be based around that.  
I used glossy accents to highlight just the little hot-air balloon and left it at that ... well, after I'd distress-inked it to within an inch of its life, of course!

I used a linen-effect paper for the embossing and after I inked it with my much favoured brown tones of Tim Holtz's distress inkpads it resembled burnt wood and you can just about spot I used my new Martha Stewart punches I got for Christmas.
Right, am off to see if I can link this at Julia's Stamping Ground and then will pop back here to post the link to her WOYWW list!  
So,  Julia's Stamping Ground is where it all happens! (just hope that link takes you there ... SORRY Julia if it doesn't ... I will ask Maggie C to help me out!)

Happy WOYWW'ing everyone ... I've really missed being part of our Wonderful Wednesdays!!!!!

WOYWW 145

Ok, no wondering where the week has gone and no procrastinating about how on earth can it be Wednesday already (let alone it being 14th March!!!!!!) another WOYWW is upon us so here goes!
Haven't actually yet got going today but everything is ready for when I've had my Weetabix and cup of coffee, harvested my crops and fed all my animals (only virtual cyber-ones you understand on my dear little farm over on Facebook!) and had a quick check of my emails just to make sure I don't need to be dealing with anything urgently.
Then I can turn my attention to my snippets.  What's that, I hear you say?  Snippets?  YES!!!  I have been persuaded by the lovelies that are Maggie C and Di to venture into the Pixie's Snippets playground and, risking public humiliation, plan on doing just that.  Of course, I am not actually through the gate yet and might just turn on my heels and run for home but, for now, the plan is pack my can of coke and my sherbet dip and go for a play.
So my very poor photo (I don't do photography ... took a photo of our Christmas tree once and the only thing in the shot were my slippers ... and they were on my feet at the time) shows my workdesk all set up and ready  to go once the aforementioned chores (farming is hard work!!!) are out of the way.

You get two photo's this time but now I see them here I think just the one would have done ... never mind, at least my slippers are not in the shot.  Please ignore hubby's gardening shoes that are under my table ... that is absolutely as far into the house that they are allowed!
There are a few clues on my desk as to what I will be attempting today ... the acrylic paints are back out and I am going to try painting more embossed acetate - out of shot is the large plastic poncho I plan on wearing whilst getting down and dirty because I sure got in a mess last time I tried this technique (yes, Neil, your fault! You are just about forgiven though because it was such fun and I am actually looking forward to having another go).
Well, must crack on and not ramble ... am heading over to the wonderful Julia's Stamping Ground to add myself to the list and then will be back later on to take a good old nosey around as many other WOYWWers as I can.


Enjoy your WOYWW and look forward to catching up with you soon.  xXx