WOYWW 312 ... the 6th Anniversary edition!!!!

HAPPY 6TH ANNIVERSARY FELLOW WOYWW'ers!!!!!!

Ok got to admit to writing this way ahead of The Event but will be away in the caravan with no internet or phone signal when the ATC swap takes place but did so still want to join in so, with the help of my dear friend MaggieC (Silvercrafter) I am doing a scheduled blog ... never done it before so will have to Watch This Space to see if all goes to plan.

Will be sure to blog about the ATC swap just as soon as I can when I get home again but will be keeping an ATC back from the WOYWW crop to send to the person next to me in the linky list!

So, for now, HUGE congratulations to Julia over at The Stamping Ground for reaching her 6 year milestone of WOYWW'ing ... she alone is responsible for new friendships being forged far and wide and for the love, encouragement and support we crafty bloggers give to each other.

You are one of life's special people Julia ... THANK YOU!!!!!

xXx

OK, folks, it is Maggie here finishing off for Debbie.  She has given me permission to tweak this post for her and add her photos, so here goes.  I am sure you will recognise Debbie's beautiful work in these two pictures.  

She is probably going to kill me for this, but, hey, she cannot get hold of me at the moment.  You can see what a talented lady she is from these fabulous ATCs and the tags.  I would not have a clue on how to put these works of art together, but it is second nature to our Debbie.

I wish I had taken some photos on Monday of the lovely things she has made while away in the caravan - absolutely stunning, glorious colouring and design.

Right, I think I had better finish now, otherwise I will be in even more trouble.  So, it is time you went back to Julia to add your congratulations for her great achievement.

Happy 6th Birthday. 

PS Debbie, if you do manage to get into this post  and alter it, I will just change it back again. 

Clarity Challenge CLOCKS

Ok I thought I had this one sussed as soon as I saw the theme for the May Clarity Challenge only to then go into complete meltdown as I realised I was on the wrong track with my thoughts. I had confused CLOCKS with TIME ... duh!!!!!

A quick stress to the wonderful MaggieC (Silvercrafter) and she said to go with it and just get my piece done and enter ... so I have.

This is such a personal piece for me to make ... a real representation of my horrible journey through grief after losing mommy - it is an expansion on an earlier piece I did so even if I have missed the brief for this month's challenge it was one of those projects I just felt compelled to do.

 

The first panel pretty much speaks for itself ... the cogs and gears seemed to place themselves and kinda represent the tears that have flowed.  The numbers represent the date and time I lost her but they are jumbled up as I did not want an "in your face" reminder.  The little fob watch is stopped five minutes before she died .. oh, if only!

 

The second panel shows another very favourite verse that I have always loved and seemed to fit very well inbetween the other two verses.  The broken watch parts, I hope, represent the infinity and eternity mentioned in the verse.

The third panel represents the start of things getting better for me.
Our favourite TV show is "Criminal Minds" and they always say a quote at the beginning and end of each episode. I had tingles when I heard this one and kept playing it back over and over and eventually Googled it.  This quote changed my life and speaks for itself.

It most certainly was "MY MOMENT OF CLARITY" and from there on in I knew everything would, eventually, be ok.

WOYWW 310

Absolutely nothing on my desk today other than my wee little tote and it's larger partner on wheels - both stuffed full (MaggieC ... my dear friend Silvercrafter would be proud of me!!!!) and all ready to head to the crop on Saturday!!!!!

We head off in the morning in our caravan to form part of the working party setting up for the National Land Rover Rally over the Bank Holiday weekend so will only be coming to Burbage for the one day - BUT it means I will have loads of crafting stuff with me to play with whilst hubby is off erecting marquees and hammering in signs and everything else that having around 400 caravans on site entails!

So here is my rather bleak desk this bright and sunny WOYWW morning ... head over to our esteemed leaders blog at The Stamping Ground if you want a better explanation of WOYWW than I could give and maybe hop around a blog or two as us crafters all share our desks today.

In the photo' above there is also some last minute bits and bobs I found and which need to be added to the other bits and bobs I am taking for my project on Saturday.  The little pot contains PVA but that will be for use whilst away.  

In the background there are 53 birthday cards waiting to be written and their envelopes ready printed with names and addresses - another job for ATN (After The National)!

There is also a heap of stuff to bring for Saturday ... right by the door and "Not To Be Forgotten"!  If we do forget it then we are coming back for it!

There is a little space there I know but I haven't quite finished packing it yet ... going to take some of my wooden hearts to work on whilst away ... oh yes, acrylic paint and verse/sentiment stamps - must remember to throw those in too!

So for some of you ... SEE YOU ON SATURDAY!!!!!!

Happy WOYWW everyone!  xXx

Happy Birthday Clarity Crafters Nottingham!

Having PROMISED to NEVER EVER EVER (get my drift?!?!?) attend another workshop of ANY kind EVER again I was encouraged to go along with my dear friend Margaret (Silvercrafter) to a Clarity workshop and whilst I was not there from the start I now go along as often as I can and was delighted to find that 1st Birthday celebrations were upon us!  Delight was soon followed by disappointment when I found that celebrations clashed with throwing daddy on a helicopter as a birthday gift to him ... BUT we had a wonderful day yesterday and took him out to lunch afterwards so all worked out just the way they should.

Anyway, am rambling ... I do ramble I'm afraid.  

Even though I couldn't be at the workshop yesterday I made Birthday Celebration Tags for everyone and a canvas each for the lovely, lovely Sazz and equally lovely, lovely Kimmie.

LOVED making these tags ... back to my much preferred default colours and having recently discovered spray inks (all Sazz's fault!!!!) I went to town with them and these are my first efforts using spray inks ... quite a few now seem to have found their way into my cupboard ... er, so have Brushos (all Margaret's fault!!!!!) but that is a ramble for another time.

Get through tubs and tubs of the stuff but this was my first time embossing onto Grunge Paste ... LOVED IT!!!!!

Tried to pick words that sum up Clarity Crafters Nottingham for me ... 

Creativity

Inspiration

Hugs

Laughter

Support

Friendship

All equally important but the hugs, laughter and support are what have come to mean the most!

And simply have to mention dearest daddy ... this is one my favourite photo's of him from yesterday ... Top Gun Daddy waiting for his flight!