IT'S STARTING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS....

Every week Julia asks 'What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday?' Well today mine is full of Christmas papers and packages. I have started to make Christmas cards:

 

and to put together my album for JOURNAL YOUR CHRISTMAS. This is a online course run by Shimelle Lane and I have 2 completed albums but I gave last year a miss. I don't want to do that again so this time I am trying to make it more manageable. I have decided on a chunky album because I know I get carried away, and I have made hinges that I will add the pages to as I complete them.

 

 

 

The pages are actually blank cards and more stash that I am using up. I will attach one end to the hinge, leaving a double page that folds back on itself so that each 'page' gives me four sides. I have added a double fold in the centre to give depth as I will also add flaps and pockets.  It will evolve as I make it as I have no firm plan.  I like to allow the element of flexibility and learn as I go.

 

 

I have chosen a selection of papers and chipboard shapes and I am continuing to try and use up what I already have.  Today I hope to put the first 4 pages together including a Manifesto.  My plan is to keep Christmas simple, to make as much as I can, and to spend time with friends and family.   

 

 

And last on my workspace are my new dies. I wrote last week how I had ordered these and this morning they finally arrived. I can now make more cards as I have been eagerly waiting for these to arrive!

 

 

Have fun with your own Christmas preparations and to see what others are up to pop over to Julia's here.

WOYWW - An Artful Dwelling Christmas Advent

Actually, my work space is empty.  You see I have been on a creative retreat this weekend and my bags are still packed....

I had a glorious time with an amazing group of women. There is nothing like crafting from morning til night, or if I am honest, the early hours.  I found my mojo two weeks ago on my last retreat.  Yes, two retreats in two weeks, how lucky am I?! 

This time I was inspired by a Christmas advent that I'd seen in the latest Craft Stamper magazine. It used Tim Holtz 'Artful Dwellings' die, but I decided I didn't want to buy this as the houses looked simple shapes. So I cut card templates and made my own. 50 of them in 4 different shapes.

Meanwhile a friend posted on Facebook, asking if anyone had the die that she could use. I offered her my templates but she managed to buy a die before the weekend, so that made two of us making this calendar. I turned up full of motivation. I have too much Christmas paper so using it up on this project pleased me.  I spent Friday evening cutting out paper to decorate the houses. And I did it again all Saturday morning. And afternoon. What had seemed a simple project turned into something much more complicated. Though perhaps that was just me over thinking things because trying to balance patterns, colours, size and shapes was much more time consuming than I ever imagined.  I was not going to bed before I had finished because I could not face getting up and working on it again! The row of 25 houses were attached with tape and backed with another house shape to give strength and neaten the back. Meanwhile, my friend with the die cut out her houses and papers in a short time. She used just a small selection of co-ordinating papers and the same for the numbers. Hers took a fraction of the time it took me and I learnt several good lessons:

a.  Using up old papers is a good idea in theory
b.  Using different sets of numbers and materials is also good in theory 
c.  Cutting out my own templates is cheaper than buying a die
d.  Cutting out my own templates takes considerably more time than using a die
e.  When you plan a project it is worth thinking about the time involved to prepare materials rather than assume using up your stash is a good idea
f.  You can save much time by using co-ordinating or complimenting papers and embellishments  
g.  Time has a cost.  Enjoyment can give way to frustration!

The day after I got home my friend let me know that Sizzix had the Artful Dwellings die at a great discounted price.  Guess what?  I BOUGHT THE DIE!!!  I also bought 9 others.   Next week these might be on my workspace.    Do pop back and see!

I hope your own creations have been less frustrating than mine, but I'm pleased to say I like the Advent Calendar now it is finished and on display.  What's more, it's a perfect fit. At least I got that right! 

This post is part of Julia's weekly sharing of 'What's On Your Work Desk?' To see what others have been up to why not pop over and see.

WOYWW - PASSPORT TO ART

I have not been home much these past weekends as I have been on two consecutive retreats.  It is time to catch up on projects and to try out new things, and in between my bags were left packed ready for my next escape. And because my weekdays leave little time outside of work for other things I look forward to this time away and being with friends. 

One thing I do not enjoy is unpacking so on Wednesday, after my return, my workspace looked like this:
 

Something I started this month is an art journal using an old atlas. It is part of an online course called Passport to Art that runs daily through July so it is giving me techniques to try and a focus.  I have been planning to spend more time art journaling so this is a good push towards doing that. I love things to do with 
journeys and quotes, so it was time to get messy and play! Here are some of my pages so far:

 

 

 

Each day a new technique, quote and prompt is posted as part of the course.  As always I am having trouble keeping up and I find my best way is to just dive in and spend a number of hours at a time. But opportunities like that are hard to come by unless I am on a retreat. No more are planned until November, but then I have two booked. Retreats are like buses it seems. You wait a while then two come together. And who's complaining? Certainly not me!


Over at Julia's there are lots of other projects and workspaces being shared.  You never know what you might find, so why not pop over and say hello.  Thank you for visiting and have a good week.

WOYWW - PASSPORT TO ART

I have signed up to Passport to Art this month. During July I will be working in an Atlas that I bought at a charity shop.  Bernice suggested that in advance pages are torn from the book leaving one for each day plus a couple more if you want to do double pages or add anything extra.  So on my workspace today (actually the dining room table again!) is my Atlas minus a pile of torn out pages.  I was quite excited about removing these because it occurred to me I can sew these together and make more books!  Or I can use them in other ways. I love maps!

 

 

Also on my workspace is the paint I used.  Tester pots from a well known DIY Store.  They had a large range of colours and were selling them off cheaply.  Nearly all of them are chalk based and as I have been using PaperArtsy paints which are also chalk based I thought I would give these a try to see if they were a suitable substitute for some projects.  So far so good!!  I won't use them for anything special, but where I want to be experimental, I am happy to try out different mediums.  On these pages I covered the page in the paint using two colours, then when it was nearly dry I gave a spray of white Dylusions.  It has worked well as a base cover and more layers will be added to my pages using masks and other techniques.

Bernice is giving daily prompts and tutorials, including a quotation for the page. I haven't got as far as adding these as I only discovered the course a couple of days ago. But I am catching up and enjoying the messy play. Another suggestion was to add masking tape before painting, then lift to reveal the page underneath. I like this effect and I added white Dylusions spray after which helped to soften and blended the strips. 

If you want to go check out this course for yourself you will find details here.  I will be posting more photos as I complete the pages.


Another thing on my workspace this week is my sewing machine.  I do not want to show this as it would reveal giveaways that I am making for my new monthly challenge that starts this Friday 5th.  If you like photography you may like to check it out.  Called '5 in 5' you are invited to take 5 photos in 5 minutes and then post....  you've got it.... your favourite 5!  There is more information here so please pass on details to anyone you know who might be interested.


Meanwhile over at Julia's there are lots of other exciting projects and workspaces being shared.  You never know what you might find, so why not pop over and say hello.  Thank you for visiting and have a good week.

LOOKING FOR ORDER IN CHAOS! - WOYWW

Here is my workspace this week.... I am almost ashamed to show.

It's a crazy chaos that I am trying to organise and clear. It also spread back into the house a few weeks ago and the dining room table is also covered.  I have bought rather a lot of new materials recently including more this weekend:

Did I mention that I filled a new loyalty card in my last post?  Well I did, and I did it again at a different shop this week!  You see I spent Saturday with Dyan Reaveley, learning art journaling techniques.  The colourful mess page you see above is one of my first attempts of creating background pages in my brand new journal. And because I can see I am going to fill the journal quite quickly I thought I had better buy two more! I also bought a new Perspex block as this one is good for larger stamps and has a measure down one side and a curve on the other - useful for drawing lines to journal in or for giving pages a different shape edge. 

I already have Cut-N-Dry foam but can't find it so decided more was needed.  And the 6x6 Template sheets are for cutting out my own stencils. Yay!  What fun it will be to design my own - I was going to experiment with a laminated sheet and I will still do this as they will be considerably cheaper if they work.  Completing my shop is a collection of Dylusion sprays - I've thought about buying these for so long!  I posted about my day with Dyan here so pop over if you want to find out more.  It was an amazing experience and I can't wait to book another day it her. 

Sometimes the universe gives us what we need... 

For weeks now my head has been very messy with information and ideas that I have gathered.  In fact, my head has been as messy as my workspace.  So I have been writing it all into a notebook to contain it...  make sense of it...  and keep it safe. 
And I knew were to find it. 
Only now I can't because very annoyingly I left my notebook at the workshop, and I am lost without it.
    
So I am stepping back and starting with a blank page because One of the things I had been working on is ideas for my  third Blogaversary next week. The problem is, I had so many ideas that I was overwhelmed and consequently nothing is planned as yet.

But I will!  I don't want the day to pass un-noted so without my book I will start again and this time I will keep my ideas simple. My wonderful friend Pauline has offered to pick my book up for me.
Phew!! 
And here are a couple of other things on my workspace, work in progress and things to come. 

I do hope you will pop by again next week to celebrate my third Blogavesary with me. I am thinking a giveaway, a swap, or something equally fun! 

So that's me, for now.  Over at Julia's you can find out what other people have on their workspace today.  And what a great way of finding out what others are making a mess with, buying, and doing.  Have a great week and thanks for popping by! 


 

LOOK WHAT I BOUGHT! - WOYWW

This post is part of a weekly sharing of what is on your workspace and this is my dining room table, looking very clear and tidy.
 

 

I have been shopping for new supplies and lots of things I didn't know that I needed...  Yay!!

I went to The Craft Barn this weekend you see, and there were 3 marquees full of demonstrators and amazing examples of their work. Now I love anything to do with PaperArtsy, and Leandra was there showing how to use their chalk paints on textured finishes.  So I had to buy some more masks.  Okay, I know I already have lots I haven't taken out of the wrappers yet! But you see I already had some Artist Spackle that I bought at Ally Pally last year and so I didn't need to buy any filler. Yes... I know the pot is still unopened, but now I have been reminded why I bought it! I have a project in mind... and the money I saved on the Artist Spackle I spent on 3 pots of Treasure Gold. Good thinking, right?!  

  

I have been busy making notebooks lately so needed more Bind-it-All wires. I have made other mini books too, and I was looking for a different kind of closure.  These magnets will be good to experiment with... 

I also loved some papers I'd not seen before: 'stationary noted' by Teresa Collins. One of the sheets (Owl Ledger Paper) said to me 'mini book' and the 'Quotes' and 'Poleroid' sheets said 'pages' inside-said-mini-book.  Mmmm... I am working on other projects right now but I think I know the outcome.

I was also drawn Tim Holtz Kraft-Core (Nostalgic Collection). What amazing colours! So many to choose from - but it wasn't difficult.  The three colours are what I am most drawn to and I thought the orange complemented.  I have been resisting the Tim Holtz flower die for so long.  I am someone who will always try and improvise where I can. I have a scoring board and thought I could make flowers by cutting strips and folding the score marks. I've come to the conclusion that when too much effort and time is involved it doesn't happen.  Although these rosette type flowers are probably dated now I follow what I like rather than trends, and so the die jumped into my basket on this occasion.  Something else that jumped in was Americana clear Chalkboard coating.  I've yet to try it but I'm told it turns everyday surfaces into a chalkboard and as it is clear it will allow the colour underneath to show through. I will let you know how I get on with experimenting.

The other thing I couldn't resist is the PaperArtsy stamp set.  I already have one in that collection and I use it a lot. Yes! That is something I use and could fully justify buying more of! 

This Saturday I have booked 2 Dyan Reavely classes.  So excited!!  I know I will buy some of her Dylusions sprays, so another shop for supplies is planned.

So that's me, for now.  I'll tell you all about the DR classes next week. 
 Meanwhile, over at Julia's you can find out what other people have on their workspace today.  Have a good week.. 

WOYWW - MINI ALBUMS!

Well it is so long since I lasted posted 'What's on your Workdesk? Wednesday'. I have missed it, as I love looking back to see the state of my workspace what projects I have been working on.  I enjoy looking at other workspaces too, and I see Julia is starting to collect mugs on hers....  a sign of business perhaps?  Julia is the host of WOYWW so do pop over and see what others have been up to and to say hi. But for now here's my floor rather than my workspace:

I came back from a creative residential this weekend and so far I have not unpacked.  Well, not wholly true.  I had almost completed a mini album and wanted to finish the last few pages, so while packing away I left this and materials I needed to hand.  Just a few last pages and it is done!  Pheww!

 

Now if this was Journal Your Christmas 2012 I would be very excited.  But actually it is 2011... (hang head in shame).  I didn't even attempt an album this year because I have a lot of UFO'S (unfinished objects) and really do not want to keep adding to the pile.  And so I took them along this weekend with intention of completing some of them. 

 

 

And .... I did! 

Here I posted about a mini album that I started to make at my monthly crop.  And now it is finished and I am so happy with it.  I don't often make albums about 'me' so I loved thinking about some of my favourite things:

 

And there is more!  I also completed not one, but TWO 'Learn Something New Every Day'  albums!2011 and 2012.  I learnt from making my first album and this time I prepared pages and embellishments in advance.  During the summer it is lovely to sit in my campervan during my lunch break and to create while I am at work.  A mini album is perfect for this, especially if everything is organised and at hand.  But I started other projects and the album was left unfinished.  And when I
look through my albums I remember how much I enjoy creating them and what they mean to me.  So there is a want to finish them and not leave them undone. And as I worked on these two albums I recognised some similarities:

2011 - floods while camping in Wales

2012 - floods while camping in Yorkshire

 

 

2011 - I waited a long time to find the boots I wanted

 2012 - This trip to Yorkshire with our son had been a long time planned 

 

And so not to disappoint - here is my workspace today.  Actually these tables live in my cabin but we swapped them at Christmas so we could comfortably fit the family round the table for dinner.  I can't currently get into my cabin to work - there are new kitchen worktops balanced on the table and it needs a really good tidy and de-clutter. Oh dear......

But this year my one word is TRANSFORMATION  and this is what I am planning!!  And with a week off work I am making a start right now. I have new bookshelves in my study and I have been busy re-organising this morning.  Time now to crack on!

Hoping to be a regular here again and have a good day what ever you are doing!

 

 

What's on your Workdesk? Wednesday 137 - Safmat !!

I'm using my other workdesk today.  The one where my computer and printer sit.  I started out tidying the space it as things have got out of hand.  There is a pile of paperwork waiting to be filed and a bill to be paid.  As always I got distracted and I haven't done as much as I'd planned, but I felt I had made progress so I thought I'd give myself some time to play this afternoon. 

I bought a pack of Safmat and have been keen to try it out.  Have you come across it yet?  If not, it is self adhesive printing film which you use like rub ons.  You pop it into your printer (wax side down) and print directly onto it. I hoped it would be as good as it sounds....

After printing I cut out the word that I wanted to use, then realised that I should have printed it in mirror image.  I thought you rubbed it on, you see, and I didn't read the instructions before using, which is typical me!  But having the printed words I thought I may as well experiment, and that's when I discovered that you simply peel off the backing.  And this reveals a sticky back clear plastic with your printing on. 

You can see it here on my page.  The word 'first' is a bought rub-on, and the year and word 'sleepover' are Safmat.  You can see the clear film a little, but overall I am pleased with my new purchase.  If you want to give it a go yourself, here are a few tips I have picked up:

1.  Read the instructions before using a new product!

2.  Safmat is not cheap (I paid £8.25 for 10 A4 sheets).  So print as near to the top and edge as you can, to make good use of each sheet.  I printed across the top and after cutting it off I still have the best part of the sheet intact.  It's an idea to experiment on plain paper first if you are not confident with positioning your text.

3.  Cut close to the word or image so that there isn't too much film showing around the edge.  I learnt this after applying my first word.  My second attempt is much better and there is much less reflection.

4. Peel off the wax backing and stick your word onto your page.  Put a piece of paper over the film and rub. Once burnished the film becomes almost see through.  Again, I learnt by my mistake and rubbed straight onto the image first time.  This lifted some of the ink, so second time I did as suggested and it looks much better.

So, that's what I have been up to on my workdesk today.  You can see what others have been doing over at Julia's and I'm interested to know if you have used Safmat.  If so, what tips you have picked up?  Please share, and  have fun whatever you are doing!

WOYWW - Time to unwind... finally!

My workspace has been neglected, birthdays overlooked and cards sent late.  I hang my head in shame....

I'm trying I can get back on top of things and catch up with some creative work.  I have my monthly crop to look forward to and a three day residential booked at the end of the month.  The prospect of a week off work soon adds to my excitement because I so need time to unwind and catch up with friends!  Meanwhile I have made a birthday card (this one was delivered on time!) and pages for the Log Book that I have mentioned in previous posts.
So that's what's on my workspace this Wednesday, a long with two postcards sent by friends.  I LOVE receiving that kind of post, don't you?

Here's a few photos of our first trip in the campervan.  We didn't have time to go far, but we found a lovely farm, cracked open a bottle of champagne and were lulled to sleep by the hoot of an owl.  Next morning I had breakfast in bed and a walk along the estuary before driving home.  Much of the area around here is salt marsh and I love the way the sea makes inlets and sculptures the land.  It is a landscape rich in birdlife especially overwintering geese, with an assortment of boats that add colour and character.  I never tire of it. And finally I can  start filling out the pages in our Log Book.  Yay!!  Life is returning to 'normal' whatever that is.
And if you are interested, this post shows the campervan in it's making ......

Have you been having this wonderful weather?  If so  I hope you managed to enjoy it while it lasted.  It is forecast to be on the turn now but what an unexpected treat - 28 degrees in October! Just perfect for our first weekend away.

And to see what other people have on their workspace this Wednesday, go over to Julia's page here, and have a good week what ever you have planned.

WOYWW - WORK IN PROGRESS !

What's on your workdesk Wednesday?

Mine is a clutter from the monthly crop, still to be put away.  But I had to clear space to make a wedding card.

Next to it is an experiment - I inked the embossing pad before putting it through the Big Shot and this coloured the background, leaving the raised part white.  I quite like the effect but need to practice getting the ink more even.  Any tips?






Next on my workspace is my LSNED page.  I've only done 3 so far!!  I took the pages a long to the crop and managed to prepare some backgrounds, at least that will help in the catch up. 

And also taking space is the Log Book I took on holiday.  It was something I planned to start when we have the campervan but as I had prepared the book I took it anyway.  There are a stack of leaflets to add but I plan to keep it simple.  Perhaps that should be my lesson for todays LSNED!

Hope your workspace is full of good things.  Go over to Julia's to see what other's are busy with.

Explore WOYWW

I am finally moving into to my new craft space, very slowly and not in the organised way that I had hoped.  My  plan was to decorate and move storage in before I started working, but I realised I had missed birthdays and needed to make cards among other things.  So bit by bit boxes and paper crept in and I’m now partly installed.  And my workspace is as disorganised as ever!

On it you can see:

1.        My Journal Your Christmas Album.   Yes... the fat pages are finally held together by ribbon and I am pleased to have it finished.  Not relieved, because I enjoyed it to the end, but it will be nice to move on to something new.  I will gradually add the pages to the forum, so anyone who took part in Shimelle’s online course will have access. 

2.        A big pile of of cut mountboard bought for £1.50.  I love a bargain don’t you!!  I will use two sheets as front and back page for a new album.  The size was even a perfect fit for pages I cut this morning.  Perfect!

3.       Printouts of Shimelle’s new online course – Explore.  The focus is on discovering more about yourself, and so far I am slow in starting.  Nothing new there then!  But I have proved that I can finish, so my pages are waiting to be put together and I am keeping it simple this time. 
Remind me please if I forget I said this!

4.       One of the other things Shimelle suggested was to send yourself a postcard of one of your best adventures.  We could use a picture postcard or make our own.  There was one photo that stood out for me, of my Nan on the beach as a young woman.  If I could turn back the time I would ask her more about her life as it is only in recent years that I have learned more and feel it was an opportunity missed.  I don't know what I will be asked to do in this album, so this in itself is part of the adventure.  And because I like to follow my intuition I stuck the photo onto a post card and posted it to myself.   There was no room for writing other than the address, but I can do that in my Explore album next to the postcard.  I am interested to find out where this will lead, I just have a feeling it will be exciting though.


If you want to know more about the Explore course go here. 

It's not to late to join in and the thing I like about Shimelle's courses is that you can work at your own pace.  And it seems I am not the only one to have taken my time over my Christmas Album so I am in great company!  For the Explore course Shimelle has come up with the idea that we can sign up to be 'accountable'.  And so as well as having a network of online friends and co-students, I am excited to have not one but two partners for this course!  I have exchanged emails with Pauline and Ali today and we plan to support, encourage and prompt each other along the way.  What's more, Pauline lives quite local so we may even get to meet!

So here's to unknown fun and adventures as I go and Explore! 

I wonder what's on your workspace this Wednesday?  Go here to see what others are busy with.

GOOD GRIEF

Can grief be good?  I know it is a processing and experiencing of feelings.  And I guess you can do that in a positive way by going through the stages by embracing it, and recognising it for what it is.  Or you can deny yourself this because it is too painful, uncomfortable, or because for whatever reason, you just can't.

This week someone I know died before her life had really begun.  I worked with her for nearly 3 years and although I lived in the knowledge that her life could end and tried to prepare myself for this, nothing can take away the shock.  And I am trying to work with this in a positive way.  Work is not the place to be while I process what has happened, and and it is important that I recognise my own needs otherwise my work with other people may be affected.  And so I am at home, doing what I know helps.  Being creative, because this is what touches me most.  Not scrapbooking or album making.  But art journalling and writing.  Get in touch with my thought processes and feelings, and allowing them to be expressed in a healthy way.  And I also know that isolating myself is not helpful, so I have had contact with friends and other people who can help me with this.  And sometimes, more often than not infact, it is mutual support.  A sharing of memories, ideas of how to put things into perspective and to move forward.  I am going to the funeral and I will also be involved in a celebration of her life with other people who knew and worked with her.  Ceremonies and rituals are important.  Our ancestors knew this much better than we do.

In 10 things on 10th I said I would start an art journal.  And this seemed the perfect time to do so.  I don't know why I didn't do this years ago actually.  I love expressing myself through art, or working with others to do this.  A journal is the perfect place to keep pages together.  Up until now I have always worked bigger, A1 or A2, but there is no reason why I can't keep doing this too when the mood or need takes.  And now I recognise that the beauty of an art journal is that you can take it with you.  Use it in the moment or when opportunity strikes.

So here are the first pages.  Some speak for themselves, others are work in progress.

I have also started to make some backgrounds.  This one is a favourite photo of mine that I altered using  impressionist style at befunky.   If you have not checked out this site already it is worth a look.  I like to alter my photos sometimes for creative work, and think I will be doing this more regularly with an art journal to fill.

And this one was hand printed using the base of a bunch of celery.  They look like flowers, I love the effect:

 

And finally, for those who have visited from Julia's, here is a picture of my desktop.  Not my usual style, but now you know why.

You will also know why I have not visited so many blogs or left comments this week.  I will be back in action soon. 

For the moment I just need time to be quiet and to gather my thoughts.