Wednesday 16 December 2015

WOYWW #341

WOYWW - hosted by the very talented Ms Julia at The Stamping Ground.
I'll be number ... 38 I believe.
So... on my workdesk today is yet another change of hobbies/crafts. I am back to making miniatures!
My darling Hubby bought me a dolls house for Christmas - 1:12th scale, and so the 'Adventure Into Miniature' starts all over again :) The variable drill (from my Nail Tech days) is on the far left - very useful for all the little curves :) I am halfway through making a ladies bureau  (top right-ish) inspired very much by Kris - though I haven't the correct materials, tools or hardware to complete the bureau, I'll still give it a good try with crafting items I do own already. Whilst awaiting the arrival of primer and paint, I'm starting on making a dolls house grandfather clock - this is the rough design sat on my desk. Some essentials are there - ruler, pen, pencil, glue etc...
The little bureau does deserve, I think, a little piccie of it's own - with some of the paper plates I made to decorate the shelves. I'm no artisan (more of a craftisan lol) but I am quite pleased with how it's coming along.
On the far right, is my favourite tin - I keep some small tools in there - and things that I use as tools - toothbrushes, toothpicks, orange sticks, bits of plastic and card... also handy is my phone.
A few weeks ago, I had every intention of taking part in every WOYWW - but I didn't realise that the 2nd fell on a Wednesday - my wonderful Dad passed away that day last year, and I really didn't want to participate when my desk was empty and I had nothing to say. The phone stays near so I can call my Mum whenever I need to. A bit of a poignant and sad and to my desk viewing... but at least my craft-space is being used now! 
Got to have a quickie close-up of that tin...
We'll just ignore that there's sweeties tucked away behind there too :)

Have an interesting and wonderful 
"What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday"!




Tuesday 15 December 2015

Crafting Mishaps #7

Ah, the ATG gun... a little pink devil that pretends to be a helpful tool, when really it sits there, waiting... plotting .... dreaming up ways of defeating the hapless crafter (that's me!)
I mean to say - it looks innocent enough, and I even bought a pink one so that it didn't look at all sinister - but who knew the terrors that could be waiting...?

It all started when I needed a refill. The prices are so high! But then I found it... double the amount of sticky tape for half the price of my usual choice... Thank you, EBay!
I purchased the refill, and it arrived within two days! Great service, I thought - unwittingly letting this dangerous substance into my home - oh, the innocence of the bargain-hunter!
I had no idea what disasters lurked ahead as I loaded the gun, innocent as a baby as I laid my finger on the trigger - hovering above a piece of paper that begged to be stuck to something...
I lowered the 'nozzle' to the paper, pushed the trigger in and tried to glide the tape across the surface. It did not feel right. The tape was thicker than I was used to and it didn't break easily when I released the trigger (learnt the hard way - crafting mishaps #6). And there is the crux of it... the flippin' tape did NOT break! I tried to use a pair of scissors to cut it - and the tape stuck to the scissors. It was unravelling at speed as I struggled to detach the scissors from the tape. How I managed to wrap it around three fingers is a complete mystery! Why I didn't let go of the trigger and stop the tape unwinding is an even bigger mystery! The tape and gun were winning the battle - working together, they had nearly succeeded in overpowering me completely. I tried to drop the scissors - they were stuck to the tape I had wrapped around my fingers and I daren't shake them off - two cats and a dog were in the room (looking at me with smugness and bemusement). I turned around to grab another pair of scissors - and of course, the tape gun went clattering to the floor. My instant reaction was to lift my arm to stop it falling - but that just made the tape unwind even more. I knew then that this was a devious plan - the tape is NOT supposed to unwind when the trigger is released. 
I had visions of my family coming home to find me mummified in ATG tape... the dog sat faithfully by my side wondering how the hell I managed to get into such a sticky mess.
I sat on the floor, and the dog jumped on me and licked my face... then he tried to eat the tape - my hero!
I sat and picked that tape off for almost half an hour... and you know what the worst part is? It didn't stick to the paper properly!
 I hate that ATG gun... and I really hate the new tape!
I'm going back to shop at 3M Direct lol
I WILL defeat the ATG gun and become it's master!