WOYWW #412

Wednesday again... already!!! Well, Tuesday actually - but it's nearly Wednesday, and if I don't write this post now, I'll never have time lol

So, What Is On Your (MY) Workdesk? Wednesday?

Nothing really lol

I'm looking through my computer at the digital papers I have, to start my Alice In Wonderland album... and have decided that I will be making at least two of them now. One will be black with blue and white (and a hint of red possibly) and another will be using a lot of browns and vintage/weathered looking papers and ephemera.

I can't actually take a photo of the computer on my desk.. as I use it to take the photograph(s) for WOYWW :)

So there it is - my almost-empty-desk ... one page started, the reverse of the box in the background and my glasses which I need to wear when I'm having a bit of a fibro-flare-up. Actually, I thought my eyes were particularly bad today, until my daughter pointed out that my glass lenses were dusty lol

I'm off to keep rooting through the thousands of digital papers I have, to find the best ones to use for this album :)

I hope everyone is enjoying the week so far - by the time you're reading this I shall probably be shopping at The Range with my mum - she is SUCH a bad influence so I shall be somewhat poorer in cash, yet richer in crafting goodies when I get home lol

Ms Julia hosts WOYWW every week, pop on over to her blog to join in. Details on how to link up and what it all means are also found at The Stamping Ground :)

I will add that last week I managed to visit everybody who played WOYWW... I don't think this week I shall be quite so organised - but I will try my best :)

Lastly... this week I shall be number.... 32. 

UPDATE:

Mum WAS a bad influence, and now my purse is empty and my craft room a mess of acquired 'stuff' lol

But it was a good day - even if I am running late for this weeks WOYWW

Tidying up!

Hubby and I have our 23rd Wedding Anniversary very soon - and so he bought me a new toy to play with. I am the very happy owner of a Sizzix Big Shot Plus :)

Unfortunately, today I am really not well enough to sit and craft - having a bit of a Fibro-Flare-Up. So... I decided to potter a bit and tidy my little craft room. Amazingly, I have just one tiny carrier bag of rubbish to throw away - everything else has been sorted and tidied :)

This may not seem a big deal to a lot of people, but my crafting hobbies include:

• scrapbooking
• miniatures
• nail tech
• mini album construction
• jewellery making

... and probably other things I have forgotten about lol. So there is a lot of 'stuff' in a not-very-big room. All drawers are stacked and stuffed, all boxes full and overflowing, and all space accounted for and used lol

 Straight ahead as you walk (squeeze! lol) through the door

 A look to the left

A glance to the right

And making sure the cat bed is accessible to the fluffy darlings lol

I am now aching all over, and I swear my aches have aches lol

I did add just one little extra to the Alice suitcase...

After all, what point is decorating this project if there isn't the Cheshire cat to see?

Now we just have to see if I can manage to keep things sorted and tidy for when WOYWW rolls around lol

And More Progress...

I changed my mind again! I'm pretty sure now that the base will NOT go with the suitcase... I'll make another base instead. Also, I've figured out how the suitcase will be decorated - and that's almost completed now. Inside, I think I'll line it with torn pages of an "Alice In Wonderland" book that I've printed out. Really, it's just the back of the suitcase that's changed...

 I added a watch and chain to the back -the top of the chain being secured with a pretty brad.

 I also finished the tags with the cupcake and bottle.

 The front is exactly the same...

 ... though the tags are able to be removed and placed to the front...

... or to the sides.

That's about it... I just wanted to update my blog with how the project was progressing - and using that as an excuse for not actually making a start on the album to fit inside the case. I have no idea what I am going to do for that! lol

Progress...

It's a bit of a pain when you have loads of ideas in your head, but no real plan on how to execute any of them... this is what I have discovered whilst throwing together the stand and box for a mini-album I have yet to make (or even envisage as yet!).  Progress has been made, however... slow though it may be :)

The front...

 And the back...

And NONE of this was how I first thought I would lay out the decorations and embellishments at all lol

I had made some pieces including a half-painted white rose with a paintbrush...

... and the 'Drink Me' bottle was going to stay empty. Now the bottle is full...

... and the rose is nowhere to be seen :D

I will be adding a few more pieces to the case including the 'Eat Me' and 'Drink Me' tags with the bottle and a little cupcake...

... the reverse of the tags having images on them.

As for all the white and blue roses, the ribbons and the lace - well, I'm just not sure yet.

I'm also still debating whether the stand will be used for this suitcase, or if it will be used for the 'Raven' album I will make.

I added the fence trim and mod-podged the whole thing, then placed the keyhole onto it... and now I just think it would look amazing with the other album. It's something I will have to consider carefully. As you can see, I have avoided adding any embellishments to the stand as yet just in case I do change my mind. Maybe I'll make a tray-stand with no drawer for the 'Alice' case and album...?

Life would be so much simpler if I could just make up my mind lol

WOYWW #411

Today is actually Tuesday, but as it's a nice sunny day I will be gardening instead of crafting - so my desk will stay just as it is for the next few days (weather permitting). I've had a few days away from home as my poor Mum was very ill and I had to call an ambulance for her on Sunday. I've had to spend all my time with her as the doctors and paramedics advised she wasn't to be left alone for a few days until the medication they'd issued had a chance to kick in. Thankfully she seems a bit more herself today, so I'm back at home for a little bit whilst my Aunt stays with Mum. She had me scared though - I thought she'd had a stroke!

So... onto my desk for the show-and-tell that is "What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday"

I am making two albums right now - neither of which are urgent... but I guess you just have to go with what you're feeling inspired with at the time :)

I've just had some more metal dies delivered - I'm not an addict, honest! though I will admit to having more than 400 dies right now with more on the way. Okay... I'm an addict lol. 

The rose dies are for the wedding album I will make for my niece Tamsin - I'm so excited about her wedding because I'll get to see the family all together. They're not actually my blood-family, but we've sort of adopted each other and love as though we were family - and that's what counts in my book :)

The albums...

The two I am making are a dark-themed Alice In Wonderland and an album based around Edgar Allen Poe's "The Raven".  The suitcase isn't one I've made... It's from a set of three you can purchase at The Works for £7 (also included in their offer of buy two for £10). I couldn't realistically make one for the price - and this was one I had just laying around spare. I sprayed it with leftover black stove paint and then rubbed the edges so the blue would show through a little. This is what the Alice In Wonderland mini-album will be inside of. The stand was made for the suitcase to sit on top of... but I may change my mind and use the stand for the "Raven" album instead. The drawer fits perfectly into the base, absolutely flush - I'm so happy with that as I am well known for not being able to cut a straight line for love nor money - let alone measure anything with any degree of accuracy lol. The base has been made with packaging I have saved from my many deliveries from EBay and Amazon and the remains of black card-stock and paper I had left over from previous projects. I feel quite good and green with all this recycling, upcycling and using up oddments :)

I am hoping to get the suitcase partially decorated with lettering and the covers of the album started - but with my life at the moment, I am not sure if I'll have the time! I'm also not too sure about the feet I've chosen for the base - they're not attached right now so they may be swapped for a different design. I'm also humming-and-ahhing about the choice of handle/pull for the drawer... but I'm sure I'll figure it out eventually.

So... if you want to join in with "What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday" you can click on over to The Stamping Ground and Let Ms Julia tell you how to play along. Let's face it, we're all a nosey bunch really and this is a whole load of fun :)

All I will add is my number for Wednesday - and this week it's to be #27

I do hope everyone is having a brilliant week, and enjoying their Wednesday!

Quick update for Wednesday morning (00.10 lol)...

I did actually put some wording on the suitcase...

There will be other embellishments, and I'll probably shabby-up the lettering too :)

I really love the backwards letters, and I used the Tim Holtz Alterations Vintage Market Sizzix (Sizzlets) Decorative Strip Die (656623).

Now I am definitely finished for the night lol

WOYWW #410

I'm writing this Tuesday evening - but guaranteed my desk won't change a bit before Wednesday (or Thursday, and possibly even Friday!), so technically, it's still "What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday" 

It's a mess! It seems that, just lately, I've had the urge to shop for crafty things but have no inspiration or real ideas on how I shall use any of it. I bought yet more edge-dies... I now have well over 50 of them lol. Another embossing folder that I might be able to use on something, a wine-themed stamp set that I thought I might use on the music-sheet project (but then changed my mind), loads of Alice In Wonderland themed bits and pieces I have printed, made or stamped that I do want to use in an album I sort-of have planned...and plug chains are also sat on my desk. I saw them in a shop and thought to myself "Ooh... they'll come in handy for making albums!" and promptly bought four of them. By the time I had gotten home, I'd completely forgotten exactly the amazing idea I had that I would use them for (I think it was some amazing, new-fangled way of making an album closure... but who knows?! lol). There is also a roll of wallpaper sat on my desk. I had a tester piece torn off of a roll for my mum... and as I stood looking at it, I had the idea that it would make beautiful covers for some of my journals and albums... along with the other five rolls of wallpaper I have collected for exactly this reason, and never actually used yet.
I had a very tiring day - but a lovely one too - visiting with my 4 grandchildren. We went to the Maxx 99p store, and they wiped me out! I only wanted coffee, and ended up spending £30! I did find some beautiful pencils though...

The actual pencil 'lead' isn't metallic exactly... but the colours are so beautiful - like faded Victorian hues. Unfortunately, the photograph isn't very good and shows them a lot brighter than they really are. I just fell in love with the colours, and I am sure there'll be something I will use these for... eventually :)

So... there you have it - so many crafting items, and so little inspiration. 

I can't really use the excuse that my tooth still hurts, as I went to the dentists of Thursday and had it drilled and filled. BUT... on Saturday I broke the filler and now have toothache again. I just want the dentist to take out the offending tooth! lol

To all the lovely people who visited my blog last week - I do apologise for few return visits - this week I WILL make the effort and have a peek at other people's desks.

If you have no idea at all as to what is going on here, just pop on over to The Stamping Ground, where our ever-creative host Ms Julia will explain everything here.

Finally... for this week's WOYWW I shall be number... 26

Have a wonderful Wednesday to All... and for the rest of the week too :)

WOYWW #409

Ah, yes... Wednesday has rolled around again - way too quickly, I might add - and it's time to show of our places of crafting glorious-ness in the weekly posts know as "What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday" :)

Miss Julia hosts, and details can be found on her blog here.

For the last few weeks I have been late, disorganised or just completely forgetful - so keeping my fingers crossed that this week I shall be able to get posted, link up, and visit lots of blogs all within a good space of time :)

This week, I shall be number .... 19.

I am in a crafting transitional stage at the moment - lots of ideas for projects in my head, and not really sure which one to start first. Trouble is, I've had an awful toothache for the past few weeks and it's just getting worse. I'm too often distracted by this annoying pain to be able to concentrate on an important project.. and there are some important things that need doing.

My dearest friend's daughter is getting married (YAY!!!) and as honourable and venerated 'Auntie' I am plunged in at the deep end (again!) and helping out. I made the wedding book for her eldest daughter (my namesake, Charlie), and so am doing the same for the youngest daughter, Tamsin, too. I just hope Royce, her son, doesn't decide to get hitched in the foreseeable future lol. Anyway, I have been advised of the colour theme, and have managed to get hold of a Papermania capsule pack in 'Parisienne Blue' with tags that will match in 'Burleigh Blue' (no 'Parisienne Blue' ones to be found!). I'd love to get hold of a couple more packs, as the project I have in mind will take quite a bit of paper. Papermania used to do a Capsule Collection in yellow and orange colours - but that's disappeared off all shelves, and so I may have to end up using plain card-stock in those colours. I can't decide which border/edge dies to use - and may have to sit and do something I've never done before and actually think about the design and plan it out BEFORE I start lol. So that explains a little of what's on my work-desk... now for the rest...

I've been looking for some cheap seam binding, and managed to get hold of some online - 15 metres for £1 plus a little  postage - so I bought everything they had. Only 4 colours - but I  can dye it to suit what I need. I've just found two more in grey and pink - 1/4 and 1/2 inch widths, so bought those too lol

Another project I've decided to start is for Christmas - yes, I know it's a little less than 9 months away yet - but I do like to be organised :) My youngest daughter lives here at home along with her boyfriend, Matt. Matt is so good to my little girl (she's 22 years old, but still my baby lol) and he has so much patience. He works, sings in a band AND writes their songs, organises gigs (they are on tour right now), and even helps produce their music videos too... and he makes his own guitars from scratch. Oh, he also gives guitar lessons too. See... amazing! Anyway... his mum is pretty special - she'd have to be to raise a son like Matt, so I want to make her something special for Christmas. She is a music teacher and a concert flautist. I thought I'd make her a little album she can fill with photographs of her orchestra moments :) 

A work in progress lol

Well, That's it - a bit of a long-winded post (my apologies). Except for the glycerine and paper I mentioned last week... even though some of the 'leather' paper I made was with old yellow file folders, it all came out quite well...

I haven't run them through the embosser yet - I'm deciding on which (if any) folder to use. They really don't look as shiny in real life lol

I hope everyone has had a trouble-free week so far :) Have a Wonderful Wednesday.. and the rest of the week too :)