Wednesday 26 October 2011

WOYWW 125

Thanks again, Julia, for hosting our wonderful blog hop where we all go round spying out each other’s workdesks to see how messy and creative we are being! For anyone new to this, click on the WOYWW icon in my sidebar which will take you to Julia’s blog where you can join in the fun.

I haven’t done too much this week as I haven’t felt up to it – away from my workdesk I’ve been learning loads on Youtube about mixed media techniques and am itching to start again! Also, a friend has asked me to convert some cut files she bought, into pdfs – she hadn’t realised what they were when she bought them and doesn’t have a cutting machine. They are alphabet letters to create a word book that her mum wants to make. After getting some excellent advice from Penny Duncan (thanks Penny!!) on the software to use, I have now started on these, so she should be getting them soon. This is something I can do on the laptop with my feet up. It’s given me the idea of designing my own word book pages, but that’s on the back burner for now.

So… to my workdesk. I have made a start on the stash of birthday cards I’ve decided to give my mum for Christmas. She is 90, and doesn’t really want any more “things” as presents, and it’s getting increasingly difficult to think of anything to give her! Earlier this year she asked me if I’d make some birthday cards for her to give people, and I balked at the idea because I’m not keen to get too stuck into card making, preferring to branch out into more adventurous areas these days!! Anyway, thinking about it, I thought it would be a good Christmas present for her – I am making them all the same size, and I will make a nice box to put them in. I’m making her a dozen, and while I’m at it, I’ve decided to replenish my own somewhat depleted stash – after all, nearly all the birthdays in our family and friends occur in the first half of the year, starting on 1st January, so I’d like to make a start!

It’s a bit of a mess, but on the brown table on the left, you can see a stack of papers that I’m using – there are Core’dinations of various colours and sizes, a couple of Tim Holtz paper stashes, and various different scrapbooking papers. On my workdesk itself you can see my Cuttlebug, and some cards in progress. The dark brown one I am quite pleased with so far – I’ve chosen various bits of Tim Holtz papers to do with vintage school, as both my aunt and my cousin have been/are teachers – there’s a times table, an attendance certificate, a dictionary entry and an old fashioned ruler, which I am going to collage onto the dark background. The ones on the left are just at the stage of having chosen some card to mat and layer, and the one on the right has got a piece of Core’dinations paper embossed with a Tim Holtz Texture Fades folder, rubbed down and inked with Distress Inks, and certain parts highlighted with a white marker and Glossy Accents. So far it’s all a bit samey so I’m going to add something (don’t know what!) to give a bit more impact.

I REALLY want to be doing something else!!! – but I’m quite enjoying doing it really.

Not on my desk, but I was just going upstairs and spotted this through the landing window.

I love tortoiseshell butterflies! At this time of the year they tend to come in the house and look for somewhere to spend the winter. This one was sunning himself on the wall, idly flapping his wings open and shut. I zoomed in on him on maximum zoom (18x) with the camera resting against the window. Hope he survives the winter!

I got my camera back from being repaired last week, and it’s great! My wonderful hubby lent me his last week which was a tremendous help, but it’s really good to have mine back again, complete with a huuuuge new SD card so I can do lots of videos as well as photos if I’m out and about!

40 comments:

  1. Your workspace certainly looks busy. A bit different from mine this week. I like making a run of cards when I have a purpose in mind. I'm not very good at thinking about them unless I know who they are for. Most of the time I'd rather be scrapbooking.
    Kate x

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  2. I seem to be a one off girl when it comes to cards except maybe Christmas if I get an idea. Oh well have fun :)

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  3. Hi Shoshi, I think it's a great idea to make cards for your mum - I did exactly the same for my M-I-L last year and loved it! I made 44 cards for her (http://www.craftyjo.org.uk/cardmaking/m-i-l-christmas-collection/) and found it very liberating.

    She loved it so much that for her birthday this year she requested a box of hand-made Xmas cards - and I've just realised that I forgot to take photos of them before I gave them to her - doh!

    I'm sure your Mum will be delighted.

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  4. Glad you have got your won camera back. That is such a good idea to do packs of hand made cards as presents. An idea that I might steal for one or two problem pressies for the people who do not really want "things".

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  5. That is not a messy desk at all!!! It's nice to breakaway from card making now and then and get into something else! That will be a lovely Christmas present for your mom! Thanks for the visit and have a wonderful week!

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  6. What a lovely idea to give your Mum a box full of homemade birthday cards for Christmas. It doesn get really hard to buy for people, especially older ones who don't want more stuff!

    Hugs
    Brenda 84

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  7. I sometimes make packs of cards as gifts for friends and family too as they are hugely expensive in the shops! I am sure your mom with love them.

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  8. Lots going on - I love your wall storage!! About 3 years ago I made a 'card shop in a box' for a friend with about 24 handmade cards in for various things - she burst into tears!! She couldn't believe I had made them all for her. So I'm sure your mum will love this present.

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  9. That is a wonderful idea for a Christmas present, and I am sure your mum will like it.

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  10. Great idea to make the card box, as she loved the last one you gave her, much nicer than giving her something that she will put in a drawer and not use.

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  11. I like your idea of giving you mom a set of handmade birthday cards for Christmas, but I can also understand your wish to do something different.

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  12. Fantabulous idea! Thanks for the peek and sharing, xoxo Marjo

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  13. This is a wonderful idea for a gift for your mom! Not only will she get to enjoy your beautiful creations but she will be able to spread the joy by sending them out to her loved ones!
    xoxo Karen

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  14. Fabulous gift for your Mum sweetheart, it will be very practical for her and she is obviously proud of your art or she wouldn't want to give it to anyone else. I am sure you are making them with love for her :)

    Lovely butterfly pic with your camera, I love my little camera and whilst I don't get too hung up on the technical side I think I do a fairly good job with the composition. My hubby is the REAL photographer and had has a proper Canon SLR, I'm happy with my point and shoot....

    See you next week xxx

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  15. Fab prezzy idea - I'd love to get some pretty and useful like that rather than stuff that would end up in a cupboard!!
    Hugs, LLJ #43 xx

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  16. Making sets of cards as gifts is a great idea!! I may do that for my Mom this year. Thank you for the inspiration!!!!!

    Leslie #85

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  17. Hi Shoshi
    Lovely comment you left and I'd be only too happy to show you details of my tin jewels. Please do email me... sewjo@hotmail.com
    Your "mess" is a very tidy organised one... looks fine to me. I love your butterfly pic. Precious!
    Enjoyed seeing your Exeter Cathedral post too, wonderful place and it's amazing what you can do with upcycled stuff.
    Jo x (JoZarty)

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  18. What a gorgeous butterfly pic. Thanks for sharing it.
    A x

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  19. Cant believe you work on such a small area of your desk, that would drive me up the wall. Can't wait to see the cards you make for your mum. Its 3 am I need to go to bed lol, I did go to bed earlier but woke up at 1am and decided to come online and visit more WOYWW's, but now the zzzz's are calling again
    Bridget #37

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  20. A busy desk with lots of goodies on it and fab butterfly, thanks for stopping by trace x

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  21. Just made a birthday cards for my parents. They are both on the same day but 5 yrs apart. (92yrs & 87yrs). Like the idea of making Mum some cards for using as she can't buy for herself anymore. Like you we have most of our family occassions tbhe first 1/2 of the yhr too.
    Hugs Mrs A.

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  22. I have not done very well with visits this week so I'm dropping by all those who kindly dropped by mine. Thankyou for your tips ...I'm going to buy some cheap small canvases and have an experiment. You look as though you have been a busy bee ... but still pretty organized ...love the peg board storage.

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  23. love your workspace. think that is a fab idea for your mum
    thanks for popping by earlier
    caroline #58

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  24. Great gift ,for your mum. She'll love it. Fab photo of butterfly

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  25. Sorry I am late this week, Blogger has been a complete pain! Great desk, and like you, I love to see butterflies around.

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  26. see any one that says their desk is messy? I just laugh, not compared to mine it isn't! have fun doing your mixed media

    dx

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  27. Thank you so much for your lovely comments, That industrial piece was a whole load of fun! Especially the Mecano pices lol!

    I've spent ages looking through your album and you have made some of THE most beautiful boxes I've ever seen! Wow!

    Clever idea with the handcrafted cars in a box for a gift as well!

    Thanks again and take care

    Jackie x

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  28. What a really good gift idea. I always struggle to think of things for my grandparents, who never want anything!

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  29. ohoo loverly! Very crafty-mess going on here! love your wall thingie,I could do with one of them! Happy very late woyww
    (Lyn)

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  30. I love the idea of you making cards for your mom! That's a very thoughtful and useful gift. Make sure to take pix with your camera so we can see what they look like.
    And...Thanks for stopping by my blog...in reply...
    Thank you Soshi! I kind of break the rules - not unusual for me - in not just showing what's on my desk for WOYWW...but I can't help it! My hubby is retired and comes up with some really great stuff. I'm going to do a post on just his art soon. :)

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  31. Thanks for your kind comment on my blog post about my son. Now, I've opened up in Blogland about it I can be more forthcoming. Funnily enough, I'm making a stash of cards for my Mum and Nan as Christmas presents too. Gorgeous butterfly photo

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  32. What a lovely idea to give your Mum a box full of homemade birthday cards, all ready for her to use when the time comes.

    I won a book with pockets on the pages and cards inside in a raffle once and thought it would be a nice idea to alter it and fill it card I’m made instead…..but I’ve never got around to doing it……..one day may be!

    Happy Crafting!
    Sue
    x

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  33. A very late woyww visiting finally. Lovely cards and crafty goodness on your desk.

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  34. What a lovely idea to make cards for your Mum to send as a pressie. I think this sounds perfect. Like you say, as they get older they don't want more things and it can be difficult to know what to give.
    I spy a lovely looking pad of co-redinations there, who can resist this gorgeous card.
    Thanks so much for your lovely comments. It was indeed sequin waste, an idea I borrowed from Sylvia, which is why she spotted it!!! We are good friends so she didn't mind.
    It makes a lovely easy backing for cards instead of having to hunt for matching papers.
    Happy WOYWW
    Hugs Lisax

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  35. The birthday card idea is wonderful! I'll have to do that too! Happy (very late) WOYWW!

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  36. I really like your idea of making a box of cards for your mum for Christmas! I may do just that for my MIL! Thanks. Nice and busy desk there - as you know I like busy desks LOL!

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  37. Your desk is immaculate. Well to me anyway. A butterfly does not always live very long which is a shame. That one is a beauty. I am also into mixed media and I have to make a postcard for a swap. Hope you found some kewl techniques to use. Happy belated WOYWW

    Carol C

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  38. Thanks for visiting my blog. Loving your organised space and especially the idea of a box of cards as a pressie...I was struggling with what to get my 87 yr Nan in NZ, and know I know!

    Thanks for sharing
    kyla

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  39. Hi there Shoshi ah so love the butterfly, plus cards - Gods creation is amazing! thanks for popping over and happy WOYWW, Shaz in oz.x

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  40. great desk, soooo busy. I love the fact that you have all that organised space, but not much to actually work in (like mine. goodidea to make cards to give as a present I might do that for my mum in law
    janet

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