Wednesday 9 November 2011

WOYWW 127

First of all, thank you everyone who commented on my blog last week – I so enjoy and appreciate all the comments I receive – they are so lovely and encouraging! I feel as if I’m getting to know some of you a bit better now, and making new friends. A big thank you too to our lovely Julia who organises this voyeuristic jamboree around our desks in their various states of tidiness (or otherwise!!) – heaven for all nosy artists and crafters out there! (Click on the WOYWW logo in my sidebar for more info.)

I haven’t been on my blog since this time last week. It’s been a busy week – I was invited to do some Bible teaching at an awesome local group on Thursday and it was a totally brilliant experience! They seemed to like what I did because they are clamouring for me to go back! I am going next week, and after that I’ll probably limit it to once a month because much as I enjoyed it, it did take a lot out of me and I had to rest for a few days.

This meant, of course, that I was away from my ARTHaven – not a state of affairs I particularly enjoy!! Anyway, I have managed to make good progress on the birthday cards I’m making for my mum for Christmas. Here’s my main work desk:

On my desk you can see that I’m using a doily as a stencil, inking it with Chipped Sapphire Distress Ink using an Ink Duster. I’m doing it on some printed scrapbooking paper which has an overall pattern in one colour. Beside it you can see an experimental scrap piece on top of one of my cards, inked with a variety of distress inks using ink dusters – I love this effect and use it a lot.

The next picture shows it with the doily removed. I’m quite pleased with this – I deliberately decreased the intensity of the ink as I moved down the paper, but I’d have preferred it not so centrally placed. I may cut this piece up.

After using my distress inks, to clean up, I spritz the craft sheet with water, and when I remember, soak it up with small pieces of card to use as backgrounds later – much better than just wasting it on a bit of kitchen roll! You can build up with different colours and no two ever come out the same – once dry they make fabulous backgrounds! Here are some I’ve made recently.

This is what’s on the brown table this week – piles of different papers so I can choose what to use to make my various cards. I’ve been busy matting and layering, and I think I’m finally getting the hang of this and not getting them crooked all the time!!!

On the right you can see my smooshed backgrounds on top of a pile of scrapbooking papers which have some interesting colours and fairly random backgrounds in single colours, which are quite useful (can’t remember where they came from – Ebay, I think!). In the centre are my Core’dinations stacks in various sizes and colours, on top of some Tim Holtz and other papers.

Finally, here are the cards I’ve done so far, in various stages of completion.

You will see that I have done some Cuttlebug embossing on Core’dinations paper (I’m really getting to like this now, after rather a rocky start with it), and I’ve also made some paper flowers from stamped images that I’ve painted with distress inks, layered and added some Stickles for a bit of sparkle. I’ve added some of my hibiscus flowers to a sprig I drew with water-based marker pens, and I’ve cut an oval with my 5-in-1 shaper punch, and I’ve done lots of ink blending with my Ink Dusters. I’ve added ribbon to some of them. Most of them still need work – I’ve got to cut some “Happy Birthday” sentiments on Jiminy Cricut and maybe use some peel-offs too, and most of them still need a sentiment inside, and some need embellishing further, but I think you can see I’m making reasonable progress.

I may keep some of these cards for myself and not give them all to my mum – I am going to try and build up my stash while I’m at it, and as nearly all our family and friends’ birthdays come in the first part of the year, it would be nice to be organised before Christmas with this – I always find myself focusing on Christmas and then when that’s over and I’m exhausted with it all, suddenly remember all the birthdays crowding in and demanding attention! So Shoshi’s going to try and be organised this year!!

Sorry I didn’t manage to get round many desks this past week. It’s been very busy and I’ve been too tired in between to do much. Now there are so many of us, it’s virtually impossible to do a proper job with it!

Hope you all have a great WOYWW and hope to see a few more this week.

21 comments:

  1. I love that background. You have a nice 'holey' doily. Out here they tend to have a big 'solid' centre with lace round the edge, but I'll keep a lookout for a more fancy one. I didn't get on with the dusters and usually use sponge, but I shall get mine out again and give them another go. Well done with the card collection. You have made some lovely examples.
    There is nothing at all to show on my desk again, but when I get back from my sewing group I may have a session, and if I do, I'll take a picture then. Kate x

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  2. Hi Shoshi, lovely cards, and I will try the technique with the doily and the ink dusters!

    Debs x

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  3. Hi there. Thanks for sharing your creative space with us this week. I hope the rest of the week goes well and creative too! Glad to see I'm not the only one who mops up inks to make backgrounds!
    Neil #57

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  4. A fabulous desk and such lovely cards made from your creative backgrounds! Glad you enjoyed the study - true there are only 7 days in a week - we need a 5 day weekend! Thanks for the peek! Sarah at 14.

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  5. Wow, love the cards on your desk, especially the one with the yellow flowers.

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  6. Well You are a busy bee hun, lots of colourful crafting going on in your ArtHaven.
    Emma in slow labour as I type, contractions coming 7 mins apart but been doing that since 2am last night, So he is on the way at last hun

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  7. I LOVE your beautiful card, Shoshi!!! They are all awesome!

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  8. Glad you've popped back this week. Great idea with the doily. I've used the front of air fresheners in a similar way.
    Hugs Joanne xx

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  9. I like your workplace :) and your cards are great!

    Have a happy WOYWW!

    Olga.

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  10. Gorgeous, gorgeous cards. I too like to make batches of background papers in one go- gives you lots of choice then. Have a great week, Shaz

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  11. Those cards are just lovely and I loved stalking your desk and seeing what you have been up to... you have been productive !!

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  12. Love the effect from the doiley and you've made some really lovely cards to share with your Mum too.
    Thanks for your lovely comment on mine!
    The spotty gilding has been done NOt with a stencil but it is a dotty stamp from stampattack stamped using Versamark clear pad then the flakes pressed on and they stick only to the dots. Great effect.
    Love Jo x

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  13. The doily stencil was really effective - looked great. Those cards are fab, what a brilliant and useful present for your mum - AND you had pleasure in making them. That's a win-win for everybody!
    Hugs, LLJ #42 xx

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  14. Oh busy busy busy!!
    And going out can take it out of you, believe me the NEC was a 4 day recovery!!

    Lovely cards, and our family birthdays are all spread around the end of the year and beginning of the year, drives me nuts, that I always forget and have to knock up a quick card!!

    Happy WOYWW
    Lou #44

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  15. You have done such lovely cards, and I think I must dive into the cupboard in the dining room and excavate all my old doilies to see what I can create with them, after looking at what you have done.

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  16. Lots of lovely crafting going on here - love the use of the doiley as stencil (Hazel WOYWW #89) x

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  17. Come over to my blog Shoshi, Someone you should See

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  18. Think I am a bit behind with my blogging comments but here goes: Lovely cards you have made, each one is adorable. You are an inspiration working like this with all you have to contend with healthwise. What a brilliant idea the doiley is, one I might use if you don't mind.
    Seeing your cards has given me the push I need to put a bit more into mine rather than the usual just mounted images.
    Thanks for sharing your great workdesk. Hugs, Neet #15

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  19. I agree, I have come to know a few dedicated dirty desk people like ourselves lol. I love making backgrounds and never thought to use doilies, am now on a hunt to find them.
    And what are you doing advertising Australia on your blog lol, I thought you were living here!

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