Tuesday 5 January 2016

WOYWW 344

The first WOYWW of 2016! A very happy New Year to all desk hoppers! What’s On Your Workdesk this Wednesday? Hop over to Julia’s blog to find out how to join in, and show us what you are up to at the moment. I am doing this post on Tuesday evening as we have got a busy day tomorrow.

WOYWW 344 7-1-16 d Main Work Area

It’s been some time since I’ve been involved with WOYWW. For several weeks since I finished my chemo, my creative mojo vanished and I couldn’t be bothered to do anything and had lost interest in all things art. I wasn’t worried because I knew it would return – it is too much a part of me to be absent forever.

On New Year’s Day, I decided enough was enough, and as one of my New Year resolutions was to try and make art every day, however small, I thought I would begin with baby steps and start doing some painting again – painting my florabunda mandala print-outs. This is my first effort of 2016, painting with Perfect Pearls. All the same design but the different colour schemes give a quite different result in each case. These will be made up into cards eventually.

4 Florabunda Mandalas 1-1-16

Following on from that, I have been doing some Zentangle drawing, making more ATC-sized cards to go in my Zentangle album of designs. I am working through the alphabet with designs from the Tangle Patterns site, choosing designs I like, and which I think I will use. Here are the ones I have done so far.

WOYWW 344 7-1-16 e 6 Zentangles 5-1-16

Whenever I am not using my ARTHaven studio, it becomes a dumping ground and very quickly becomes very untidy. It was in a sorry state at the end of the year, with the rail from which I hang my rubber stamps having collapsed, but this is now fixed.

WOYWW 344 7-1-16 f Stamp Rail Repaired

I have now started to tidy the rest of the room. Here are the before and after pictures of the left-hand side of the room as you enter.

WOYWW 344 7-1-16 LH Side Before & After

The right-hand side is still a tip. I got too tired to do any more after I’d finished the first part! More work for another day.

WOYWW 344 7-1-16 b RH Side

This is what the main work area looks like now.

WOYWW 344 7-1-16 d Main Work Area

I am in the middle of sorting out my rubber stamps. At the moment each one is in a zip-lock bag with its original packaging so I know what it is. I am getting so many that I am running out of the rings with clips, that hang on the rail, so I have decided to bag them up in groups (e.g. butterflies, swirls, flowers, etc.). The individual zip-lock bags will go into larger ones which will then hang from the rail.

I am hoping that from now on I shall be a more active participant in WOYWW, and actually have something to show you! My first priority is to continue with the Card Factory I started last year as I want to make a good collection to take into the Ricky Grant (chemo) Unit at the hospital so they can sell them to raise funds.

For Christmas I made some mince pies:

Mince Pies 2 23-12-15

and this week I have made some more – they soon disappear! I am enjoying doing the cooking again, and in particular I’m enjoying baking, which I haven’t done for simply ages. (I have lost my rolling pin… Like many kitchen things, it has found its way into the studio, but so far I haven’t been able to find it! Maybe in the course of my tidying efforts it will turn up again. Meantime, I have had to use a mulled wine bottle! Very seasonal.) I have to go to the hospital on Friday to have my port flushed at Ricky Grant (they still haven’t removed it) and I want to take some cakes in for the chemo-ites if I get time to make some! This week is quite busy so we shall see.

Happy WOYWW everybody, and let’s all look forward to a productive and inspiring year, with lots to share with each other.

20 comments:

  1. Hi Shoshi, so glad to see you back and sooo positive...a great start to the new year - what a fabulous tidy up. Just love your artwork and zentangles, wonderful. Have a great week RobynO#21

    ReplyDelete
  2. Happy New Year Shoshi - good to see you back and that you are getting your mojo back. Anne x #34

    ReplyDelete
  3. I have truly missed you girl and wondered how you are feeling! Glad to see being a part of WOYWW once again and those Zentangle designs are amazing! I love that art and wish I had more time to do Zentangle. Hoping you are continuing to feel more yourself these days.
    Glenda

    ReplyDelete
  4. What a wonderful post Shoshi. I really enjoyed reading about what you have been up to. My goodness you have certainly done lots since you finished your chemo (hurray) and got your mojo back. Your mandalas look beautiful. I think perfect pearls give such a lovely effect. I've had a bit of a go at zentangling too. Isn't it fun and so theraputic (like colouring in). Thanks for the link to the site I'll have a look at that later.

    Your mince pies look yummy. Not surprised they didn't last long. It's wonderful to hear that you are back cooking again. You said how much you were looking forward to being able to do that.

    Here's wishing you and your hubby a very happy and healthy 2016 and to you lots of crafty fun time. Barbxx #28

    ReplyDelete
  5. I am thrilled to see that your creative mojo is back and strong! Your newly organized studio is looking great, and I LOVE the abc tangled cards you are working on. I can see you incorporating the latter into a book in the future. Those minced pies that you are making for your friends look scrumptious, and wish I could savor one myself. Anyway, have a blessed WOYWW, my dear friend!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Glad to see you back! Your Zentangle designs are truly amazing! And an organized work area is a great help to get the mojo flowing again! Hope you have a great week!
    Carol N #43

    ReplyDelete
  7. Nice to see you back in the swing of things Shoshi! I haven't seen those zentangle designs yet! They all look fab, but my favourites are the the one in the top right position and the on in the bottom middle. On of my upcoming LB lessons is about zentangling, so I can try my hand at it. You're very well organized with your stamps. Mine are just chucked in a box, without the packaging or backing sheets. I hardly ever clean them either. Considering how expensive they are, I might be regretting my abuse of them in years to come! Happy WOYWW! Keep on crafting! zsuzsa #39

    ReplyDelete
  8. You are certainly welcoming the New Year with a BLITZ! Good for you - love the transformation of the room but the artwork steals the show for me.
    Hope this is a better year for you and yours.
    Hugs, Neet xx

    ReplyDelete
  9. What a fabulous post - glad your mojo is returning. Your room looks wonderful. Take care Zo xx 42

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hello there, Shoshi! Good to see you here this week. Don't beat yourself up over what you haven't done, will you? You have done so well this past year, with huge amounts to cope with. You have both done really well. Take heart!!
    I have to say, I just LOVE the mamade tin with the paint brushes!!!. Lovely tidy surfaces - must do mine - just wait til you look on my desk this week - abysmal!
    Take care. God bless.
    Margaret #2

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi, and happy new year to you. love your huge looking craft space - and am super impressed at the amount of tidying you've managed so far! We all have good intentions, and (in my case) they rarely come off... maybe this year! Helen #3

    ReplyDelete
  12. I really like your zentangles. Been a while since I did any. Glad you're done with your chemo. That takes a lot out of a person. My mum tried to keep going with her knitting when she was going through her treatment. Ended up messing it up completely. She is getting there but still struggling to get her creative mojo back.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hi Shoshi, nice to see you back. It does get very difficult to kick start your mojo, I agree.I've been doing some organising and sorting, and oddly enough, it does help.I see some lovely stamps there!lol. Have a great week, Hugs, Shaz #8 xxx

    ReplyDelete
  14. Gosh Shoshi, you must be feeling better, so busy. Wishing you a great woyww, Angela x 32

    ReplyDelete
  15. My you have been busy. Everything looks great. I think you are amazing. Peg 66

    ReplyDelete
  16. I had planned to visit sooner, but right after I linked to Julia, my electricity went off. It came back on a short time ago, so now I'm trying to catch up with everyone.

    I've also had trouble keeping up with WOYWW this year, but mine was from too many commitments. I love what you have done with your art haven to keep it organized. I have vowed to stay on top of the organization this year, so will be cleaning and purging as time permits. Glad to see you back. Sounds like you are feeling quite well. Happy WOYWW Thursday from #1.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Oh whast a lovely feeling to start getting on top of things again!Good for you!

    ReplyDelete
  18. So good to hear from you! And you are getting so much done! I love your art room. I think all of us could use some good tidying up. You have inspired me to tidy up all my stamps. I would like to borrow your idea of putting them in bags but not sure how or where I would hang them. Will let you know what happens. Be well and glad to have you back! Diane #35

    ReplyDelete
  19. Oh my you have done a lot of tidy up..very nice. The same thing happenes to my studio space of I don't use it. Stacks and stacks which become a real barrier to creativity. I have never had a mince pie but those do look delicious! I made about 8 different kinds of cookies and candies and took a large tray over to Arizona Oncology where my Patrick had his chemo. It is supposed to be for the patients but really the nurses go wild over it LOL. Have a happy and creative 2016 :) Shel/PaperOcotilloStudio #14

    ReplyDelete
  20. It is great to see you back on the list, and wonderful to learn that you've been crafting and organising. Your post appeared full of energy! Makes me happy! I know you've already said it, but boy, those images look so different in their various painted forms, amazing. Good luck with the baking....I'm the same lopsided and not pretty results but they taste great, the people at the Unit will love em.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for your comments! They are much appreciated. Spammers, please be aware that I read and moderate ALL comments, and yours will be deleted before publication, so please don't bother!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...