WOYWW #178 - Busy Scrapping

Here we are again at Julia's Place to present our desks in all their glory! I've been busy scrapping this week trying to catch up with my day to day photos and I only have them printed up 'till the beginning of July! Hmmm need to order some more prints methinks - oh the selection is so laborious.

My latest page is laid out as it was earlier. It is of The Craft Barn Extravaganza back in June where I met Karen on the Tando table and Neil busy with his "big one" (kitchen towel!!) and Dylusions. I have since finished (I think) the page so you can see the "before" & "after" stages, and I used some of  my watch pieces from woyww #176, for the first time. GRIN!

 This week I have also received the next Art Journal in a circle thingymebob I am doing at present. My first real adventure into AJing and so nice to see other people's work in the flesh as the AJs pass through.

There are also some SWAPs hiding in the final picture. My November SWAP card on UKPC where we have the theme of spots for Children in Need, plus my December EXCHANGE pieces where we are doing a patchwork wall hanging in Red, Gold and Green. The brown envelope has my original Advent tag all packed up and ready to post in December!

Still need to make more of those pesky Christmas cards though!!! I'll be looking out for inspiration on your desks for those. I'll always reply if you leave your number. Happy WOYWW - BJ.

STOP PRESS

 

Just received my prize from the $50 winning on the Random Draw at Simon Says Stamp and Show. It took a week to get here and it was my first ever entry so I was extra blessed. Can't believe how cheap card is in the USA, so I go 2 packs, some metal embellishments and the adorable little mini lantern just right for my Nativity Scene Stable. You can see I couldn't wait to see if it worked, hoped USA batteries were the same as UK ones - phew! The tiny bottle of crackle accents made up the amount including the mega postage from the US. Oh happy me. Thank you SSS&S.

 



Advent Tag - Just Add Pearl

Oh the trials of taking a picture of this tag without getting something strange reflected in the candle flame mirri-card! I took a dozen photos altogether to get this one.

It just had to be done though so I could to enter it for the current Simon Says Stamp and Show challenge - Just add Pearl.

I used pearl paint for the stensiled backing. I edged the candle and foliage with pearl paint too.

I added pearl stamens and half pearl berries oh and of course the pearl droplet.

Yes definitely pearly.
BJ

Tag Journal

Here's my latest page in, what seems to now be, my TAG journal. I do Tim Holtz's tag each month and one of my own. I then make up pages for them. Got a bit adventurous this time and even stamped the background!

September always marks the return to school so a tag on books, using spare pages from my altered book. Also Tim's Tag using a typewriter. I found my picture of the typewriter in a local magazine! Here's my original post for this tag.

October seems to mark Autumn really getting a hold with nights drawing in and the days getting colder. Definitely time to hibernate! Here's my original post for this tag. My leaf tag is a take on a SWAP I did but using my NEW Fall Distress Inkpads. So glad they are now a permanent addition to the Distress range as I have been waiting ALL year for them having missed out last year when they were released!

It's all a bit Autumnal - BJ

WOYWW #177 - Christmas at last!

Yep - at last I have made some Christmas Cards. Made a few for a SWAP (can't show those) then thought of all the cards I have saved from last year. I had already cut most of the pictures out using nesties so just had to find some papers, do a bit of inking and sticking. Add some glitter and greetings and more or less done. Glad to get some done at last, don't wish to give in and buy any.

If you wish to have a snoop at other desks pop over to Julia's. Please leave your number if you are a WOYWWer then I will reply to any comments.

Happy WOYWW, BJ.

WOYWW #176 - Steampunk!

My husband bought me a couple of crafty things this week, the "Heat it" craft tool from Ranger and a 30g bag of watch parts which are in my trusty purple tidy tray. Been cutting out some leaves for an Autumn tag (like my October SWAP card - previous post), also planning a few swaps.

To join in this wonderful Wednesday of Workdesks go and visit Julia, and all will be revealed. And please leave your number in comments so I will be able to find you more easily. Happy WOYWW.



October SWAP - Embossing

On our UKPC group, this month's SWAP theme was embossing. I used a Darice Woodgrain embossing folder through my Cuttlebug for the backing and a Tim Holtz Frame for the topper. I heat embossed both with gold powder. Wondering if you can count Glossy Accents as embossing too and what about Cosmic Shimmer Glue for the dots? Definitely having a Autumnal Leafy time at present. BJ

TH #10 - October Tag

I knew this month's Timmy Tag would not only be a challenge supplies wise but also subject wise.

I pondered a while and then jumped straight in by making my own tissue paper by stamping some music score on plain tissue paper with jet black StazOn. Quite amazed at how well it turned out. I Pritt sticked my tag and squished the tissue paper on and again pleased at how well it crumpled up and moved about.

Got some Autumn paints colours out (Avocado and Clay) and did the baby wipe thing - hmmm like that technique. Smooched the paint about and added Pitch Black to the edges. I highlighted with  Crushed Olive and Spiced Marigold Distress Inks and stamped a few bare trees with black archival. Nearly forgot to spray with Heirloom Gold Perfect Pearl Mist but so glad I didn't forget as it looks lovely and rich and sparkly.

The word "TIME" just grabbed me so I black glittered some of my WORDPLAY letters. (Don't think I have glittered this way since last year's 1st Christmas Tag - LOL).

I cut out the October month from my Lost and Found Paper Stash and attached with a swirly paper clip. Hmmm - then what next? I hunted around and found my last ceramic hedgehog button and sewed him on the bottom edge, added a few leaves, an acorn, some string strands and even a dangly metal leaf.

Then after the word "TIME", I just HAD to add the words "To Hibernate".   Done!

I'm sure this would count for Simon Says Stamp and Show's current Rustification Challenge too as it is rather RUSTIC!

Just had to pop this in to ABAC too.

WOYWW #175 - More Scrapping

My desk might be tidy but my shelves are heaving! Bought some Timmy goodies this week, some are hanging from the bottom shelf. Made a couple of scrappages, both hanging from the second shelf. You can find close-ups here and here.

I tried out a little bag made from an envelope from the tutorial by Christine Embers, and I have the template for a paper angel printed out from Carol's tutorial pending...

For more desk snooping visit Julia's and join in the WorldWide What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday frenzy.

Scrapbook Journaling

I had the good fortune of tuning in to Sunday Scrappers on Create and Craft last Sunday and saw their guest Melanie Heaton.

Melanie gave great hints and tips for scrapping and highlighted the journaling aspect which is something I usually leave 'till last and often just write round the photographs. She said to journal FIRST, and to try to handwrite something about the time and the feeling surrounding the photos.

I rarely matt my photos either and she showed various ways to matt photos and emphasised what colours were best to use. Dark to recede, light to bring forward and skin tones to draw the eye to faces in photos.

She talked about the design triangle where you place three embellishments round the page to draw the eye round the page.

Anyway, thought I'd try my best to incorporate her principles into my next page. I made the journaling tag, nearly first, as I had previously cropped my photos. I double matted my photographs, and there are a few sets of threes too. My final page uses handmade papers which might well have come from India.

Anyway Melanie said she'd add her sample pages and tips to her blog sometime this week, so I'll be watching out.

November Fireworks

Continuing the firework theme for November.

For those "over the pond", here in the UK we commemorate with fireworks, the thawarting of the Gunpowder Plot, where Guy Fawkes tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament back in 1605.

This little ATC is for a SWAP, where we were asked to use something that was a gift. As I rarely buy gems, I suspect the blue gems must have been in a free gift on a magazine some time ago.

Scrapping the Generations

At last - scrapping mode. Here's some photos of me, my Mum and son in my Aunty's back garden when we visited over Jubilee Weekend. Loved the poppy photo and just HAD to cut round it and it pointed me towards the colour for the page. The pink paper had the turquoise boarder already and it just snowballed from there. Used my WORDPLAY die and my now trusty typewriter.

WOYWW #174 - Fabric Page

I have at last come to the final page in my Altered Book whilst doing the course run by Elizabeth. Lesson 16 is all about fabric and I was determined to use some especially as I love sewing. Fortunately there were more trousers to alter, so as I was getting the sewing machine out for those, I had no excuse. My book's theme is seasons and I needed a November page so it just had to be fireworks. The black fabric was from an old work skirt of mine which I loved and the gold and red fabric circles already had fused glue backing as they were off-cuts from when I made a banner for church.

 

I sewed the circles on with metallic thread and then added spirals coming out from them. I have hand sewn seed beeds around the spirals and star sequins inbetween. I have machine sewn it all onto torn out pages from my altered book but haven't got around to glueing it in yet. That might proove a bit tricky!! Oh and there is a little card I made for American friends who are going, from here in the UK, to work in France.

Well that is me for this week, if you fancy a look at other desks in the mad frensy that's called "What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday!" pop over to Julia's to be amazed.

PS My son said it looks more like starfish and my husband said it was more like something biological - oh well I tried!!

October Leaves

Here's a little October leaf ATC. Winter is fast approaching now but the trees look wonderful in their autumnal colours. Thought I could enter this into the Simon Says Stamp and Show, as their theme is "leaf-spiration".