woyww- bees wax mess

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and have cleared the table and are creating again.

My final woyww for 2011 and what a mess that turned out.  Quite fitting to end the year with bits of wax all over the place in various degrees celsius of melting.  The above pic is slightly modified as I had to clean up before I could take a pic.  Why?  ....because wax was everywhere, camera, desk, scissors, mat and all over the ATC with certain bits unfurling rather than sticking to the wax.

Lessons learnt: (Positive reframe in brackets)

1.  Be prepared and have a skewer ready on the desk.  (Skewer the curling bits when you hit the wax with a heat gun and you feel less frustrated.)
2.  Read all the instructions before you start.  (this should be lesson 1.  now you can see why I got in a pickle)
3.  Heat gun may not be the best implement to heat wax.  (Does tend to blow wax and other bits all over the place hence the mess)
4.  Bristle brushes will burn when close to the heat gun.  (Little bits of burnt bristle give an interesting effect.)
5.  Going back to heat/smooth out a lump of wax can melt everything and you start all over again.  Yep, that was in the instructions!! (Leave well enough alone.)

But .... I have to admit I am pleased with the finished ATC's.  Just not 100% convinced I will do this again very soon.

Wishing all the wonderful WOYWW (I have got to know in a cyber way) a very happy and crafty New Year.

woyww - technique book and crazy kitty

No Christmas stuff on my desk this week.  The cards are in the mail and the presents all wrapped so I have started making ATC's for a swap.  The reason I am inspired is because Kelsey's ATC technique book arrived and I love it.  I have always admired her ATC's from afar via her blog.  There was no way I could convince DH that it was worth flying to Perth to take one of her workshops.  But, now I have her book and I can pretend I am in her class.  My plan is to slowly work my way through each technique make 2 so I have one in my folder and one to enter into any swaps. 

 The reason I have had so much time on my hands?  The teenager had her tonsils removed and I have been home for a week.  Playing at my desk all week, BLISS.   Apart from the teenager requesting (via her mobile phone - she is an i generation child) iceblocks, pain meds and some sympathy etc. etc.  I have been pretty much undisturbed. 

The cat seems to be enjoying the christmas spirit as well.... currently chewing her way through the decorations!

Off to visit Julia.

woyww - journal page

Working on the front page of my art calendar journal for 2011.  The letters on the left are drying after I have put on a pile of Distress crackle paint over the top.  I had not used the crackle paint for ages and found it quite dry so I added some off white paint and just piled it on.  Interesting to see how it will dry. Still not sure what colour I will tint the letters once the crackle paint is dry.

Last weeks cards all finished and posted.  Whew.... that was a labour of love!  Seriously I do start to question why I leave it all to the last minute.  Then I remember .... I flit from one activity to another and have 10 projects happening at once.

Off to visit Julia .... I always find it comforting to see many other woyww's juggling numerous projects at once.

Blooms

A quick post on the canvas I had entered for the hospital exhibition. 

 India ink and acrylic.

woyww - mess and cards

What a mess!  Started making cards and all was under control.  Then I was diverted to finish another project for the teenager.  Yep another butterfly picture/canvas was requested.  So I stopped .... got out the stamps, inks etc etc. and here it is completed and ready to be hung.  Teenager happy and all is right with the world.

Finally able to get back to the Xmas cards.  Two styles (so far) and I have about 40 more to complete then I can rest.

Before I get started I think  I will check out what other woyww's are up to....

Art Journal pages complete

My modified version of the Christmas month.  A little red, green and pink background, with the wonderful leaf edges from the dylusion stamps.  Thank you Dyan Reavely for creating such fab stamps.

The november page is completed and all I had to do was add the Daniel Torrente stamps.  They soooooo remind me of my family!!   I really am pleased that I have stuck with Kate's challenge  and it has been really inspiring to see what everyone else has created over the year.