woyww- poppies

Any sign of christmas is now under the tree or in the post.   The desk tidy so that I can start playing with watercolours.  My first poppy on the right and now all set up for the next one. I watched Michelle Brown in action on You Tube.  Loved it .... have signed up for the online course.  Realise now she is totally against the jam jar of water and it must be replaced with a bucket of water and larger sheets of paper.  Must remember to do that before I start the course.  Below a close up of the poppies.

Looking forward to learning some techniques.   I love to fiddle with watercolours but always make a mess.

 Finally a pic of kitty who continues to sleep no matter what is happening around her.  A real inspiration.

Christmas joy and cheer to all in woyww.

woyww - cards

The cards are made and now I plan to write them out and get them in the post before the event is over.  But, then a good book beckons me and all good intentions disappear!

Another doodle to pass the time while I wait for woyww to link up.

woyww - cards and doodles

An action shot of a card lying on my desk (sorry about the blur) hands are still not steady and its only 11.30 in the morning.  Decided to just get on with the card making in the hope I can get them all in the post by the end of this week.

Another card this time using a laser cut out.  Can't see the glimmer on the white paper which is a pity as it looks all shimmery.  I am sure you get the idea.  When I tire of making cards I really just doodle.

But now I think they look like poinsettia's, so I must still have Xmas on the brain.  Now I am off to be inspired by all the other wonderful desks on wednesday.

woyww - LO with bits

I am always collecting bits of paper which are just too good to throw out.  Only a crafter would understand.   I  store it all a box for that "special project" that needs something.  The box is in the top left corner and you can see it is full.  I even separate the scraps into like minded scraps, hence the zip lock back with extra special scraps.  At this stage I am just playing around with the bits and will eventually look for a photo to fit the LO.   Normally I would start with a photo and then work on the LO to fit the photo.  Today is different and I have no explanation apart from woyww!

woyww- a winner

The draw was supervised by DH who stood over me to ensure it was all above board.  As I cut out comments and DD picked a winner mumbling something about random generator.  But I do love the drama of a hand picked winner.

Congrats to Annette who commented, followed and will soon receive a Steampunk ATC.   Please send me an email with your contact details and I will pop it in the post. 

Not a lot happening at my desk .... So I am going to see what other woyww's have been doing this week. 

woyww - LO and pretty stuff

2 Pretty LO's with lots of flowers this week.  All because I did a workshop at the Penrith Craft Fair with the wonderful Nic Howard who hails from New Zealand.  She is a wonderful teacher who always adds so much detail and dimension to her LO's.  

One I did when I got home as I still had lots of paper and flowers left over from the kit.

Now for something a bit more grungy.

The finished steampunk ATC which I had been working on weeks ago.  The swap is finished and I have some extra's!  If you would like to go in a draw to win the ATC in a small book all you have to do is become a follower (if you aren't already) and leave a comment.  Next week I will randomly pick a winner.  

Join in with woyww and have a peek at what everyone else has been doing this week.

woyww- consumed by a kitchen

All art and craft fallen by the wayside as I am consumed by a kitchen renovation.  After months of discussion, consultation, redesign and plans I was all ready to start.  As I marvelled at how a designer could fit so much into my small kitchen it suddenly dawned on me he had measured it incorrectly.  Armed with my scrapbook ruler I measured it out and finally all agreed it was wrong.  New corrected design and family grateful I have great visual spatial abilities.  I may not be able to add numbers but I have "superior" abilities at working out how things fit together.  I can also pack a car boot and have room to spare!! Hopefully my desk will be back to normal next week.

woyww- petri dish monoprint

What you see are my "Gelli Plate" prints also nicknamed "Petri dish experiments" by the family.  Lots of fun, easy to do and ultimately great backgrounds for art journal pages with minimum of fuss or thought.

The Gelli Plate is hiding underneath the finished prints.  The blue basket on the right is new and currently storing bits and pieces left over from last week.  The plan is I will pack everything away!  Time will tell.

Off to visit woyww .... 

woyww-pathetic

A sad pathetic woyww desk this morning.  So little to show; art journal page, some bargain bin memory glass and frames, a sheet of free book stickers and that is it!!  I hang my head in shame.

But, I am off to lunch with a crafty friend and I will catch up on the latest and pop round to visit a few woyww desks this evening. 

woyww - art journal and cards

The beginning of an art journal page.  Trying out the new "typo" letter stamps and of course on the right the magazine with Kate Crane's article which always inspires me to give it a go.

The desk is relatively tidy as I had finished making Xmas cards and did a quick tidy up for the pic.  Still  need to make about 40 more cards and I should be set.  Hopefully I will remember where I put them when I go to post the cards in December.

Not a lot to show for a week but I am sure inspiration awaits at other desks on WOYWW.

woyww - blue canvas and atc

Starting on a steampunk atc and at this point just trimming the focal image.  Backgrounds all ready to go but I have plenty of time as the swap is not due until the end of October.  Plenty of time to fiddle around and over think the whole swap.

The blue bits and bobs canvas  is coming along, although in this photo it all looks a little skewif!! The canvas started with a stencilled background then layers of bits; watch parts, jewellery, washers, string, paper scraps, metal clips, pins, fabric flowers and moulded flowers.  I will let it sit for awhile before I start to work on the colours.   All in all a good week.  I wonder how other woyww's have managed this week? Check out Julia's desk

woyww - blue bits and bobs

A week certainly comes around quickly and what do I have to show?  The beginnings of new canvas in shades of blue, white and silver.  Nothing is glued down yet as I play around with the bits and bobs.

The inspiration for "blue bits and bobs" probably came from "Veronica Spictata" blooming in the garden.  Thanks to RosA (and google) I can now call her Veronica and learnt that it is the county flower of Montgomeryshire in the UK. Without the help of woyww's I would still be in the dark.  Off to visit Julia's world of woyww.  

woyww a desk, card and flowers

The beginning of an art journal page which was then abandoned because I got side tracked by ribbons.

  I did try out the TH embossing folder added a smidge of distress inks, glimmermist and a touch of flowers on my first easel card.  All looks a bit brown in the pic when it really is all golden and shimmery!!

Finally, the triffid like flower that is currently flowering in the garden.  No idea what it is called but as I achieved so little at my desk this week I thought I would pretend I have been busy doing other things.

Now off to see the other woyww's...

Winter cast offs

The finished canvas complete with; 

 wire, washers, bread bag clips, string, plastic, knitting needles, old book paper scraps, lace, earings, watch parts and other assorted metal bits.

Such fun pulling it all together.

I tried adding some sprays of colour but, it just didn't feel right.  Painted over the colour with gesso which has left tiny drops still showing.

I have loved using all the bits and pieces that usually get chucked in the bin.

I will definitely do this again.  Perhaps a spring theme.

woyww - layouts

A fairly tidy desk as I had already packed things away once I had finished the LO and I only just remembered to take a pic for woyww.  One  completed layout is all that I have achieved this week.  Still plodding through photos from our holiday last year .... slow progress.  On the right a set of darkroom door stamps that I have mounted on cling foam, cut out and stored back in their tin.  I have left them out in the hope that I will use them!!

Hope your week has been more productive and now I am off to see what other  woyww's have been doing.

woyww - the composition of rubbish

The recycled canvas is coming along slowly ... who would of thought the composition of rubbish would take so much contemplation and rearrangement.  A bit like compost!   Family comments varied from "but it's still rubbish" to "I like that you try".  Thank goodness I am made of tough stuff and comments just flow off me.  I also got carried away making text paper rolls and die cutting flowers.  

My other obsession this week was reading another Jo Nesbo book "The Leopard".  I cannot get enough of  Norwegian crime authors.  Any recommendations woyww's?

woyww - recycling

Working on a recycled canvas and staying with that theme I am using recycled bits of paper, lace, earings, string, wire, plastic rings, tags, knitting needles and anything else I can find.  Following through with a theme often used by Finnabair which basically means you don't throw anything away and then you rummage through boxes of stuff and glue it down.

6 Mr Da Vinci's all in a row.  Completed and posted for the atc swap.  I used a quote attributed to him "Learning never exhausts the mind."  Well ... he was a genius.  I on the other hand often have an exhausted mind but, Leonardo and I are back on speaking terms.  Thanks to everyone for suggestions.   I am holding out on the gears as the next atc swap is steampunk.  I need all the gears I can get.

Off to the wonderful world of WOYWW.

woyww - leonardo looking grim

Trying desperately to come up with something creative for an ATC swap.  An inventor theme and that is why "Leonardo" is looking grim on my desk.  He can't believe this is all I can come up with .... no imagination, no inventiveness and definitely no creativity this morning.  So Leonardo and I just keep staring at each other waiting for inspiration to strike.

On a good note I did finish the second pendant and attached it to a card.  I also did a bit of shopping and now have new stamps and TH embossing folders.  Thank goodness it's Wednesday and I can peek at everyones desk on woyww and take the pressure off Leonardo.

woyww - gifts

A quiet week with more internet browsing then crafting happening at my desk.  

Thank goodness for the mail or I would have nothing to show.....

A wonderful collection of goodies from Doone which included 4 ATC's and a lovely assortment of goodies from papers to ribbon.  Thank you Doone it was a delight to rummage through all these bits and pieces.  I also won the July Paperarts WTA and so far have received 3 fantastic ATC's and still 5 more to come.  Woohoo!!  

I did finish one pendant from last week.  I tried different paper as backgrounds and had papers tear, bleed and buckle.  In the end I just used a (van Eyck) image from an art book  and trying scrapbook papers on the other pendant.  

Now to see what other Woyww are doing this very early Wednesday.

woyww- stray bits

Missed last week due to coughs and colds.  Back at the desk and working on numerous stray bits which highlight how scatty my brain can be over a week.  Starting from the lower left side of my craft mat a pendant which will be a gift for a colleague.  Left over stamps used on a journal page. Hanging above my water jar is a colour wheel that I finally completed so that I might eventually get the whole colour wheel concept. Moulds of flowers and cogs waiting to be coloured.  A japanese inspired ATC on display. I used a rubber stamp that I won on Jozarty's blog candy eons ago (thank you Jo).  Finally the journal page waiting for some inspiration as it rests with left over wool from my knitting.  Finally the Kindle on recharge so that I can read into the night. 

 Best of all is what arrived from Lisa ...

Now for your Wednesday dose of inspiration and crafty pleasure go to  woyww.

woyww - progressive atc

My first progressive atc and the steps are not that complicated but rather repetitive.   I won't type out the page of instructions.  (Although a nincompoop like me actually needs the pages of instructions so that I could understand what I was meant to do.)  But woyww are far more clever.  You need 3 people in the group.  First person makes the background sends to second person who adds focal image who then sends to third person to add embellishments. Then you all swap places and so that in the end you have 3 different atc's with each step created by a different person.   Not sure yet which focal image I will use.

A completed box using quite a few of Andy Skinner's techniques i.e. copper patina, chipped and rusted paint and rivets and rust.

Finally a pic of another lovely orchid flowering on my deck. 

See you all on the wonderful world of woyww....

woyww - cards

Cleaning up my desk after making a couple of cards and finishing a project.  

 Close up of the cards, I usually leave them blank and stamp on a sentiment as needed.

The one on the left is a simple kaiser craft stamp on cardstock and on the right a glimmermist background with flowers, lace and bling.  A bit over the top but after doing one of Finnabair's inspired projects I thought I showed restrain.

The front and back cover of a new book using recycled bits and pieces including bottle tops, broken jewelry, hair clip, bolts, washes and lots of stash.  The project was inspired by Finnabair and held at a workshop by Sue from Fantasia.  Lots of fun and definitely worth trying again.

WOYWW is why I am showing what is on my desk this beautiful sunny wednesday.

Monday in Sydney

A sunny winter Monday just calls you to take a ferry ride to Cockatoo Island and join in the 18th Biennale of Sydney.

Cockatoo Island a former prison and ship yard in Sydney Harbour.  Now part of the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust and a great place to visit if you love industrial sites (DH) and modern art (moi).

Tiffany Singh's wind chime installation set in the old convict  site.  We had fun running through and making music.  

My perfect idea of shelves with an industrial twist.

Not an art installation but a left over shipbuilding essential right in the middle of Sydney Harbour.