An UFO to finish the year

 Hello peeps, it's the end of the year and what a year it has been.  

My nephew was christened, my brother got engaged (for those of you who don't know, he lives in Ecuador and met a lovely girl over there, who before moving to Ecuador lived just a couple of miles away from him in London-see the world is small!!), I went to many art exhibitions (including one that had live tattooing....with free cider!), saw a lot of live comedy, went to many vintage fairs, loved every minute of the Olympics and especially the Paralympics, saw lots of live music, a festival and re-embraced my love of outdoor wild swimming (which I grew up doing).  Oh yes, and work full time and lots of craft!!! (phew, reading this back its no wonder I am knackered!).

To end the year I finally finished my MDF banner I have been making.

It is hung above the window in the craft room
 

I added homemade resin pieces (purple jewels, pink roses and a steam punk piece above the letter t).  I dyed plain white lace with distress reinkers (shaded lilac and brushed corduroy), covered the MDF with TH papers and cut the letters out of my TH Sizzix wordplay die (my new Christmas pressie from my hubby......the boy did good!!.....downside is that it doesn't cut all the letters....but he has contacted the supplier and I am sure after the holiday season they will be back in touch and will sort it out).

I hope you all had a fabulous festive season and I look forward to 2013 with anticipation.....

Not sure about new years resolutions....they tend to put pressure on you (and I have enough of that) so maybe work less, craft more? 

Happy crafting

Kyla
 

On your marks, get set......

 Hello peeps....I am finally feeling almost back to normal after being poorly (well, as normal as a I can) and have decided to upload some photo's (couldn't post them before as they were Christmas pressies!).

So, the title of my post.  I seem to have inadvertently set myself 2 challenges over the past few days (because of course, this isn't a busy time of year at all!!) On 23rd December I had the brilliant idea to make my Dad a present....no quick project for me....nope....I decided to make him a scrap book!

One of my Coven secret santa gifts were 3 chipboard scrap books so I used one of those.  I printed out the photos and covered each of the papers with patterned papers, sanding back the edges to distress and soften them.  I then edged them with distress ink and on the front pages I added a couple of Tim Holtz metal corners,

I embellished most of the pages with cogs, ribbon and as my Dad is a keen photographer I included some Tim Holtz mini negative strips.  To add a little aged sparkle (well the photo's were from the suprise 70th party we threw Dad back in November!) I added some blue foil around the edges of the pages, rubbing back to expose the paper underneath in some areas (the blue edges on the picture below).

To decorate the cover I made a blue resin heart.  I coloured the resin by mixing in mica powder, it gives a lovely opaque colour with a fantastic depth of colour.  That is one of the great things about mica, it can be used in so many ways.

I was pleased I made my Dad a handmade gift......but I really do test myself by deciding it less than 48 hrs before it being opened!  

Challenge 2 is  I plan on starting the new year in a different way.....with a tidy craft room!!  To start I have bought 3 large lidded storage containers and am part way through sorting out all my fabric and sewing stash (which is dumped....and I mean dumped) that has been spilling behind my dining room table for more than year now.....I like the have some small triumphs before tackling the craft room....which those of you who follow me on WOYWW know that trying to sort out the craft room is no mean feat.....I am not planning on doing it all (I haven't totally lost my marbles yet!), I thought I would tackle one of the stacking drawer cabinets...they are  a bit of a glory hole so if I can tidy them up and organise them better I am hoping I may be able free up at least 1/2 a drawer for some of my Christmas craft stash!!

Wish me luck with my task....I may be some time!

Happy crafting
Kyla
 

WOYWW

I hope all of you are having a wonderful festive season and that you are all enjoying it.

As Julia over on WOYWW says this is a reminder that it is not the weekend and actually a Wednesday!

So, my desk...yes, seeing is believing.  I have tidied it!  I finished all the Christmas pressies so thought I would give my desk a Christmas present and cleaned AND wiped all the ink spray and gesso off it!!

This weeks Man Bites Dog cards are a little more festive (I must admit to trying a few combinations this time as the first few shuffles brought some very unfestive headlines!!): Mystery Angel Revealed New Star!!  Much more festive.

I had a brainwave at 20:00 on Christmas Eve to make some small gifts for the Christmas crackers (I  think I must have been crackers to start crafting then!!).  They are small stampboard squares with stamped images, coloured, glossy accents and magnets....voila, fridge magnets which I slipped into each of the crackers.

I was lucky enough to get Kate Cranes Vol 3 and 4 DVD's this Christmas (her Vol 1 and 2 are well watched in our house) so plan on curling up and watching that when I get a chance.

Happy Crafting

Kyla
 

Hearts and ear rings

Hello all, so are you ready for Dr Who day yet then!!

Its absolutely chucking it down here and the rivers are breaking their banks again, so fingers crossed that everyone is ok and the waters don't rise too much.

The up side is that when its raining this heavy, at least I don't feel I have been missing out on the celebrations by being poorly!

So, this is my latest make, its a lavender bag (with lavender from my garden) and a pair of ear rings, they are a stocking filler for my mum (I doubt she reads this so I should be ok).

I tried to tie in the colours so that it was co-ordinated and blues and browns are my mums colours.  

I hope you all have a wonderful festive season

Kyla
 

A dylusions icy tag

Hello, I hope that you are all prepared for the festive season...and for those that believed the world would end today...oops, looks like you need to get pressie buying quickly!!

I thought I would post a photo of my latest tag.

I coloured the tag with inks and used craft stamper magazine free cover stamps (I thought the hanging stars look a little like icicles with stars hanging off them) and a dylusions quote (I do love her quotes).  It doesn't show up in the photo but I added some glittery icicle stickles to the stars....after all we all need a little bling at this time of year!

I am entering this into the http://thestampmanuk.blogspot.co.uk/ the theme of which is "In the bleak mid winter", which is my all time favourite carol and one that if I hear it at Christmas time I belt it out......much to the horror of those near me (and the local dogs!!) and I think the cool blue colours and icicles are reminiscent of a bleak winter.

Merry Christmas 

Kyla

WOYWW

 Hello....once again up and down this land there are cries of "Wednesday already?!"....not only that but its the last one before the next Dr Who episode!! (oh OK, and Christmas!!).

Not been doing much crafting recently as I have been laid up with a wretched bug, hubby had it for 2 weeks and now I have one!  So sit back, snot rag in one hand, hot ginger and elderflower in the other and enjoy the tour of desks that the Queen of WOYWW, Julia, has created here

On my desk this week is the first couple of layers in my new journal.  I bought it on a recent trip to London at Cass Art (LOVE that shop).  Throughout 2012 I amazed myself by completing the entire 365 calendar challenge where you write a small piece of journaling every day.  It is run by the amazing Kate Crane and all the deets are here.

I used a small A5 exercise book for this years journal and found the pages had very little room to decorate once the journaling was included, so I bought an A4 sketchbook so I have plenty of room to play in 2013. 
Man Bites Dog cards this week....."Crooked priest last blonde suspect"......odd as I watched the Da Vinci Code this week....which has a blonde priest in it!!!
 

Our craft coven had their secret santa swap this week (the theme was as many gifts you could get for £10-one of the group put a fiver in a card and INDIVIDUALLY wrapped £5 of pennies for her recipient!!!), I will take a photo of the lovely goodies later in the week, but I thought I would share one of the gifts I made for my swap (I bought the other gifts).  
Its an empty plastic sweet jar and I have printed off (from Cloth Paper Scissors....my favourite magazine!) 52 art prompts.  They contain prompts such as "use only the supplies you have on your desk" or "make something using only whites"....my recipient is a great fabric artist and member of the embroidery guild, so hopefully there are some mojo prompts to challenge her.

Right, I am off to scan some desks (whilst sniffing and coughing!!)

Happy crafting and hope you stay germ free!!

Kyla

When you need a card...ignore it!

Hello peeps, are you getting ready for Christmas?  It appears that people are going crazy again and spending like there is no tomorrow, every time I drive past the shops there are queues for the shops and car parks!  I am feeling a little smug as I have already finished my shopping and made nearly all the gifts that I need to  (only a couple of small ones left). 

Now, I admit that pride does come before a fall.....my fall is cards!  Now, I know I make cards, heck I even sell them for charity.....but the Christmas cards I made I have mainly sold...which means I have NONE for sending to family and friends! 

Now, I am not a fan of working to a deadline, so instead of making cards I made a tag!  Cos I don't have enough of those do I?!

I have also been rusting some bells the past couple of weeks so I am hoping to use some of those this week of a couple of makes.

Right, I need to have a steam as I have picked up the dreaded lurgy and am all snotty and looking a little like rudolph at the moment!!

Happy Crafting
Kyla
 

WOYWW

 Wednesday again!!!!?...seriously I SWEAR the weeks never flew past as fast a couple of years ago before I started participating in WOYWW!

So this week (took the photo last night) on my desk is my 366 journal, some Christmas bits and bobs and a hand painted stamped image (more of that later) and my Cloth Paper Scissors Art prompts that I use for inspiration (inside are 52 art prompts such as "choose only black and white to create something with" you pick one at random to self start the mojo when he decides to take a holiday!)

So, the painted image on the left?  This was a stamp I bought a couple of months ago and I stamped the black outline, coloured it in and mounted in on black and then gold.  Nice, clean, simple and more importantly cheap to post as most of my cards are quite bulky!

Sorry, forgot to do my Man Bites Dog cards this week....had my first acupuncture session and I am too shattered to retake the photo!
If you would like a legal nose around desks across the globe, pop over to Julia's blog here 

Happy Crafting
Kyla
 

366 Challenge

 Hello....I hope those of you in the UK are wrapped up warm...sub zero all day....not something we are used to here.  Rain, yes.....cold...not as much!

After a hectic weekend (last of my Christmas shopping-hooray, and the Charity event on Sunday, where with personal donations we raised £400!) I finally have had a chance to catch my breath and take some photos of my 366 challenge pages.

This is my December page so far, nice and bright with orangey browns and saffron colours-a little like gingerbread people or the colour of mulled cider!

I have stamped the pages with one of my TH Christmas stamps (the snowman) and a Christmas tree stamp I was lucky enough to pick up at the WOYWW crop from the freebie table!  How cool is that?

This is my completed November page

I added lots of sparkle and fireworks to the page....and in case you were wondering the witches hats represent the nights that our crafting coven get together!

I cannot believe I have been doing this challenge for nearly a year...I have never stuck to anything for as long as this AND I have already bought a book to do next years in!

If you'd like to see all the other enteries in the 366 challenge you can find the deets here 

Happy Crafting
kyla
 

ooh get me all Christmassy for Charity

 Hello peeps,
I hope you are all having a lovely weekend....nice and crisp here today and not a sniff of rain (well I suppose it had to happen one day!).

I have decided I had better get my backside into gear and start making some Christmas goodies....after all it is December now (not a fan of making Christmas stuff so these makes are a good start!).

As you know, I love a tag, so I have made most of my cards with tags (now there's a surprise).  I thought some nice an festive (!) blue cards would be spot on.  I used dylusion inks for the background and over stamped with my new TH stamps (a cheeky purchase in london last week!).  I added a die cut deer, some pine pine cleaners attached with my tiny attacher and dyed the staples red with promarkers (loving the tiny attacher....it is coping well with everything I have thrown at it so far).  I finished it all off with a little blue foiling around the edges of the tag and the card for a little subtle bling.

This card is made much the same way but I used a stamped image of the elf balancing the pressies...I love this stamp it is so cute without being bleeuuurrg!
 

I have also been making actual tags (to put on gifts rather than cards) and used real mini pinecones (they are so dainty).
 

Finally, I have made some leather keyrings (this is just a small sample), they are 100% leather and attached with 2 part rivets....I don't own a small anvil or a rivet attacher...I must admit I just hit them real hard with a large hammer on my wooden chopping board and it seems to have worked a treat!

So why this flurry of activity?  Well, tomorrow my hubby is putting on a gig with 5 bands and 2 DJ's in Bristol, for those who have a facebook account details are here: http://www.facebook.com/events/419404098121518/ 

Its all to raise money for a charity my brother and his fiance work with in Ecuador-http://www.thephoenixprojects.org/

A great cause where they provide sustainable free education and nutrition to the poorest children-fingers crossed we raise some money (if not, guess what the family and friends are getting for christmas.....I have a LOT of these keyrings!!).

Happy crafting
kyla

 
 

WOYWW

Hello peeps,

I hope you are all keeping well.  This weeks desk has Christmas cards in progress.....yep, I admit I am having to make some!

I coloured tags with Dylusion spray inks and added a stamped image of an elf.  I added a strip of red ribbon (which came off a gift from earlier in the year!) and some fake pine and holly, securing it with my tiny attacher (I coloured the staples with red pro markers to represent berries).

I plan on mounting these on some homemade backing papers and edging with green foiling for a little seasonal bling.

At the back in the middle is a roll of leaves that look like a cross between holly or laurel....with a few red berries attached.  Either way, it is 2.75m long and cost £1!!  Bargain...from  a shop called Tiger....not sure if you get them outside London (think they are a european shop)...they have some amazing items there...all cheap but well made!

My 'Man Bites Dog' cards this week....Wife Stabs Rehab Nurse!!!!!

If you fancy taking part in a legal snoop at desks across the globe, then feel free to join here 

Happy Crafting

Kyla
 

Music, Death and Londinium

Hello peeps...what's with the title then?

Well, it sums up my weekend.....and in a good way!

Me and my OH went to London for a long weekend.  The main reason was to see a proper rock and roll band called The Sonics play at The Garage.  They have been going for years and have influenced many of the more modern rockabilly bands on the scene....and they haven't lost it!  The venue were really cool too...I popped in earlier with my walking stick and explained my problems and they said they could arrange for a seat if needed (luckily I managed to grab one of the few so that was good), and they even held the ladies toilet door open as it was heavy....so sweet.

 Never one to miss an opportunity we decided to stay in London for 3 nights (woo hoo) and even though it is sort of Christmas season (still refusing to believe its only a few weeks away)

we kept away from the centre and all the mayhem that goes with it and instead headed over to Blade Rubber (fab stamp shop near the British Museum)....when I say we, obviously I mean me...dropped hubby off at a record and book shop to give me more browsing time!!!

We also went to the Wellcome Institue.  Now, if you have never been before and have an interest in medical matters I recommend this place.  I have never been before, but they had an exhibition on Death (long story short, my mum was a hospice sister and is now an end of life educator so I have been brought up with, I think, a healthy attitude to Death).  It was free and the institutete is 2 floors (and a decent cafe to boot) of the most amazing displays.  No photos of the main exhibit as photos weren't allowed).  But....

 

 This is a slice of a plasticised body that had been donated......they also have Genome project items and many more fascinating things....

Including these amazing bottle displays.
  
Whilst in London we did walk past this....

An ENTIRE store dedicated to M&M's......nope...didn't go in (China town was calling my name!), but I couldn't resist taking a photo!

We finished off the weekend with a trip to a Vintage fair and of course, Camden Market...all in all a great few days and I look forward to scrapping them (eventually!!).

Kyla
 

WOYWW

Hello peeps.

So this week on my desk is one of the finished cards I had the makings on my desk from last week.  I also have some of my die cut deers (thanks Becky for lending me your die) and I have used my bargain fake pine pipe cleaners (£1 for 10 of them and they are nearly 12 inches long!) to make wreaths and I have threaded on a mini red bell.  I plan on mounting these on a tag and probably some cards too.

Finally, my 'Man Bites Dog' Cards (these are a card game I picked up in a charity shop, no idea how you play, but I pick 4 or 5 random cards and post them on here) is "DNA Tells on Lady Priest"!!  You couldn't make it up...considering the female bishop debate last week in the news!

So, that's my desk this week....what's yours like?

Pop over here to visit the queen of desks, Julia, and have a legal snoop at desks all across the globe.

Happy Crafting

Kyla

Vintage Royal Navy inspired card

Evening all, for those of you in the USA, Happy Thanksgiving and for those of you in the UK (especially down here in the south west) I do hope the storm and flooding hasn't impacted you too severely.

On a brighter note, it was my dad's 70th birthday at the weekend. 
Dad was in the navy and travelled the world, used to collect stamps and more recently has taken up photography.

so I took all these elements and made them into a card for him. 

The swallows and anchors represent his navy career, the map background, his travels.  I used old stamps and a page from a vintage stamp catalogue which is valetta harbour in Malta (where both my parents were stationed).  I then added some TH mini film strip and attached it all with my new tiny attacher I bought at the NEC (I recommend this attacher, I have rheumatoid arthritis so my hands are not too great, but I have no issues using this....basically its great!).

As to the gift....what do you get a 70 yr old who needs nothing?  The answer was an MDF (from MDF Man) remote control holder (I swear remote controls breed!) which I covered in pages from a vintage stamp catalogue (the stamp catalogue is a great find, it cost about £2 and has hundreds of thin pages perfect for craft!) and distressed it a bit.

I think he liked them both...they are certainly unique!

Anyway, the rain is lashing outside so time to settle down to some steaming hot veggie chilli and some trashy TV!

Happy crafting

Kyla
 

WOYWW

Hello peeps.

I cannot believe its Wednesday AGAIN!  Sorry but I didn't get a chance to get around many desks last week....my only excuse is that I am working stupid hours still at work and my rheumatoid arthritis means I get tired a lot easier so the long hours means home and straight to bed with little or no crafting!

So, excuses over...on my desk this week are some Christmas cards I am making (this is as far as I have gotten with my cards!!).  I am using my lovely bombshell stamp of the 50's belle and have added a hand drawn skirt and hat with a little added glitter bling.  I cut her hand free so I could slip the skirt under it so it looks like its meant to be part of it.

'Man Bites Dog' cards this week is Hubby Runs off with Naked Psychic!!!  I swear these are randomly drawn!

So, if you fancy popping over to the Queen Julia's blog here  and have a legal snoop through desks all over the globe!

Happy crafting

Kyla
 

WOYWW

Hello all,

Well, the past 2 weeks have been an Internet mare!  We decided to change suppliers and ended up with no phone line or broadband service for nearly 2 weeks!!  Which is why I have not been able to blog.

But now I am back....

On my desk this week....well basically its everything!  After a trip to the craft show at the NEC I have a few more goodies to find homes for so I am trying to have a bit of a tidy up....they say these things get worse before they get better!

The Man Bites Dog cards this week are "Bizarre model stabs crooked teen!!"....I swear they get odder each week.

If you'd like a legal snoop through desks across the globe then pop over to the queen of desks, Julia here 

Happy Crafting

Kyla
 

Halloween WOYWW

Happy WOYWW everyone.  So its that time of the week again when we all get to have a legal snoop around desks all over the globe!  

So, my desk this week....oh the organisational skills....oh the space....oh the tidiness....ooh....I cannot see my screen for my rapidly growing nose!!

Yep, as usual chaos is my ever present friend!  

On my desk is a very inky mop up kitchen roll (still some white left so not ready to be replaced yet!) and a wooden jewelry box, with a drawer and hinged lid (with a mirror inside).  I have decided to cover it all in music score to make it a bit more interesting.  I have been collecting boxes through the year, not sure whether they are going to be Christmas pressies or I may try to sell them at a craft fair next month....not sure yet, depends on how many I get round to making!

On top of the box is my 'Man Bite Dog' cards and this weeks random cards are 'Tourist Nails Naked Teen Scam'!!!!  I swear they get odder each week!

So if you'd like to visit some, then the queen of desks is the lovely Julia and all the deets can be found here 

Hope those of you in the states are all ok , 

kyla
 

Día de los Muertos

Hello peeps, I hope those of you over in states are ok with this awful storm that has hit over the past day.  I know a good friend of mine is in New York and has no electricity and was sent to the red cross....my thoughts are with you all.

On a lighter note, at the weekend we went to a Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) exhibition at a gallery in Bristol. The festival takes place on 1st November and is a time to remember family and friends that have died.

Inspired I decided to make my own piece and decided to paint a sugar skull .

.

I was quite pleased how it turned out, quite jolly.  I painted it with white acrylic (I spread the paint around with my fingers as I find this gives a much smoother finish) then added details with marker pens and added a battery operated tea light (for obvious safety reasons) behind....its now adorning my mantelpiece...proves skulls do not have to be gruesome!

Happy Crafting

Kyla
 
 

The postman rings twice

No not the dodgy Brando film.....the postie arrived with a parcel of die cuts from my friend Sam (who I have known since I was 11 and we used to cycle to school together.....ooh, she knows SO many of my teenage secrets!!).  This is just a small sample of what she sent.

This summer we met up (she is lucky enough to live by the sea) and found out we both love crafting and both have a big shot...so we thought we could swap die cuts to see if we would use them before splashing out on buying the dies....well, I already have plans for the speech bubbles and the snowflake I think looks a little like a bishop from the game chess (the bits between the points)....so I have a plan for them too!  Thanks Sam, its great when the postie comes and its not bills!

This is another one of my tags that I am making into cards, I make so many tags for 'warming up' when I start a crafting session, or to practise a new technique or when I am not inspired, then I bung them all (technical crafting term that is!)  in a basket and later on (often a few weeks later!) I add some bits and bobs, some backing papers and hey presto another card!

I hope you all have a fabulous weekend, they have given out the first proper frost in the south west of the UK tonight, so hopefully a bright but chilly Saturday will follow.

Happy crafting
 Kyla
 

WOYWW

Morning peeps.

Sorry this is going to be a really short post....its been a hectic week (see previous post below if you want to know the deets and see a man trapped!!).

This week on my desk are some tags (finishing off the ones I inked at the crop the other week), some Halloween bits and a lot of scraps that need to be binned!!
 

For those of you who like my 'Man Bites Dog' cards this weeks random phrase was 'General stabs angry czar'!!  You couldn't make it up!!!!

If you'd like to join us for a virtual wander through desks across the globe, then all the deets can be found here 

Happy Crafting

Kyla
 

A wee man trapped!

Phew, it has been a hectic week.....3 gigs (1 folk, 1 punk and 1 proper old skool rock and roll), waved my brother off to Ecuador for another year and closed down the caravan ready for the winter season!

All in all, very little time to play in the craft room (let alone answer the blogosphere!).

I did however have time to download a few photo's of some of my recent resin makes.

This is a wee man who I trapped in resin.  Now, I have a bit of an odd confession, I quite like taking photo's of railway figures in odd poses....(no...not that odd!) you know, workmen digging with a pic axe on a piece of broccoli, now this little fellow isn't 'doing' anything, so doesn't really fit in with my 'scenes' so I thought I would encase him in resin.  No idea why, more of a case of "I wonder if I can....".
 

I also tried a multiple layered resin piece, this has a layer of resin with watch parts in, allowed to dry overnight then another layer added.

I just need to drill a hole and string them so I have another 2 'different' necklaces!

Right, bath and large glass of red (I know, on a school night!) are beckoning!

Happy Crafting, and to those I owe a response to....promise I will get round to it in the next couple of days!

Kyla
 

WOYWW

Morning peeps.  Well, Saturdays WOYWW crop was an absolute scream, I chatted, got inky, made new friends and ate a LOT of cake!!  I was shattered the next day, but it was worth it.

Hello to all those I met, and I hope those that couldn't make it have been able to recreate some of the fun via many of the blogs (but not the cake!  Did I mention the cake?....oh and the Tiffin and the flapjack....!).

So, on my desk this week....

Yep, chaos ensures (no change there!).  I have pushed all the mess to the back thrown a mushroom pate tin (dead handy as it has a plastic lid, I'm thinking storage potential!) into the mix and my 'man bites dog' cards threw up another classic statement!

This is my mop up Journal that I used to mop up the desk at the WOYWW crop so I decided to do a page about the day.  The butterfly stencils came out of the bin (Pam did the most amazing die cut butterfly canvas...but those left over pieces called to me from the bin!). The small bunting at the top came from another bin at the crop (I can't help it...you should see me walk past a skip!!).

The card above is a wee kit Julia and Jan gave us with instructions to make something with it and post it on our WOYWW posts, so here is mine.  The only bits I added were the bunting and butterfly stencil which did come from the crop bin!  The saying "Home is where the heart is" is made by cutting up the instruction sheet that came with the kit. I added some black stayzon around the edge of the house and hand drew a border.

Thanks ladies for a fabulous day and to those who have joined my blog.....which leaves me with one question......When's the next one?

Happy crafting

Kyla

366 Challenge

After 3 weeks on holiday I am a bit late in posting this months 366 Challenge over on Kate Cranes blog.  I am amazed that after 10 months I am still doing this!  I have a habit of flitting onto new things, but this is SO easy, a minute journalling a day and its done!
 

This is Octobers page (I think I will use a larger journal next year so I can add more detail...ooh check me out, I am already talking about continuing into next year!).

If you'd like to check out other journals, and Kate's amazing blog all the deets are here

Happy Crafting

Kyla
 

WOYWW Crop

 So, Saturday saw me heading down to Wiltshire and the village of Burbage for the WOYWW crop.  I was really nervous as I haven't really done anything like this before, but I needn't have worried, as soon as I walked in I instantly recognised Gashead Zoe from the blog and before I knew it everyone was introducing themselves, hugging and chatting.

Julia (Queen of WOYWW) and Lunchlady Jan did a quick intro (though it does look like a Tommy Cooper impression!).

 I met so many lovely people, here Morti is leading an altered domino class

It didn't take long for my crafting space to resemble my messy desk and my hands were soon covered in dye!!

Julia and Jan provided some fabulous food, what more can you ask for, hot food, cakes and crafting! 

Just some of the ladies having their lunch.

It was a great day, I met so many wonderful crafters.  Zoe probably convinced at least half a dozen of us to buy Smash journals (and she had the best ever craft bag...SO organised), Morti, Donna and Jozart inspired me (it was also great to see I was not alone in making a mess of the desk and my hands!).

As we left, we were all handed a magnetic bookmark that had been made during the day (I think from Di, sorry I am terrible at names, I can only remember a few each day!) and a goody bag from Julia and LLJ - ladies you did yourselves proud, it was a fantastic venue and a great day.

Just one question......when's then next one then!

Kyla
 

Magic Mushrooms

Hello peeps.  I have been having a lovely 3 weeks off work (yikes, 3 weeks......Monday is going to be difficult!!), Mallorca first then a few days with my brother who was visiting from Ecuador....all to be topped off tomorrow with a crop and a chance to meet fellow WOYWWers at the grand event that the lovely Julia has organised here.

Those of you who saw my desk this week may have spied my mushroom that I made.

 

I used some pale suede for the gills underneath and the stalk and red leather for the cap.  I used my crop-a-dile to punch some pale spots.  The cap is stuffed with toy stuffing and its all stuck together with leather glue.

I have made 3 different 'shrooms so far (2 brown and 1 red) all from leather/suede from local cobblers or the scrap store...not sure what to do with them, I was thinking of sourcing a split log with the bark still on and drilling some holes in and making a 'scene' with them.....not sure yet, may just turn them into brooches!

Anyway, I am looking forward to meeting some fellow WOYWWers tomorrow, and for those that can't attend I am taking my camera!!

Happy Crafting

Li'l Pidge x
 

WOYWW

Morning fellow WOYWWers.

This week my desk looks like a bomb has hit it!  After a week on holiday in Mallorca I now have  a few days off whilst my brother is visiting from Ecuador.  This means I have been able to get some more sneaky crafting in!

On my desk this week is some resin I have been playing with (I will post photo's once they are cured) and another leather mushroom.

This time I have made a 'magic' mushroom from red leather and punched circles of cream leather with my crop o dile.  I am in the process of assembling and gluing so, yet again, once finished (yet another UFO!) I will post a photo.
 

As you can see, the 'Man Bites Dog' cards have been randomly selected and make a sentance (they don't always, honest)!

If you would like to visit desks around the world then you can visit the queen of WOYWW here and for those that are able to make it on Saturday to the crop, I look forward to meeting some of you.

 Happy Crafting

 Li'l Pidge

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside

Oh I do like to be beside the sea.....

Hello peeps....I am back from a weeks holiday in Mallorca.  We had some rain, but I didn't mind as it was WARM (lovely and warm.......hmmmm....came back home to a frost on the first night...brrr...that was a wake up call!) and I managed to swim in the lovely warm, clear blue sea every day (and I managed to do a little painting whilst sat on the beach so in all it was a great weeks break).

I was so pleased to see my craft room when I came home.  Though I had a little kit I took with me, its really not the same as squirrelling myself in my room and crafting my little socks off!

Today I have a card to share with you, its using some pieces from my scrap book and a hand coloured image.

I also used a page from a Japanese book, some lilac netting and a few lilac crystals for a little 'bling'.  I think for a fairy she is pretty hot.

Right, I have yet more washing to do (and more sand to try and get out of crevises!).

Happy Crafting

Li'l Pidge