WOYWW

Hump day so that can only mean one thing "What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday" when we gather across the globe to show our desks.  Some tidy (so tidy I wonder if its post crime scene!) others...well...lets face it its a pig sty.....but it is creative (sort of!!).

On my desk this week I am trying to catch up with my 365 Journal and at least try to make Aprils pages so they are ready to start writing, and by jove I am nearly there!

My "Man Bites Dog" cards this weeks are 'Beauty Model weeps for Nails'-well, let be honest we could certainly do with some glib and superficial news!!

Happy crafting

Kyla

Dressed to impress

 So, I decided to take a well deserved day off work the other day and instead of spending it catching up with housework (everything takes longer when you have Rheumatoid Arthritis and I admit I get behind with a lot of it) I decided to have a day sewing.

I bought a Tilly and The Button dress pattern for the Coco dress on the recommendation from a friend and whilst I made one about a month ago the fabric/seam around the armpit rippped after one wear-no idea why.  Maybe my thread was a little tight or maybe I was over zealous with the iron and it was a little too hot for the jersey fabric.  Anyway, I bought some different fabric (ponte de roma) and decided to have another go.

It was all going really well, I remembered to wash and dry the fabric before cutting it out. Then after about an hour trying, unsuccessfully, to insert the arm into the pattern I suddenly realised what was wrong....can you spot my schoolboy error?

I kept wondering WHY the sleeves were not the same each side. Then I spotted the pattern had one edge tucked over when I cut the fabric out!!!!

 Can you spot the difference between the two?  I was SO annoyed at myself (but also thankful I took my time and hadn't started sewing...that would have been a pain in the backside!) Thankfully I seem to have a LOT of fabric left over when I cut this pattern out (no idea why, I think I need to email them to ask for advice as I end up buying a lot more than I actually need) so I was able to cut another pair out.

Once I had cut the arms out correctly it was much easier to fit the arms (still took me a while to sort it out though but I am guessing this is a skill I can develop the more I make). 

I finally made a dress!  Yes its plain and black (no matching of patterns for me at this stage!!) and I may decide to put a couple of pockets on the front.  I haven't worn it yet so fingers crossed the seams and fabric doesn't rip on this one as I think I may loose the plot if it does!! 

But still...I made a dress!!!! Yes, I did a happy dance round the lounge when I tried it on and it fitted!

Happy crafting

Kyla

Mothering Sunday

Today is Mothering Sunday in the UK (and the clocks went forward so back to darker mornings for a few weeks but lighter evenings).

I made a few cards (for donations at work for charity) using some of my flower fairy toppers.

Not my usual style but I am a bit of a sucker for flower fairies, I think it stems back to having the books as a child.

Quite simple cards but I do like to give a handmade card when I can.

If you are celebrating (or remembering, if your Mum is no longer with you) then I hope you have some lovely memories, and cake, we all need cake on Mothering Sunday!

Happy crafting

Kyla

Art Abandonment and Free Art Friday

There are a group of artists I belong to (search groups on FB for details) 'Art Abandonment' and 'Free Art Friday'.  Both groups abandon art (one of Fridays the other whenever you fancy) across the globe for no reason other that the love of it.

Last weekend I did a quick sketch of a robot on a tag (it helps fill the time when I am on a train) and decided to abandon it in London between Carnaby Street and Soho.

I have abandoned many items over the past few years, from postcards, drawings, paintings, painted rocks and tags, I have never heard back from anyone who has found one (the artabandonment group have a contact I attach to them) but I hope those who found them and chose to pick them up like them and enjoyed the small random act of kindness.

Have you taken part in these before, I'd love to hear about it if you have. 

Happy crafting

Kyla

 

WOYWW

Happy 'What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday' when we all share our desks in response to the lovely Julia's call to arms here

My photo was taken late yesterday and I am catching up filling in my 365 Journal after a weekend catching up with family and spending some quality aunty time with my 18 month niece.

My "Man Bites Dog" cards this week are "340lb actor bites tourist!"-well we watch the news with interest!

Now, last week Donna wanted proof of the ramdomness of the cards so I posted this video on facebook for her and thought it would be fun to share it here (though this is the first time I have tried a video on blogger so if it doesn't work and you know why please let me know!)-they are random it is just that there is SO much potential 'oddness' in the news at the moment that it seems like the cards are predicting most weeks!!

 

So, what's on your workdesk this week?  Don't be shy, we are a friendly crowd so if you haven't already why not join in and share?

Happy crafting

Kyla

 

Comic coasters

I just realised I haven't shared all the presents I made for people recently.

Whilst sorting through some stash earlier in the year I came across some MDF blank coasters that I totally forgot I had!!

In order to keep costs down and de-stash I decided to make some for presents.

The four on the left are Judge Dredd ones (2000AD comic) for my brothers birthday (it was on Valentines day).  The two female ones top right were Christmas presents for my mate Julie and the bottom right two superhero ones were for my brother in law and my nephew (dad and son coasters).

I painted the back and edges of the coasters in a couple of coats of black paint and once the images had been stuck down and dried the laborious task of sealing them begins.

Now I am not going to lie, its a chore.  I apply a coat of yacht varnish and leave it 24 hrs to dry.  Then apply another coat and leave it another 24 hours (yes the house smells like a chemical factory whilst this goes on) and give it a light  sanding. 

Then I apply a coat on the base and this time leave it 48 hours to fully cure.  Finally I add one more coat to the top and leave it another 48hrs.

Now, this may seem over the top however I have a coaster at work that I have used almost every day for well over 10 years.  It has been abused, sloshed over, left to hold hot drinks that then go cold whilst I forget them and still it looks as good as the day I made it.  So, I know its a faff but it really does make them bomb proof!

Has anyone else used a different sort of varnish/sealer to good effect? I would be interested to know as the smell of this one really is quite strong!!

Happy crafting

Kyla

WOYWW

After a hectic few weeks I am hoping that normal service will be resumed and I can get some crafting (and blogging in!). Whilst the 'pay the bills' job does indeed pay the bills I must remember that crafting is therapeutic and is a great way to just be in the moment-when I craft I rarely think of anything else. I don't know if that is just me, but it works and I just need to remember to do it.

So that is what I did, I took a day off work and crafted.  It was BLISS!  I made tons of cards and felt a lot better after.  I think it is something I need to do more regularly (makes a note to herself.....and add it to the long list of notes I regularly choose to ignore!)

So, fingers crossed I am back in my stride and with that in mind here is my desk:

I am in the process of making Mothering Sunday cards which in the UK is in March.  

My "Man Bites Dog" cards - 'Crazy Prez Defends Fake Wall St'........seriously you couldn't make this up!!!!

Happy crafting

Kyla

A day of crafting and doing nothing

 I finally took a leaf out of my own book (telling others to 'take care of themselves' and 'you cannot pour from an empty cup' etc) and decided to take a day off work with no intention of doing housework, ironing, paperwork etc.  All I was going to do was rest and craft.

Now I tend to be a list maker and ticker off....I rarely sit still and talk too much BUT I do meditate on a regular basis and I have found that when I have too much 'internal chatter' going on that crafting takes me out of my zone and allows me to be more mindful by concentrating just on that one thing.  To be honest I have crafted for almost 40 years so I don't even really concentrate on technique anymore more of a 'go with the flow' and see where it takes me!

So I decided to make my husband a birthday card

and finally get round to using up some of these lovely images I stamped ages ago from a friends stamp I borrowed.

Before I knew it I had a stack of cards all made and a few hours of not thinking about work, housework, finance or my RA-what bliss.

So I need to remember this and schedule more days (or even just half days) into my diary for 'me' and to allow time for myself to rest and repair.  I love my daily walks (which I have been doing for over a year now) but I need something else.

How do you give yourself some precious 'downtime'?  I am open to ideas.

Happy crafting

Kyla