WOYWW

Hello peeps! Soooo, how's you all? 

 I am guessing a lot of us are up to our eyes at the moment!  

A combination of super busy at work, Christmas prep and trying to catch up at home all whilst dealing with Rheumatoid Arthritis and the chronic fatigue it comes with means loosing the battle on a daily basis!  So some things had to give, housework, exercise and the blog being some of them.  

However, I have managed to snatch a few mins to make my sis in law's 50th (gulp HOW did that happen!!) Birthday card.  I admit this desk was from a couple days ago as I knew I had back to back meetings and a sick hubby so would NOT have time on the actual day-but that is all good as she would have seen her card by now (phew!)

anyway, moaning over-the main thing is I managed to join "What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday" this week so HELLO!

Kyla

WOYWW

Happy hump day. Not been near my computer all week as been staring at my works screen for more hours than i should so trying to limit screen time in my own time. SO decided to try and change some of my setting and see IF finally i could update via my phone, fingers crossed this works.

The workdesk is from a couple days ago and i am doing my 365 challenge journal for December and update my bullet journal for December too. The month is busy not just because of Christmas but we have at least 7 birthdays this month too!!

My 'man bites dog' cards are 'new mayor dumps last hero', well with the history of our mayors its not a surprise! 

Right, going to see if i can visit and comment on others blogs too via my phone (i cant usually), happy crafting 

Kyla 

Chewing Gum man

So following my recent trip to London I thought I would do a quick blog update, those on my Instagram account would have already seen these (must admit I struggle to update my blog via my phone, or even comment on others unless they have the 'i am not a robot' verification images turned on, any way I digress).

When in London I try to visit south bank and millennium bridge because the amazingly talented Ben Wilson aka Chewing Gum Man has probably make some new art! 

He paints pictures over chewing gum that has been littered in the floor and they are little pieces of beauty created from something discarded.  I also love the fact that every day thousands must walk over them and rarely do I spot another person looking at them!

Pure works of art
Kyla

WOYWW

Only a quick update as been in that there London for a few days

On my desk this week are a couple of paintings.

Some of you know I take part in Free Art Friday and also Art Abandonment but the past couple years I have also taken part in Scott Wong's Flood the Streets with Art in response to black Friday (fine if you are saving money on something you were going to buy anyway, but much of it has become a consumerism of items we don't need and can't affoard) so between Friday until Sunday free art is left out for people to find so I thought I would make a couple to take part again.

So that's what is on my workdesk this Wednesday, are you sharing yours?
Kyla 

WOYWW

Happy hump day so that means we bare our desks thanks to the lovely Queen of desks Julia (here)  On my desk this week are a few cards I have just finished.  Not particularly intricate more of a case of trying to use up my stash!  In the background is my ATG tape refill, its NOT in my ATG gun as for some reason neither of my refills will go in there properly!! Very frustrating as been using them for years but for some reason both of these wont have sticky side showing but just the brown bit!  Tried turning it round etc, watching videos-all to no avail so decided to just use them as double sided tape and wind it off the spool when needed!  Life is too short.

Forgot to do my "man bites dog" cards this week as its dark and my camera and computer are playing up so just grabbed a shot Tuesday evening before loosing my temper with them both!  Talking of loosing my temper must be time to get my sewing machine out as not made any small bits for Christmas yet!

Happy crafting

kyla

Inktober update

 For those of you who follow my Instagram account you would have seen my progress for this years Inktober as I posted them at the time.

However, for those who haven't here is the next installment of my tags (the first 12 were posted on my blog here)

I am pleased I stuck to tags over the past 3 years as they don't take up much room, are quick to do (so I actually get to finish the month challenge) and are easy to flick back through to see how my style has developed.

It is not always easy to think of a picture for the prompt but there is SO much inspiration out there as inktober is now so big there are thousands following and painting each day!

It feels a shame when the month comes to an end but I have to admit one month is enough, I have looked at annual challenges before and I know I would not stick to it!

So there you are, another Inktober completed!  Did you take part?  I would love to see yours if you did, please let me know in the comments.

Kyla

WOYWW

Hump day so that means sharing our desks via http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com/ for What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday

On my desk this week is my November 365 challenge Journal.  I just finished it in time so I am starting to fill in the first few days before I forget what I did!!

My "Man Bites Dog" cards headline this week are 'Dead Movie Lover Tricks Feds' - well I suppose it is just after halloween after all!!!

Happy crafting

kyla

Allotment update

Just a quick allotment update. As we have had our first frosts I thought I should harvest my winter squash.  I have urchi kuri, butternut and I think the yellow/green one may be acorn (not sure to be honest)!

I am really pleased as so far I have 11 winter squash that I am curing to store so am hoping that this will last me about 7 weeks (with any luck).  We do get through a lot of squash so I plan on growing more next year.  I have 4 of the orange urchi kuri (there are a couple really small ones still on the plant that I am hedging my bets with!)

3 of these and 

I managed to harvest 4 butternut squash (and a couple really small ones I have already roasted) 

Boy the plot does look bare now though!

Kyla

WOYWW

Hump day again so that means we visit http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com/ run by the lovely Julia and we share our workdesks, be them tidy, creative, empty or in a state of panic Christmas card making!!

On my desk this week, don't faint but I am actually making a card!  I know!  Go me!!

My "Man Bites Dog" cards this week are 'Lover stabs nude lady'!  Not a pleasant headline but who knows what is possible with the news the way it seems these days!

So, are you sharing your desk this week?  We are a friendly bunch and there is always something inspiring or a great storage idea (and also some 'enabling' of new products we didn't know we needed!!).

Happy crafting

Kyla

woyww

WOYWW

 Hump day again, where thanks to the Queen of Desks Julia we bare our workdesks on a Wednesday.  This week on my desk is this!!!!!

This is a certificate (not had one of those for MANY years) I came RUNNER UP in our parish in bloom contest for our allotment site!  This is the first year I have had this plot and it had NOTHING but weeds growing when I took it over in April.  It has lots that needs doing and some things need rethinking (and it is only a small plot so I need to be careful what I plant and where).  The hilarious things is that I had NO idea it was for the parish in bloom.  The parish council said they were inspecting the plots so I presumed it was like the plot inspections I used to have when I had a plot in Bath 20 odd years ago (they used to check % of land weed free, edges etc) to ensure I didn't get a fine or notice to quit.  It was more chilled than this and was for the parish in bloom!

So we went to the council meeting where I got a certificate AND totally unexpected a £15 garden centre voucher!  Plus there was a buffet and wine, I was well chuffed!!

So there you are, bit of a different desk this week as I am making a bit of space on the wall of my craft room to display my certificate since I am really stupidly proud of it!

Kyla

Malta

 I thought I would share a few snaps from Malta, only a few as I took SO many from Malta and Gozo but here are some

there are various statues across the island both ancient and new, like this cat which is towards Sliema

There are more than 365 churches (think that's what it said in the inflight magazine!) on the islands so SO many to look at

 this one on Gozo had the MOST amazing mosaics outside

stunning craftmenship and I love Malta

Kyla

WOYWW

Hello peeps, I have been absent for a while and was not easily able to do many return visits as I was sunning myself on a well earned summer (well Autumn) holiday in Malta....ah Malta, lots of free art exhibitions, festivals, swimming in the sea off the cliffs and maybe one or two aperol spritz! 

Whilst I was away I decided to once again take part in Inktober (I think i have done it for about 5 years).  Created 10 years ago by artists Jake Parker you produce a piece each day for the month (see https://inktober.com/ for more details). 

There are various prompts etc you can use and I tend to use the official ones forcing myself to spend no more than 10 mins to draw on a tag - that way I am more than likely to be able to keep up!

So my desk this week is a bit of a cheat as I placed the tags on my dining room table to photograph the ones I have done so far so thought that could be my workdesk (well it sometimes is so why not)

This is the first 6 days worth of tags, most are drawn with Posca pens as I love them as they take on SO many surfaces and I tend to carry a few primary colours with me so I have something to sketch with if I have the time (or stuck waiting for trains etc!)

These are the next 6 I have completed, I am a couple days behind but have an evening free soon so plan on spending some time catching up (as its dark now in the evenings so not able to work on the allotment).

So, What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday?

Kyla

Upcycled cards

A few weeks back I showed some cards I made from an old calendar.  

These are from another calendar we bought as I love the artist style.

They hint back to a style from my younger days and I thought they would make great toppers for cards covering a variety of occasions.

Simple cards but I do like them.

Kyla

WOYWW

Hello peeps, things have gotta a bit behind (again!) but I have at least made a start on my October 365 Journal challenge page so it won't take long to finish off and then I can catch up with filling it in.

My "Man Bites Dog" cards are "Model Singer Snubs Prez".....no comment ;-)

So, what's on your workdesk this week?  

kyla

Tag cards

Just a quick update on some cards I made recently.

I used some tags to mop up some inks I was using and left them to the side until inspiration hit me!  Well, a few weeks later I suddenly remembered I had some purple flowers so decided to add them with a sentiment to the tags.  They then sat there for a few more days until inspiration struck again and managed to get 3 cards out of one sheet of backing paper so happy with that.

Slowly but surely I am getting through some of my older stash, seriously, it always amazes me how much I have!

kyla

WOYWW

Happy "What's on your Workdesk Wednesday"

On my desk this week...actual crafting!

Well, a card I have just finished off and a couple of journal pages I am hoping to prep (I like to apply a layer of gesso as it helps the inks flow over the page rather than sink straight in)

My "Man Bites Dog" cards this week are "Nude Cop Wanted"........well I bet that would be interesting news coverage!!

Happy crafting

kyla

Free Art

The other day I found this!

Full details can be found on my Instagram account (search KylaCotterell)

It was part of Art Drop day started by Jake Parker (someone I already follow and am a fan of for his Inktober challenge that I take part in each October) and is by a local artist known as Planet Photon.  

I love that I take part in Free Art Friday and Art Abandonment and every now and again find art myself!  How cool is that?

This will be added to my wall in my craft room where art I have received or found is displayed.

Kyla

WOYWW

Happy hump day and  "What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday" where we bare our desks.

On mine this week it has looked the same most of the past week....mainly because it is preserving season so my crafting has been in the kitchen (or on the computer so sorry if I missed revisiting some blogs in the past week).  I have printed out some labels BUT the wretched inks do NOT last as long as they used to so once again I am going to have to buy some more as this batch have printed quite light.

My "Man Bites Dog" cards this week are "Mayor Tricks General"....ooh!

Scroll on down the page if you'd like to see some of the preserving I have been doing recently, not posted them all as there is rather a LOT this year since I have the allotment.

Have a nasty feeling is this my ONLY batch of elder brandy and elder vinegar this year as sadly the berries have all been shrivelled and not great where I go for my walks (same with the sloes and bullaces-very few on my walks)

For the first time I thought I would try drying my calendula to use in tinctures etc.  My friend has passed me some recipes (thanks Bex) so I have a few ideas.

Made lots of pickled nasturtium seeds this year.  I didn't make any last year and had to buy capers!  Shocked I know, I have made about 6 jars so hoping they will see me through.

Made these the other week, Strawberry Jam.  A fabulous local fruit seller gave me a load of fruit past its sell by rather than binning it so I picked through and had enough to make a few jars of jam.

 Been making LOTS of this.  Marrow and Ginger jam.  Those who follow me on instagram would have seen the HUGE courgettes I have, especially the yellow zephyr ones.  Well these make a delicious ginger jam and I have made about 4 batches so far!  It does take abut 3 hours from start to finish per batch so hard work but worth it as tastes delicious (even added some warmed up to a glass of spiced rum the other day!

Couple batches of spiced courgette chutney to ring the changes (rhubarb wasnt great this year so was low on chutney for winter/spring) its having to wait a few months before I can taste it to find out how it turned out which really frustrates me!

Last but not least, Strawberry Vinegar.  LOVE this, last year I made tons of elderberry vinegar but this year its strawberry as I had a lot on the allotment as well as local producers.  It is like an old fashioned shrub and nice in a cocktail, cooking or my favourite, neat over salad or cous cous. 

 Phew, just need somewhere to store it all now!!

Kyla

365 Challenge and Bullet Journal

If you saw my post on Wednesday you would have seen this page in its earlier stages.

I used the luggage label punch for the days and added some stamped images of apples - a crop I usually forage in September, which I cut out and coloured.

Now to try and remember what I did for the first week so I can catch up with the entries!

I had however already finished my bullet journal ready for 1st I just forgot to blog it!

Over the past few years I tried various versions including weekly but I have found that monthly with a To Do list, longer term list, next month at a glance and habit tracker are what work for me so I have stuck with this since June 2017.

Have you found a way organise time etc that works for you?  I am always up for learning new ideas so please share.

Kyla

WOYWW

After a couple weeks off I am back (albeit in catch up mode).On my desk this week is my 365 Journal for September, a few days behind but once the ink and glue is dry it won't take me long to catch up.  The cup to the right is one I made at a pottery painting session for a mates birthday a couple years ago and has ginger tea (my go to brew).

My "Man Bites Dog" cards this week  'Blind Convict Strikes Star'..watch out famous people!

So, have you dared to bare your desk via the lovely Queen of Desks Julia here

We are a friendly bunch and based all over the globe, go on, you know you want to.

Happy crafting

Kyla

Quick card update

I made a couple more cards, this time upcycling pictures from the back of a calendar I had the other year.  I also added some glass fishes as embellishments.

Nice and clean cards which is unusual for me!

Kyla