WOYWW #378

This is What'sOnYourWorkdeskWednesday - if you want to find out more then checkout the WOYWW tab at the top of the page - and our thanks go to Julia for hosting this weekly meet up.

One thing that is not needed during these hot Summer days is a cold.  Yes!  That's what I said ... a cold .... a nasty 'clog everything up in the head' cold .... and I still love Little Soldier ... just!
I am trying not to feel sorry for myself as now, I not only have to contend with the heat but, feel so ill  ..... where's the paracetamol and the tissues ?!?!?!!!

At least I am able to join with my fellow deskers and still keep my germs to myself - thank goodness for Julia and WOYWW.

Here's the desk in the new Studio.....

I have been playing around with sprays, paints, Gesso etc. I am waiting for the Gesso to dry on this one..... I will then have six backgrounds ready for another swap - details to follow.

This is the view if I turn round and look the other way.....

Lots of my stash is now stacked neatly in the blue mushroom trays.... ok.  and a couple of boxes.  The green and grey curvers contain my paper files which, at last, I can now reach easily so am hopeful that as I go through the blue trays I will be able to file any paper I come across .... I have already informed him in the whatever (mancave) that I shall need another curver at some point!

Speaking of whom ........I have permission to show the whatever (mancave) - he was told he has to show it off himself but he says "after the Crop" so I will do the honours.

One neat and tidy desk except for the disc .... has been searching everywhere for it .... found in his laptop ..... not laughing .... honest ...   

August Theme Swap - Fantasy

Fantasy today means Fairies to me so I have used a selection ... digital images and stamping.



My first card is an image I have had for absolutely ages .... its origins lost in the annals of time, but if it's yours please let me know.
I fussy cut the image after printing it several times so that it could be decoupaged, and when finished I added some stickles to the wings.  I attached the fairy to a printed out background taken from one of my books.


My second card uses an image from A Day for Daisies.  I used watercolour pencils, drawing out the colour with a water brush, and added some stickles to the wings.  I drew a border round the edge of the card, a first for me and one that I am very pleased with. 


I water-coloured the background for this card and when it was dry,stamped out a fairy from a magazine set.  I used some gelpen to add a touch of colour to her dress, hair, and butterfly.  I water-coloured some of the leaves as I did not want to distract from the fairy.  A small sentiment was placed in the top left corner and then I attempted to draw a border round the edges - not so successfully this time!

I have received the following cards:

 
Lots of glittery magic here.
Thank you Barbara.

Another magical one.

Thank you Margaret.

Beautiful Fairy card.

Thank you Gerry.

Bridges

I did a lot of research on this subject, last time I chose Paris but this time I decided to paint Bridges in my City of Birmingham here in England.  I am a true Brummie - born in Birmingham of Birmingham born parents (well, one of them!), I have traced my ancestors back along that line and just keep coming up with Place of Birth - Birmingham!
I was ashamed of my Brummieness for years as our accent was ridiculed in the media and mixed up with The Black County accent (the Black Country  - so called because of all the industry carried out in that area, turning buildings black! - has its own accent).  Our City has been regenerated since the 80s and is gradually changing its identity as it mingles in other cultures.  I have learnt a terrific amount about my City as I went down the Genealogical line and now I am very proud of being a Brummie - talk Black Country to me if you dare!!  lol

The Bridges of Birmingham.

This bridge is in Cannon Hill Park which opened to the public in 1873.   The Bridge was refurbished in 1875 and is known as Red Carriage Bridge. The park is a great favourite with families on the south side of Birmingham.  I used watercolour pencils in this first card and then washed the colours with water.


The area around this Bridge, Electric Avenue, was being redeveloped when this photo was taken in 1968.

The picture seems very desolate so I used my watercolour pencils to brighten it up a bit.  


The stainless steel tunnel connects the combined heat and power plant (CHP) at the University of Birmingham’s main site with a campus across the railway tracks and canal. Built around 2012, I just love the contrast in curves and straight lines. I used watercolour paints although I did rule the right angles with a pencil!!!


This bridge is another old one built when the canal first opened back in the day (late 18th Century).  Beyond is the new 'nightlife' centre of the City .... Brindley Place.  
Old meets New.  
I used watercolour pencils to sketch this out before adding paints.

I have received the following variety of Bridges:-

 This card is labelled 'Highway Bridge'.
Thank you An M Sudyka.

Beautiful Stone Bridge.

Thank you houli.

This bridge is named 'Kinlock Hourn' and shimmers when held to one side.

Thank you Londonont1.

A wonderful swap hosted by a wonderful Hostess Evalila, thank you.

WOYWW #377 - New Home

I have been thinking about moving for some time ....... I work a lot more with ATCs than Cards so ..... as there are nearly always ATCs in one form or another on my desk ....... I need to change!!!
Last weekend PJ and I swapped rooms - the Office became the Studio and my Craftroom became his Study, Mancave, Office ... whatever (which is what I call it!!).
While I am sitting here worrying where my latest ATCs are to be found, I thought I would move the WOYWW factor to a different Blog.  
You will not feel a thing .... promise....
...... bet you didn't notice!!!
I am not moving my old posts from Cardius Bloggus they can still be found here, but now you will be able to see my finished ATCs a lot easier..... I had lots of requests to see the finished articles and they were here all the time .... (BTW for those who asked about the 5 Minute leaflet  - it's here).

So here's my desk ....

6' x 6'

Oops!  Maybe not .......

Here's the real one, still a work in progress but at least I have most of my stash in one room.  

12' x 12'

I have the boring business now of sorting all through it ..... finding a new form of storage .... .... those mushroom baskets were fine on the shelves in the boxroom but they just don't 'do it' for me in here...

white boxes of Christmas stash

... but for the time being ..... they'll do.

Talking of stash in one room .... there's still the Christmas stash to move.  

Hopefully when PJ's first and original PC is gone then I will be able to store my boxes on the shelves (which I can't reach at the mo being the short and sweet person I am).

Then there's the Peel Offs and glitterati and card blanks to be sorted..... and another mushroom tray of stamps!

Oh! My Goodness!  
I have just spotted the 'Whiskas' box of stamps on the floor ..... stamps will definitely have to move .... where, oh where, is my fairy Godmother?

Now why am I showing you the chaos that I am living with at the moment?  Cos it's Wednesday and I am connecting up with fellow deskers hereabouts and thereabouts.  
All down to our Amazing Hostess who looks after us all no matter what .........  thank you Julia.

I hope to be able to get round to visit this afternoon ..... if plans for Little Soldier play out ....talking of whom.....who .... what ..... whichever!

There are definitely no more balls in here!

Spring Matchbox

I have only completed one matchbox before, the Christmas Swap, so I had to enter this swap didn't I?!!


I made the matchbox from card and covered it with some scrapbooking paper using a template found on the web.  I used some yellow ribbon to which I tied a charm and attached them to the tray with a brad. 
I printed out one of my favourite saying and attached it to the top of the matchbox.
I have decided that I will used the theme 'Paris in the Springitme', especially as I have several postcards of small photos!!!
I cut out all the photos, found some ephemara brought back from our last trip to said City.  
I attached the small photos to a background and lined the photo with gold pens.
I used some Washi Tape across two cards, and added some embellishments to them.  I cut some card size pieces from the ephemara, and the scrapbooking paper.  I added some punched tulips, flowers and people.
I managed to get all of these cards into the box!  
I hope that they are suitable ..... I will find out when I receive my swap......


I received this matchbox by return:

Front of the box

Underneath of the box

Exciting!!
 
 Inside are the cutest cards!  

I love all the details, the rounded corners, the small embellishments - ooooh! it's beautiful.

There is even a teeny tiny jigsaw piece!
If another swap comes up I will definitely join in.

 Thank you Jan for a marvellous swap.

August Swap

This was a late entry for the swap.  I thought I had posted off my cards for this swap but no  - they were 'somewhere safe'!!


I used some decoupage paper for the background, cutting a long strip and spritzing it with several colours.  


Once the paper was dry, I attached my base cards to it and then cut the paper to size.



I sorted one of the sheets of graffiti paper and stamped some of my steampunk flowers across it, trying to choose where to stamp so that the colours were appropriate to the stamps design.

Once the ink was dry I fussy cut the flowers out of the paper.




I printed out the sentiments, tearing them from the sheet of paper and edged each one with distress ink, attaching them along the lower edge of each card.


I just LOVE these cards, I am so thrilled with the way they turned out!

While I have been busy creating these wonders of art, PJ had been clearing the weeds from the paving out the front.  
He was kneeling on a cushion and scraping away.  I did mange to break off from time to time to make him a welcome cup of tea!
Frontage looks almost as good as my cards!!

I received the following cards:

Lilacs in Springtime!

Superb stitching theme.

Beautiful Black & White!          Thank you Beth.

June Colour Swap

I had a ball doing this swap...... one too many cards....


I used the hexagon die, that came free with a magazine, to cut some hexagons out of blue gingham paper and matted them onto white card, for which I used the next size up die.  
I added blue paper strips along the top and lower edges of a white card.  I stitched a flower rose out of blue check ribbon, attached a velvet flower and added a few sequin stars to the centre.  I printed a tiny sentiment and attached it to the left side.

I cut embossed patterned paper to size, made a present out of brown card and wrapped this with green gingham ribbon.  I attached this pressie to the centre of the circle, added the sentiment and edged this with a green biro.

I fussy cut the two owls and attached them to a piece of red gingham card, tore round a PC printed sentiment and attached this to the lower edge.  Once the owls and sentiment were attached, I outlined them all with a black pen.

I used two small pink gingham cards, wrapped them in pink gingham ribbon and added a few embellishments.  I used a piece of wall paper as the background for this card and then attached the small cards.  I printed the sentiment out and edged it with pink.


I received the following cards:
 
Vintage photo of two boys beautifully framed.
Thank you SueF.

Now this is one gorgeous settee.

 Thank you KatyS.

One for a cake maker - that's me!
Thank you Kathleen.