WOYWW #381 - Back in the Saddle

List of prompts and journal at the ready

The new school term is back in full swing and even though I don't work on Wednesdays, my desk is used less for crafting and more for marking and preparing.  I didn't even make last week's WOYWW hosted by Julia's Stamping Ground.  I can show you my desk yesterday afternoon, as I started work on an art journal layout, following a series of prompts.  I was busy getting everything together; a colour that I don't usually use, waffle paper, a non tool, cut out words and phrases from a printed source and elements cut from wrapping paper.

Light pink paint and wrapping paper elements.

Words and a phrase cut from a Sunday supplement.

I also have a picture of my desk this morning; laptop at the ready for work.  I have taken a moment away from preparing lessons to show you my card making journey.  The cards that you can see cover a 7 year period from first to last.  My middle son celebrated his 22nd birthday this year; top left you can see the card which I made for his 13th birthday, very early on in my crafting journey.  I had only been making cards for three months and was trying out my very newly purchased Cricut machine.  I can already see progress between that and the card in the middle which was made for his 14th birthday.  The composition is more balanced but I was still using toppers and backing papers from a magazine.  His 17th birthday card (top right) was a little more adventurous.  I am far happier with the bottom two cards (20th and 21st birthdays), as they demonstrate more variety and technique.  I hope that I've made even more progress in the 18 months since then; I love getting messy and use far more mixed media these days.  The only constant has been my enjoyment of the hobby and my sense of achievement every time that I have given someone a handmade card or gift.