WOYWW 530: Back To Old Habits

I confess, I am enjoying my holiday lie ins a little too much, so I prepared this post yesterday afternoon.  Also I had a visitor at the other side of the desk, so took advantage and grabbed a photo.  I enjoy being able to visit desks a little more promptly during the holidays.  To join in with WOYWW or just snoop at other people's desks please visit The Stamping Ground where Julia keeps us in order each Wednesday.

My side of the desk shows the start of a birthday card.  I can't show you any more as the birthday isn't until tomorrow.  In the background you can see Eva having a look through my Groovi folders and the cake which she brought with her for sharing!

Eva was just starting a new Groovi piece on the other side of the desk.  I always provide coffee, so we were sorted as far as refreshments were concerned.  Eva always likes a look through my Craft Stamper when it arrives too.  I can't believe that it is already the second week of the holidays.  The new footie season starts with a home match on Saturday, so I am also looking forward to that.  Happy WOYWW.

Gel Plate Fun in the Style of Sam Crowe

Every Tuesday Claritystamp releases a new YouTube Tuesday video.  I made this card having watched one by Sam Crowe (see HERE).  She is a genius with a gel plate and I had fun adapting her technique to create my version of her card. 
I decided to stick to the round gel press petite that Sam used, but as you can see I changed the stamps that I used.  I also used water soluble oil pastels to create the scribbles around the panels.

Clean and Simple Maternity Leave Congratulations Card

This card was made for a colleague who recently started her maternity leave.  It uses an 8" x 8" card blank as it needed to be large enough for everyone at work to sign.

Gel Print Heat Embossed Combination Card

This card resulted from some play with my gel press plate.  I love the combination of ghostly print and heat embossed intensity on a Distress Oxide background.

Stencilling over Designer Papers

Sometimes you find the perfect combination of stencil and designer paper.  You can keep things simple when stencilling as the paper does all the hard work for you.

Working with Mica on Black coated Card

I like the effect of mica powders on black coated card stock.  I used some Clarity stencils and stamps with Versamark ink to create this card.

Watercolouring using a Stencil as a Template

This is the first of the samples that I created using the new Woodland Animal stencils from Claritystamp.  The One Day Special continues today on Hochanda at 9am, 1pm and 5pm.  I love using stencils as a starting point for water colouring as I must admit that I am not that good at freestyling.

WOYWW 529: Summer is Here

Morning.  How lovely to have time to write a post on the correct day to share with everyone at What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday (WOYWW).  Even the photos were taken for once on the day itself rather than being prepared the day before.

This was my desk first thing this morning.  Even though I have no more marking to do until September I still habitually tidy my desk at the end of each day.

My brother has asked me to make a logo for his local orchestra in Canada (he is the musical director).  As they are based in the Rockies, I have taken out some masks as a starting point.  He will add the wording over the image so I am going to play around with some ideas to send him today.

The other side of the desk is ready for Eva's arrival.  We are getting together today to craft.  She has to pick up her gel press petites and her brayer which I borrowed for a class.  I am later than normal joining in because I have been enjoying a lie in each morning now the summer holidays are here.  It was rather too warm in the shed yesterday, but by keeping the doors open and the blinds down I managed to keep the temperature below 29 degrees C!  Hope to see you over on the Stamping Ground so I can come and visit.
PS.  The gift on my desk last week was a hand knitted dish cloth.  I shall be using it to keep my glass mat clean once the tea towel that I am currently using gives up the ghost. 

Clean and Simple Wedding Card

This card was made for a colleague who is getting married this summer.  It had to be large enough for everyone at work to sign, so I used an 8" x 8" card blank as a base.

Creating a Frame on a Small Card

An easy way to create a frame round a small card.

Bauble Gift Tag

Another gift tag for Christmas with a subtle stencilled background. 

Tile Stamp Border Background

I love the versatility of these stamps.  They can create a continuous background in both directions. 

Layered Tag using a Gel Plate and Stamping

I decided to play with layering in ink on a tag.

Christmas is Coming...

I couldn't resist the Game of Thrones play on words for this card lol.

WOYWW 528: Last Work Day!

Happy WOYWW to you all. This will be my last work day for the academic year 2018-19, so I am done after today until September.  Apart from all the work needed to get ready to hit the ground running when we go back of course.  The last sets of books were marked this morning and the assembly is ready to go, following up on the trip to Berlin.  I will finally stop having to cheat for a while, taking a photo of my desk on a Tuesday afternoon so I can join in with Julia over at the Stamping Ground.

My desk this week shows the ATC and gift that I received from Bridget for the 10th anniversary.  She has been poorly so the package was delayed.  As it also had to make its way from Australia it was a lovely surprise in the mail on Monday.  I do hope you are fully recovered!   I also still hope that my tag eventually made it to Bleubeard and Elizabeth but I will be posting a second one tomorrow if it hasn't.  This time I will keep proof of posting!

On the other side of the desk, Eva finally made it over for some crafting.  We had watched some YouTube videos made by Sam Crowe for Claritystamp and Eva has been trying out some of her techniques.  These are the results of two days in the shed and some work in between at home.  Aren't they fabulous.

A Layered Effect Background using Stencils

I love adding faux layered backgrounds to stencilled cards even though they are actually only one layer.

Dandelion Tag: A Meaningful Bookmark

I thoroughly enjoyed the craftalong with Barbara Gray yesterday afternoon on Hochanda 2-4pm.  If you missed it with all the excitement of Wimbledon and the World Cup Cricket it is still available on catch up.  This is the first project that I did using the stamp set.

Quick and Effective Stencil Card

A chance to craft a long with Barbara Gray on Hochanda this afternoon from 2-4pm.  Here is one of my samples made with the dandelion stencil.

Embossed Christmas Wreath Card

For this Christmas card I used some of the smaller stamps from the set to create a wreath rather than the main shoe stamp.

Christmas Card: Baubles on a Tree Branch

I like the combination of the new bauble stencils with the Pine Needle stencil from Claritystamp.  I used my favourite Distress Oxides on kraft card technique to create the background on this Christmas card.

Sparkly Boot Christmas Card

I love this boot stamp and the mask which goes with it.  There are plenty of bonus stamps with the set too.

WOYWW 527: Normal Service has been Resumed

First of all, sorry that I didn't visit anyone last week.  I had excellent intentions at the weekend to catch up, but I was so tired that I didn't get much of anything done except a mountain of washing and catching up on some sleep and TV.  Thanks for linking me up last week Helen.  Everyone can join in with WOYWW fun at The Stamping Ground courtesy of Julia.

My desk shows the first craft session since my return which took place yesterday.  I had a few cards to make for staff to sign (one for a maternity leave, one for a wedding and one for a member of staff who is leaving us).  I had originally intended to make them on Sunday, but that went the way of visiting too!
I'll leave you with a few more pictures from Berlin.

The Reichstag from the TV tower

The TV tower from the dome of the Reichstag

The Olympiastadion

This week I will make sure that I get round to visit everyone.  It won't be this evening though, it is awards evening at school and I won't be home until after 9pm.

Bauble Heart: The 12 Days of Christmas

One of my samples from the Sunday afternoon shows (7/7/19 2-4pm) with Barbara Gray on Hochanda.  It was hanging from the tree and you can still use catch up if you missed the shows.

We Wish Shoe A Merry Christmas

I love white embossing on kraft card.  These shoe stamps worked a treat to create this layered card coloured with Distress Oxides.

Christmas Baubles

I don't usually do Christmas in July but these new grey board baubles and matching stencils from Claritystamp were such fun to play with.

Blowing Off Steam with a Tag

This is the last project that I worked on before spending five days in Germany with a school trip.  I didn't really think that I would feel like this by the end of the trip but I am always glad when we all return home safe and happy from the visit.

Who's the Boss? Coaster Alterations

I was asked to try and do something with some coasters belonging to our son and his girlfriend.  We had given them as a gift earlier in the year, but with use the lettering on the coasters was disappearing.  This is what I came up with.

Clean and Simple Sympathy Card

The husband of a former colleague sadly died recently.  This is the card that I made for the staff to send to her.

WOYWW 426: Greetings from Berlin

I am on my travels this week with the annual school trip to Berlin.  We arrived safely on Monday having got up at silly o'clock (I was at school by 2.50am).  So far we have had a fabulous visit (photos to follow).

I travelled very light on the craft front, although I did manage to get a little more colouring done on the page that I was working on at the crop.  I hope someone will link me up with Julia at The Stamping Ground as we have an early breakfast today (6.45 UK time).

We made it to the Ritter Sport chocolate shop on Monday after our walking tour of the Reichstag, Brandenburg Gate and the Holocaust Memorial.  The pupils were all very respectful and we have been very proud of their behaviour this year.

Yesterday morning was spent at the zoo as usual. 

There are lots of sculptures and artistic pieces to view as well. 

Reichstag which we will be visiting this evening

Friedrichstrasse our destination this morning

Brandenburg Gate in the distance

The cathedral

In the afternoon however we had a new item on the itinerary as we went up to the observation deck of the TV tower at Alexanderplatz.  It is the tallest structure in Berlin at 368m total height.  The observation deck is at  203m and that was high enough for me: fabulous views though as you have seen.

We got a different view of the cathedral on our river cruise later in the afternoon.  Yesterday was finished off with bowling.  Today will be very cultural as we are visiting the Palace of Tears at Friedrichstrasse, Bernauer Strasse (the wall memorial) and the museum at Checkpoint Charlie.  Some light relief at Sealife later this afternoon followed by a visit to the glass dome on the Reichstag this evening after dinner.  We are packing it in!
Happy WOYWW everyone.  I hope to be able to visit at the weekend as I won't have much time until then.