WOYWW 761: Happy New Year

Welcome to my first desk sharing of 2024.  Here's hoping that this year is better than the last.  Please visit Julia at Stamping Ground for more WOYWW fun.

My desk shows the latest ducks for my Star Trek collection - the Original series Kirk and Scotty.  Spock and Worf are on their way too then I will only need Deanna Troi and a Borg to finish the Next Generation collection.

Dad's memory cat sits on my shelf behind me looking over me.  I thought the shed was the best place to keep him as Dad always looked out for my blog posts and liked my work on FB.

As you can see I made it to the end of last year's challenge.  I have made a start on this year's too as my intention shows.

I have decided to theme my months by colour, so January will be mainly monotone in blacks and greys.

I am really looking forward to the crop now and also to a trip to London at Easter.  We will be seeing Lion King and Wicked and shall make the most of three nights away.  I can fit four months' pages into one ring bound loose leaf journal.

Wishing you all well for 2024.  We are having new windows fitted today and tomorrow so I may not manage to visit everyone until the weekend.  Happy WOWYW.

WOYWW 760: Last of the Year

 Welcome to my last WOYWW desk share of 2023 - I can't believe that it will be 2024 by next week!

I am starting to sort through my stash ready for my new collage challenge in 2024.  I shall not be afraid to let the white space in the background of the page show.

I have been rewatching Glee.

We will be seeing Mum for her birthday today as a family but enjoyed Christmas dinner with just the 5 of us at #1 and #2 sons' house as is becoming tradition.  We lit a candle to remember Dad.  I still have the rest of the memory cats to wrap up as my sister (a GP) is working today and won't get there until late.  The boys had theirs yesterday but the rest won't receive them until later so I will post pictures next week.

Hope you have chance to pop over to Stamping Ground and join in with Julia et al with WOYWW.  There is an exciting announcement for a crop in 2024 to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the group.  The hall is booked!!!  Penkhull Village Hall, Trent Valley Road, Stoke on Trent, ST4 5JB.  We have it from 9am until 5pm so the crop will be starting between 9.30-10 and will have to finish by 4.30 at the latest to allow us time to clean and tidy.  Eva and I will be co-hosting and look forward to seeing as many of you as possible.

Happy New Year everyone.

WOYWW 696: Crop Report

Oh how good it was to catch up with friends old and new at the WOYWW crop last Saturday - our first in over three years.  Loads of hugs, chatting, cake and a toast was raised to Shaz Silverwolf who was and will be greatly missed.

My desk shows all the fabulous swaps from the crop - Jo (Twiglet)/Tilly Tea Dance (the coaster top left) then on the mat - Angela (Crafting with Jack), Christine, Annie (Wipso) Julia, (front) Caro (2), Angela (Felix the Crafty Cat), Cindy and the card was from Eva.

I did no crafting myself but Helen and Caro both got journal pages completed on the day.

L-R Julia, Eva, Jo, Annie, Caro, Angela (Felix), Neet, Cindy, Chris (Pear Shaped), Me, Helen and Angela (Crafting with Jack). Front Christine

Many thanks to Annie and Jo for organising and catering, to Julia who got the WOYWW ball rolling and has kept things going for over 11 years, and everyone who joins in with the desk sharing and is such a big part of my crafty week.

Julia and Angela (Crafting with Jack)

Annie (Wipso)

Caro

Christine and her friend Dee

Cindy and Neet

Helen and Chris

As you can see some people did more than I did lol.

I did celebrate the crop with my #dailychallenge2022.

Eva says hi from the other side of the desk.

And so we continue sharing, visiting and making lasting friendships.  Happy WOYWW everyone.

WOYWW 695: Looking Forward to the Crop

 And so life resumes some semblance of normality.  I am so looking forward to the WOYWW crop this weekend and I am sure next week's posts will be full of photos and reminiscing. 

The pages of my #dailychallenge2022 journal have turned to cake and celebrating in honour of the get together having been on a space theme more recently.

School is well back into a routine following last week's bank holiday.  Busy with meetings, lessons and books.  It was my turn to lead the whole school assembly on Monday.  Normally I would have taken the theme of European Day of Languages but I decided to go with languages of the Commonwealth instead given recent events and Birmingham hosting the Commonwealth Games last summer.

Please join in with Julia at Stamping Ground to visit desks or even share your own as part of WOYWW. I'll be round to visit as soon as I can!  Stay safe and Happy WOYWW everyone.

WOYWW 574: Back to School we Go

Welcome to the weekly desk share with WOYWW (What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday) and my weekly shout out to Y7 and Y8 who are mostly not yet back in school.

I was in school on Monday and yesterday and will be in again today, so there is not much crafting going on. I have been trying to relax before work by making swatches for my latest bargain, the full set of 120 Albrecht Duerer watercolour pencils from Faber-Castell.  Craft Stash had a one day 30% off code if you spent more than £40 and as the full set of Polychromos were out of stock I went with these instead, as they were also on my wish list.

Some of you will have already seen the other new crafty arrival on my desk this week.  I can't wait to get reports out of the way so I can have a proper play.  I will be pre ordering the new June Distress colour from Art from the Heart as well.

This memory also popped up on my FB time line this week.  A happy reminder of last year's crop but a sad reminder that we should have been meeting up again next Saturday. Sorry I will have little time for visiting desks today, as I have been rather tired on arrival back home from school.  I will try and visit you all via Julia's Stamping Ground between samples tomorrow.  Stay safe and happy WOYWW.

WOYWW 434: So Excited!

On Saturday it will finally be time to meet up with many of our fellow deskers for the WOYWW crop in Llandudno; for more information visit the chief desker Julia over at the Stamping Ground, where far more desks than these may be visited.  My crafty friend and I spent much of our weekly craft session discussing what we would be taking with us; how many bags would be required and whether we would actually get much crafting done or spend most of the time meeting, greeting and gossiping!  I am really late linking up today even though this post was prepared yesterday;  I seem to have a hundred things to do, so apologies in advance if I don't get to visit many desks this week.

My side of the desk shows the start of a journal page; the first layer is an alcohol ink background on glossy card.  This was followed up with distress paint added with a natural sponge as the second step is to paint without a brush.  Not long after the photo was taken I laid the page aside to dry naturally as step 4 was to create a resist with a gel medium (or in my case clear embossing paste) through a stencil.  I will be sharing the finished page on Friday (if I get it finished) if anyone wants to see how it turns out.

My crafty friend was honing her Groovi skills by putting together her first complete 'picture' rather than just working on creating individual flowers.
We are both looking forward to the get together on Saturday and meeting as many of you as possible!