What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday #407

Ah Wednesday, you've become my touchstone again this month. Nothing happening at the table. My boy has a week off work and never stops eating it would seem.

One of those ladies from last week found her way onto a couple of cards for class. Techniques are paper piecing.....

.....and using embossing folders.....

.....as background stamps. There's always something new to try.

Linking up with Julia and the Deskers this morning. Happy Wednesday.

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday #402

Things were happening at the kitchen table yesterday. Prepping for class this morning. Cutting and scoring blanks for 32 cards and packing all the supplies.

We'll be inking up a brand new set of stamps and I've chosen colours that I usually wouldn't put together. I think it worked. It's all too easy to reach for the tried and tested and get stuck in a rut. Here's to breaking out.

Linking up with Julia and the Deskers before I head out this morning. It's Half Term here so that means 9am instead of 7am, which is a bonus. Happy Wednesday.

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday #400

February. Here you are already. January feels like a total write off, along with my poor little car. First "school run" of the year and some eejit (in the wrong lane) drove into me exiting a roundabout. We were uninjured but extremely shaken and I'm not quite over it yet. My crafting and blogging mojo has definitely taken a backseat.

When I saw that our desk sharing antics had reached their 400th instalment, well, I couldn't miss that, could I?

This was actually the state of play, at the kitchen table, last Wednesday. Preparing for the class I taught today. That strip, stamped with flowers, is the outer part of a little treat holder. I'm hoping to put together a tutorial so cross your fingers for an end to these grey days. They play havoc with photographing anything that has a white background.

Linking up with Julia and the Deskers this afternoon. Happy Wednesday to you.

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday #393

I managed to get here on the right day this week. Nothing crafty on my kitchen table though. Today is the busiest day of December for me. It began at 6am, getting my girl off to college, and will end some time after 3am (and around 120 miles later) when we get back from the midnight showing of Rogue One.

I do have something to share. If you were one of my half a dozen visitors last week, you might remember the moose and Santa faces. This is where Santa ended up....

The last Christmas card I make with my class, each December, is always a fun interactive one. To give to kids.....big or little.

The hat is on a slider so that it can be lifted from Santa's head for a bit of a fun. It kept me amused for ages!

Happy to have found a little window to join in with Julia and the Deskers this lunchtime. Hope to have another this evening, between the school run/dinner and picking up my boy from work at 10pm, ready for the cinema. Now I'm off to pick up my Mum and drive over to visit my brother on his birthday. See you later.

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday #392

Wednesday huh? I took the photo on Tuesday and I'm blogging it on Thursday. Ah well, it's been one of those weeks, which you'll already know if you were here on Monday.

I had a class yesterday and a laptop that refused to recognise the internet router. I seem to have fixed the issue now, more by luck than judgement, so here I am a day late.

We used that cute little moose to adorn a gift card holder, similar to this one that I wrote a tutorial for a while back. Santa made his appearance on an interactive card for kids, big and little. I'll share that at the weekend.

Joining in with Julia and the Deskers, fashionably late.

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday #389

Those four weeks flew by. I don't seem to have much time for my poor neglected blog these days. I taught a class this morning and snapped the contents of the kitchen table, once I'd unloaded the car. The tools of my trade.

I've had two new ladies join the group in the last couple of months. The challenge is to build up their skills, beginning with the basics, but keep the projects interesting for those who have been coming several years. Today, that was a fairly simple box to hold four tealights. The lid lifts to reveal the contents.....

.....and the drawer slides out to access them.

The finished box makes a sweet little gift. That's it from me today. Linking up with Julia and the Deskers. I'm about to head out and pick up my girl. I'll be round to visit after dinner. Happy Wednesday.

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday #385

I'm very late to the party today. Had a class this morning and the rest of the day just disappeared. This was the scene at the kitchen table on Monday morning.

I taught the baby wipe technique today and everyone had fun creating their own unique ink pad.

The finished tree in Autumn colours.

Linking up with Julia and the Deskers, before Bake Off. Then an early night for me. Rock and Roll!

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday #381

We are back into some semblance of a routine now. My classes start again today and there was actual paper crafting going on at the kitchen table yesterday.

Testing out the colour combination I had in mind, before making the final sample.

There are three stamps that make up this gorgeous flower. If I were making this card at home I would most likely use the one ink pad. Stamping it in first and second generation shades of colour.

With ten ladies in the class, and three flowers on each card, this is not an option. I don't like anyone having to wait around for too long. More importantly I don't want the person stamping to feel under pressure, with a queue behind her. It's supposed to be fun.

Linking up with Julia and the Deskers this morning. I'll be round to visit, with a nice cup of coffee, this afternoon.

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday #367

It's going to be short and sweet today as I'm heading out the door shortly for the school run. I also have a class this morning and the venue is between there and here. Not much point coming home only to turn straight back round again.

It's all butterflies and ditsy flowers this week. An antidote to the endless rain and rumbling thunder.

I shared the little box we made a couple of weeks ago and here are the cards.....

Two quite different looks from the same set and background stamp.

If you're interested in cloth dolls you might like to check out what I got up to at a workshop with Jan Horrox at the weekend.

Linking up with the Deskers.....

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday #365

It's been a busy kitchen table in the past couple of days. I'm getting ready for my catalogue launch party on Friday and I had a class this morning.

Here I'm using the Balloon Celebration set. I always like to find a way to get the less obvious stamps off the backing sheet. The circular designs were ideal for making a pattern on my card stock before folding it up into a box....

Linking up with the Deskers again today, ably hosted by Jan for the time being. We're all rooting for you Julia and wishing you a speedy recovery.

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday #362

This is what the kitchen table looked like last time there were any crafty happenings around here. Sometime last week, when I broke out the glittery washi tape.

I haven't taken photos of the finished frames yet so I'll share the cards from last week's class. One of my ladies had requested ideas for friends turning 70 this year.

We started with pretty pastels, which don't appear often in my card making.....

....moved on to something bolder.....

.....and finished with an interactive spinner card.

Something for everyone. The biggest difficulty being which numbers to choose!

Linking up with Julia and the Deskers again today after a bit of a blogging break. My boy has had to interrupt his studies as the funding, for the help he desperately needs, is still not in place. He really didn't want to take this option but in the end he felt he had no other choice. My heart breaks for him.

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday #360

Another week has sneaked past me and the kitchen table hasn't seen any action since my last class. We made a box, which you saw the beginnings of last time.

And a couple of cards.....

.....continuing the theme.

Linking up with Julia and the Deskers on this bright and frosty morning. I had to defrost my windscreen today. Not what I expected at the tail end of April.

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday #357

On the kitchen table this morning, the leftovers and scratch paper from sample making and kit assembling.

The first class of the month is a four card session. Usually building on skills I've already taught. Nice and relaxed with plenty of time to chat. It's not all about the card making. Here's one of them....

We've done ombre stamping before, but not directly to the card mat in one layer. There may have been a collective holding in of breath as the last few balloons were stamped. I think it's an impressive effect, using just one inkpad and one stamp.

An extra balloon was added with a foam pad to give some dimension and take the pressure off getting the sentiment straight. Also handy to cover up a less than perfect impression, if needed.

Linking up with Julia and the Deskers this gloriously sunny afternoon. Happy Wednesday to you.

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday #354

On the kitchen table today, a raft of Easter baskets waiting for ribbons to be tied to their handles. They are to be filled with little chocolate bunnies, ready to hand out to my nieces and nephews next weekend.

I taught a class this morning, which included those very baskets in a couple of different guises.

One to match an Easter card from the previous session.....

.....and a cheerful polka dot version with teeny tags.

Linking up with Julia and the Deskers on this beautiful sunny afternoon.

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday #352 ~ Snap!

Two for the price of one, as it's probably the only chance I'll get to blog this week.

First up, the state of the kitchen table, for the perusal of Julia and the Deskers.

The few remaining bits to be put away after class this morning, along with my diary, lip balm, recipe book (Mushroom Stroganoff tonight) and wallet. Also a page from the Blackmore Vale Magazine, handed to me by a friend this morning, detailing an exhibition he thought I might be interested in.

And here's what we made. Three Spring themed cards so that I can at least pretend it's on its way, despite battling through high winds and hail this morning.

A little therapeutic colouring in of the Spring wreath and a way to adapt the Christmas wreath, on the middle card, to year round use. Making a set of (between 2 and 4) visually linked images for Helena's weekly photographic meme: Snap!

Happy Wednesday to you, wherever you are visiting me from today.

What's On Your workdesk? Wednesday #350

Hello. It's that day of the week again. Here's my kitchen table with the remaining things from this morning's class waiting to be put away.

Lots of vibrant yellow and a bit of pink, on a Birthday card, just peeking out from underneath the tea light box.

A closer look at our quick and simple "Thank you" card. I think I'll be making a few of these, in other colours, ready to add a last minute sentiment.

Linking up with Julia and the deskers on this very wet afternoon.

Stampin' on Saturday ~ The Sky's the Limit

This week's class was based around the Sky is the Limit stamp set. We made three cards, one of which I shared on Wednesday*.

I created the background by using a splotch, from Gorgeous Grunge, stamped in sky blue. I stamped the plane image and added a vapour trail, which makes the shape of a heart so I highlighted that by colouring in red. I stamped the clouds in pale grey on a scrap of card, fussy cut and stuck on with foam pads.

The second card started in exactly the same way. This time I fussy cut a second plane, which I added over the first with foam pads, to give a bit of dimension. I left the vapour trail as it was. Stamped the sentiment onto a strip of card and cut a banner end. I then added another smaller banner to balance the composition.

The banner strip was a little longer than required and I meant to adhere it with the excess hanging over the edge so that I could trim it off, but I completely forgot!

*I'm writing a tutorial for that circular spinner card, but the photos will have to wait until we get some sunshine. Hoping that won't be too long. Have a lovely weekend.

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday #348

A class day for me today, which meant a kitchen table full of supplies for double (and triple!) checking yesterday afternoon.

I like to lay everything out, for each individual project, including all the "Blue Peter" bits. Above, you can see what was needed to put together a spinner card.....

.....complete with loop the looping biplane. The sentiment inside reads "The Sky's the Limit". The first time we've attempted a spinner of this style and it was a big hit. I usually do the more common left to right motion like these. All good fun.

Linking up with Julia and The Deskers this bright and cold Winter's afternoon. Happy Wednesday.

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday #346

It's the third Wednesday of the month, which means another class at the Arts Centre for me. It also means there was something on my kitchen table to snap. Not the most exciting shot I'll grant you. This was the state of play at lunch time yesterday. Kitting and making all the in between stages, ready to demonstrate.

And this is what those pieces of Spring green card stock turned into.....

.....a box to house a set of Thank you cards.

Linking up with Julia and the Deskers today. Thank you to everyone who took the time to return my comments last week, even though I wasn't joining in. Your kind thoughts on my set of cards were very much appreciated. Happy Wednesday.

Snap! ~ 1,2,3,4

Helena's weekly photographic meme has evolved for 2016. This year the aim is to find a visually linked set of between two and four images. The weather here has been wet and windy, not offering many photo opportunities, while I've been out and about. I looked through my archive for January and came up with these.

Four cards made with the same stamp set and an increasing number of ink colours.

One

Two

Three

Four

The various shades of green and purple were achieved by stamping the leaves several times without re-inking.

These were the cards we made in class last week. A bright start to the year.

ETA It seems my first three cards fit the bill over at Daring Cardmakers this month. "Leaf it alone!" Making leaves the star of the show, rather than a foil to a floral design.