WOYWW #103.....and getting so, so, so very excited now, I have some exciting news!

Well.....week 104 is almost upon us and my PiF is ready, the packaging is ready, the label is.....empty and waiting for a name and address! Woohooooooo :)

For anyone who hasn't got the foggiest about what I'm waffling on about.....pop on over to the Fair Lady Julia's blog here you'll get hooked, I promise you!

Sorry peeps, I did pop into town on Saturday to buy a new photographic device but sigh, there was a new craft shop opening at 10.30...yes I was first through the door! Ahaha :)

Sooooo, what's on my workdesk today? On the left is the small one's GCSE Textiles book.....homework was 'Textures', so she's raided my stash. Some cotton buds, my glitters and cropadile are behind that and files full of all sorts are up the back.

On my shelves are stickles, liquid pearls, dew drops, mini drawers full of ribbony bits and bobs......oh and half a dozen new shimmer spritz sprays that I bought on Saturday......I needed them ok?! lol

Then there's my mini drawers, these have caused a bit of a stir over the last few weeks with lots of people wanting to know where to get them from.....well, ok then, they're from Poundland, they come in a stack of 3 but the lid pops off and you can add as many as you want.....that little lot set me back 9 quid, bargain or what!!!!!?

On the desk itself is a big white jiffy bag.....I'll tell you all about that in a mo! My notebook, for blog challenges, distress crackle paints, a quilling board, baby wipes and glue gel......my scissor pot has new residents (a quote from Jaws springs to mind here...we need a bigger POT ahahaha), some really cute pale blue and white polka dot scissors that were just crying out to be bought.....and my usual stash of Ranger Accents and glamour dust etc

Right, back to that white jiffy bag......the one with the Airmail stickers on!

This is my exciting news! 

I have been chosen to be a DT member for a new challenge blog, for Australian craft suppliers 'Hooked on Craft'! Yes me.....woohoo, the package is my DT starter pack.....so, so many luverly, luverly things, can't divulge too much but I can tell you that Karen's stamps are soooooo cute and the trinket pins (that are hand made by Karen herself) are to die for, absolutely B E A utiful! Karen is the lovely, hardworking owner of Hooked on Craft.....who's set her business up whilst working full time as well! A truly inspiring lady!

The challenges start on Monday June 13th and will run every fortnight, there will be prizes and vouchers for the online store. I'm so excited I can't contain myself!

Why don't you have a peek at the challenge blog here become a follower and show them some love and join in with us!

Anyhoooo, I'm off to start on my first DT card.....how exciting is that!!!!

I'll be snooping around your desks first though.....need to get my nosey fix for the week!

Thanks for popping in!

*hugs* Sal x

Coffee break 'shout out' to the Ribbon Girl!

Just a quickie, have a few pretties to post later.....and am on a short coffee break at work!

Since I started doing this blogging lark, I've come accross some really fab new suppliers and after seeing american seam binding used beautifully on lots of your beautifully crafted cards, I went searching for some......well Mr Postman came really early this morning, with my parcel from The Ribbon Girl.

Packaged in fushia pink tissue, tied off with a white ribbon bow (Christmas!) was my much sought after seam binding.....along with some other bits (you know what it's like!) and I was not disappointed, it's incredibly beautiful.

Even though I'm in work til 8.30 tonight (again :(  ) I will be playing later....

Ah well, back to the daily ground.....see you all later!

*hugs* Sal x

Blooming give away at the ever generous Joyful Stamper!

The very lovely Maria over at The Joyful Stamper has been having a clear out and found loads of pretty, flowery stash that she won't use...Maria has split her 'findings' into 2 separate packages and will be drawing the names next week.

Pop over and have a look at her blog, she's an extremely talented crafter and a very lovely lady to boot, you won't be disappointed!

You can find her here

Aren't they beautiful?

WOYWW #102

Quick, quick, quick!

Really don't want to miss week 102 of the lovely Lady Julias' What's On Your Wordesk Wednesday, you can find all the deets here .....not with PiF week 104 fast approaching us.....I was quite confident about my 'gift' but now I'm positively quaking in me boots, at the thought of sending my creation/gift to one of the incredibly talented crafters that pop in every week! Oh me, oh my.....I've not even hidden it on my desk this week lol!

My camera has gone bazonkas, it will do close ups (really rather better than it ever has actually) but the piccie gets so fuzzy wuzzy the further away you are.....so have given it up as a bad idea before I throw it through the window! Arrrrrgh!

Please excuse said fuzziness (and also unrotated piccies as I'm in an uber rush now to get this posted, sorry ).....here goes.....

Despite being severely overworked and having the said 'mickey' taken out of me at the place of employment this week......severe self pity occurring here peeps lol.....I have managed a couple of little bizzles this week.

 

On my desk are all my usual supplies, that never get put away cos there's really no point! ahaha I have a clean water tub...go me! There are also a pile of lovely little mulberry rose buds that arrived this morning, (thank you Mr Postman for remembering to put them in the shed instead of making me wait to come out to the depot on the the weekend, very much appreciated! x) and a few things that I've been tinckering with......

My 'celestial lady' required a touch more work so she really is done now.....woot woot!

One of the girls at work announced that her daughter has had beautiful baby girl today.....oooh makes me go all scwooshy.....so have managed to get baby Tilda sorted tonight, looooooads of glitter, she's off for a couple of days so I have time to put something special together for her!

and finally......

Not completely happy with my white on white effort (that I promised I'd post).....will rectify this with the addage of much white glitter over the coming days!

Thanks for popping over! I'm off to visit as many of your desks as I can before drifting off to zonkland!

Night all!

*hugs* Sal x

Do I feel OLD?!!!!!

Oh yes indeedy I do! AND ever so slightly hungover....still....lol

It was my son, Maxs' 18th birthday yesterday, so the planning of a surprise bash had me rushing round like a loony bird! Then, he was supposed to be working all day yesterday.....but his boss (bless him) sent him home, for his 18th, at midday ahaha. I had to send him round Mum's with lots of bags of stuff.....that I now have to go and get back off her, cos they're mine.....just to get him out of the house! It all came good in the end and we had a fab night...after the drinking of several yards of ale, the son was piggy backed home and I spent the night curled on the bottom of his bed to keep an eye on him (with his smelly teenage boy feet in my face ewwww). I can't tell you how gorgeous my bed looks tonight peeps!

Well, I've cleared my desk and am all ready to get crafty tomorrow for a couple of wind down hours, after another 12 hour work day, I'm going to need the 'me time'!

Night, night all...here's to a peaceful nights' bobo time.....got it all to go through again next month, it's Amee's 20th.....that's making me feel even older!

Thanks for dropping by.

*hugs* Sal x

WOYWW #101

Well, I'm a bit sleepy, they've got me run ragged at work this week!

BUT 

I had to get this in before the witching hour...and before I drop off to sleepy bobo land!

It's week 101 of  Lady Julia's WOYWW not long now til the 2 year anniversary, woohoo!

So, what's on my workdesk this fine and glorious Wednesday? (apart from being a sucky, fuzzy piccie!) A blinking big mess! You know what it's like, you pull everything out for a project, then some more stash for another project and before you know it.....total devastation of your precious crafty space...I will clear it tomorrow...promise! There's also still new stash on it that I haven't yet found a home for...I think I may have to have a bit of a 'clearout candy' pretty soon, either that or get a bigger house!

As you can see, the still unfinished Tilda is sat mocking me mercilessly, she better stop or she's going in the bin!

A white on white 8x8 (close up will be along this week). My lovely celestial stamped lady, from last week, is now coloured, glittered, precious pearled and all ready for her album cover! Zingy, glitzy tropical coloured flowers and ribbons...for a brainwave project I had and then lost the mojo for aha. A tub of water, dirty...lol, mica paints have been used this week...topped with a couple of bits of still unwashed cut'n'dry foam. Some pearl pins and organza flowers.

All my 'staples' galmour dust, glossy/sepia/crackle accents etc and oooh, you can see a shelf, full of stickles and liquid pearls, a tub of book binding glue...for putting a fabric cover on an album and some distress paints...my scissor/knife pot, big metal tub full of tapes, rulers and adhesives. Some 12x12 storage boxes topped with my lovely tacky blue basket full of metal stencils (real sarcasm there!) and fusible fibres! A big black box full of Promarkers

Also, a teeny piece of my PiF for week #104.

So glad, in a way, that the photy is a bit blurryfull.....tis truly a terrible, disgraceful mess!

Thanks for looking in!

*hugs* Sal x

New challenge blog, candy giveaway AND design team call.....spread the word!

Hi guys, yes, yes I know it's nearly 5 in the morning, the Fybro won't let me sleep tonight (for a change lol) but such is life!

I found this and just had to share it with you, I know how much everyone in blogland loves a challenge :)

It's a new Australian challenge blog and once they've reached 100 followers, they'll draw the candy and open the challenges!

How gorgeous is that?!!!!!!!

The blog is Hooked on Craft Challenges

You can find them here

Lets show them some love and get them up and running!

Love and *hugs* Sal x

My 1st WOYWW..... #100.....works in progress and brand new stash!!!!

Well, as you know, I've not been blogging for long but I have become a wee bit obsessed with the 'What's On Your Workdesk Wedenesday' phenomenon, WOYWW brainchild of the uber talented Julia. 

I've found myself strangely drawn to...........having the ability to nose around so many people's workspaces! rofl

Feeling a tad guilty for the intrusions, I think it's only fair that I should let anyone who wants to have a shufty around mine, the opportunity to do so :)

So here it is peeps, about 2/3s of the desk anyway!

Click on the piccie to zoooooooooooom in!

Works in progress are on the left hand side, my girl Tilda and a lush stamped celestial lady, another Tilda at the back (that I started on then lost my mojo!) it will probably be there for quite some time, staring at me and daring me to finish it hahaha!

BUT

My new stash arrived today!!!!! Paperbag albums, from across the pond (left, front, centre and I'm sooo excited :o), masses of luverly goodies from ebay too! There's  loads of amazing fibres, back centre ( if you want to get some let me know and I'll send you the link to the seller, they're beautiful and you get at least 18x1m diferrent legnths per pack for 99p-of course, I really, really 'needed' all 5 packs, with some ribbon bows and die cuts shapes and excellent combined p&p, lovely lady-no relation, just serious bargain info to share!), 2 huge bags of lace that I won for £2.34! On the right, 100+ metres of ribbons, lost count after 40 different ones, chipboard stars, letters and alphabet die cut squares. All of it, including the international postage on the albums for under £30!!!!!

Now all I need to do is find somewhere to put it all lol!

Unfortunately for me, unlike our esteemed leader, my comparatively naff clip on daylight lamp, only has  bulldog clips and oddments of ribbon hanging off it's dangling lead! :D

ALSO

Hiding in the picture is a little 'something something' gift that I've started for week 104, 2 year anniversary 'pay it forward' on WOYWW.....see if you can spot it!

That's it for toninght my loverlies, I'm off to nose around your workdesks.....then to stroke my new goodies! Hahahahaha!

*hugs* Sal x

Challenge Card 'Joy'

Good evening all!

A bit of a quickie post tonight, I'm exhausted after my first day back at work lol

Here we have a card that is a little different for me but was done with  two challenges in mind.

The design is from Mojo Monday #189

http://mojomonday.blogspot.com/2011/05/mojo-monday-189-contest.html

 I'm addicted to their sketches and try to do one every week! 

I'm also entering it into the Crafts 4 Eternity Anything Goes challenge

http://crafts4eternity.blogspot.com/2011/04/r17-anything-goes.html 

 Another fabulous challenge blog!

The card is A5 and I was looking for a sketch that would show off my new and beautiful large gardenias, they're HUGE and gorgeous, from Wild Orchid Crafts, this was perfect!

I've stitched some pale green gingham paper that's been in my stash for years (I have a 'terrible habit' of buying 2 sheets/sets of paper...1 to look at and 1 to use, this is the 'look at'sheet!) directly to the card front and made the second layer by stitching more stash paper (a very old scrap pad!) to oversized plain white card and Martha Stewart punching a border along the top, leaving the bottom plain. More of the gingham paper was then stitched onto more white card to create the third layer. A simple nestie die was finished off with some old stash K&Company stickers (Tim Coffey), to spell the word Joy, the letters were glazed with glossy accents and attached with some lovely, fluffy green fibres wrapped around layer 2. A pretty white die cut doily was then topped with the impressive 2 tone mushrom bloom! A little plain white satin ribbon with 3 green half pearls and hey ho!

Close up of my new favourite flower!

I have also lined the whole inside of the card (to cover the stitching) but the battery on the camera was going and I wanted to get this up before climbing the wooden hill and going off to the land of nod! lol

I'm really happy with this one, to me it looks clean and fresh...

Off to bobo's now, well maybe just half an hour at the craft desk...... hehe. Thanks for looking in!

*hus* Sal x

Last post of the night!

Well 'thank goodness for that' I hear you say! lol I'll be brief!

This last card was designed with 2 challenges in mind;

Dream Valley Challenges (up to 3 entries allowed)

http://dreamvalleychallenges.blogspot.com/2011/05/challenge-6-flowers.html

 

One Stop Craft Challenge

http://onestopcraftchallenge.blogspot.com/2011/04/week-129-in-stitches_30.html

 

 

 

 

Yup, it's my grl Tilda again! Sorry about the piccies, terrible shadows I know :(

Coloured in Promarkers and glittered with Glamour Dust, stitching around the edges of distressed HOTP papers (I always seem to go back to them don't I?) A lovely white embossed frame, punched out border (stitched into place) organza ribbon, fabulous Wild Orchhid Crafts flowers (with just a touch of bling), 3 pins (pearl flower, lilac pearl and a clear crystal one) and a plethora of white half pearls.

The edges are distressed with 'old paper' ink, rolled and given a coating of rock candy clear crackle medium to hold it all nicely in place with a bit of glitz!

It's all set onto an 8x8 white embossed card blank which has been given a shimmer with lilac and beige chalks.

*hugs* Sal x

White plus 2 other colours, with a twist!

Here's precious little Tilda!

The layout came from a sketch on Mojo Monday, unfortunately my daughter 'borrowed' my camera, so I missed the deadline for that challenge. But the actual content was for the Wild Orchid Crafts challenge...I even made my first order from them for some of the most beautiful flowers I've seen in an age!

The twist was roses! LUVERLY!!!!

The card is a 6x6 scalloped blank, the 2 papers are beige; HOTP and pink; Papermania Sinature, Blueberry Hill.

Tilda has been coloured with my trusty Promarkers and her wings and halo have been given the Glamour Dust treatment.

The truly beautiful Wild Orchid Crafts flowers have also had a touch of the old GD :) luuurveee sparkle!

All edges have had a bit of a distress with old paper ink, some white swiss dot card, doohickey die cuts (the 'branches' have been glittered with Cosmic Shimmer baby pink), Martha Stewart lattice punched card 'ribbon' toped with tiny 9mm pink roses and butterfly (with pink half pearls) plent of white half pearls, a little pink scalloped lace and a white pearl pin and a pink one (couldn't make my mind up!). There's stitching and faux stitching as well, I'm really happy with this card  :)

I'm entering this card into the following challenges; 

Wild Orchid Callenge

http://wildorchidchallenge.blogspot.com/

Dream Valley Challenge

Papertake Weekly Challenge

Distressed? Oh yes I am! Lol

Anyone who knows me,  knows that I make girly things, not that I don't have grungy bloke stuff, I do-when the need arises but I've been popping over to Hels Sheridan's blog for a couple of months and what an inspiration she's been! An incredibly talented lady.....who's got some serious jet lag to get over, lucky girl!

Well, poor hunni that she is, has set the challenge for Sunday Stampers this week, MEN.....all the way from Ranger U!

 

I figured that if she could do that, after flying half way round the world, meeting the Duke of Distress (and the entire team!) doing a 3 day course out there (please note that there's not even a hint of jealousy here! rofl) and still being the bounciest girl in blogland. The least I could do was to get over my fear of 'destroying' my precious papers.

So, here we have my very first attempt which I am entering into the challenge!  

http://pinkleart.blogspot.com/2011/04/sunday-stamper-week-152-sharp-dressed.html 

Please excuse the piccies, I have yet to master Photosop! lol

Be gentle with me peeps, don't giggle,  it took me an hour just to pluck up the courage to throw ink at my beloved  HOTP papers, cross my fingers and pray to the big fella that it would resemble art!

Ta da! As you can see it's a topper! AND everything on it has been touched by ink or sandpaper, I've stitched and bradded everything in place...yes me!

The base is DCWV coredinations cardstock, I've nipped the corners with my trusty punch and attacked it full force with fine sandpaper (which brought me out in a nervous sweat!). The first layer was distressed with antique paper and walnut stain inks, then scrumpled up, flattened out and distressed some more. Then the edges were rolled (until almost falling apart) and finally given a light coat of clear rock candy crackle medium.

The second layer was given much the same treatment and a distressed Tim Holtz  image was stitched on to form a pocket. I made a cute little tag and topped it with another Tim stamped image, metal embellies and some fibres. The layer was then stiched onto layer 2 before stitching it all onto the base and adding a very much altered clockface stamped image (inks, glossy crackle accents and walnut stain).

Phew, it was exhausting but I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of  it and will most defo be playing like this again! I've even ordered some paperbag albums and bits from accross the pond and will be branching out very shortly hahahaha!

Well, I really hope you like my efforts :)

*hugs* Sal x

Who's been a busy girl then!

Well it has been a bit of a hectic weekend but I have managed to get a few bits done......

This looks like a quite tidy workspace but trust me it's not, all the debris has been shunted to the edges of the desk! rofl

 I'm not going to go into too much depth on them as they're going into blog challenges and have to be listed in detail separately.

TTFN.....and of on the marathon posting I go.....having not entered any challenges before this may take some time!

 

*hugs* Sal x

My camera has gone to a concert!

Having slaved away for most of the night and this morning (lol), I go to take some piccies of my 2 blog challenge cards, only to find that my dear, darling daughter, Poppy, has borrowed (pinched) the camera and taken it to Cardiff to a concert with her! :((( Indeedibly, although I am a tad miffed at the smallest child and her predisposition to 'borrow', rofl, I  now understand how the lovely Mother used to feel!

Well, I hope that she manages to catch the last train tonight, has a fabby time AND can get my piccies up before midnight hehehe.

Time to get ready and off to visit the ageing parents, it's not really me they want to see, it's my ageing pooch who'll get the fuss and cuddles! Lol.

I'll hopefully get the piccies up later tonight, finally some cards done!

*hugs* Sal x