Wednesday 9 March 2011

WOYWW - Week 92 + An Autumn Scene Card

Good Afternoon,


I'm really late today but here's what's on my desk today - it was like this last night and it's still like this now. You could say I'm out of sorts at the moment and much as I'd like to be getting creative I'm just not able to. On the plus side the days are getting longer and the light it getting better so when I am indeed feeling better I'll have great light to play in.

As you can see I'm in the middle of a project. I'm stamping all my stamps on to plain copy paper (actually the unprinted side of wasted paper) so that I can keep a sort of catalogue of them. I realised that, with my growing collection, if I didn't do something I'd forget some stamps and they would never see the light of day. So what you see on my desk is everything I need to do the job; ink pad, scissors, rock a block, nail varnish remover, baby wipes, stick & spray, etc.

To add to my general feeling of malaise I've lost my favourite scissors. I've search high and low and just cannot find them - o woe is me :(

For those of you who visited my desk last week (and I apologise if I didn't get to yours) you will recall that I had some unfinished projects biting at my conscience. Two pieces got used early to make a card and here's is another - leaving only one piece to use - not bad really considering I've not been doing much.


I was trying to learn how to use the brayer to create a scene here. Not, by any means, perfect but I did learn what not to do. Although the card used is described as matt-coated it's actually quite smooth, shiny and slippy - the devil to work with for the first time. I found the stamps slipping on the surface and had to develop a way of stamping that was really steady.

Materials used:

Cardstock: matt-coated A5 postcard from Claritystamp; dark brown (C29) card from Papermill Direct
Stamps: a selection of stamps from Lavinia Stamps, including the leaves, bare tree, bird on fence, tiny fences, spider web, flock of birds, toadstools, grasses; the fir trees are from Claritystamp
Inks: Adirondack, eggplant, sunshine yellow, cranberry, citrus; Tim Holtz, weathered wood, brushed corduroy; Versafine, Olympia green, vintage sepia, imperial purple, crimson red.

Want to see more desks, then pop along to Julia's place, The Stamping Ground, click on the WOYWW box on the left, where you will find links to desks from all over the world.

Right folks I'm off to pop another pill or two and will be back when I'm feeling more myself.

Happy crafting,

27 comments:

Sarah said...

Good to see you today - lovely tones and stamping!
Been slipping around on shiny card-stock today too!
Don't you just hate it!

Thanks for sharing your space!

Sarah (sasa at 4)
http://blueboxbabe.blogspot.com/

Chelle said...

Very nice project. I tried doing that cataloguing with my stamps but never finished the project. 91

lisa said...

Sorry to hear you're under the weather, Elizabeth. I hope you feel like crafting again very soon.
I've said it before but your organisational skills are brilliant. I wouldn't have the patience to catalogue all my stamps!!
Your Clarity card is amazing. You've really made a beautiful job of all the layers. I love it.
Take care.
Hugs Lisax

Julia Dunnit said...

Oh hope you pick up very soon Elizabeth, it's horrid when your mojo is interrupted by ill health. I like the card very much - know all about stamping on what feels like an ice rink - I see no signs of slippage, so good job!

Pam said...

Good idea to catalogue your stamps, I'm always finding ones I forgot I had! Hug Pam x

Helen Pigott said...

I struggle with brayers, they give a great effect but I always struggle to get the look I'm after!

Helen said...

Good luck with your catalogue! Love the finished card, such subtle colours.

jude said...

Hope your feeling better and more like your self soon.Great way to catalogue your stamps i certainly need to do something!Happy wednesday
hugs Judex3

Kirsty.A said...

Lovely brayered card. i just can't get the hang of it/124

Jana said...

Your scene is lovely. Looks like you have a handle on that slippery surface. Great idea to catalog all of your stamps. Thanks for sharing your workdesk.

okienurse said...

Hope you get to feeling better soon. Love the organization you are doing for your stamps. Your card is beautiful. Thanks for sharing! Vickie #69

Anonymous said...

Hope you're feeling better soon. Been meaning to do this with stamps myself but never seem to have the time or the inclination. Like the card - must think about a brayer. I have seen some lovely cards done using them.
x Tricia (60)

Shaz in Oz.CalligraphyCards said...

Thanks for sharing, Elisabeth, have not been the best either..love the autumn card there some pretty good organising going on too well done!
happy WOYWW!
Shaz in Oz.x

Sarn said...

Hope you're feeling better by the time you read this! LOVE your scene setting card. I have tried several times to get on with my brayer, and still we are not friends!!!! Thought I'd have more luck the Tim Holtz's blender tool . . . but only limited success so far. How come it's so easy for everyone else????
Playing catch-up on my visits.
Hugs, Sandra (WOYWW no. 59)

shazsilverwolf said...

Love the card, and I too have stamped all my stamp images onto paper & put them in a looseleaf binder( 3 binders, actually), although I did use A5 paper. Its been so useful- I actually use a lot of my stamps more now- I had so many that I didn't actually remember I had.

The Crafty Elf said...

Very nice work indeed. Thanks for sharing.

Starla said...

Oh my! I'm so impressed that you are cataloging your stamps! I shudder at the thought of even considering it!

MaggieC (Silvercrafter) said...

Elizabeth, if you want to get some ideas on brayering techniques, try to watch Barbara Gray on Create and Craft this coming Sunday morning. She is truly the queen of brayering and stamping. If you have a roll of low tack tape, just tape your paper /card down to your desk, which does help. I do like that card though, it has worked very well.

Susan said...

Hi Elizabeth,
Hope you are feeling better soon. This may be a silly question but what is the acetone for? To remove the sticky stuff? I worked 3 days in a row last week! Nothing like easing back into the workforce after 6 years! It was fabulous being back in the classroom :0) but I am exhausted! I have lost my voice a little too as it needs re-training. Thank goodness we have a 3 day weekend!
Susan xxox
http://stamponme.blogspot.com/

Maggie's Crafts said...

Wow love your creation!

Thank you for sharing.

Maggie
x

voodoo vixen said...

Hope you are feeling better soon, I think we all need spring to arrive and then we will feel better without the use of pills. When you have done your stamp catalogue could you pop over and do mine, I know I forget half the ones I do have!! Annette #5

Neet said...

You've made a good job of the brayering - love the leaves at the top - such gorgeous colours.
I too keep a catalogue in the same way, well, to be honest that should be "used to". I fully intend doing it again and I think it is a great idea. Good luck with it.

Shaz in Oz.CalligraphyCards said...

Hi there Elizabeth, re the Aspire stamp Shaz has quite few done with it so check out older posts too she does a great job..love the brayer dont you?? think am turning the corner to better health..pray so! but patience is the key..thanks for calling at my place. ;)
Shaz in Oz.x

Sue from Oregon said...

Although you say you had a pretty good learning curve with you scenery card, it turned out wonderful!!!

Franka Benjaminsen said...

Great to see something of Lavinia on your desk. I'm also working with these stamps and I like them very much. You are trying the brayer. Brave! I have to try this technique too, but I don't have the courage to do it. So I use these stamps with other backgrounds. So keep on trying and I hope it works better every time.
Bye Franka

Franka Benjaminsen said...

Great to see Laviniastamps on your desk. I love to work with them too, but used other background techniques. You're brave to use the brayer. I have to start with it too, but...
Have fun.
Buy Franka

Nicky said...

love your card really stunning ~ sorry I'm running late this week on noseing round the desks lol - Nicky no.2