Wednesday 25 May 2011

WOYWW - Week 103 - Brayering and Bleaching

Good Morning Everyone,


Well, I don't know how it happened but here we are at the penultimate of the bicentennial WOYWW and now I'm truly in a panic over my PIF. It's nowhere near completion so I'd better pull my socks up and get a wriggle on if I'm going to make it. For those who don't know what WOYWW is all about you can do no better than follow this link here to the lovely lady who keeps the register every week, Julia, Queen of Desks, at Stamping Ground. From there you will be able to follow links to many other desks/tables/shelves/cubby holes/floors situated all over the world and it is all good fun.

Blogger has been really giving me a hard time recently. I came back from my road trip to find I couldn't get into my dashboard until yesterday. No explanation, no post on help to suggest the techies knew anything was amiss - nothing! And, what is worse, I am unable to leave comments on many of the sites of my fellow bloggers : ( I've tried every which way with absolutely no success - I can't sign in at these blogs so apologies to you all - I did try but it's just not playing. Goodness knows what today will bring - I hope the gremlins get sorted out soon.

So on to today's business. What's on my desk is the result of my practicing two techniques - brayering and bleaching. You can see the results of the brayering - I used a couple of Big & Juicies for this - and all I can say is there is still a long way to go. Barbara Grey, you have nothing to fear. The bleaching was more successful - I liked the 'stained glass' effect I got after painting the flowers with Summer Shimmers (free with Cardmaking & Papercraft this month).

I've taken a wider shot of the craft space this week so you can see a lot more stuff. The shelf above my desk it vital. Up there is a box of adhesives, Cuttlebug folders, 12" x 12" papers, card, scraps, templates, etc., etc., a couple of albums I'm working on, a box of stickers, and boxes containing tools of the trade - absolutely essential.

Okay, I'm off to have breakfast now and a much needed cup of tea. I wish you all a very happy WOYWW day and I'll be back later to do a bit of blog hopping - and see what you are all up to today. Hopefully, Blogger might have sorted itself out and I'll be able to leave comments today - just don't hold your breath :)

Edited Note: for those interested you can see how the bleached piece came out in the next post - link here.

24 comments:

Neet said...

You look so organised and tidy. I hate to look at my desk now.
Nice brayering - something I have never mastered - one time it works, the next ???? But I do love bleaching.
Thanks for sharing - Hugs, Neet #11

Unknown said...

Good Morning Elizabeth! Hopefully Blogger will play nice today.

Well done on the new techniques, I must have a go at bleaching some time.

Happy Wednesday
Dee
#61

Sarah said...

great tidy desk and the colours look great - hope things settle down in Bloggerland.
Thanks for sharing, have a great week.
Sarah at 18 (Sasa)

Helen said...

I am going to whisper this, but blogger seems during the morning to have sorted itself. I did find a help forum about the problem that said they were fixing it, fingers crossed! Oh, and I love your desk!

MaggieC (Silvercrafter) said...

What a beautifully tidy workspace, and those brayered backgrounds look awesome. You should be proud of those. I too wish I was half as good as Barbara Gray - she is so inspiring. Not tried bleaching yet but that will go on the list of things to do.

Sarn said...

Ooh what a lovely looking desk!

Happy WOYWW.

Hugs, Sandra Take a peek at MY DESK here

lisa said...

You sound very busy with all the techniques you're trying, Elizabeth. I hope you are going to show us the results.
Do you use Internet Explorer. It might be worth trying another browser. I use Firefox and so far haven't had any problems. Gave up with IE last year as it didn't play nicely with Blogger.
Hugs Lisax

Nicks said...

some interesting techniques going on there!!

Anonymous said...

Hi elizabeth. Haven't tried the brayering aand bleaching techniques yet but they are on my list for later - summer seems to be too busy with other things.
x Tricia

Kathleen said...

Some nice things going on here and a very tidy desk :-)
Try unticking the 'keep me logged in' when signing into your blog, it worked for me.
Kathleen x

MaggieC (Silvercrafter) said...

Just a quickie here to say that the picture on that card was an old embroidery transfer which I acquired when my husband's great aunt died. I scanned all the images to sort later, and my daughter now has the originals. I found they looked best when kept to the original design with no background added. Thank you for your visit and kind comments.

Di said...

Great looking desk Elizabeth - and I seem to be able to post comments today. Brayering and bleaching huh - sounds like good fun. Di x

Shaz in Oz.CalligraphyCards said...

Just a tip Elizabeth whihch may or may not help have only one big and Juicy pad and have maily used Adironack pads and thinks they are by far the best for brayering.. Big and Juicy you need to rub off losts of colour as they are tooo juicy really for this I think.. just my opinion started with Adironack pads and that may explain my bias, also like the Kaleidacolor ones too. I am not sure if you get them over there but found both good and learnt lots but simply watching You tube videos on it .. best way as you get a variety of tips that way.. beats TV! light touch is also very important not tried bleaching yet but like the sound of it! love Shaz in Oz.x mm, agree on Blogger!

J.A. Martin said...

Hello! I love the idea of using bleach in projects. Sounds tricky. Thanks for sharing! :-)

okienurse said...

Wow what an organized and creative desk this morning. I just got home too and I am just about tired of the blogger problems...from what I hear it isn't any better elsewhere tho! Thanks for sharing. Vickie #46

Shaz in Oz.CalligraphyCards said...

Hi again have this on my sidebar Elizabeth, but this lady is the very best ever... Sandy Hulsart also have here blog on my sidebar and have done a number of early posts with tips on it paper is important and found Kromcote is the best..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_P6JpfnXZQM&feature=related
love Shaz in Oz.x (who should be in bed - after midnight!)

The Crafty Elf said...

Bleaching you say, another technique I haven't tried. I'm going to look into that for sure. Looks good so far. Hope we get to see the finished project. Happy WOYWW ;)

Carola Bartz said...

I love both of these techniques! Recently I started spreading paint on my page with a brayer and it is so much fun. It's not as even as with ink, at least when I do it! I haven't done the bleach for quite a while, I should do that again.

Julia Dunnit said...

Ah the colours you're working with are lovely. I love the brayer as a tool, but there are plenty ut there who don't...a bit like marmite! Blogger is fixed for me, so hope for you too by now!

sandra de said...

I keep hearing about bleaching but haven't tried it just yet. It looks like you are having a great time and your desk is so tidy. Blogger has been such a bother lately hope it sorts out at your end. Thanks for visiting.

Lisa-Jane said...

Oooh not tried brayering... something else for me to have a play at! I love to experiment, its a great stress relief isn't it?! Your room looks very organised!

Shaz in Oz.CalligraphyCards said...

Back again just reading Eileen's great blog and remembered she has great tut.s on brayer plus here latest post uses them with the Adirondack inks I was telling you about and Lavinia stamps ..see http://eileenscraftyzone.blogspot.com/
love Shaz in oz.x

Nicky said...

Hi love your desk so neat and tidy would love to play there - I too had problems with blogger but worked out that when it asked me to sign in if I untick the keep me signed in box - it works - strange I know

Spyder said...

your desk always looks very crafty! Haven't done braying for ages, must have a go! again. Happy Late Woyww
((Lyn #35))