Wednesday 22 May 2019

WOYWW Week 520 - Celebrating Ten Years

Morning Deskers & All

Congratulations to our Head Desker Julia for ten years of What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday! I'm sure she did not foresee that with that first desk shot post all those years ago that ten years on she would still be inviting us to share our desks ... I know, not everyone crafts at a desk, one notable desker favours the floor ... and whatever crafting projects we're working on at the time. Who would have thought we'd all love the concept and join in as soon as we discovered the Stamping Ground - for me that was 2010! After all those years it's still one of the highlights of my week. And I have made so many lovely crafty friends, both virtually and in person, through WOYWW - all of us united by one clever lady's brilliant idea. So thank you Julia. May you and your brilliant idea continue for many years to come.

Here's my desk for this Wednesday.  I should say, in the interest of full transparency, this shot is from Tuesday evening (I have my reasons) and that really is the dying sun throwing a golden glow across the desk. As you can see I've been creating backgrounds with distress inks, Old Paper, Evergreen Bough and Black Soot. I was inspired after spotting Wanda Cullen's beautiful card with a background created with distress oxide inks. Because I haven't any oxide inks I thought I'd try with old-fashioned distress inks instead. The result, however, is very different - nowhere as smooth as I'd hoped for - even though ink brushes give a better finish than sponges. I may have to succumb to temptation and invest in a few oxide inks very soon.


Something else that's been on my desk this week.
 After finishing, at last, My First Quilt I can now reveal another first completed. My first pair of socks. And this involved another first - the Kitchener Stitch to finish off the toes. It would seem that the British Secretary of State for War, (WWI) H H Kitchener, was so concerned for the foot problems that uncomfortable sock seams caused soldiers in the trenches that he found, and issued through the Red Cross, a pattern for socks which included a seamless grafting technique - the 'Kitchener stitch'.

That's all I have to share this week. I'm skipping the book bit - no time.

The reason I hinted at for being so early this week, apart from the need to celebrate WOYWW's tenth anniversary, is that I going to be MIA for much of tomorrow. I'm off to spend the day with two lovely crafters, Rita of RMG Creations, who lives nearby, and Kate of I Love Socks and Cards who has come down from the Black Isle, in the Scottish Highlands, for a visit. I'm sure we are going to have a fun day of chat and crafting. Which means, of course, that I will be late to the party but promise to visit and comment just as soon as I am able.

In the meantime, I wish you all a wonderful WOYWW and a fabulous week ahead.

28 comments:

Helen said...

Have a wonderful time! nothing like catching up with friends and if they are crafters as well - perfect! Love your atcs - you're right, the oxides do seem smoother (sorry, you'll just have to get some!) Have a great week.. Helen #1

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

I've never seen the Oxides and only have ONE Distress ink pad, but loads of reinkers. I am not much of a stamper, so really don't know much about the oxides.

Sounds like you are going to have a fun, fun day with like minded crafting friends. Happy 10th from # 5.

Neet said...

Enjoy your day out and if I am not too late remember me to Rita. I miss her lovely creations on WOYWW.
Persevere with the DI's and you will get there. I find that to keep going over and over, first the one colour and then overlapping slightly with the next works. It does take time to get a smooth finish but I will admit when I used to demonstrate the Distress range the Oxides seemed to work easier for most people.
Happy anniversary
Hugs, Neet 10 xx

dutchess said...

Have a lovely time with the girls and please give them both a hug for me....
Love the socks,xxxx

Tracey@Hotchpotchcreations said...

Oh Elizabeth once bitten by the oxide's there will be no turning back as they react so differently to distress inks which are a lot more thirsty than the oxides. Love those socks, they look so soft and comfy!!
Have fun with your crafty friends..
Wishing you a Happy 10th WoywW Anniversary Hugs Tracey #9

Marit said...

Happy anniversary Elizabeth, so glad we 'meet' almost every Wednesday. I feel blessed to be part of this crafty, creative, nice and supporting online tribe! I love your socks... I just threw away a pair of wool socks that had too many holes in it and I couldn't repair them yet another time (I had been repairing them two times before...) I wear socks in the house all the time and I thought just yesterday: what if I start knitting my own pairs instead of buying... I might go look for a pattern! Enjoy your day! Hugs and kisses from the Netherlands. Marit #17

Lunch Lady Jan said...

I really hope you have a lovely day catching up with the crafters - there's nothing better!! I'm SO impressed with your socks, that is something I know I'm never going to do..no patience, you see!! Though the Kitchener toe sounds a great idea as I hate socks with annoying seams too.
Really looking forward to seeing you very soon and giving you a great big hug!
Happy 10th WOYWW,
HUGS LLJ 8 XXXX

Debbie Rock said...

Happy 10th WOYWW Anniversary! What a lovely celebratory day this is! I have all the oxides but still find myself reaching for the good old Distress Ink pads - I do love them so. Really must tape up those drawers next time I need ink pads so I am forced to use the oxides - odd really as I love the results you can get with them. Hope you have a super day. Love Debbie #25 xXx

Annie said...

My plan is to get round everyone today to wish them a very happy 10th anniversary and to thank you for your friendship and lovely comments over the years.
Hope you have a wonderful day today.
See you soon :-)
Hugs,
Annie x #10

shazsilverwolf said...

Hi Elizabeth, I came along in 2010 too. Amazing it's been that long. Give Kate a big hug from me, please. Love the colours,I agree, Oxides do blend so smoothly.Great job on the socks, and an interesting titbit about the toes! Have a lovely week, Hugs, Shaz #7 X

Zsuzsa Karoly-Smith said...

Hi Elizabeth! My desk photo is very rarely shot on Wednesday morning - I just take it whenever there's some activity on it - although I do know what you mean when you want to be "transparent" LOL! Sometimes you have to bend the "rules"! Have fun with your crafty friends - happy anniversary! zsuzsa #26

Diana Taylor said...

Your backgrounds are looking great - I'm not really sure what sort of a difference Oxides would make but I'm liking what you've achieved here.
Happy WOYWW 10th Anniversary,
Diana x #22

buterfliecrafter said...

your desk is so tidy, love the brushes, Happy anniversary, Vicky #31

Lindart said...

I've never tried that combo of colours, interesting! I will have to check out the link! Oxides are certainly a lot of fun, I resisted them for awhile too, but I think you will like them. Have fun with your friends! Happy 10th, Lindart #37

Caro said...

Love the distress ink background. I use them quite a lot but with the applicators and on the craft sheet and it works quite well for a nice smooth background. Not yet succumbed to the temptation to get distress oxides! Happy 10 year WOYWW anniversary. Have a great week. Love & God Bless, Caro x (#27)

My name is Cindy said...

Hi there Elizabeth, sounds like you have a fun day planned. I'm impressed by the socks!! Happy 10th Anniversary, Cindy #44

Dorlene Durham said...

Very impressive socks! There's so many things to invest in, I have not with the distress oxides either. Maybe one day. LOL Happy 10 years WOYWW! Dorlene #42

Twiglet said...

Happy 10th anniversary! So looking forward to meeting up next week and so glad everyone is happy to leave their stilettoes at home - lol! Your socks are fab - I have never attempted it - I think it would take me a life time and probably be most uncomfy to wear as following a pattern is not my strong point! xx Jo

pearshapedcrafting said...

Love those colours! How lovely to be crafting with friends! Rita is a lovely and talented lady and I hope you all have a wonderful time! Big Hugs, Chrisx

Felix the Crafty Cat said...

Hi Elizabeth, I have to say Oxide inks do go on much easier than the old Distress Oxides but you could rub on a thin coat of Vaseline first then the distress inks will spread better and smoother. I'm really late as I was forced to go out with friends today to drink coffee and eat scones.... I could hardly say no! but it has made me late getting round. Wishing you a lovely woyww and a happy creative week with hugs, Angela x19X

Sarah Brennan said...

Happy 10th WOYWW birthday Elizabeth. Hope you have fun today with your crafty friends. I had never heard of Kitchener stitch, well done on your first socks! Sarah #3

Stacy Sheldon said...

Happy Anniversary Elizabeth, Ooh I should probably not say this but, I hardly touch my regular distress pads since I started collecting the oxides, the blending is so much smoother. and i do like the chalk-ink finish it has too. ~Stacy #35

Robyn said...

happy 10th lovely socks! robyn 6 I spin and love making sock yarn!
robyn 6

Heather M said...

Hi Elizabeth, sorry for the late visit and Happy 10th WOYWW anniversary! I looked at the link to Wanda's card, and see what you mean. I have a few oxides, I found a website with a very reasonable price and 10% off first order! I also followed the link to your first quilt, looks beautiful! I was so proud of myself when I finished my first ever quilt at Christmas, even though I had planned to make 3. Which reminds me, I need to get started now if I want to make the other two in time for Christmas this year! Have a lovely week Heather x #30

glitterandglue said...

Hi Elizabeth - Happy 10th anniversary - Couldn't comment yesterday as blogger wasn't letting me - bah humbug! - so am trying to get around a few today whilst at least google and blogger are working!!! How great are those socks?! Well done. Sorry your background didn't do quite what you had hoped for - hope you manage to get them just right. Looking forward to seeing you at the crop.
Take care. God bless.
Margaret #5

Nikki said...

Happy 10th anniversary
Just getting around to a few more desks today trying to visit as many as I can
What pretty purple socks too
Hugs Nikki 43

Julia Dunnit said...

I’m so late, sorry. By now you will have had a fab day with the gals, and be wondering how it went so fast. I do love reading your blog Elizabeth, another pearl of wisdom...the Kitchener stitch. Wow, who knew. Seems a trivial thing to be concerned about when you’re sending hundreds of thousands of men to their end.
I don’t have any of those brushes so can’t say if the Oxides would blend better or not..I use sponges all the time. Quicker see, and I’m very impatient about backgrounds. I like the colour combo that’s underway, very moody.

HeARTworks said...

Wow! What an interesting bit of trivia about the Kitchener stitch! But yes, when people are particular about something or other, something gets invented!!! Happy belated WOYWW!!! :^) patsy