Wednesday 4 December 2019

WOYWW Week 548

Hello Everyone,

Well, here we are at the beginning of December and it's raining! We've had sub-zero temperatures and crisp frosty mornings for the last week or so and today it's raining - yuk! Not a day to go out unless it's absolutely necessary, and for me it's not. But it does make it the perfect day for What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday over at Julia's Stamping Ground.
My desk it is looking very festive today. The postie brought me the cards that can be seen at the back - two birthday cards and the first Christmas card of the year ... thank yous go to Cindy, Maggie and Margaret. They are much appreciated and should cheer me on while I get on with wrapping presents and writing Christmas cards - that pile is just the tip of this particular iceberg!

When I'm not working on the above, and when I need a break, I'm participating in the Scrap Squad's '12 Days of Scraplifts' challenge. Whilst I like the idea of creating a December Daily or Journal Your Christmas album, I know myself - I won't keep it up. I've tried before and failed - miserably. But creating just 12 pages to record this wonderful time of the year seems much more do-able. Here's the first two.
Day 1 scraplift: This is the front/title page of my December album for this year. All the papers and stickers are from Simple Stories 'Winter Wonderland' collection from 2016. The puffy stickers are from Crate Paper 'Snowflake' collection. I found the calendar photo online.
Day 2 scraplift. My birthday, 29th November, signals the start of the festive season for me. The background paper is from an incredibly old Echo Park collection, 'Reflections Christmas' from 2013. The ephemera is from a more recent Heidi Swapp collection. I got my trusty sewing machine out to stitch the circle. 

I'll be tackling the scraplift for Day 3 later today ... I'm not too bothered about actually keeping up, keeping going will do. 

And now, the book bit. 
As you might know already, I do like a good psychological thriller and Val McDermid is one of my favourite authors of the genre. 'Beneath the Bleeding' is another good book in the Dr Tony Hill and DCI  Carol Jordan - 'Wire in the Blood' - series. Tony's leg is injured and he's in the hospital for most of this book. That doesn’t stop him, though. As he says, his head still works. Carol and her team are investigating a poisoning, then another. And interestingly, for the gardeners among us, the source of the poisons can all be grown in our gardens. Very intriguing. You can tell I enjoyed this book a lot.

Because it's the festive season, I've got a few seasonal books to listen to over the next few weeks. Here are few I have lined up.



I'm expecting these to be light reading but fun and just right for getting me in the Christmas spirit. 

Right, that's it from me for now - I'm off to have a spot of lunch and then I'll be back to check out what's on your desks today.

Take care, keep warm, and have a great week ahead. 

10 comments:

Lunch Lady Jan said...

I don't take part in challenges either and for the same reason as you - I just know that I wouldn't keep it up. But 12 LOs seems very manageable and I like your first two very much indeed! The books are a good tip, I've some Veronica Henry before, not earth shattering stuff but a light read which I enjoyed.
Hope you and the EM are keeping well!
Hugs LLJ 3 xxx

Annie said...

I'm doing a whistle stop tour of all my fav blogs before starting to sew the 3 Memory bears I've got lined up ready so please excuse it being a speedy visit.
I have too many challenges with life to take on more :-) I do love the pages you've done my friend.
Hugs,
Annie x #11

Twiglet said...

Your LOs remind me that I have a box with all sorts of Christmas papers - I think they are really Maxine's. Maybe I should bring them along to the crop in June!! xx Jo

shazsilverwolf said...

Hi Elizabeth, great job on the layouts, they look fab. I'd not be able to keep up with a big project like a whole month either. Book sounds intriguing, it's actually quite scary how many common garden plants are poisonous if the wrong part was eaten!Have a lovely week, Hugs, Shaz #15 X

Caro said...

I admire anyone who can do challenges at this time of year, there is no chance for me! Love the layouts you have done so far, and loving your festive looking desk. Happy WOYWW. Take care, With Love & God Bless Caro xx (#5)

Helen said...

Good luck with the layouts - gorgeous so far! Hope you enjoy your festive reading /listening. I've had a few Christmas cards already too, must get mine written! Helen #1

Tracey@Hotchpotchcreations said...

Happy belated Birthday Elizabeth, I hope you had a good day? Your birthday scrap page looks like you did, good luck with keeping up with the challenge, I know how hard it can be to stay focused this time of year on anything other than Christmas. Happy WoywW Tracey #8

Felix the Crafty Cat said...

Nice card collection but the layouts are gorgeous. I keep trying to do more in my journals but just don't keep it up. I've just finished a book by Joanna Sheen, couldn't put it down! it was brilliant and will have to get more of her's. Wishing you a happy creative woyww, Angela x12x

Sarah Brennan said...

Glad you had a good birthday Elizabeth. I love Val McDermid especially as she is a fellow Chalet school fan as well. The scrapbook pages look great! Happy belated WOYWW. Sarah #2

Crafting With Jack said...

A belated happy WOYWW x. Your pages are lovely and that reindeer caught my eye, he is handsome. I don’t do challenges as such, for the same reason, although I did the 31 days of Halloween and the 25 days of Christmas tags this year. Angela # 25