What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday - Week 638

Hello Everyone

A very late hello it is too. Why? We've been on a trip to town. Our first in many months and it will also be our last for many more. We're exhausted. Alan's health is improving but he's still got a way to go yet. It didn't help that I've been poorly most of this last week. And that means my workdesk is much as it was last Wednesday. 

As can clearly be seen in this pic. I've turned the photo and its layers over to protect it from the sunlight - wouldn't do to have it fade and curl up in the heat. 

I'm hoping to get back to scrapping soon. With the weather being so good yesterday, I did get out into the garden to pick a few of these blackberries. 

We usually cut back any brambles shoots that pop through from neighbouring gardens but this year they've left to do their thing. They will go well in a crumble with the apples I've picked from our trees.

Butter wouldn't melt! But Silver is as mischievous as ever. And she's decided this blanket was crocheted just for her. 

And finally, some funnies that I hope you will enjoy. 

First, a couple that are cat related.

And now, one for all the sewists among us. 

That's all from me this week. To see what's on many more workdesk do pop over to Julia's Stamping Ground. 

As usual, many thanks for all the lovely comments received last week. I will endeavour to visit as many desks as possible over the week. 

Take care, 

Elizabeth

PS: This post was typed on the mobile so please excuse any typos ... the tiny keyboard is made for mistakes! 

What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday - Week 637

Hello Everyone

Happy Wednesday and happy WOYWW too. Goodness! I'm tickled pink to be here for the second week in a row, joining in with the weekly meme that is Julia's brilliant brainchild, What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday, giving us the chance to snoop around so many crafty desks. 

Here's what's on my desk this morning.

Not much different from last week. Just a bit less chaotic. What can I say? I'm a messy crafter. It takes a lot of sorting through sheets and scraps of patterned paper when you're as indecisive as me. So, for me, this is a tolerable and essential mess. 

And here's the pic of the kitten at the gateway to what I am sure is her idea of paradise. All those goodies to whet her feline curiosity. It's not obvious in this shot but she has just pinched a make-up sponge, used for inking, to play with. She tossed it around like it was a mouse ... all good practice for our trainee mouser. 

And finally, a few of the funnies I've spotted this week, predictably cat themed.

All so true. As I'm writing this post, there's a very comfy looking kitten sleeping on my lap! 

I did visit as many desks as I could last week but, as is almost certain at the moment, I did run out of time. I hope to do better this week. Many thanks for all the lovely comments received. They are all much appreciated. 

Take care,

Christmas Card Club Challenge - Cards 22-26

Hello Everyone,

Its been a long time since I joined in with my friends in the Christmas Card Challenge but, as my hubby's health, not to mention my own, is slowly improving, I'm finding a wee bit more time in my craftroom. Today the challenge is for 'candles' but I'm reverting to the fallback of 'anything goes' with this collection of cards recycled from those received in previous years. 

All these cards were quick and easy to make. Of course, it all depends on the amount of extras used to create the cards but I've held back on layering and embellishments for two reasons: one, mailing costs - the fewer layers and furbelows, the better; two, speed - when time is at a premium, quick is good. 

Hopefully, and I am increasingly hopeful, the days will come when I have more time in the craftroom and then I'll be able to concentrate on the actual challenges instead of going for 'anything goes'. In the meantime, I'm happy to keep on recycling. 

I hope you are all well. I hope, too, you will pop over to see what my teammates have created for this fortnight's challenge. You'll find a list of their names and links on my right sidebar - as always they are so much more creative than I will ever be.

Take care everyone,

What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday - Week 636

Hello Everyone,

Miracle of miracles, I'm finding time to join in with What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday, Julia's weekly get-together of crafty people. 

This shot was taken last night, just as I'd finished the layout and was off to bed. What a mess. You wouldn't think that the desk was very tidy before I started putting the layout together, but it was. The problem is, I pull out and rehearse so many papers, inks, stickers, embellishments, etc., before I settle on what goes well with what. And the rejects just pile up. Chaos!

This is the finished page. The photos are of my daughter's first day out of hospital. After weeks in the prem unit she was considered well enough to come home. She weighed a tiny 5lbs 5ozs and was no bigger than a doll. She turned 50 last week! 

Materials used were: base patterned paper from P13s Sugar & Spice O2; other patterned papers from Bella BLVD's My Candy Girl Collection, 'Bubble Beauty' and Cocoa Vanilla's Happiness Collection, 'Expressive'. The cutfile is from Peartree Cutfiles. Stencil from Clarity Stencils. Inks are Heidi Swapp Color Shine in 'Hot Pink' and 'Sweet Mint' and Tim Holtz Distress Ink in 'Picked Raspberry'. Stickers from Simple Stories I Am collection, Tim Holtz Idea-ology 'Chitchat'; Vicki Boutin Sticker book and sequins both from MTS Kits. 

Sequins! More sequins than I am likely to use in my lifetime! But aren't they pretty? In the interests of enabling they are from Craft Medley Creative Essentials, purchased in a mixed media kit from Mind The Scrap. They look good enough to eat. Note to self: keep away from the kitten. 

And talking of the kitten:

Up to mischief, as usual, trying to snatch Alan's yarn and needles. 

And finally, a funny:

And that's me again for this week. I will, as usual, try to visit everyone but I can't make any promises. My playtime is somewhat limited these days but I'll do my best. 

Have a great WOYWW and a wonderful week. 

Sunday Smiles

Hello Everyone,

Hope your Sunday has been good so far. It's raining here - good for the flowers. Typically, I didn't make it to Annie's Friday Smiles again this week. Didn't make it for Saturday either so I thought I'd post what's made me smile this week today. 

First up, the following photos explain why I was really busy yesterday. 

As mentioned in my last post, Alan is learning to knit. He's been inspired by Tom Daley, the Olympic diver and talented knitter. 

It's not coming easy to him but, with the help of YouTube and me, I'm sure he'll master it eventually. I can't wait to show you his first knitted masterpiece. 

Next, our cherry trees have been attracting interest from a large flock of starlings. 

The crop has been amazing this year - so many we've invited all our neighbours to help themselves. 

The starlings must have spotted them, though, oddly, we haven't seen as many of the birds in our garden this year. 

Not a very clear shot but I hope you can spot all the starlings sitting atop my neighbour's roof. This was after they gorged on as many ripe cherries as they could. 

Again, not the best shot. I wasn't quick enough to get the full effect of the murmuration that followed. A fabulous sight. 

And finally, our most exciting family news. My daughter's rottweiler, Ebony, gave birth early this morning.

Six puppies in the litter, four male and two female. One of the females, puppy no. 3, was not doing too well but a quick visit to the vet for treatment and she's doing fine. 

That's it from me. It's not been a bad week with plenty to smile about. Hope you've had an equally good one.

Thanks for visiting - it's much appreciated. 

Have a great week ahead 

Elizabeth

Scrap Page 26/2021

Hello Everyone,

Just a very quick post from me today. I'm teaching my husband to knit! It's his latest ploy to keep himself occupied now that hard, physical labour is out of the question. My grandmother taught me to knit when I was four years old so I do not remember how difficult it was to learn. I can see from Alan's struggles that it must have been, and my grandmother must have been a saint. Now, today's page. 

Hooray

The photo is of three of my great-grandchildren on a visit to their grandmother, my daughter Juli. They love having sleepovers with her but they also love going home so here they are enjoying a 'hooray' moment after being told that they'd soon be on their way. Apart from the base of aqua cardstock, all the patterned papers are leftover scraps and the embellishments from old stash. It's very satisfying using up even the tiniest strip of scrap paper - so much better than tossing it in the bin.

And finally, the kitten moment.

Stretched out. She knows how to relax. I can't believe how long her body is now that she's almost five months old. 

That's me done for today.

Many thanks, once more, for your visit and your comments - they are always appreciated.

Take care,

In A Vase On Monday - The Thistle and The Rose

Hello Everyone,

I hope you have all had a very enjoyable weekend. Mine was spent trying, but failing, to bring some sort of order to our much neglected garden. Deadheading and cutting back the too, too exuberant growth that's sprung up in all the borders gave me the ideal opportunity to check out what there was to cut for today's vase. 

As you can see there was a lot and I was spoiled choice. Particularly among the roses but it was the peach roses growing just below the dining room window that really caught my eye. 

When first picked, on Saturday, they were still to open fully. Today they have opened and the colours are stunning. Unfortunately, I can't tell you the name of the rose, they were already well established long before we moved into this house. 

Also making it to the vase are buddleia, a self-seeded gift from the old shrub which grows at the bottom end of the front garden, hypericum 'Magical Red Flame' grown more for the bright red berries than its small yellow flowers and my husband's 'thistle', eryngium 'Big Blue'. 

I could have picked more but both the thistle and the roses were so prickly, too prickly, they forced me to carry them indoors as fast as possible. And that reminded me of the old poem entitled The Thistle and The Rose by William Dunbar written to mark the wedding, in August 1503, of King James IV of Scotland to Princess Margaret Tudor of England - James being represented by the thistle, the flower of Scotland, and Margaret by the rose of England. 

I'm not always fit enough to work in the garden but I do when I can in the hope of taming the too boisterous growth of shrubs, plants and, of course, the weeds that have tried to completely take over every border. My son tells me not to worry - the overgrown garden is a perfect haven for wildlife!  

To see yet more lovely floral offerings in a vase pop over to Cathy's blog, Rambling in the Garden. 

Have a lovely day.