Wednesday 3 November 2010

Whats on Your Workdesk Wednesday

Here we are at another WOYWW and I'm running late today. For anyone who has not discovered what this is about pop over to Julia's blog Stamping Ground and discover a world of work desks - there's nothing like a good snoop around other people's desks and see what they are up to. Saying that, here's mine:


After I finished posting the cards I had made over the last couple of days yesterday I rewarded myself with a session playing with my Cuttlebug. I've had it for a few months now but not done much with it so I really wanted to experiment and I had all the leaves collected recently on the Woodland Walk (see Saturday's post for photos). Confession time: the leaves collected on Saturday had dried to a crisp because I left them too long so I had to nip up to the Woodland Walk and collect some more - a great excuse to get out in the fresh air! Anyway, new leaves collected and you can see the result.

I tried embossing on three types of card, white, gold mirror and a more matte gold card . The embossing showed up best on gold mirror but it doesn't photograph well so no close-ups to show you but you can see them on the left of the photo. It also showed up well on the matte gold:


I discovered that you need leaves with a very well defined texture - holly leaves were the best, with sycamore the next best. Others were very disappointing. Also after the leaves have been through once or twice they loose their texture anyway and have to be tossed. The results on white card were initially disappointing - the embossing was too subtle. However, when I took distressing ink to the card they perked up considerably and the effects were much more usable. For example here is the holly leaf distressed with Tim Holtz's Shabby Shutters.


And a sycamore leaf distress with Adirondack Noel


And leaves that really didn't emboss well but made an interesting card distressed with TH's Weathered Wood.


I think this will make a great tag.

And just because the Cuttlebug was out and I was in the mood I tried a few other embossing projects I had in mind. Here is a piece of lace on the matt gold paper - not perfect but worth trying again with other lace.


This last is a border. I like putting borders on my cards and dressing them up with lace and ribbons, I also love, love, love Swiss dots (there has got to be a name for this condition!) and, though I haven't managed to acquire the Swiss dot embossing folder yet, I do have a border folder. I decided to try to combine the embossed border with my lace punch and here is the result.

Love it - I think this will look great on a card.

That's my desk this morning but before I take off on a trip round everyone else desks I'd like to warmly welcome my new followers - my husband thinks this is hilarious, me with followers! - and thank everyone who left their kind and much appreciated comments since last week - it is all appreciated. I'd also like to say that I did visit all the desks over the week, albeit I didn't get to the last few until yesterday, but I did not, unfortunately, find the time to leave a comment on all. However, please be assured I enjoyed visiting every and each one.

Bye for now
Elizabeth

27 comments:

karen said...

Wow! Thank you for showing this! It never occurred to me to put anything other than dies and embossing folders through my CuttleBug! Such a simple idea and yet a great one! I love the Holly leaf you did, it would make a perfect xmas card!
Happy WOYWW!

Sue said...

Hi ya
oh i never thought of trying anything else, luv the holly & lace, have great day,happy WOYWW, sue,(17)x

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing your workdesk, love the idea with the leaves and the lace...
x
Vicky

Helen said...

What a fantastic idea - and they have come out really well.

donnalouiserodgers said...

ha ha you should refer to them as your groupies!!! see if you can get him so realise what a star you are...

Dx 46

Mandi said...

how clever!
Love the punched and embossed piece
Happy WOYWW
mandi x

kelly said...

Thanks for showing us your desk, Elizabeth. The Wednesday comes around too quickly. I have nothing to show this week.


Kelly

Nicks said...

wow thanks for sharing this, a brill idea!

lisa said...

Hi Elizabeth.
Great minds like you say. I see you have a blue one though!!
The leaves have worked well haven't they and even the less textured ones look great being inked over. I must have a go.
Swiss dots is my favourite folder. It works so well as a background for cards. You must treat yourself, you'll use it all the time.
BTW I have a spare snowflakes folder. If you haven't got it and would like it, just drop me an e-mail and I'll pop it in the post. It's great for christmas cards!!
Hugs Lisax

Maggie's Crafts said...

Great space and love your project. :)

Maggie

xx

Ciara said...

Loving the combination of the dots with the border punch, what a brill idea

Ciara
xx

Carrie said...

That is such a clever idea with the leaves Elizabeth....I would never have thought if that but will definitely be experimenting with my Big Shot a bit more. Thanks for popping by my blog and for your lovely comment xxx

Morti said...

That's some really interesting results you have there - I'd never have thought of embossing leaves like that, so thanks for the inspiration!

akilli melek said...

Elizabeth that is such an interesting post. what a creative mind you have. caroline #16

Jennifer said...

What fun!! So clever to emboss the leaves xx Jenny xx

Sarah said...

fabulous idea and great you had time to play - enjoy yourself!
sasa 25

Esther said...

What a great idea wiht the leaves - lovely effects. I too have the 'swiss dots' condition whatever it is called - it was the first folder I bought - my mum (who doesn't have the necessary machine) loves it too and every now and again calls me up to ask for more supplies of swiss dotty card !! Happy belated WOYWW...Esther xx

Sherry said...

I'd never thought of putting leaves through the die cut machine!!! What a brill idea - love the holly one, so very defined. Looks like I'll be rummaging around the garden soon - we have a big holly bush. Thanks for sharing - and also for coming to see my desk earlier.

Sherry (110)

Sherry said...

me again Elizabeth - you can tell your husband that your band of merry followers is increasing - as I've just joined too!

Spyder said...

I''ve put all sorts through my bigshot, the other week, is was my glue tube, minus the glue, made a nice pattern!

((Happy WOYWW!!))
((Lyn))xx

hollybeary creations said...

Is that a blue Cuttlebug.. How cool is that? Looks like you've been busy!

Holly #132

Julia Dunnit said...

Great results from a great idea Elizabeth! Love the holy leaf - genius.

Kym's Crafty Cards said...

I've done leaves before and they turn out fab. Thanks for sharing your workspace. Best wishes, Kym xxx (WOYWW No 36)

Lorraine Robertson said...

Hi Elizabeth... fab desk you've got on the go there and love how you've been doing some experimenting too... thank you also for the comment you left on my blog about coming up to Glasgow for a visit. I'll hopefully get a date set within the next week or two and soon as things are finalised I'll pop another post on my blog with full details and will try to remember to message you too.

Love 'n' hugs
Lorraine xxx

Anonymous said...

hi elizabeth!

thanks for stopping by my blog..

great work in progress.. cant' wait to see the finished goods!

have a great day!
Peggy

Lavinia said...

Love the way your leaves look Peggy! very nice!
Lavinia '91
x

Unknown said...

Thank you for coming to visit my blog - I hope I gave you a laugh about my party 'faux pas'!!!

What fab embossing with the holly leaves - thanks for showing us that - I see you have the lovely blue cuttlebug... if only they had been available when I had mine!!!

Paula x x x