WOYWW - Week 728 - The 14th Anniversary One

Hello Everyone

It's such a special week for What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday, the brainchild of of our Head Desker, Julia. I imagine when she posted the first WOYWW fourteen years she didn't foresee just how popular we would find the opportunity to be nosy and enjoy taking a peek at each others desks. But the fun hasn't stopped there - there's been the almost yearly crops where many of us got to actually meet other WOYWWers in person. 

ATCs received from Wipso, Twiglet & LLJ today.

And there's the friendships made that have perhaps been unexpected but very much appreciated! Friends like the three lovely ladies who made and sent their fabulous 14th Anniversary ATCs pictured above - including me in the celebrations despite knowing that I'm not able to reciprocate this year. 

I've peeked at Julia's post today and she puts into words the value of WOYWW so much better than I am able, especially for those of us who, like me, can only participate occasionally at the moment.

There's been no scrapping again this week. Mainly because I had to clear the decks to enable an electrician access to my room. He has put a source of power in Alan's scooter hut so the battery can be charged in situ and that necessitated boring a hole through the wall of the house into the wall of the hut. That battery weighs a ton so I'm glad I don't have to bring it into the house to be charged now! 

Instead of scrapping I've taken up crochet again. I've realised that, as I was spending a lot of time sitting and chatting with Alan, I could be exercising my arthritic hands at the same time. It's just a big granny square like the one below. 

Nothing complicated and no deadline either. 

Here's the Silver pic of the week. 

Not napping this time but chasing a red light, her new favourite game. 

And finally a photo from the Saltcoats, the neighbouring town to Ardrossan. 

That's my SIL 'walking on water'! There's an old neglected swimming pool, the wall of which makes for fun photos when the tide is in. 

I planned a much shorter post to mark What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday's fourteenth anniversary but got a bit carried away. Hope you enjoyed my ramblings and I hope you all have a fabulous day/week celebrating. 

Hugs to you all,
Elizabeth 

Crochet Project - Harmony Granny Square Blanket

Hello Everyone,

Just popping in with a quick post to show that I'm crocheting again.

I started this project more than a year ago. Perhaps two years even. Such neglect! 

It's been easier to concentrate on scrapping. It's been my therapy when things have been difficult. But recently I've been thinking about my other hobbies, e.g. sewing, knitting and crochet, and how much I enjoy making things. 

So, I've decided to simply make time for them. To begin, I've scheduled two Sundays in every month, one for knitting/crochet and the other for sewing. 

It's time to pick up my WIPs (Works in Progress) where I left off. I'll try to share how I'm progressing here from time to time. 

Take care all. 

Elizabeth

PS: The pattern for the Harmony Square Blanket can be found on Attic24's blogspot. 

In A Vase On Monday - All the Yellows

Hello Everyone

Well, it's been more than a little while since I've been able to join in with Cathy's In A Vase On Monday. For those who haven't read my most recent posts I've been too ill to participate for quite a few weeks. I'm still not 100% but getting there - slowly but surely. But, I have to say, that a stroll around the garden is guaranteed to lift the spirits. Still February and it looks like Spring already

Although I was tempted by the snowdrops and crocus I was really drawn to all the yellows so picked a bunch of daffodils. The miniature, a mix of Tête-à-Tête and other varieties unknown, were the first to burst into colour but the bigger ones, again varieties unknown, are starting to open up now too.

Ordinarily, yellow is my least favourite colour but I can't deny it is cheering at this time of year. The winter jasmine is almost done but I did find a tiny piece still flowering.

The hyacinth was cut from a bowl of three, a £2 supermarket bargain, growing on the kitchen windowsill. The head was so heavy it was drooping so much it was in danger of breaking - it begged to be rescued. 

The crystal vase, a charity shop find, is now in the hall where the almost overpowering perfume from the hyacinth can drift up the stairs. It looks lovely set on the crocheted doily which, though it looks like a vintage find, was made by yours truly last year from a retro pattern found online.

What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday - Week 490

Hello Everyone,

I hope you are having a lovely day. Here in Ayrshire the temperature has dropped like a stone and the sky is cloudy and grey, making it another perfect day for the participation in the vicarious pleasures of Julia's What's On Your Desk - where there are bound to be a lot more interesting desks on view then this one of mine.

Yes, not a lot to see really. The little pile of patterned papers is all that's left from a weekend of cyber cropping. Not that I completed many pages, four to be precise, but that was only because we had the happy distraction of a visit from three of our lovely great-grandchildren. On top of the paper there's a pile of photos that I may scrap some time soon. At the back is a heap of recently finished Christmas cards waiting to be addressed ... that should be soon too but I'll probably put that task off for as long as possible. The notebook beside them was discovered when I was going through a shelf of books ... part of a process of weeding out my extensive book collection. I'm at the stage in life where I need far fewer possessions cluttering up my home! The notebook, handmade and brought back from a holiday in Amalfi, contains print-outs of cards that inspired about 7/8 years ago. They do look a bit dated today but the ideas are still good so I'll be keeping the notebook a bit longer. Finally, that's my 'things to-do today' book lying off to the left. As you can see it's empty but not because I've no tasks to do. Quite the reverse! I'm sure I can think of plenty to do. I just need to write the tasks I want/need to do down and get on with it ... just as soon as I've had another cuppa. 

Before I go, I thought I'd show this beautiful crochet doily.

Not my own work - well, not entirely my work. It was an unfinished object (UFO) found in the home of a Thursday craft club member's late mother-in-law. Knowing that I crocheted, she asked if I would complete the doily for her and, of course, I was only too happy to help. It was lovely to work on and I'm pleased it looked not half bad once I'd finished with it. 

No book review this week. I'm still listening to the same book as last week, the one about Alan Turing and the Enigma Machine ... it's a huge book and I've had less opportunity than usual to listen so I still have quite a few chapters to get through. 

If you haven't participated in What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday before but fancy joining in the fun do pop over to the Stamping Ground where you can find all the information you need here. It's really too easy, post a photo of your desk, tidy or messy it doesn't matter, and add your link to all the others. It's fun, you'll see.

In the meantime, have a very happy WOYWW and a great week ahead.

Monday Make - Sparkly Crochet Lap Throw

Morning Everyone,

Thought I should share this little throw today.

It's one of a very long list of UFOs and it's only taken me 6 years - yes, 6 years - to complete! It's not that it was anything complicated, just nine Grannie squares and a border but it got abandoned half way through the making and ended at the back of a cupboard. That is, until recently when I decided I just had to do something about it. The red and black yarns have a metallic thread running through them which was one of the reasons I abandoned the throw all those years ago - the yarn would split when I wasn't paying attention. The other is that black yarn is - now that my eyesight isn't what it used to be - difficult to work with, particularly in the evening which is when I prefer to crochet. Anyway, it's done and the intended recipient is delighted, even if she is now 6 years old!

Have a lovely day.

What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday - Week 453

Another Wednesday and another WOYWW.

I've been putting together a couple of scrapbook pages. A while ago, during an uncharacteristic period of forward planning following the method used by Nicole Jones 911, I put together several 'scrapbook kits' from my stash. Nicole has several YouTube demos on how she makes her kits, all of which I found very helpful. When I felt like scrapbooking yesterday I just pulled out a couple of the kits and had one layout completed in no time at all and another begun.

Other stuff I've been up to this week.

Finally finished this hexagon throw. It took me ages to weave in the 'hundreds' of yarn ends. That's the sort of task has you vowing never again!

More yarn found it's way into my knitting bag. I've already started knitting with the green yarn, centre photo, to make up this retro jacket pattern.

The EM is doing okay. He had a pre-op examination yesterday but was disappointed to be told that he will need to get another heart scan before the operation goes ahead. He's impatient to get it over and done with so another delay was a bit of a blow. He's at the hospital again tomorrow to have a heart monitor fitted for 24 hours. I can't say, though, that he's letting his dicky heart slow him down all that much - he's not the kind to sit around watching TV all day!

Here he is getting to know Ebony, our daughter's Rottweiler puppy. She's cute and he's not half bad either.

Just visible in my desk photo this week is the 'library' of audio books on my computer. I have set it up to be able to listen here in the craftroom or on my mobile phone when elsewhere - perfect for hanging about hospital waiting rooms. This week's audio books have been a real mixed lot.

This is a lovely book to listen to. The writer records a year in the life of a Hertfordshire meadow. He describes the animals and wild flowers that live and grow in the meadow.

Subtitled a Jayne Sinclair Genealogical Mystery. Brilliant if you are interested in genealogy and history. I now know a lot more about the Irish Civil War and, in particular, the 1916 Revolt in Dublin. A great listen, especially if you like your family history combined with mystery..

I'm such a fan of Scandinavian crime novels and, in particular,  those written by the Swedish Stieg Larsson. Too sad that he died before he could write more than three books about 'the girl' Lisbeth Salander.  I'm only part way through this one but so far it has not disappointed.

That's all from me today. I'm off to make a cuppa and a bit of lunch before settling down to check out what's on everyone's desks this week.

Have a lovely WOYWW and a wonderful week ahead.

What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday - Week 441

Hello Everyone,

It's a lovely day here. The weather isn't terrible for November, the birds are happily flitting around the garden, sometimes landing on the rowan tree that is in my direct line of vision. Right now there's a coal tit tucking into a peanut pinched from the squirrel feeder. The sky is clear enough too that I can see over the rooftops to the Carrick hills in the distance. Added to all that it's What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday. Perfection!

And for a change there's lots of stuff on my desk too. I've made a card ... though I can't share it with you just yet ... and I've made a start on another. So there's a pile of dies and leftover scraps to the left and a stamped image from the Winter Woodland set of stamps that is visible on the right. It came free with a new magazine but I'm blessed if I can tell you the title as I can't lay my hands on it at the moment - it's possibly Crafts Beautiful. I don't buy papercrafting magazines all that often now as, frankly, I have enough piled up to last me a lifetime but this one caught my eye for the little creatures in the stamp set. There's a deer, rabbit, squirrel, hedgehog, a pair of owls and several little birds - all the kind of stamps I'll use many times.

Elsewhere in Casa Worthington:

Not a desk, but the coffee table ... in front of the sofa where I relax with a bit of needlework of some sort most evenings. This a pretty simple garter stitch pattern knitted from a yarn cake brought back from the SECC Glasgow hobby craft show a couple of weeks back. Just a few more inches to go and it will be done.

I've always got more than one project on the go. No surprise there - I think most of us do the same. This hexagon throw has taken me the better part of the year to get to this point ... just the border to complete now. I crochet until my thumb aches, rest for a while, then pick up the knitting which, if I'm honest, is a bit of a breeze compared with the crochet - requiring, as it does, very little concentration.

Well, I hope our Head Desker, Julia, doesn't despair too much at the length of my post today. I've wittered on a bit but I seem to be back in crafting mode so there's a lot to share.

Have a great WOYWW and a wonderful week ahead.

WOYWW 428

Morning Everyone,

After the lovely weather we were enjoying last week today it's raining. Never mind! There is always What's On Your Workdesk to console me. That's the fun meme brought to us by Julia our Queen of Desks. over at the Stamping Ground, in which a worthy bunch of crafters reveal all. Here's what was on my desk this morning.

Of course, I had to clear it, using the shove-to-the-side-method, before I could get to the keyboard. Inspired by Shaz's post last week I've dragged out a bunch of UFOs and sorted them out. I've even managed to make one card, resting on the keyboard in the photo. It's not much but it's a start. On the left there's a pile of die-cuts (just visible), Brusho splattered bits and alcohol inked bits. To the right of the guillotine is a pile of card and stamped images, some already coloured, others still waiting to be coloured. The horrible mess to the far right is a couple of boxes of ribbon and lace scraps which I dragged out thinking it could be useful. At the back are the boxes and tubs of essentials that are permanently on show.

I've also set myself a target to clear the backlog of needlecraft projects waiting to be finished. Here are two that were finished this week.

Crocheted pineapple patterned doily. The first one I've made for many decades. I did make a few, still scattered around on tables even now, before my children were born but this kind of crochet takes a lot of concentration - not the sort of thing to do when you have a house full of kids.

Zippered pouch. After the success of the scrappy bag I made for my daughter's birthday - shown in last week's WOYWW post - I've made this similar but smaller and simpler to make pouch. Forward planning for, dare I say it, Christmas. I found the easy to follow  instructions on Anna Graham's blog Noodlehead.

I think the pouch would make a lovely present, filled with goodies of course. And that reminds me that I had a few comments last week asking what the goodies were that I put in my daughter's bag. Well, they were skin products - all fruity perfumed, e.g. body butter, lip salve, hand cream, etc. She was particularly pleased with the hand cream because, as a quilter, her hands get very dry.

So that's what I've been up to this week. DH is taking me out for a spot of lunch now so I'll be over to see what's on everyone's desk later - just as soon as I'm back.

In the meantime, Happy WOYWW and have a wonderfully crafty week ahead.

Friday Smiles

Morning Smilers,

I hope you have all had a very happy week with lots to smile about. As it's Friday I'm joining Annie at A Stitch In Time with this post showing just a little of what has made me smile this week.

First up is this little guy.

He's Clarence and he was in bits on Wednesday but I've had time to sew him together and give him a tail. Why Clarence? Well, he's just a little cross-eyed and those of you as old as me might just remember the popular TV series called Daktari (c1966) which featured a cross-eyed lion called, you've probably guessed, Clarence.

Next up are some photos taken at Corsehill Park & Gardens where the crocus are out in all their glory.

 There must be thousands as they have spread throughout the entire length and breadth of the park!

Crocus as far as the eye can see.

Just a few of the different colours/varieties I found.

Himself  enjoying a bit of a rest among the crocus.

Tip-toeing through the tulips crocus!

Finally, in the same garden these very gnarled tree roots.

When I was a child I played in a woodland that had many old trees with roots like these. I was a very imaginative child, head full of Enid Blyton's stories of fairies and pixies, so to me these roots were fairy villages. My favourite game was to imagine that they made their homes in the nooks and crannies the roots provided. I'm grown up now but I still can't see these root formations without hoping for a glimpse of the little people - you never know, Enid Blyton could have been telling us the truth!

No funnies today but I hope the above photos make you smile too.

Have a wonderful weekend.

What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday - WOYWW Week 403

Hello Deskers, Followers and All,

And I'd like to start by giving a warm welcome to my new follower, Janis, it's lovely to see you here.

It's yet another Wednesday, another WOYWW over at Julia's Stamping Ground, and so another excuse to reveal all!

Rudolph Day is almost upon us once more and guess who has made not a single Christmas card this month, despite it being one of my main aims for this year! Anyway, after a rummage around the craft room I came across this old magazine which includes papers, etc., all on a Christmas theme. I think I might combine the papers with a topper made with the new Penny Black stamp, Winter Berries (top right of photo) just delivered yesterday. The glue gun was lost and now found - not that I need it now so it will be put it away somewhere probably to lose again - sigh. The book hiding under the magazine is Tara Governo's Imperfect Lives which I had reason to look out recently, and it's still out because I haven't put it back on the bookshelf yet. It could still be there next Wednesday!

Not on my workdesk but on the coffee table.  A little lion in bits. It's just waiting to be sewn up - if I can put the book I'm reading, Late Fragments by Kate Gross, down long enough to finish the job. 

So that's it for me this week. Not a lot but, hey, there so rarely is! 

Do check out the sticky post before this as I have a giveaway going on at the moment.

Take care everyone and have a wonderful WOYWW.

Friday Smiles - Week 189

Hello Everyone,

Warning ... more photographs this week!

I hope you have had a lovely week and that, like me, you'll be sharing some smiley moments with Annie at A Stitch In Time. We've had a busy time out and about which means we have a few more lovely memories to add to the many we already have.

Sunday we went down to the secondhand book shop at Culzean Country Park, both to drop a few read books off and to look for a couple of books for my sister, Margaret. She reads a lot. After that we took a wee saunter round the grounds.

While Alan was gazing out to see, I discovered these busy little hoverflies/wasps (I'm not too sure which) enjoying the flowers on the ivy.

Ivy flowers look quite nondescript, no pretty colours, just green, but the insects adore them.

Monday we went to the quilt exhibition at Rozelle and I've already posted a few photos here so I'll control myself and not share anymore. Suffice to say the quilts were well worth the visit.

Moving swiftly on to Tuesday we took a trip to the big city, Glasgow. Instead of driving up we put our free bus pass to good use and let the bus driver take the strain! I was heading to John Lewis haberdashery department to buy sewing thread but we stopped for lunch in the restaurant there too before going out onto Glasgow's main shopping area, Sauchiehall Street.

This was a surprise. An old police box, Dr Who must have missed this one, being used as a retail outlet selling essential oils!

Sauchiehall Street is long so by the time we reached to top we were ready for another cuppa. this time in Waterstones Book Store coffee shop which is where I spotted these fabulous posters depicting some favourite classics.

Here's Alan showing me how pleased he is to be shopping with me :)

On the way back to the bus station I spotted this poster which brought back memories of childhood trips to Burntisland which is on the east coast of Scotland, near enough to Edinburgh, my home town, for a day trip. Ah, happy days :)

Just in case you are wondering about the rest of the week .... Wednesday we had visitors and yesterday was super busy for me as I spent the morning at a quilting class and the afternoon at the weekly craft club I attend. Yes, it's been a very busy week but it has resulted in a lot to smile about.

And finally,

My little, but growing, pile of crocheted hexagons. I'm using up all the oddments of yarn I had tucked away to make a blanket big enough to fit a double bed. Don't they look almost delicious enough to eat?






Apologies to Kate and Robyn for not visiting them during the week - I ran out of week! Hoping to do much better this week - there's no plans for trips out this coming week. Yet!

Take care all and have a lovely weekend.