WOYWW 488 - Raskog trolley

Morning to you all.  There is nothing on my crafty table today, apart from some painted rocks waiting for varnish (pictures will follow), so I decided to show you one of my Ikea Raskog trolleys.  This one has my 'mixed media' stash on it, ie paints, brushes, glitters, embossing powders etc.  I have actually sold a lot of the contents, but this is what is left (I also have 2 large containers of gesso - white and black - that don't fit on the trolley, and some more acrylic paints, Gelatos etc).

Needs a good tidy!  I also have another trolley (the teal colour), which has my journals/notebooks/scrapbooking stuff on it.  You don't need to live near an Ikea - I get them from the website.

We had a lovely time painting rocks last week.  Pumpkins were finished, plus I did a Mummy (which looked more like a turtle for most of the time!) and my friend did a strawberry.  Next time (end of the month) we will be doing poppies (to go on a local war memorial), and then Christmas designs in November.

If anyone would like to join in with the global desk tour, then go to Julia's Stamping Ground.

(Just a quick post this week, as I am busy preparing for our next visit to Spain and off out shopping this afternoon.)

Ali x

WOYWW 487 - Posca pens

It is still morning here, so I am earlier than last week at least!

Another busy day/week/month and I have an errand to run, but was determined to get this typed up before heading out on the road (the pump I bought yesterday for emptying our hot tub does not work, so I am going to swap it for another one - thankfully the hot tub shop is only literally just up the road).

There has been some rock painting action on my crafty table, but right now it is all just sitting there waiting for some attention later and tomorrow morning.  I am hosting my very first rock painting workshop here tomorrow afternoon, so I need to get some rocks prepped (gesso and/or acrylic paint) and the room tidied (to make room for 3 of us).  I also need to decide which 2 or 3 projects we will be tackling (definitely doing a pumpkin, which is what that orange painted rock is the started practice for).

The cheap paint set from B&M has been opened and tried, and it is great for the price.  I have a few Posca pens in my pen collection already, but needed some colours.  I treated myself to this Starter Kit (with a discount as I am in a particular Facebook group) and it is a good selection to get me going.

I will do a separate blog post with details of the rock painting workshop.

If anyone would like to share a photo(s) of their crafty workspace, then go HERE for more details.

Ali x

WOYWW 486 - rocks!

I think that this is the latest I have ever been with the weekly tour around crafty workspaces.  It is nearly 9 pm, and I have finally sat down with my laptop in front of the tv (and Milky the Cat has stolen my 'slanket' - is it just me who loves their blanket with sleeves?!).  I even have a glass of wine, so life is good.

Why am I so late?  Well, just another busy day.  In my craft room/office for most of the morning, and then out shopping this afternoon in this lovely sunshine.  I realised it was the same temperature as what we enjoy in Spain in December/January, but definitely need to take advantage of this brief period of pleasant weather before winter really hits.  I was out hunting for rocks!  I have finally started the fun hobby of rock painting (had some rocks in my cupboard for months waiting to be decorated), and needed some more 'blank canvases'.  I know that I live close to miles of beaches, but it is definitely not ok to collect rocks from the coastline - so out I went to various recommended places to see what I could find.  Sadly everywhere I tried had either sold out or didn't have what I wanted, so now I will phone garden centres first before driving around Pembrokeshire again.

Here is my crafty table tonight -

You can see the rocks I have finished (just waiting for varnish) and the copper metallic one that is waiting for me to work out how to finish it.  I have picked out a few rocks from our farm quarry to see how it would work to use them (obviously a cheaper option, but more difficult to decorate the rough/irregular shapes).  I did get some crafty bargains whilst out today - a set of acrylic paints, paint brushes and some varnish (which is from the pound shop).

When the rocks are finished I will be hiding them out in the county somewhere (and perhaps take some to Spain with me).  We write the name of the Facebook group on the back, and ask the finder to take a photo and go on the group, and then hopefully they will re-hide it (and often tourists find them here, so they get taken back to their home area/country).  Of course, a lot of rocks are kept by the finders and we never find out where they went, but more and more people are getting involved in the Facebook groups.

I have joined a few groups for inspiration/advice, but the main ones that I will be sharing the details of on my rocks are - Love On the Rocks, Pembrokeshire Group; Love on the rocks uk (Painting Rocks - Making Smiles); Pembrokeshire Rocks.

Is anyone else addicted to painting rocks?

Now it is time to go and read some more blog posts.

Happy WOYWW to all those that I do not manage to visit.

Ali x

WOYWW 485 - RIP Tiger & Butterfly ATCs

Happy WOYWW (What is On Your Workdesk Wednesday) to all those that I do not manage to visit this week.  If anyone would like to join in with this weekly global desk hop, then go HERE.

Firstly, some sad news.  Tiger, one of the elderly farm cats had to be pts yesterday.  It turns out that Feline Herpes was causing the occasional flu symptoms/weight loss that he had suffered with for a few years, and eventually it went to his eyes.  He was in pain and would need surgery, not an option when it involved both eyes and he was so elderly.  He is hugely missed and always will be. 

Here is the handsome/cuddly boy

Secondly, my craft room destash was accelerated yesterday by the visit of some local crafters, who raided my drawers/trolleys/boxes/cupboards and loaded bags of stash into their cars!  Still plenty left needing new homes, and I will be updating my Facebook page later (link in sidebar).

Whilst sorting through magazines, I found out why I had kept this particular large storage box full.  They all had great cover kits/stamps etc with them, and I selected this one to distract myself from my grief.

Look at all the goodies to play with, including a pen!  Haven't even looked in the actual magazine yet.  I had a butterfly ATC to make for a trade, and ended up cutting out part of the packaging that had lovely designs on it.  Then, my box of ATC stash came out of the cupboard, and I have started to make 3 different ones.

I had to get more creative than usual, as so much of my usual go-to stash/tools have gone to new homes, but that actually added to the enjoyment factor.  For instance this steampunk-style card needed some distressing (I had still got my Tim Holtz distressing-thingy, but no Walnut Stain or Vintage Paper inkpads/brushes etc), so I found a tiny brown inkpad (that must have been a freebie with a magazine) and used my finger to apply said ink.  

The other two cards need some words added to them, so I think I will revert back to digital stash and print some suitable quotes out.

The finished card, looking suitably distressed.

It continues to be stormy/grey in Pembrokeshire, and I finally have my winter crafting mojo back.  Even planning some sewing, knitting and needle felting!

Stay safe everyone.

Ali x

WOYWW 484 - the big destash continues

Happy Wednesday to you all.

My craft room is in a right mess.  I started up with the big destash again, and now I am surrounded by piles and boxes of stash!  I have started a Facebook page to list all the stuff that is worth either selling or free to a good home (most of my art materials are going to a local community art group).  Link on the sidebar.

Still got a lot to sort out - and getting to the stage where I want someone to just come and take it away.  Will be worthwhile when I am finished.

I am basically rehoming anything that I would not want to take with me when we move from here (whether that is to a main home in Spain or another house in the UK).  That decision will not be for a few years, but silly to sit in a full craftroom surrounded by stash that I don't use and will probably never use.  Better to find it new homes now.  I can then concentrate on the learning I want to do (my Spanish lessons and also lots of digital art/craft/planning) and the few crafty projects (like doing rock art) which won't involve me trying to find space to display the results.

Go and take a look at my page.  I will be listing lots more stash in the coming weeks (got family staying from tomorrow until Monday, and cycling/F1 to watch on the tv, so it will be next week before I get the bulk of it sorted and photographed).

Enjoy your day.

Ali x

WOYWW 483 - Christmas crafting has started

Good morning to you all.  This is a quick post before I get ready for a trip into town this morning.  I have my smear test (I hope you all go every time), followed by collecting my latest batch of HRT patches from Boots and some shopping in M&S.  Yes, I live an exciting life!

I finally started doing some Christmas crafting yesterday.  I saw this set of gems and a pad of designs ready to stick the said gems onto whilst watching Create & Craft in July.  They were a bargain price and I instantly recognised they would enable me to make lots of cards quickly.  They are quick to make up and very satifying.  Obviously I will need to trim them down, mount them and do inserts - but at least I am getting some toppers made.

I can now also see that it would be easy for me to design/print off some designs of my own, and also to use the same technique with foiling (print designs on my laser printer and then put through the foiling machine).  I will share results when I get onto that stage.

We had a fabulous time at the start of the Tour of Britain cycle race at Pembrey Country Park this weekend, apart from me getting really tired on the Saturday night and my body reacting with the usual nasty symptoms.  I did get some sleep, but when we got home on Sunday I was in bed by 9 pm and slept for 11 hours!  Monday was a rest day - and I am back to 'normal' now.  I will be doing a separate blog post, but here are a few photos for now.

Froomey, who was absolutely lovely - very smiley and a delight to chat with

G - who is not as comfortable with the attention and just wanted to ride his bike!

Buzz and his cosy bed in the campervan

I hope everyone is well and enjoying some crafting.  I will be thinking of you all at the Crop this weekend - eat some cake for me!

Ali x

WOYWW 482 - Distress Oxide Leaves

Happy Wednesday to you all.  I missed last week due to travelling to Cardiff to collect stepdaughter and her 4 day old son from the hospital and take them home to Barry.  She had Rowan David in the early hours of Saturday, but had to stay in due to complications (her's not the baby - he was 10 lbs and a lovely healthy boy).  We had to wait for more than 4 hours before paperwork etc was done and she was free to escape!  We had not been to Cardiff University Hospital before and was amazed by the airport-style area with cafes/shops.  I even managed to do some crafty stash shopping in the Tiger shop there (cheap alcohol markers and some llama folders to store stickers in). 

This week is back to normal, but busy with non-crafty stuff, so I am a bit later than planned.

I went to a craft workshop at our local craft shop on Friday - and made this lovely card.  There are also the 'scraps' left over and I bought some more card (20p per sheet, so could not be refused!). 

The technique was to use a variety of Distress Oxide inkpads to make the background - and then some water splatters on top.  We then stamped the leaves, fussy cut out and then used acrylic paint in a fine tip applicator bottle to outline the veins.  Will definitely be making more of these - and different styles/colours.

If you would like to join in with this global tour of crafty workspaces, then go HERE.

After seeing Geraint Thomas in Cardiff a few weeks ago, we are off to see the start of the Tour of Britain cycle race on Sunday morning.  They are starting from Pembrey Country Park in Carmarthenshire at 11 am, but we are going up in the campervan the day before and camping to ensure we do not miss anything.   It was difficult to decide where to be that day, as they are doing a sprint in Carmarthen itself and there are other great places to view them going slower up hills - but I decided we would see more of the actual riders/teams at the start, and can view the rest of the race on the big screen.  I will be wearing my yellow G t-shirt again, and just about to go online and see if I can find something yellow for Buzz the dog to wear!  Photos and a blog post next week.

Ali x