Wednesday 30 November 2011

Woyww

It's Wednesday again!!!  Today on my workdesk...yep, finally I have relented.....but only just!
Yep, you see correctly....don't adjust your glasses....I have made a Christmas card!!  I hope you were sitting down whilst I made this announcement! 

Now, it is only one and it because my family in New Zealand have already have their pressies (thankyou Uncle Murray for upping your baggage allowance and taking them back!!) and last posting is 5th December so I need to get it in the post!!


 I love the TH deer, a big thanks to fellow Coven member Becky who lent it to me (a great benefit of a crafting group is the sharing of expensive shash!!)-its SO cute.

 I used some free 'Minds Eye' papers I got with a magazine, adding stickles glitter to the trees (leaving one plain for contrast) and then glittered around the edge of the deer.

Any hoo, just a quick post....need to crack on....if you fancy a nose around Julia's blog and see lots of other crafty desks around the globe there is a link on the right, and if you keep getting directed to a christian holiday website instead of mine....what a cheek!!!  Hijacking my blog address....you can't trust anyone these days can you?!?!

Happy Crafting
li'l pidge

Wednesday 23 November 2011

WOYWW

Another Wednesday....I am not sure if this is an age thing....but I am sure that the weeks didn't whoosh past this fast as a child! So this week I have been making yoyo brooches, it wasn't until I looked at my very small basket of them that I realised they were nearly all the same colour family, so I thought I'd better make some Christmassy ones...and what could be more festive than black and white skulls with a red accent?!!

 
Only a quick post as my warming morning cuppa is calling....the first frost of the year here is the South West of England...brrrr.....I am wishing I had set my heating to come on.....so job number 1 is resetting the boiler timer!!!

If you fancy a legal nose around desks across the globe pop over to Julia's blog (blinkie on the right).
Happy crafting

Li'l Pidge x

Wednesday 16 November 2011

WOYWW

Oh my, Wednesday again?!!?  Another week closer to 'you know what'!  I still haven't made any Christmas cards yet either-I just cant bear to bring myself to make them...it makes Winter seem too real and its only Autumn!

So, what's on my workdesk this week then?  Well, I have been playing with my journal again but this time using my new stamps and distress stains.

 I painted the page with distress stains and used my new dylusion stamps and a stampotique one (such a cute character).  I added inky circles made with a spray lid and colour round them and the pocket watches with oil pastels.


I don't know if there is a right or wrong way to do this, but I am just having a go (not got any workshops down in the south west of the UK that I know of, they all seem to be up north!  HEY, if any of you run workshops then the west of England are crying out for some...).

I am pleased with the results, and its a quick and very cheap way to experiment with techniques with the added bonus of getting some things off your chest!

So, if you'd like a nose around some other desks please pop over to Julia's blog (WOYWW link is on the right).

Happy Crafting
Li'l Pidge xx

Sunday 13 November 2011

Vodka and Lavender...now there's and odd mix

Now, things haven't taken a turn for the worse.....a couple of days away from the office has not turned me to drink....this is my latest creation!

After a fab holiday in Majorca last month I became hooked on the local hooch called Tunel.  Now this green alcoholic digestive was delicious so I thought I would have a go at making some.

I have filled the bottles with fennel stalks and greenery and in a few weeks time I plan to add some sugar.....I have no recipe and not much clue....I'll let you know how I get on!


In order to make the most of my day off I made lots of lavender hearts filled with stuffing and a generous handful of dried lavender from my garden.  They are meant to be quick to make, but this little lot took me the best part of the day!  I didn't realise I was THAT slow on the machine!!



They are so sweet though, and I added a ribbon loop to hang them with a vintage button and a lovely piece of 'I love handmade' ribbon stitched on the back.

These are going to be included on the Christmas craft stall the coven are doing in December, and if they don't sell.....well pressies for family and friends and the rest will get put to use in my wardrobe!

I have also picked some sloe's this weekend, so I am off to start the sloe gin (I don't have a problem...honest!!).

Happy crafting

Li'l Pidge xx

Friday 11 November 2011

Lest we forget.....a calendar

I am REALLY enjoying my 2 days off....I promised myself no housework (now, those of you that know me will understand that this is very difficult (lol)...) but just crafting.....

Yesterday I spent ALL day making my Nan's Christmas pressie....now I cant show it yet (I doubt at 87 she reads this but I don't like to assume)...but I hope she will like it.  I have to be REALLY organised as I have family in both the USA and NZ so I cant do a 16:00 Christmas Eve dash to buy all my pressies like some do!!

So, in a bid to clear out older stash I finally altered this calendar...



I coloured it with inks, distressing and sponging through some sequin waste adding some foil on the edges and sprinkling water to create a little more interest.


 I stamped Tempus Fugit (time flies) and embossed on the bottom and added a stamped pocket watch onto a tomato puree tube which I added some grunge wings to and covered the watch face with sepia glossy accents.

 I glued on a press stud and a Tim Holtz metal book corner.  Then to decorate the back I embossed another piece of tomato puree tube with a TSS mould, adding some black acrylic and sanding back.  I added a couple of chipboard cogs, a couple of which I added some glossy accents to add a bit more dimension.

I know its nearly the end of the year...but thankfully its a perpetual calendar so its not a lost cause!


I made lots more but its now dark so I need to wait until its light to get some decent shots (I'll blog them later).

One thing I have made recently is some air force inspired cards...since its 11/11/11 I thought it may be appropriate to share them.

I know a lot of forces personnel (my childhood home town used to have a RAF base) and I always think of those around now.

Lest we forget....

Li'l Pidge x

Wednesday 9 November 2011

WOYWW

Another Wednesday closer to Christmas and still no cards or gifts made!  Only a very quick post as I have not been home from work long and its already bed time!

So, Whats on my work desk this Wednesday then?  Well, I have stamped up some of my new stamps (after spending ALL Saturday evening mounting them) all ready to colour and I have made some fabric brooches.  These are made from a selection of fabrics and vintage buttons-all ready for a Vintage Fair in Bath in December (the Crafting Coven are doing a stall).




On the left are a few more pieces of fabric I have stamped and distressed and the ribbon under my scissors is some lovely red and white ribbon with 'I love handmade' written all along it.  I thought I would make some stuffed lavender hearts and add some ribbon as a feature tag.

Anyhoo....only a short post, if you'd like a sneaky peak at over 100 desks across the globe then pop over to Julia's blog (link on the right) for a good ole nose around!

Lucky me...I have 2 days leave owing I am taking....so hopefully I will get some serious Christmas crafting this week...watch this space!

Happy crafting

li'l pidge x

Sunday 6 November 2011

NEC haul

Back from the NEC...a great couple of days with the girls from the Crafting Coven (our weekly craft group).  So, does this photo of my stash represent my shopping list?  Well......yes, its not far off....there may be one or two additional items that MAY have crept into my basket!

Obviously, the 3 large MDF bird house money boxes at the back were not on my list, nor the paperartsy pen nibs or their mini glass bottles!  But the stamps were on my list (but not the wooden ones...but they were 6 for £5 so such a bargain!) as were the colour wash sprays (going to try them on fabric) and the stains (for paper obviously). 

I met some lovely people, especially the Artful Splodger team....I ended up going back 3 times and buying Dyan Reaveley  stamps and Octopode stamps ( and I met the lovely Octopode designer...such fab stamps).

So, I had the joy last night, sat in front of the TV with a double of The Big Bang Theory (I love that show) and then NCSI mounting all my new stamps onto kling-on....it takes ages but it does give a really good impression when stamping.

Now I just have the problem of where to store it all...

Happy crafting
Li'l Pidge

Wednesday 2 November 2011

WOYWW

Wednesday?  Again?  Surely not!!  Yep, its another week closer to the dreaded C word.....and another legal snoop around desks from all over the world over on Julia's WOYWW blog.  But I have made my first Christmas 'thing', admittedly its only a tag (made with one of the mini fir cones I picked up on a recent walk).


The only other item on my desk (apart from the tons of scraps and stash I haven't cleared away!!) is my list for tomorrow NEC!!!!! Come back next week to see whether I stuck to it!!!!

Happy crafting
Li'l pidge (who is a tad excited about going to the NEC with the crafting Coven!!)