Whats On Your Workdesk 906

 Morning dear Deskers from a sunny Yorkshire this morning. It's surprisingly mild for mid October with a good breeze so I'm happy to be still be drying clothes outside in the fresh air. 

My desk this morning

This is the back of a layout I finished last week. The paper is from 49 and Market, one of my favourite paper companies, it's thick and great quality. This side is quite plain so it's an opportunity to try out a technique I saw on youtube using squares of scrap papers.They are stuck down quite randomly, although random takes me hours to be happy with. Everything is dry brushed with gesso to blend them together. I've added stencilled texture paste and stamping but I'm not quite sure where I'm going now so it's been sat like this for a few days. The photo is my daughter's graduation from a few years ago. It was one of those perfect days so I want to do it justice.

This is the layout from the other side and the reason I chose the paper in the first place. It matched the photo I took during our holiday in Croatia in July and was one of those layouts that came together quite quickly, which is unusual for me. I usually take ages rummaging through boxes and drawers looking for things.

 On a personal note it was our 28th Wedding Anniversary last weekend so we went out for lunch to Betty's in Harrogate for a treat. You always have to queue and it was a bit damp, but that didn't spoil the day. Everyone chats as they wait so you meet all sorts of interesting people and our meal was delicious, as was the pot of tea.

 

With the mild weather we're having the garden is still full of colour and the autumn hues are just adding to the effect.

Well, that's me this week.  I hope you've all had a good week and I look forward to desk hopping later on to see what everyone's been up to. Thank you Julia for hosting WOYWW.

What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday 905 For Sarah

 Good Morning dear Deskers on this very sad day.

I had written my post for this week after missing a few weeks and then saw Julia's Facebook post yesterday with the shocking and sad news of the passing of Sarah, our WOYWW host. I couldn't believe it. 

I never met Sarah in person but she was a regular desker back in the days when I originally joined WOYWW so I feel I've known her a very long time and know she's been a big part of the WOYWW family who will be able to tell you a lot more about her than I can.

I do know she was a very talented crafter and had been a teacher before she retired. We both worked in schools back in the day and used to share comments about school life as well as the craft that had happened during the week. 

My sincere condolences to all her family and friends and to all our fellow deskers, look after yourselves and tell your loved ones how much you love them. Life is short and can be brutal.

RIP Sarah.

Thank you Julia for taking over the WOYWW the reins again.

WOYWW 901

 Morning lovely Deskers from a sunny Yorkshire.

Wasn't last week brilliant? I absolutely loved desk hopping and visiting so many old friends and making some new ones. Thank you so much for visiting me and leaving such friendly and interesting comments. I've read them several times over this week.

I've also spent some time working out how to update my blog, not easy these days, but I got there with some help.

So my desk this week.

Scrapbook page finished and put away and now onto card making for the box I sell. I use a lot of  decoupage die cuts because they are quick to make and sell really well. Because I'm thrifty I get 2 cards from each sheet as you can see.

Looking at my desk from this angle it's frightening how many paint brushes I have!!

I also had a little play last Sunday when it rained. The forecast earlier in the week had promised sunshine and 25 degrees so I'd set my stall out to sit outside with a book. Of course, this being Yorkshire, that didn't happen. It rained instead.

This is one of my favourite Pink Ink Stamps . I gave her a Wicked feel mixed with Halloween.

Before I sign off this week I thought I'd just share my new favourite recent purchase with you.

Isn't it a beauty. I've wanted an old sewing machine for years for sewing onto paper and saw this in my local Charity shop window. Hubby took it apart and serviced it and I spent a day cleaning and polishing it.

It came with a wooden cover, all the bobbins and feet and even the original instruction manual. Just look at the beautiful illustrations.

With a bit of help from Youtube, we got the bobbin filled and it works like a dream. I'm so pleased with it and have used it loads already. Although, when Freya brought me a pair of trousers to turn up, I did get my modern machine out, there are limits!! 

I hope you've all had a good week. I'm looking forward to WOYWW desk hopping to see what everyone has been up to.

  

WOYWW 900th Edition

 Good Morning Deskers from Yorkshire. 

I saw Julia's Facebook post calling all old deskers to join in the 900th edition and thought what a lovely idea to reconnect with all the friends I've made over the years via WOYWW.

I joined in for a longtime and made many friends over the digitial airways from all over the world and closer to home and met a few too, such a lovely thing that I still treasure. It brings it home to know that some deskers I visited regulary are no longer with us.  

It's all well and good having the thought to join in again, the next thing was to find my blog, which proved harder than I thought. When I finally found it, remembered my password to log in and felt shocked that the last post was 2020, it actually feels quite exciting to get started again.   

What has been happening in the last 6 years!!!!

Well I've retired. Been retired nearly 3 years now and loving it, although I still don't seem to have enough time to do all the crafting I want to.

Here's what's on my desk today.  

A Scrapbook page in progress. Funnily enough that was what was on my desk on my last post, not the same page obviously, it doesn't take me that long!! My desk has become messier in 6 years though.This page is of my daughter Freya's birthday last year. We went to Ilkley and it was the most beautiful sunset. 

What else has happened in 6 years. Well my Husband retired too but now does a lot of volunteering, which he loves. It keeps him out of my hair too. Freya is working in a school about 20 minutes away. She is just starting her third year there and is really enjoying it. She still lives at home. Her boyfriend is in Liverpool, so they spend a lot of time going backwards and forwards and chatting online but it seems to work for them.

I spend a lot of time in my craft room doing all sorts of stuff. I'm really enjoying messing about in old books at the minute using images from Maremi's small art books. 

I use up all my old scraps of patterened paper in the background and I really enjoy just experimenting and playing. It feels liberating after a card making session, which I still do and sell in my hairdressers, which I've done for years.

Like everyone else, I take so many photos on my phone so I print so many off each year and record them month by month in a journal. Graphic 45 usually do some gorgeous month by month paper pads so it's a great excuse to buy more supplies but I do use them all up.

Last year I used a Hobbycraft ring bound scrapbook, but it got so full with extra pages, the ring binder had to be removed so I ended up sewing the pages together between the covers. It worked well in the end.

  

The garden still takes up a lot of time. I have a new green house, which has just been finished. My much loved old one was showing it's age. I'm determined to keep it neat and tidy. Mmmm wonder how long that will last??

I also now have a potting shed

And not content with the back garden, I've dug up the grass on the front and planted a garden there too.

Having looked around this morning to find the correct place to link up, I know current deskers are sharing old desks, but I hope you'll excuse me in just catching up.

I'm looking forward to desk hopping around to catrch up with some old friends. It feels lovely to be back in the world of WOYWW.