WOYWW...

Me, WOYWW? 

Yep, this is a rare one, but I find myself in a blogging mood this week.

 Maybe it's having the kids at home and craving two minutes escape. 

 Bet your bottom I won't be here next week while they are at Grandma's!

I have two desks.

 A paperwork desk and a painty desk. 

So here's a quick shot of how my day starts.

Oh the chocolate wrapper - not from this morning, from last night. 

That bit was clearly happy where is was and didn't want to be consigned to the rubbish bin just yet.  

This one is hanging around for those "bored now" moments. 

I plan to do some bread baking with the kids over the Easter break.  

 more WOYWW can be found over at Julia's place here

ten minute tuesdays

A quick little catch up on my ten minutes play time projects. 

This week, it's more journal play. 

I've only got as far as a background on this page, but the more I look at it the more I like it. I know (I can hear Dina Wakley over my shoulder....) "Don't get attached to your background, it's just a background!". But the honest fact is I do, and sometime they just stay like that and I do nothing more with them for a very long time. 

 This page has been done super quick with color wash spray and oil pastels, then sealed.

I wasn't sure how the oils would sit over the color wash. I was worried about them smearing, but it was all good in the end.  I've probably banged on about these Sennelier oil pastels before, but I adore them. I really should play with them more. They are the best, like little stick of butter. Worth every penny in my humble opinion. 

Next a quick sketch on another page. 

If I'm honest I'm not sure I should share this. It's been a while since I drew a face. Please forgive me. I clearly need to get back into the habit. Although that makes me sound like I was once someone who was more than half good at it...ha ha, I wish, but I have a go.

This was on a background of mop ups already in my journal, so all I've done is add some extra stencilling using 6x6 Circle Explosion Crafters Workshop stencil. I do love circles! 

That's it, my ten minutes sessions from the last week.  Now I need to round up the kids and drag them out, hopefully for more than ten minutes for they can burn off some energy.  That way I may get another ten minutes later.  I think this face could be my "thing" to work on this week. 

Happy Creating!  

And don't forget to share your ten minutes with me. I'd love to see. 

another ten minutes...

I'm trying to stick to grabbing ten minutes play time a couple of times a week.  This double page is in my A5ish sized moleskine notebook (or large in their language), which I uncovered from a pile of "stuff" where it's been sitting unloved. So I'm going to fill it will ten minute projects. 

That is to say I work on them for ten minutes when passing.  This page has probably taken me about an hour all told., over a week.              

Got any ten minute projects to share? 

getting greedy...

Yesterday, for once I decided "get painty woman" and did. I didn't let anything stand in my way, including the vacuum cleaner and the paperwork (which I'm happily being distracted from while I write this quick post)

I need to make some postcards. And in a little over an hour - I made five postcards.  

Sneaks above and scraps below. 

Photo's were taken using Instagram.  Loving it so far! Wondering about getting them printed off.  Square images appeal to me.  Why didn't I get this app before now?! 

Right, back to the paperwork trying to fall off my desk the pile is so high.  

Thanks for stopping by! 

Vicki 

testing...

Just playing around..
Bloggers mobile app and instagram.
Wonder which will frustrate me first...

ten minutes..

 I found a sheet of scratch paper sitting on my desk and I couldn't bin it, so I stuck it in my journal. Added some stamping with a Donna Downey stamp and some alphabet rub-on's I picked up in WHSmiths a millennium ago.  This is my kind of tiding up! 

It's not done, needs something else, but so far I like. All I need is another ten minute urge to finish it off. 

Bye for now

Vicki

Products Used 

 

loving the lofty view...

what has fast become my favourite part of having the loft converted is the clear view of the sun rising each morning. I don't think I will ever tire of this. It's just a shame we have other rooftops in the way but I can open the window's nice and wide to get shots like these even with those other pesky houses about.

Oh and getting a different way to view the weather on the windows. Although when we had snow to open the blinds and find a blanket of white looking back at me was a little unnerving at first. 

the return of the dribble...

Finally I found some time a couple of weeks ago to have a play in Palma's journal for our Collabor-ART pairs journal.  She has a theme  - Spice, so I'm taking that down a colour route. Or at least I did this time.  This is one of the new backgrounds I made. I love the white space I've left in the middle. Wonder what she'll do with it!

sticky fingers...

While we've been having our loft converted the whole house has been in total chaos.  Part of that chaos has meant that I have been unable to get to my desk and supplies.  Mainly because most of my "regular" supplies have been piled up on my desk and what has felt like everything else in the house has been piled up in front of it! Everything has had to be re-homed to make way for the builders and to store the new bathroom.  

Slowly but surely the house is getting back to normal. 

 I spent most of yesterday clearing my desk.

 I spent today catching up on some Collabor-ART projects!  

I'm taking part in a Purley Collaged Postcards piece.  We each create two 5"x7" postcards, backgrounds only. They are then posted to the next person on the list (Nigel in my case).  Once you receive your postcards you get to work finishing them off. If I'm honest that part worries and excites me! Your finished postcards get sent, at the whim of Royal Mail and the elements, to the next two people on the list. 

Above is my first background. Both have been created using scraps of papers.  I've tried to create something that will lend itself to the next layer.  

What I love is how different they will look depending on which way you work with them for the next layer. 

I've also started working on my other Collabor-ART project. Palma's journal. Yay!  It's sitting drying at the moment so pictures will have to be along at a later date, but here's the evidence! 

It feels so good to be creating again!

this looks familiar....

maybe because it is...to me anyway. 

February's issue of Craft Stamper is on sale today,and I have an article in it BUT I made the front cover as well.  That's mine on the left at the top!  When I saw the cover the other day I nearly wet myself with excitement.  Front cover!!!  Me!!   

I can't wait to see it in real life.  Hope I don't actually wet myself when I do. 

 Could be a tad embarrassing....

hate the cold...

...but love the frost

having a little celebration...

we've now announced the 

Creative Design Team!

You can find out all about them, take a trip around their blogs, and if you are anything like me sit and wonder at their combined talent. 

To celebrate we have a not so little batch of blog candy.  I haven't opened packets and spread it all about to make it look more than it is.  It's already worth over £55.00 of anyone's money! 

Go take a look! 

encourage your hopes...

Running the store has been a life long dream of mine, and just recently things have changed up a gear.

I kid you not when I say that I have worked night and day since launching the shop 18 months ago. It's been a hard slog, too damn exciting and way too stressful at times.  It's seen me in tears and filled with joy & laughter. 

This last half of 2012 has been a whirlwind. 

From being invited to submit a piece for publication in Scrap365, to writing a piece for Sian's So This Is Scrapbooking series on her blog which was published yesterday (and there is candy involved, you can find it here!) 

I am a fan of Scrap365 so that tested my nerves. 

I'm also a fan of Sian's blog so felt incredibly honoured to have been asked. 

A few weeks ago I was thinking out loud about having a design team for the store.  There just aren't enough hours in the day for me to showcase some of the wonderful products we stock. And, as hubby keeps telling me...."you can't do it all!" 

 I might die trying though!! 

Today has seen the first day revealing our fabulously talented creative design team. 

I was flabbergasted by the talent that applied to join us.

To join us, and our humble store, to help it grow and flourish. 

I couldn't take everyone on, so agonised over who should form our first ever creative team.

We have some equally talented Guest Designer joining us at points during 2013. 

I guess this post is to say a massive thank you to all those who have helped me get to this point and supported the business, making it all worth while. To say thank you for helping me make my dreams a reality.  

Please do come and support the Creative Design Team Blog. We have lots in store for 2013. 

nothing quite like black & white...

I've not suddenly turned into a card maker.  

This one was part of the Journal Journey's feature I did for the October edition of Scrap365. The journal and the cards are finally home. I'll share more pictures soon so you can see the journal should you not have a copy of the magazine. 

Until next time, thanks for stopping by! 

a christmas quickie

I am not a Christmassy kinda gal, not at all, I'm more bah-humbug.  

I hate Christmas shopping. 

I like present buying, but not at the same time a million other people are dithering over what to get Aunty Mable & Great Grandpa George.  Make your mind up BEFORE you leave the house people.

I also DO NOT make Christmas cards. 

I know lots of us crafty folks appreciate what goes into handmade items, but in all honesty they are hours I will not get back, and when our house is still upside down as the loft conversion is under way, I have more things to be getting on with. 

But yes, these are Christmas cards you see before you. 

Christmas Quickies.

I've made these for the ukscrappers home page as Mary-Anne likes to have a Christmas gallery on the homepage for December, and I said I would join in. 

Yes - I did groan at myself afterwards, wondering what the heck I was going to make. 

I know this is a stupid busy time of year all round, so I thought how about some quick, bright Christmas cards.  These took minutes to make (once I had decided what to make....)

I've used acrylic ink, scraped out across the card for that artistically modern background (did you spot that...artistically modern..oh yeah). If you use pearlescent inks it make it feel more festive.

I should also add at this point - use good quality cards that will take the ink. I get mine from Inspire Me Papers, or you could make them out of watercolour paper or similar.

Let the ink dry thoroughly while you put the kettle on. 

Once you have your cup of whatever you fancy, stamp away. Mine are done with archival ink, which you must heat set afterwards especially on the pearlescent ink.

Bobs your Uncle, a Christmas Quickie!