WOYWW 223

Wednesday - again! The days just seemed to melt into each other this week - we've been here, there and everywhere and in between a bit of crafty time, men coming to give quotes for new windows and a bit of social activity…in other words a lovely week!
So, along with crafty folk all over the world we are here at Julia's to show our desks(for details of how to join in see here) 

Not a lot on my desk, something started and a few things around waiting for the 'umph' to get me going. Also I see on the left the very edge of my two new notebooks and a Paperchase voucher that is going to be used later today - we are off for coffee with number three son! On the right two A5 journals and my Eleanor of Aquitaine book - still reading the book I started way back in June(although I have read others in between)

Oh! just remembered - the 'experiment' last week?

Back to the drawing board methinks!!

Actually - looking at this again - give up - lifes too short!!!

Thanks for looking, I'll be back after coffee and a bit of retail therapy!

Chris

August into September - already!!

My, doesn't time fly when you're having fun! I actually had my September page all ready on the first, then as no link was set up on Kate's blog decided to leave it a day or two, then ……well, here we are it's the 9th and I'd forgotten all about it! So September is well and truly on it's way to the beginning of Autumn…….

……and here's my page. I don't often feature fairies but I do have a lot of Lavinia stamps and thought that they would go very nicely with my new Dylusions mask. The page had a good spritz with water before spraying with Dylusions ink spray, then mopping up, some ghosting using more masks and water, a little bit of stamping using Artistic Stamper background stamps(You can see the results of my mopping up here)
August was a fun month spent with grandchildren much of the time and of course my chance to attend a workshop with the master himself - Tim Holtz! 

I am linking to the wonderful Kate's blog and looking forward to seeing lots of other calendars, although sadly not so many now as a lot of folk choose to only post on Facebook. I do hope that some of you decide to do both as Facebook is a no no for me!
Thanks for looking, Chris  

Enough of the rules!

As you know I love Lindsay Mason's stamps(both the Off the Wall range and her Doo Lally Pip range)and often use them in my journals so it's probably no surprise that I've used Princess Tippy Toes to add to a mop up page that looked like this

Dylusions sprays, Dylusions mask, artistic stamper background stamps

I love the phrases she uses in her 'I've had enough' set and this is the journal page I came up with

The leaves are from another set - 'Hopeful Harriet'

Sometimes you just have to be naughty and today despite the Type 2 diabetes I really enjoyed my Chunky KitKat!!

Thanks for looking, Chris

WOYWW 222

If you want to know what the title of this blog means then go here to Julia's blog and all will be explained.
Okay so now you know I'll show you where I'm working playing for the next few days.

An evening shot, we came up at lunch time then went out for the afternoon. A lovely walk along Morecambe prom, enjoying the last of the Summer sunshine. Autumn is well and truly on it's way.

On my table is an experiment - I saw a punch on tv yesterday and wondered if a bit of clipping might turn my favourite lace punch into a flower punch - not yet it won't - back to the drawing board! There's also my journal with a page I'll show soon. At the back are two hearts that my granddaughter and I are playing with - left to dry from my last trip up here(which seems like ages ago) 

To think, this time last week we were getting ready for a workshop with the one and only Tim Holtz - I have already posted pictures so won't bore you here - but it was THE most fantastic day!!!

Just as I was taking a photo of my desk I realised the sun was setting.

Looking out of the door from my chair

It's going - taken through the window

It's gone - I went out on the decking to take this

So as I said earlier - Autumn is coming - in the Summer the sun sets further over to the west on the other side of the tree.

Just one of many glorious sunsets we've had this Summer

 Thanks for looking, I'd better get a move on if I'm going to visit anyone today!!
Chris 

A whizz of a day!!

So, you know where I've been, you know what goodies I got, so what did I do with them?

It's big and beautiful and I couldn't wait to get started!

I could only journal one thing and that is about the fantastic two days in spent in Coventry - the first night meeting friends from blogland and the other - a workshop with the amazing Mr Holtz!! 

The day went so quickly and was so full of fun I hope this page gives a sense of the way I felt (and not just on the day!!)

A spritz with water(not quite enough I think)then Dylusions sprays, water sprayed through stencils,a few splats of Distress stain, some stamping using Artistic Stamper background stamps. The swirls and house use some paper that has been around my work mat(plus part of the whiteboard used by Tim) and the letters the Alterations Alphabetical die (another purchase from Thursday)

Thanks for looking, Chris 

Look what you've done to my desk Tim!

Well, the workshop with Tim Holtz was everything I expected it to be - and some!!!!

I took this picture from round the door while waiting in the queue and look who's right there!!

The next thing I'm in the door and right in front of me is the new slimline Lindsay Mason

Pretending to be a shop assistant(which she sort of was at the time!)

 Then…the journey begins

I was listening but couldn't resist taking a quick piccie!

We soon set to making our tag books - all concentrating hard

My friend Joanne  waiting for a different colour I think
Joanne won a huge goodie bag in the raffle!! 

We all had a lovely pile of goodies in front of us but the colours were different in each pack so we were encouraged to share - even though we got to take them home at the end - in fact most of what you see came home with us plus apron, bag, Tim's Compendium of Curiosities II and a scrubby! A very generous gesture!

Lindsay did the rounds as personal shopper

A brilliant idea, several of us had started a bag of shopping before the workshop started - we checked it in and then if we saw something that caught our eye we could add it to our bag via the personal shopper - I added a lettering stencil!

I sat next to Heather (Lindsay's sister but also a brilliant artist and journaller with a blog here)

 The morning ended far too quickly but there was still time for a photo with Tim

Tim even gets his own halo!

The tag book - still to be finished

Joanne had had to dash off and rescue hubbie but I headed down to meet up with blog friends(some of us had already spent an evening laughing till we cried with Jennie Boxall(Artistic Stamper) - couldn't possibly divulge details)
  

Back - Alison(Butterfly - Words and Pictures), me, Brenda Brown - (Bumblebees and Butterflies), Sue(Stamping Sue Style), Annie(Curious and Crafty treasures) Front-Rita(RMG creations) and Jenny(Buttons - Pushing the right buttons)

It really was great to meet up with these ladies and put faces to names and have a natter!

So - what happened when I got home - 

I finished this - started in my hotel room on Wednesday…...

…and up early this morning - I started this in my new big Dylusions journal (bought yesterday)

Thanks for the lovely day Tim and team but my goodness, look at the messy desk you've made me make!!!!

Thanks for looking, Chris

WOYWW 221

Whoo! It's Wednesday - not just Wednesday but 'What's on your workshop Wednesday?' - hosted by Julia. Mind you, today isn't any old Wednesday - it's the day before Thursday - THE Thursday! Well, for some WOYWWers, because we're off to a Tim Holtz workshop (some are even having a whole day with him today!)

So, what is on my worktop? Nothing - I've tidied, because hopefully tomorrow I'm picking Mr Mojo up and bringing him back to mine for a play! I've left a nice big space and a few goodies out, inks close to hand so he'd jolly well better come with me!

Things have been a bit hectic around these parts of late and I've not had much of a chance to play so he upped and left!

If you are looking Mr M - just see what you are missing!

I'm looking forward to meeting up with some friends, some new faces and of course Tim Holtz - himself!! I'm sure whatever we do I'm going to enjoy it! 

See you soon (with piccies I hope)

Thanks for looking, Chris

ps If you want some inspiration from some young artists try to get to the the 'Paper' exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery in London before November - see my previous post for piccies and links if you're interested