WOYWW 182

Hello everyone!

(I managed to turn WV off!)

Every Wednesday, i join up to What's On Your Workdesk over at Stamping Ground.

This is the state of my desk today.....

I'm still working on this.  So far, I've applied black electrical tape to the sharp part at the top of the cans (after opening them with a can opener) and have begun papier mache-ing the two at the back with purple tissue paper.  The fourth can is just out of shot, and i have another 4 after that to make!

Dan (the other half) asked me if i could help make some Xmas decorations for a charity evening he's putting on in aid of Child's Play.  Dan runs a retro gaming night every Friday at a Winchester pub called the Railway Inn and Child's Play use their donations to provide poorly kids in hospitals around the world with gaming consoles to help take their minds off their illnesses.

I asked when he wanted stuff by.  Yup, two weeks.  So, in time for 7th December.  Bang goes the other stuff i was doing for Christmas then, well at least until the 8th, when PANIC MODE will kick in swiftly.

Of course i'm only too happy to help a good cause and have begun in earnest...

This will be a mushroom hanging decoration.

I knocked up this Assassin's Creed logo in cross stitch last year and will be selling it at the do once i find a frame...Anyone remember this little internet meme...

That's going in too.

In other news, the papier mache bug has struck again as i begin to construct a wreath...

Yes, there is a floor there somewhere.

Now, i must be off to work.  I've heard 40 coaches are piling into Winchester to visit the Christmas market today (Did you hear that, Fairy Thoughts?) and I want to be ready to greet the mayhem.

Please go and check out the other desks on Julia's Stamping Ground.  Bye! xxx

WOYWW ~#3

Hello all! This will be my third (or fourth?) attempt to get my desk on WOYWW with much help and despairing from Janet at Fairythoughts. I may well have cracked it.

This week on my desk, I am starting a new project, which is why it all looks neat and a little laid-out. I'm not going to say what it is I am making as they are going to be presents for some of my friends and I know that they look here sometimes. Best not to give the game away, I say.

The item will comprise of a tin can, electrical tape, tissue paper, wallpaper paste and the plastic tube innards from the inside of till rolls I've been saving at work since about March. I like to recycle.

So, tonight I will be seeing if I can knock one of these together. Tomorrow is my day off and I am hoping to be able to find the time to start getting my homemade wrapping paper together. I still need to find the cross stitch motifs I made earlier this year as they are going on Christmas cards. Then, more decorations and stockings to be made, AND WRAPPING EVERYTHING!

Have a look at the other WOYWW desk at Stamping Ground

See you next week!

xxx  

WOYWW? #2

Do you know what?  I may have actually taken a picture, written some words and posted it all up in the right place this week!

I've been determined to get on with making Xmas decorations for my new house, but have been struggling with inspiration of late.  The red discs toward the back of the shot were inspired by my colleague, Janet (Fairy Thoughts).  She is holding a Christmas craft workshop at work this Saturday and had course info leaflets printed out which showed a picture of Xmas decs she'd made, so i used the round design and sewed anything that came to hand on them (yarn, buttons, safety pins, beads, ribbon, etc).  I've attached ribbons to them and am hoping they make their way onto the as yet, non-existent Christmas tree.

Next to all that is a template for the two Christmas stockings I'm making for my partner Dan and I.  I got the fabric from work.  It's thicker than cotton, but not as rough as sacking/hessian and has a delightful print of Santa and Rudolph on it.  See -

I'm going to line the stockings (for no real reason, other than extra work for myself) with the spotty multi-coloured fabric seen in this picture.  I'm hoping to give them drawstring openings but shall see about that when i'm a bit further down the track.

Other things to do this week include: Cutting stock card into Christmas cards, figuring out what I've done with all the Christmas themed cross stitches i did earlier this year that are meant to go on the aforementioned cards, cut gift tags out of old birthday cards, potato print brown paper for  gift wrap and wrap the presents bought so far.  Fun times!

Go and have a look at the other blogs that Julia stamping-ground has signed up while i get on with this mountain of craft!

What's on your workdesk? Wednesday

Well then.  I think i've been fobbing Janet from work off long enough while i keep forgetting to look up how to add a picture to a blog.  Very lame.  I've been promising to become part of this What's On Your Workdesk?  Wednesday for ages.  Then i moved house and actually got my own crafting room, so no excuse anymore.

I apologise for cheating now, as this is Tuesday that i write this, not Wednesday, but there isn't time to put it together when i get up tomorrow and as it's Halloween tomorrow, i'll be out in the evening.

This week on my workdesk, you can see felt remnants and various accoutrements that are the beginnings of a lot of hanging Christmas decorations.  I've cut discs out of red felt using tailors chalk and a drinking glass (pretty lo-fi) and have been sewing buttons to them or just free-hand stitching designs like snowflakes on them.  There are also the remnants of an unfinished but not forgotten Christmas teatowel project (stencils and dye pens).

However, Christmas quickly gave way to Halloween.  This is my attempt at a design i saw on Google for Jack Skellington i saw last week.  My mother thoughtfully bought me a bunch of steak knives at the weekend and the one i used worked a treat.  I was even able to do the intricate cutting around the mouth area with it.  Smug.  I used an old bent dressmaking pin to punch the nose holes out.

I wonder what'll be on my desk next week?!

New series on Etsy

Today i was looking at all the artists i have hearted on etsy and have decided to start up an etsy treasury that features one artist for an entire treasury, at a time.  I think its allowed.  I know it is not to be abused for self promotion, but i've made it so its not.

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c810ac91a5f6d91840b5265/series-1-introducing-house-of-mouse

Today i have featured House of Mouse.  I found House of Mouse when i signed up to Etsy, some 2 and a bit years ago and they are the very first in my favourites list.  I love the handiwork and the use of popular cultural icons such as Luke Skywalker and The Incredible Hulk.  Even the non-famous mice are great!

House of Mouse shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheHouseOfMouse?ref=top_trail

Sun Dance

Today's Etsy treasury is called Sun Dance and you can see it here:

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c798e7010756d910e6f2a4c/sun-dance?index=0

It was inspired by a friend's Facebook status on Friday just gone.  It seemed fitting after the beautiful weather we had today.

Sushi Nom-Noms

Here is today's Etsy treasury:

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c77f32671896d9133a13af5/sushi-nom-noms

Many thanks to YAVAglass for featuring my Electrically Blue treasury from yesterday on their Facebook page.

Here is their shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/YAVAglass?ga_search_query=yava&ga_search_type=seller_usernames