What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday - #637

Morning deskers!! Am writing this late Tuesday in the hope that I will be able to get online tomorrow - I have missed weeks due to my flaky internet. I believe I now know what the problem is - even though hubby says I'm being ridiculous - but it seems that our new-upgraded-reaches everywhere-with superfast speed-set up works perfectly as long as I am the only one here. As soon as my son turns on his pc everything (and I mean everything) remotely wifi or internet enabled in my room just stops and I lose speed and connection. I have now proved this happens on several occasions but am getting patronising looks and 'well your pc is rather old'. In light of the fact I have no idea how to fix it and nobody believes there is a problem (and also to look after my blood pressure) the only thing I can do is to only attempt to use the internet when he is at work or asleep.  Problem solved. No stress. However, attendance may be slower and/or more sporadic than normal!! Please bear with.

Here's my desk. My DD is 30 next Monday (how did that happen?) and I have yet to make a card. I also glibly planned a scrapbook spanning her 30 years. So I shall be busy. 

 I can tell you now, I should have started earlier. 

Have made a couple of commission cards for an 80th birthday. Quite pleased with both of them and they didn't take me long as I used digis. 

Why am I showing you this? Well it's our weekly Wednesday Blog Hop - WOYWW. Here's the link to the one responsible, the lovely Julia at Stamping Ground - pop on over and join in, see what it's all about and have a go yourself. 

Have a great week, stay well, stay safe, love n hugs Cindy xx

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Pouf! and Pouf again!! WOYWW #635

Somehow I missed 3 weeks, a combination of health, home, weather and wifi problems conspired to keep me away.  Hey ho, time sure does go quick when you are dealing with stuff. 

The desk is empty as you can see, but I do recommend this series of books - The Rosie Project - by Graeme Simsion. The first two had me smiling and groaning all the way through. (If you are a fan of the Sheldon character in Big Bang Theory you will appreciate these). Yes I've also been reading too much to be productive. I did manage to squeeze out this card for a friend. I was sort of following another Sam Calcott tutorial. 

I'm still trying to exercise but there have been a few missed days. I am getting on well with my hula hooping though and I'm sure it is making a difference to my back and my general bendiness round the middle. I wouldn't like to get too good at it though as once you aren't picking it up off the floor all the time it's pretty boring, I do between 5 and 10 mins a day. As promised I have a video, I just can't figure out how to post it here. Try to refrain from laughing. This was a couple of weeks ago though I don't think my technique has improved much. 

Why am I showing you this? Well it's our weekly Wednesday Blog Hop - WOYWW. Here's the link to the one responsible, the lovely Julia at Stamping Ground - pop on over and join in, see what it's all about and have a go yourself. 

Have a great week, stay well, stay safe, love n hugs Cindy xx

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday #632 - Pouf!!

 and the week was gone again. Julia was so right.

Morning deskers, gonna have to be quick because I'm writing this quite late Tuesday and my bed is calling. This last week has gone so fast, I feel like I'm running to stay still!! I am going to have to re-consider how I fill my days because nothing is getting done. I'm still walking my 10B410 as often as I can and that alone takes at least 2 hours when you factor in getting ready to go out, and collapsing in a heap when I get home. Another hour or two to have breakfast, tidy up the kitchen, do a few chores, shower, get dressed, put the washing out on the line (bringing it back in wet after it gets caught in the rain), putting the Tesco delivery away, emptying the dishwasher, filling the dishwasher, visiting mum (that's at least two hours) ...... before you know it it's mid afternoon and it's a wonder anything other than maintenance gets done at all. 

In all fairness I do probably read rather too much in the course of a day but it's my favourite thing to do apart from crafting!!

Anyhow, here's my desk, I took the photo last night.

Aha, didn't expect to see me sitting at it did you? I have a very clever new selfie stick with a stand and a blue tooth controller. It's rather fun!! I was trying to practice with it as if you don't know what you are doing it kinda removes all the spontaneity doesn't it? (Yes I am such a technophobe I can get confused by a selfie stick).

Craftwise, I was asked for some wedding cards last week and thought I would make some new ones - you can see I've been colouring in some digi images ready to make toppers. There's an anniversary card to the right ready to be photographed - I use a 12 x 12 paper pad to make my backdrop.

I've actually had a couple of commissions and have made a huge bunch of cards this week. Here's a few favourites.

Not too happy about the wholesale lifting of restrictions next week - I shall probably continue doing much the same as now but the figures are not good and seem only set to get worse. I really do think sometimes that Mother Nature is trying to tell us something...

Latest news on mum is that she is scheduled for her stent op on 5th August. Thanks again for your best wishes. One day at a time. 

Despite all my walking, I find my 'middle' remains stubbornly stiff and inflexible. So I've ordered a hula hoop to see if I can get it to improve. There may have to be a video, but I'm not making any promises. 

Why am I showing you this? Well it's our weekly Wednesday Blog Hop - WOYWW. Here's the link to the one responsible, the lovely Julia at Stamping Ground - pop on over and join in, see what it's all about and have a go yourself. 

Have a great week, stay well, stay safe, love n hugs Cindy xx

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday #631

Morning Deskers!! My desk is pretty busy this week as I've picked up a few commissions and I'm in the mood to mass produce - one for client one (or two) for my stash. This is the horror of my desk when I am actually being productive. 

Every surface in the craft room is covered as I search for a daisy die that I think will be just the thing for that card you can see. (Never mind I probably have 20 similar dies that would work just as well). Can't find it, the new filing system has failed me. 

Does anyone else do this? Time to move on but I'm still uncomfortable I don't know where that die is, it will bother me at a low level all day. I didn't know yesterday, what's the difference?

Anyhoo to prove I've been busy here's what I've been up to earlier this week. I asked for this stamp set at Christmas as I have a friend who I make a 'cow' card for every  year so I'm always on the lookout for a new image. Well, the birthday is in July so I thought I'd better get these out the packet pdq.

Scrolling on Pinterest (my bad) I came across the images pencil coloured & embossed onto Kraft card. Of course I can't find the pin now, but I rather liked the look, & followed the suggestion in the post to stamp, colour & then stamp again and emboss over the top. 

I must have known this mustn't I? With a stamping platform it's a complete game changer.

So I stamped a huge load of the images, first directly on to some kraft cards and then onto white card. I was going for productivity more than creativity as Macmillan is not that far off now and I wanted some fresh new stock. The kraft ones were coloured with pencil and came out pretty good. I really do like the images, though I'm not too sure about the 'good cluck' and 'silly goose' sentiments. It does mean however I didn't waste any time looking for sentiments. (But in fact I later cut those two off). 

I decided to mask the ones on white card and stencil a background. I then coloured in the image with alcohol pens.

I cut some white frames to anchor them on the card and made them up very simply and flat, almost a one layer card. They are basically all pretty much the same (and deliberately off centre). 

Another NBU successfully integrated into the fold. 

I wanted the set for the cow but I think all the images are super cute. 

But the pig is definitely my favourite. Hogs and kisses!! (snort)

Can't go without thanking everyone for their kind wishes for Mum. She came home at the weekend, and is very happy to be home. She is well in herself, though still rather 'chesty' and a final decision on the stent is yet to be made - provisionally booked for the end of August but we've been here before. I'm significantly less freaked than last week - the problem isn't resolved but she's home. Small mercies eh?

Why am I showing you this? Well it's our weekly Wednesday Blog Hop - WOYWW. Here's the link to the one responsible, the lovely Julia at Stamping Ground - pop on over and join in, see what it's all about and have a go yourself. 

Have a great week, stay well, stay safe, love n hugs Cindy xx

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday WOYWW #630

Hello WOYWWERS, looking forward to seeing your desks as I have been absent for a few weeks - well, that's June gone then!!

I should be in Great Yarmouth at the mo but we decided to cancel as mum went in to hospital following a mild heart attack/episode last Tuesday (we aren't totally sure what happenned). She needs to have a repair and/or stent to her enlarged aorta but although this is considered fairly routine they want to do a general anaesthetic and there are complications due to her spine, lung and heart problems and the fact she developed a chest infection the third day she was there. She had a pacemaker put in on Monday to try and regulate her heartbeat, but they still aren't happy so until the cardiologist and anaesthetist have had their say we are all in limbo. She is well in herself (full of antibiotics and oxygen) but fed up of being poked and prodded and being attached to so many machines!! And also frightened and lonely. Covid means only one visit of one hour a day - we pushed it a bit the first few days but are having to conform now. There are four daughters, plus sons in law and grandchildren who want to visit so it's very hard to div up the visiting slots! Not being able to see her whenever we want really brings home how tough people have had it during Covid - a couple of months ago we wouldn't have been allowed in at all. One day at a time.

Well all this excitement hasn't really helped my non-existent mojo but I do have something to show you on my desk. When in the doldrums I follow a demo or utube video and the one I watched 2 weeks ago was this Interlocking Panel design by Sam Calcott of Mixed Up Crafts which had me reaching for my 12 x 12s and some paper pads. (Yes it's taken me since then to finish them). 

Nothing especially demanding, quite an easy 6 x 6 card to make, but check your envelope sizes - I shall probably try 140cm x 140cm if I make any more to end up with a slightly smaller card. They are quite impressive though - a real 'mantelpleaser' as Sam says. 

One was intended to go to a poorly friend but I see on FB she's already got better - good job I didn't put get well soon on it!! 

On a plus note the craft room is pretty tidy!!

Why am I showing you this? Well it's our weekly Wednesday Blog Hop - WOYWW. Here's the link to the one responsible, the lovely Julia at Stamping Ground - pop on over and join in, see what it's all about and have a go yourself. 

Have a great week, stay well, stay safe, love n hugs Cindy xx

Wha's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday #627

Oh dear AWOL again, a combination of Bank Holiday confusion and a bad back meant I completely missed Wednesday last week. But no matter, I'm back again, and here's my desk.

Not much crafting to show but a plethora of craft machines. This was me finally getting round to checking my todo machine works OK in anticipation of getting rid of it and also checking my brand new - in the sense of never having been used rather than recently purchased - Go Press and Foil machine works. I really only bought the todo for the foiling and then hardly ever used it because it was always covered in 'stuff' as a makeshift filing space. I feel I am much more likely to use the GPnF. Mind you it was a pre-lockdown purchase so no guarantees there but they both work fine and I was very impressed with my first attempts on the new machine. I was even more impressed that I managed to sit it centrally on that piece of card!!

Other than that, life just plods on, getting increasingly busy with catch ups and the odd meal out but mainly consists of walking, gardening and household chores but very little crafting!!

Why am I showing you this? Well it's our weekly Wednesday Blog Hop - WOYWW. Here's the link to the one responsible, the lovely Julia at Stamping Ground - pop on over and join in, see what it's all about and have a go yourself. 

Have a great week, stay well, stay safe, love n hugs Cindy xx

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday - WOYWW #625

Well hello there deskers, I trust you have had a good week.

As you may recall, this weekend my son had the second part of his wedding celebrations so we were pretty busy - I have added photos to the post below for those that are interested. It was a lovely day, despite the wind and rain of the day before. (Note to Julia and Jan: I didn't wear my lovely new heels in the end - I thought they might be a bit much for the walk down to 'the dell' and I didn't want to risk ruining them in the rain. But I will wear them soon!!)

My desk has been pretty empty of crafting but not of lovely happy mail as I made several swaps for the WOYWW anniversary last week. Here they are, with special thanks to Neet, Zsusza, MaryAnne, Diana, Annie, Jan, Helen and Jo - I'm afraid I rather lost the plot toward the end of the week so if anyone was expecting an ATC from me do let me know. 

And on my ATC display thingy, (I don't keep it here but was easiest place for photo)

I have to confess I had forgotten that we did not trade last year - I had to go back to last year's post to be reminded that we were challenged to finish something - I was looking everywhere for those ATCs lol!! The challenge I chose for last year was to finish my WOYWW album, and this is where this year's ATCs will finally end up.

Why am I showing you this? Well it's our weekly Wednesday Blog Hop - WOYWW. Here's the link to the one responsible, the lovely Julia at Stamping Ground - pop on over and join in, see what it's all about and have a go yourself. 

Have a great week, stay well, stay safe, love n hugs Cindy xx