WOYWW

Not much to share on my desk, sorry!  It's been an interesting few weeks.  So much has happened ....and all at once!

When family and friends are in need of help....we respond!  That's what we do.  It's the right thing to do!   I'm doing what I can to help and I believe I'm making a difference.   Sometimes you can't do anything but wait and that's the most difficult of all, you feel helpless.  My decision to put blogging aside for a couple of weeks and help out has been difficult, but necessary.   I know you understand.  I haven't gone anywhere, I'm still here.  I'm just so happy I am able to help and it feels so good!

Wishing you many wonderful creations!

WOYWW

 One of the many things WOYWW is responsible for is showing us all how quickly time flies!  You gotta wonder, are there any other days in the week?  Sometimes it doesn't feel like it ....does it?!!

I'm busy painting ceilings and walls so that's been keeping me away from my craft table lately.  Sadly I don't have anything in the way of paper, stamps, glitter or glue to show you today but I will share my evening project.  It's an afghan I'm crocheting for my new great niece, I'm trying to get it finished before the baby shower. 

If you are curious about the acronym WOYWW or why I'm sharing a picture of my afghan, click on The Stamping Ground where you'll find several others just like me doing the same.  I'm not going to tell you anymore, you'll just have to visit the link above yourself and join in some fun and escape to many different places around the world. 

Last week I wasn't able to visit everyone ((sigh)) and I'm not sure I'll be able to this week either.  I've got my "honey do" list to look after first before I can once again get back into my regular crafty routine.  I'm going to try do my best though, I promise.

Where ever you are in your day, I hope you're enjoying it.
Wishing you many wonderful creations!

WOYWW

Good Morning!  Welcome to WOYWW where you show your crafty workdesk and whatever
project(s) are presently being worked on - or not.  Julia Dunnit from the Stamping Ground is the Grand Hostess of this weekly peek into homes from around the world sharing all things crafty. 

Last week I struggled with blogger when leaving comments on many blogs.   I began writing down the names of those blogs I was having difficulties with but then I stopped once I reached 10, I was getting very frustrated at that point.  It appeared many had issues with blogger too!  I'm going to make sure I visit them first this week. 

Keeping it short this week, lots to do today.  Here is what's on my desk.  Just checking out some new embellishments before I start a birthday card.

I bought them on sale just after Christmas, couldn't help myself.  Look at those Gerber daisies aren't they gorgeous?  See the glitter on them?   The garden tools and clay pot are just so sweet too.  Gotta go now, need to visit some desks.  Gotta go now and visit some desks.   Thanks for stopping by!

Where ever you are in your day, I hope you're enjoying it.

Wishing you many wonderful creations! 

WOYWW

Wednesday again and that means it WOYWW time.  I'm joining in today from Las Vegas!  For anyone new to WOYWW, it's a global gathering of crafty people who share their work desks and whatever is happening on it, under it, beside it, or near it..... at the moment.  Visit Julia who leads the weekly jaunt of creativity!

Sadly, I have no desk to share pa-rum pum pum pum.  I do have an awesome card to share with everyone though.  Look at this beautiful display tag, if you can call it that.  It's a very large mirrored snowflake

The mirror snowflake states that the following "Holiday Card" was hand crafted using 3,000

mixed cut florals.

This card is HUGE!

 The Holiday cards is on display at the Bellagio Hotel

in Las Vegas. 

It will be difficult for me to get around to visit desks this week but I promise I will make up for it next week!

Where ever you are in your day, I hope you're enjoying it!

Wishing you many wonderful creations!

WOYWW

A real quick one today....lots to do!

Good Morning WOYWW snoops!  The first snoop of December is now in full swing and what a busy time of the year it is for everyone. 

Let's get right to my desk this morning.

On this section of my desk you can see a sketch.  It's part of a plan for the glass containers.  I can see some hand cream in the back and a Crate and Barrel gift card just waiting to be spent.  I think I even see the head of a pin.   I use that to poke the hard glue from the tops of the glue bottles.  If you want to know why I'm showing you my desk and what the acronym WOYWW means, visit Julia..  Julia would love for you to visit her. When you visit, leave a comment and the best part, she'll visit you back - guaranteed!  Each week there's at least 100 or so people who do this so take a minute and check it out.

Where ever you are in your day, I hope you're enjoying it!
Wishing you many wonderful creations!

WOYWW

 

Five times this month Julia......WOW! 

 

Want to join in some fun?  Want to see some amazing talent?  I'm not just talking construction paper, scissors and crayons here, I'm talking the real deal!  You'll see art at it's finest entwined with a bit of humour and everyday life.  Join Julia as she leads a weekly bare all of work desks!  A safe place, so to speak.  A place where a messy desk is considered the norm and there is no judging allowed, only sharing!  Show us your desk!  Is it messy?  Are you a clean freak?  We don't care, honestly....we want to see it!  We also want to see what your working on.  Share your workspace, the desk, floor, counter, bed and/or table it's created on.  Not sure there is anything that would surprise anyone of us so grab your camera, take a picture and share in the fun!  What are you waiting for?   Click on the purple link above but be warned, it's addicting!

My turn!!

Working on a wreath. 

Just finished a video that will be posted showing how I will fluff

this little guy.  He's just been purchased and a little

squishy looking....the poor thing!



Picked up a few neat little things at the dollar store too.

  

Just this week I read a great article about items at the dollar store.  There is a stigma that because it is a dollar store, the items there are cheap and of no value.  While this might be true for some things the dollar store isn't all crap cheap like most people think.  There are definitely some great things to be found.  Here is a great link that gives you the skinny on deals and duds at the dollar stores.  If you have a few extra minutes, another link worth reading.

Wherever you are in your day, I hope your enjoying it!
Wishing you many wonderful creations!

Red Glass Ornaments...

....and a hanger, say what?

You heard me!  A hanger!  You know.... the ones you get from the dry cleaners.

**Edit**  didn't like the weight of the hanger wire for this project - too heavy!

**Edit** Using my 24 gauge wire instead.



The red glass balls...from the dollar store.

Not bad eh?  There are 15 red glass balls in each sleeve.  Five Shiny, five matte finish and five are glittery!  That's a whopping $3 for 45 red glass ornaments and a hanger which I'm sure I paid for somewhere in the dry cleaning bill.

Here's the project in the works

It's Wednesday and you know what that means, it's time to show everyone what's on your work desk.  If you're wondering why I would even want to share what's on my work desk, you need to pop by Julia's  for a proper explanation where she leads the global gallivant of creativity.  There isn't another place like it, I promise you!  Grab a cup of your favourite beverage, click here and enjoy the journey!

Wherever you are in you day, I hope you're enjoying it!
Wishing you many wonderful creations!

A Holiday Wreath!

No sooner was the door closed on Halloween, I had a wreath up outside!  Julia Dunnit from the Stamping Ground may just want some inspiration - read on!

I need to refluff the bottom of the wreath
 at the spot that has no lights!

If you don't already know by now, Christmas is my most favourite time of the year! I can't wait to start sharing everything I know about decorating. So far you've seen how I turned a little 18" tree from the dollar store into a beautiful Christmas tree, all for under $13.00. I'm a firm believer in the saying.."It's not what you have, it's what you do with what you have." Hang around for a while, I hope to be able to inspire you and maybe even get some new life back into your ornaments you thought were boring or needed tossing! You also might be shocked at what you are capable of doing!

Before I go, I'm kinda hoping our dear friend Julia has figured out her quandary! The poor thing mixed her dusts. Not the ones found in different parts of the house but her Gold and Diamond Glamour Dust. Nothing worse!! It appears she may have been a bit over tired at the time of the mishap - not sure though. To make things worse, she's talking about possibly not making cards anymore (tell me it ain't so), cleaning up shop and getting a real job! Something is very wrong and doesn't make sense. She better be kidding us because she is leading the weekly fashion show of desks! You might want to pay a visit to her Stamping Ground and see if she's doing any better today!

Wherever you are in your day, I hope you're enjoying it.
Wishing you may wonderful creations!

Oh Christmas Tree.....

...Oh Christmas tree!

You've watched the journey of the little Christmas tree and I'm really thrilled with the way it turned out.  My only wish was that I was or knew a professional photographer because my camera didn't do this gorgeous tree the justice it deserves.  Regardless, my hope for this tree was to share with everyone what is possible.  Not only was the tree and all the decorations purchased at the dollar store but I truly believe that each and everyone of you can now create something wonderful using the simple techniques I have shown.  Remember, it's not what you have....it's what you do with what you have!

Last year I decorated a 3 1/2 foot Christmas tree complete with decorations and lights.  It was donated by me, to a church to raise funds for necessary renovations.  I was so thrilled to receive a letter by the individual who asked me if I would be so kind to donate something, saying that they had graciously raised over $500. on my tree alone.  Apparently, there was a very generous lady who loved my tree and who was watching the bidding and saw how much interest it was receiving.  She not only placed a $250. bid on the tree to win it, but put it back up for auction to which it received another final bid of over $250.  You can't imagine how happy I was to learn this.  It was for an awesome and well deserved cause.  I truly believe that if you have a talent, it should be shared.  The gift of giving!!

I was recently asked to donate something to be auctioned off this Friday for a local Hospice.  They didn't have to ask me twice as my Aunt who passed away only months ago used this same Hospice until she passed.  I am happy to be able to offer this beautifully decorated tree in hopes that it will raise some much needed funds.  The timing was perfect.  I was decorating my little tree and they needed something rather quickly ...worked out beautifully!

It's gone from this....

 

To this!

I want to thank each and everyone of you for commenting and watching the journey of my little tree.  I hope that I have inspired you.  I will be sharing many more creations over the next few months so if you are interested in some of the different techniques I have learned over the last 25 years, I'd love to share them with you.

Want to see some other amazing inspiration, you should make a point of visiting Julia at the Stamping Ground.  It is a weekly jaunt around the globe where you can peek into the creative worlds of many.  Something that you won't be sorry you did!

Wherever you are in your day, I hope you are enjoying it

Wishing you many wonderful creations!

Cherries.....

...aren't just for drinks, pies or fancy desserts.   In my world, they're for Christmas trees too!

I'll be rearranging these delicious fruity pieces to form additional ornaments for my Christmas tree but before I can do that I need to check in with Julia.  Julia is our Crafty Parole Officer over at the Stamping Ground to whom we must visit each week.  This weekly update provides everyone of us with plenty of support and tremendous inspiration for another week.  If you want to see exactly what I'm talking about you should check in with Julia first!

Wherever you are in your day, I hope you're enjoying it. 
Wishing you many happy creations! 

It's A Blog Party.....

...and

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Your Invited

To:  Everyone

Date:  Wednesdays

Time:  Now...or later.  The sooner the better

Place:  WOYWW

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm so excited to be going to Julia's today to the WOYWW party!  Are you going?  You should!  Check on the links above to see more details.  Don't worry about what you're going to wear, it doesn't matter.  No one's going to be looking at what you're wearing....unless you show them of course!

Here's what I'm bringing to the party..

Gorgeous metal embellishments X 3
Scored these on sale for .99 cents each
Took them out of the packages so you could see just how
lovely they are!

My niece had a baby girl on Sept. 12th and we get to see her in a few weeks.  We have a family wedding and the proud parents and new baby will be coming up here to Canada from North Carolina.   Instead of mailing the card I want to add it to a little something for the baby and give it to them when they are here. They've named her Olivia Monique and she's just beautiful!  I'm sure your asking yourself why there are three of the same embellishments on plastic sheets there in the picture.  Well, for one, I haven't made the card as you can see and two, I have another niece due in January and my nephew and his wife are expecting in February.  Both their babies will be girls too.  What's wrong with being surprised any more?  Does everyone find out the gender early these days?  I wonder what I would have done if the technology had been available way back then?  Doesn't matter really cos it wasn't and I didn't find out and that was a kazillion years ago.  I was quite happy being surprised.  Now, I'm waiting for them to move out....LOL!!
Kidding!!!!  I think, well today so far any ways.

Hope you're coming to the party and do check out all the extra details by clicking on either of the links above.  We all want to see what you're bringing to the party!  You never know, we may end up bringing the same thing your bringing this week, to the party next week..... especially if it's good!

See you there!

Wherever you are in your day, I hope you're enjoying it!
Wishing you many wonderful creations

A Christmas Urn

.....another idea from head to paper.

It's Wednesday again and you'll have to read my entire post before you get to see my desk today.  When I looked at the picture....it really scared me so you'll have to wait till the end to see it!

If you've been following my blog lately I've been on this creative Christmas streak.  So far I've made a Christmas tree branch with ornaments, a Christmas wreath and just the other day I made a Christmas tree all out of cardstock.  This is where I feel right at home, it's my thing I guess you could say.  I have as much fun making these cards as I do when it's Christmas time and get to create the real thing.  I'm in my Happy Place while doing this.

As promised, I said I had some ideas in my head and as soon as they got to paper I would share them.

I began with a large black planter.  My take (first attempt - prototype so to speak) on one of the planters you see at the green houses filled with all that gorgeous greenery.  Pssst.....I have some great ideas if any one of the companies who make punches want to talk to me.  Wouldn't it be great to have all the Christmas greenery branches available in punches?  Anyone know anybody who does this, tell em to give me a call.  I've got so wonderful suggestions!  Well, you just never know right?  Can't blame a girl for trying now, can you?

So, here is my finished card.  I would of loved to have had a few more punches available in some of the different greenery's available at the greenhouses but I used what I had and I think it turned out quite nicely.
I used the Sizzix branch with leaves die and the Martha Stewart pine branch punch.  These two punches created the entire greenery.

This is a close up of a pine cone I made from a flower punch.  I cut the petals apart from the flower and layered them while gluing the ends together.  It photographed a bit purple but it's actually brown chocolate chip cardstock.

I added three gold balls as ornaments to the urn and made a lovely bow to decorate.  I cut a few stems of tiny red flowers from a flower sprig I had and added three branches each with three little stems and flowers.

Couldn't resist adding a bird.  I have a sentiment stamp that had a tiny bird on it so I stamped the image onto Kraft cardstock in Cherry Cobbler ink and when it dried, I cut out the bird.  I then coloured the bird with an atyou Spica marker (from the makers of Copic) in #3 Red.  Love the way these markers add glitter!

We've all seen these colourful sticks and some of us have used them!  I wanted a little extra something to embellish the planter.  These curly sticks are usually available at all stores selling Christmas greens or tree decorations.  They come in a variety of colours, glitter or no glitter, thin or wider branches.  To create these curly sticks I used red wire.  I wrapped the wire around and around  the end of my piercing tool.  I slid the wire off and stretched it to create the look I wanted.  I then used wire cutters to trim the wire to the length I needed.  Dipped the end of the wire in glue and placed it on my card to create the look I was going for.  So easy.

That's my card and if you would like to see the Christmas tree branch, Christmas wreath with tutorial ormy Christmas tree, check out the posts below.  

I guess it's time to show you my desk.  If you want to see what other's are creating on their work desks this week you must visit here.  This wonderful lady named Julia works very hard each week to gather people from around the world to share what they've created.  This really is worth the visit and you'll be quite impressed with the talent.  You might even find yourself joining in this wonderful journey.

So this is what my desk looked like and I have to say......I'm kind of ashamed.  See the Ewwww?  I had a pin stuck in the tip of my bottle of glue so I didn't have to keep screwing and unscrewing the lid while working.  The pin (cheap metal I guess) turned a glob of glue this awful colour of brown.  The yellow arrow shows my pine cone progress.  There is the little spool of red wire there and the piercing tool I used to wrap the wire around and around on.  Oh, and there is the little plastic branches of red flowers I used.  A piece of red ribbon, my wire cutters,  ATG gun and the rest of my creative mess.  Must go! I'm off now to visit my blog friends around the world.  Thank you so much for stopping by today and visiting,

Wherever you are in your day, I hope you're enjoying it!
Wishing you many wonderful creations

If This Is Any Indication .......

...it's going to be a long night!  WOMWTN-TNBWOYWW

I know.....isn't it an ugly mouthful awful?  All those letters I mean, not the wine!  You kidding me? 
What's On My Workdesk Tuesday Night - The Night Before What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday.

I don't even know where to start bloggy friends (I need some real lovin sympathy here).  Nothing life threatening in the whole scheme of things or even earth shattering, but it's been constant just the same (sniff sniff).  Here is just a small sample of some of the $#%@  things that have happened in the last two days.  While getting ready yesterday for a busy day ahead (with the in-laws - nuff said) I showered, dressed and prepared the usual make-up and hair routine.   Yes, I'm trying to impress!  I want to be the best DIL (daughter-in-law).  I'm actually the only daughter in law.  Or as my SIL (Sister-in-law) calls me the "Out-law"!  Not going there.....not today!

Well, I seemed to have struggled with the mascara wand on this particular day.  After much consideration of my neutral coloured ensemble....I had the wonky hand syndrome which sent my wand full of ready to apply mascara (hit bounce, hit bounce, hit bounce) down the front of my lovely co-ordinated top (which I must say looked awesome with the pants I was wearing).   I was all dressed in such lovely colours of tan, now I had all this black (#$@%) down the front of me.  You can't imagine what came out of my mouth!  Back to the closet I went in search for yet another top to work with the pants (I wasn't taking them off after ironing them for 20 minutes)  I was wearing.

Moving along......drove (in-laws) FIL (Father-in-law) to medical appointment.  Upon reaching the hospital, took the chair (what the hell is this thing?)  (choice - either wheelchair (pick me, pick me) or grocery cart as the nurses call it) that MIL (Mother-in law) told me to use (when in doubt...do as your MIL says), to transport FIL from inside hospital front door to area of appointment (my nerves - breaking out in a heavy sweat).  Just hold onto the red bar was all I was told....and I did!  After appointment...wheeled FIL to elevator and proceeded to back into packed said space (as I was told by MIL to do) only to pick off corner of elevator with wheel of grocery cart chair.  FIL was jolted due to extreme stoppage bang into large heavy metal construction of edge of elevator door edge (ready to cry but laughed instead).  Gathering my sanity composure, I stood while laughing onlookers commented about driving lessons (or lack there of) and such, all the while apologizing to my muched loved FIL and looking forward to the opening of elevator doors.  It gets worse!  Pushing along, we arrive about 20 yards from the front doors of the hospital (right in front of waiting area full of people) when my MIL tells me that she will take the grocery cart chair from here while I go and get the car (repeat....do as MIL says).  To give you a visual...this grocery cart chair as previously mentioned has a red handle that you must grab and squeeze together with the bar that you hold to push the chair thingy (if you can call it that).  It's the BRAKE - HELLO!  Why didn't anyone tell me???  If you let the skinny red bar go....the brake immediately goes on and the chair doesn't move - not an inch!!!!!   Yup!  I let go of the bar, to do as I'm told so I can bring the car to the front of the hospital doors.  My sweetheart of a father in law has now got the worse case of whiplash.  I can't (don't) even want to give you a visual!!!!  All I want to do at this point is "please" and all I'm doing is making a complete idiot of myself.  After I gather my FIL back to some composure and laugh (I'm dying inside) along with the audience once again, I make my way to the parking ramp.  Booking it to my parking spot to prove I'm not a dufus.....I drive to the exit with ticket and money in hand.  Pulling up to the gate and preparing to stick the ticket into the machine so the gate lifts, I read..."paid tickets only".  Looking around for something, anything that resembles a box where I can pay for this parking and get a receipt to let me out of this concrete ramp jungle....I see nothing.  I once again (break into a hot sweat) look around hoping no one is behind me so I can pull around to an area where at least I can park while I run and pay for parking.  Seeing this (very handsome grey haired gentleman who I've now decided had to be a doctor -don't spoil the only good thing that has happened to me in the last 6 hours) kind gentleman unrolling his window with just the slightest smirk on his face (silly woman....you didn't pay at the kiosk, did you?) too willing to direct me to the kiosk where I can pay allowing me to escape from yet another (screw-up) oversight in my day.  He directs me to the machine two levels up, through the doors on the right, which now I'm mad and thinking should have been incorporated into the gate machine thingy as you exit!  Don't you agree?  This day was a first for me and all I really wanted to do was help.  I know I helped!  My In-laws really appreciated it and had a good laugh to boot!  Guess what?  I get to do it all over again two times next week.  I'll be a pro for sure, right?

Have you ever turned off your oven when you thought it was your timer?  Poor muffins!  What about trying to get into a parking lot while support workers are on strike?  That was just a couple things that happened to me today?  Return to picture at top of post! 

Cheers!

I need to regroup and relax right now so I'm going to get some creative therapy and visit Julia.  You should too.  Breath in.....breathe out......repeat!