Pan pastelling

Many months ago I bought a set of Pan Pastels, with the intention of using them when I got home! mmmm, well they have languished in the bag for quite a while, so when Nina of It's Crafting Time near Cambridge, ( where I am doing a workshop on Saturday) asked me to find time to do a small piece with them, I gaily said ,( not knowing if they would!) oh they will work beautifully on Gesso! And yes they do!! I do think there is a knack to using them, which I have yet to discover, but I thought I would show you my first attempt at using them.
Here is an altered book page I did very quickly with a Dylusions Stencil, some Studio Gesso, and a few colours of Pan Pastels.
I am hooked!

If you fancy a day with me altering books, there are still a couple of places left for Saturday's class. Just call Nina on 01763 262417
Have a creative day

WOYWW 160....not good for the soul

I almost didn't do a post for What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday this week. Here is my desk taken this morning at 07.20am!

Now would you show this? I thought well, it is my desk, it is obviously the state of my mind right now... a mush... definitely need a holiday (my mind and me , of course!) ... and why not bare my soul to the wonderful world of Mrs Dunnit's Whats on Your Workdesk Wednesday! Actually it is easily removable to show a clean desk, but most of it has been there since last week, with the added basket of new buttons needing bagging for the shop, which are gorgeous! I have lots to do today, so this lot isn't getting cleaned up today...maybe tomorrow!
Actually baring my soul on WOYWW is a good way to cleanse the mind and get movitated again!
Off to check out some desks.. most probably random ones.. never have time for all :(
Happy Woywwing
Hugs

gessoing your way ....

Today is my day for showing a technique over on The Artistic Stamper's Creative Team blog, and I thought I would show you one of my favourite "how to get messy" techniques using Gesso, color sprays, and inks.
Here is a sneaky peek, and do pop over and have a look...

Have a creative day
Hugs

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday....a great big pile...

Hello, and welcome to the wonderful world of What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday, hosted by the Chatty Mrs Dunnit. Now, I almost always take part, but sadly, I don't always participate in getting around to other desks, mainly due to the fact that I don't ever seem to have enough time. But I am always grateful to those who do visit. Thank you! This week, my sad neglected desk is full!! there is a box of charms, yet to be unpacked and restocked, some gorgeous new Fabric Sheets from Jolees boutique along with charms and other artifacts just thrown carelessly on the desk, and my pan pastels which I acquired more than a year ago, which haven't even been used! :(( I am determined to use them this side of Christmas!! The Quality Street tin is full of beads, obviously all the chocolates got eaten :(( and given to me by a friend, who didn't want or need them anymore...people seem to give me stuff...I cannot for the life of me think why!!!?

I will be round to yours, but may not make it to all...
Have a great woyww day!
Hugs

Sticking to Simple

The urge to get out the inks and make a mess, always takes me when I am most busy, but the call of the new Summer Distress inks, and this simple glue technique from Kaz at the Little Shabby Shed, was too good an opportunity to pass. The technique is simple, and I changed it slightly to adding distress ink (dry it well), before using the glue and using a couple of background stamps from The Artistic Stamper, plus one of my favourite Willeez from USArtQuest... all ATC's should have a gecko on them by law!! LOL

Do try out the technique, Kaz has made a great  video to show you how :))
All the products I used are at the bottom of the blogpost...loving that I can now use Inlinkz to give you direct access to the webpages :))
Have a very creative day
Hugs

InLinkz.com

Booked!

I am such a slow coach.. it takes me days to catch up on blogging, and this morning I remembered that I mentioned I would show you my workshop from last Saturday a few days ago!  It was brilliant day as always.. I do so love teaching technique, and if I get time I also do a little....lol Rosemary, Donna, Lizzie, Sandra and Suzie made me proud! We did lots of techniques including this one of gesso and paint and Perfect Pearls mists using stencils....

The girls were very kind, and let me take photos of their gorgeous work to show you...

I am teaching this workshop again at It's Crafting Time on the 30th June if you fancy coming along and getting down and dirty! LOL
Happy Father's Day to all Dad's out there....
Have a creative day
Hugs

Summertime, and the living is easy......

I love the summer, and especially the sun! I am a sun baby.. lots of heat, the sea, and the feel of newly mown grass on my feet! Not much chance of that here in the UK this week! More of a "get out your wellies, an umbrella, and a raincoat!"sort of week.  But never fear, this week Mr Holtz  and Ranger brought out the Summer Distress inks, and oh they are luscious...and very very bright! They arrived this afternoon and I had to have a play, so I whipped up this ATC to show the colours :))

We have them in the shop here, and the stamp I used are Tim's, for a change with the dots which are The Artistic Stamper's.
I am off to play some more... see you soon
Hugs

WOYWW...neat and still tidy

It's the middle of the week again, and time for What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday, and I am here actually taking pictures at silly o'clock, 'cos I didn't get time yesterday! Wonder what the neighbours would think if they saw me taking pictures of my desk? It is still neat and tidy, and I was very good and tidied away what I used instead of dumping on the desk when I had finished! There is a lovely very apt ATC sent to me by Julia, our Queen of Desks...love it as she used The Artistic Stamper bunting too! Thank you Julia...it even came in a teeny tiny envelope...amazed it didn't get lost in the postal system!

I do hope you have a brilliant day... I am off to wander around the wonderful world of desks....
Happy WOYWW

Winner of my "right royal giveaway"!

Hi, I almost, but not quite forgot to pick a winner of my "right royal giveaway"!
Thank you to everyone who joined  in, I loved reading all your comments :)
Now Mr Random.org picked a winner... and I am royally waving to

My Name is Wynneth!!

Congratulations, and please email me your snail mail address, so I can send your goodies to you...
I will be back tomorrow with pictures of my altered book class that was on Saturday... what a fun and inspiring day!
Have a creative day
Hugs

Popping up!

It has been such a lovely short week, just Wednesday, Thursday and Friday!! I have been working on new techniques for an altered book workshop today at Pickleberry Papercrafts. I love the fact that anything goes.... you can mess up and just tear it out! I have 4 books on the go at the moment and one day, one will be finished! Do I like all the bits in them? ..the answer is no! But I treat them a bit like a journal, teaching myself new ideas and trying out new products and *stuff*! My dream job would be to test new product to the nth degree! But I digress, and here are a couple of sneak peeks of the book I was working on yesterday....

Don't forget today is the last day for my Jubilee candy, and if you are a Facebook member, we have random giveaways on our page too... join us!
Have a very creative day
hugs

WOYWW 157 ...

I am sitting here writing this blog post very early Wednesday morning, the day after the Queen's Diamond Jubilee four day celebrations, thinking that another 4 day holiday would be nice!   My desk is as excited as I am , still tidy and neat ready for WOYWW hosted by the now tanned Julia!
I managed to get up to London for the celebrations on Monday, and got to stand amongst the crowds in The Mall cheering and waving my proverbial flag ( I forgot to take one! along with my camera! doh! used my phone which ran out of battery!  ) and watching the concert! It was a fantastic day! Never mind the aching feet or sore throat from cheering, we bopped and danced amongst the best of them to the sounds of Tom Jones, Kylie, Madness, and Paul McCartney! Perfect! Back to reality the rest of the week :((  A big thank you to The Queen for giving us a glorious 4 days!

My desk is still perfectly tidy, ( evidence of no work done at all! and I got my gorgeous hand drawn ATC from Rachel, absolutely gorgeous, thank you :))).

I am continuing the celebrations from the weekend here with a little regal blog candy, join in and enjoy it a little more....
I hope to get round to a few desks later today, but work will be beckoning....time for another holiday? next week perhaps... am liking these long public holidays!!
Have a great WOYWW day
Hugs

A Right Royal giveaway!... and winner of my blog candy

This weekend is the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, and I am proud to be celebrating it! As most of you know who regularly read my blog (when i post..lol) I LOVE to giveaway to one unsuspecting blogger- gifts! Today is no exception! But first, the winner of the black Ranger apron is

GLENNIS!

Congratulations, and please email me with your snail mail address.
Now onto the celebrations for the weekend.. bunting, street party, cupcakes (of course, or here in the UK fairy cakes..lol) and lots of giveaways! We have a brilliant one of the website all weekend, just click here for details, there is the chance to win 60% off your order!
Here is my royal giveaway for this week, and all you have to do is comment, and if fancy a second chance, then post it somewhere on your blog :)) It ends next Saturday.

I am off to London for the day, and a wander round Portobello Market, which apparently has a 50's theme?  and am hoping to make it up there tomorrow for the river pageant... will have my camera with me, so hoping I get some good photos!

Have a great weekend, enjoy the fun, and keep creative
Hugs

Creative Team Challenge- Red , White and Blue

Welcome to flaming June, and of course in this part of the world, it is grey, with a slight breeze, and not a hope of the sun peeping through the clouds today! We have a wonderful weekend coming up with FOUR days of holiday, and the Queen's Jubilee, and in our case a possible street party ( apparently it depends on the weather!!), but who cares?  I have been happily making bunting and adding it to my Red White and blue card for The Creative Team's take on our new challenge.

Check out the wonderful creations the girls have done here!
We would love you to join in.
Have a creative day and watch this space tomorrow for news of our Jubilee celebrations at The Artistic Stamper, or if you would like to know sooner, join our mailing list :))
Hugs