What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday - Week 799/19

Hello Everyone,

Another Wednesday, another What's On Your Workdesk, and it's so nearly a real big one too. One week to go to No.800! Want to know more about this weekly show and tell for crafters worldwide? Check out this post over on Julia's Stamping Ground for an explanation of what it's all about. Joining in, just pop over to Sarah's Craft Shed where you can now link your desky post. It's all great fun.

Because I've been distracted by the chaos in my craftroom and unable to give myself permission to just sit down and scrapbook, it's clear I had to find some inspiration. 

Here is, I hope, the very project to get me going again. It's a jar of challenges, the idea for which is based on an old class of Shimelle's, The 20 Project.  

So far, so good. This is the result of the first challenge pulled out of the jar which was to complete a page for a gap in a near completed album. This one for my own personal album. The photo was taken at my 50th birthday party in 1997. Alan loved a party so he made all the arrangements. He wanted me to celebrate with all my siblings, my children, their children together with our mum. I'm so glad he did because it was the last time we were all able to get together at the same time. 

Materials are just the usual mix of goodies from my stash, some old, some new. I'm happy to report that some progress has been made in organising the craftroom. It's not perfect yet, but some improvement can be seen.

Yesterday was a beautiful day - one of the very few we've had this year. So when my grandson sent me a text to say it was so nice we could see the Isle of Arran clearly from the shore, I just had to pop down to check it out. Not only could Arran be seen but that wee dot in the far distance is the island of Ailsa Craig. 

And finally, of course, it has to be my wee furry friend:

She's sending her best meows to you all. 

Best wishes from me to you all too. Have a wonderful week.

Take care Everyone,
Elizabeth 

What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday - Week 798/18

Hello and Good Afternoon Everyone,

I'd love to say I have a great excuse for being late but it wouldn't be true. As my mother would have said, I'm like the coo's (cow's) tail, all behind! I just can't seem to get organised and it shows on my desk.

See what I mean. It's a mess. To quote a fellow desker, Lynn of One I Made Earlier, I need 'to give it all a good coat of looking at' and and then just sort it all out!!!

Maybe I should explain a little of why things have got to this abysmal stage. As well as being the designated craft room, this room became my bedroom. I had to move out of the main bedroom when Alan was becoming increasingly disabled so he had the necessary space to move around with his walker or in his wheelchair. While I slept in here, I kept it reasonably organised, crafting in one area, sleeping in the other. However, recently, after many months of dithering, swithering and generally being somewhat unwilling, I have moved back into the main bedroom. And what an upheaval it's been. Stuff has gone from one room to be stored in the other. Result the main bedroom is a haven of peace and tranquillity but the craft room is in a real muddle. I dare not show you the rest of the room - it's the very definition of chaos! I'm ashamed. 

Unlike Jan of Lunch Lady Jan's Fabric Frenzy, brave lady that she is, I won't be posting a photo of the bed! See her post here. Like she says, it's just become an extra work surface. In my case it's a dumping ground! 

So if you'd rather see more organised workdesks than mine, and why wouldn't you, do pop over to the keeper of desks, Sarah on Sarah's Craft Shed and check out the many links thereon. Better still, why don't you join in the fun and let us see what's on your workdesk too.

As there's no show without Punch, here's Silver's contribution today.

'Me, shameless, not a bit of it!'

Best wishes to you all. Have a wonderful week.

Take care Everyone,

Elizabeth 

What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday - Week 797/17

Hello Everyone,

It's been another while. Another unscheduled break. I won't make any declarations along the lines of being back for good this time. But I'm here today and there's something on my workdesk too.

Another of my kits made from a combination of old stash ...

and leftover scraps. The tan and brown printed paper is actually a sheet of saved wrapping paper that I thought too nice to toss. 

I'd also included a stencil that I thought would be great for a mixed media background. Taking my cue from the two chosen photos - there's rather a lot of sand in each - I inked through it with the colour Pumice Stone in Ranger's Distress Ink. The spatters were created with Heidi Swapp's Colorshine spray in Teal picking up on the blue of the hills in the distance.

The photos were taken on my first visit to Barmouth in Wales in 1995. City born and bred, Alan much preferred to be by the sea so when we met he couldn't wait to introduce me to this little seaside town. I'm a city girl too but, in truth, I didn't like sand. At all! Not between my toes, in my hair or on my clothes. Not anywhere.  Fortunately there's more to the town than sand, those blue remembered hills for instance, and I did grow to enjoy visiting Barmouth as much as he did. 

Like the layout in yesterday's post, no new stash was used in the making of today's page. The stencil is from Design Worx. 

I enjoyed having a go at a mixed media background again and there's a lot of satisfaction to be got from using up old leftover scraps of paper. Anyone looking through my album in the future won't have any idea the materials were old when the page was made. Well, not unless, like you, they've read this post!

And finally, 

Silver couldn't resist the empty wash basket and beat me to it. 

As always, I will do my best to visit and comment on the posts, Blogger permitting, of everyone who leaves a link on Sarah's post today. 

Best wishes to you all for a brilliant week. 

Take care everyone,

Elizabeth

Catching Up & What's On My Workdesk this Wednesday - Week 791/11

Hello Everyone, 

I've been missing in action again. Life, once more, has thrown me a few curveballs to deal with. I won't bore you with the details. Suffice to say, I'm back and raring to go again. 

When I've been able I've been going out for a short walk around my neighbourhood. 

And, as always, taking photos.

It's really difficult to know where the boundary between Ardrossan, where I live, and the neighbouring town of Saltcoats. The two merge into each other, making this road sign very useful for a newcomer like myself. 

Graveyards can often be great places to see birds and wildflowers so when I discovered there was one in Ardrossan, I just had to take a look. 

Bird's Foot Trefoil

Turns out this one is too well maintained for there to be too many wildflowers growing but it's still very pleasant to walk around.

The row of gravestones are in memory of some of the men who lost their lives in the wartime sinking  of the aircraft carrier HMS Dasher just of the town's coast. 

So that's it from me today. Just a wee catch up. There's been no scrapbooking going on. I did try but a certain furry friend of mine had other ideas. 

See what I mean! 

Pop over to Sarah's Craft Shed where you will find links to a bunch of WOYWWers who really have been busy crafting. And do join in if you want. We're a friendly crowd. 

Take care, Everyone

Elizabeth

WOYWW - Week 789/9

Hello Everyone,

It's Wednesday, our day for sharing to What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday now hosted over at Sarah's Craft Shed. Here's what mine is looking like today.

I have a feeling that this is going to be a very short post this week because there's been no scrapbooking going on. I had plans as can be seen from that pile, the contents of one of those homemade kits I put together before the great house move in 2022, but a delivery of tiny shelving proved too diverting. 

Of course it came in the form of flatpacks. Everything does now. Sigh! Saves on shipping, I know, but just for once I'd love to be able to simply unwrap and go. 

The plan was to have both units on the craft desk but the two together took up too much scrappy space. One is now on the computer desk - sorry I forgot to take a shot of it. The intention was to get as many of my ink pads as possible out of the inconvenient drawer they were stashed in. Success! 

And that's it, I'm afraid. Not a lot of crafting. However, a break in the weather let me fit in a lovely walk down along the seafront.

And a bit of gardening. Well, pottering and enjoying the wildflowers growing happily in the back garden.

The pottering above and a few of the wildflowers below.

Scarlet Pimpernel

Common Daisy

Hawksbeard

So nothing exciting doing this week. Just continued improvement in the weather and my health. And talking of health, Silver's been in the wars. 

She's taken to searching in the bramble patch growing at the top of the back garden. I'm sure it's home to many a tiny creature but it's also very thorny. It might be hard to spot in the photo but she's got scratches around her nose. All healing nicely but I don't think a few scratches will prevent her going a-hunting in the bramble patch again.

As usual, I will do my best to visit and comment on everyone that leaves their link on Sarah's post today. 

Have a brilliant week everyone. Here's hoping for good weather so the children can enjoy their summer holiday. 

Take care, everyone,

Elizabeth 

No Flowers In A Vase Today - Gardening Catch-Up Instead

Hello Everyone,

Unfortunately, there's nothing to cut in the garden and I've not been out foraging either. I've too busy with the Scrap-a-Sketch Rainbow Challenge, not to mention catching up on more domestic stuff that I won't bore you with. I have, however, been giving the front garden much consideration. 

What a mess! That's the result of almost two years of neglect. Time, methinks, to do something. It needs a makeover so I'm looking for a landscape gardener but that's proving to be not as easy as I hoped. In the meantime, I've moved the smaller of the overgrown weed-filled pots to the area I've designated the potting area in the back garden. The plan is to clean them out and repot any plants found worth saving. Any pots that are emptied completely will be cleaned up, filled with lovely new compost and sown with quick growing annuals such as:

nasturtiums 

calendula 

eschscholzia 

malope

All photos and seeds from the Higgeldy Garden.

Hoping for a bit of late summer colour. 

And finally,

However much I despair of my overgrown patch it's clearly providing Silver with the perfect hunting ground!

Thanks for following my blog, reading this post, and for sticking with me this far. I'm trying to post more regularly but it's been a rocky road for so long and I still have days that are a struggle. Listen to me! I don't want you to think that it's all bad. I'm slowly, but surely, adjusting to this new way of life. 

On that note, I'll sign off for today. 

Take care, everyone,

Elizabeth

This Week's Smiles - Week 373

Hello Everyone,

It's been forever since I shared a smiley post. Blame life - it got in the way! I've started going for walks again. Just short walks as I'm still feeling weak from my recent fight with horrid side affects from antibiotics. Me and antibiotics just don't agree. Anyway, today I went out early for a wee walk around the neighbourhood. and the blue, blue sky over Ardrossan had me smiling from ear to ear. 

As did the sight of these Welsh Poppies growing in someone's front garden. They're such a cheerful sight. 

When is a park not a park? When it's called the Holm Plantation. The plantation is very near the street where I live and it is lovely. There's a burn (stream) running through it and in early spring it's a mass of daffodils. Sadly, they've all gone over now. 

What it looked like in March. 

Discovered this blue plaque as I passed Ardrossan Academy. Edith MacArthur was a noted Scottish actress born here in Ardrossan in 1926. She had a long and varied acting career, appearing on stage, in film and in many very popular TV series. She is also credited with discovering David Tennant, he of Dr Who fame, when he was only ten years old!

And finally:

Silver, sitting on the compendium of games on the piano stool. I think I was being challenged to a game of draughts with her! There never was a piano but there was the keyboard - long gone but not forgotten.  I played the piano, Alan the keyboard, and very good he was too. 

That's it for today. A very quick and photo heavy post but hopefully you enjoyed the insight they give into what it's like living here in beautiful Ardrossan by the Sea. 

Take care, everyone,

Elizabeth

What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday - Week 779

Hello Everyone,

I'm determined to not only join in with WOYWW over on Julia's Stamping Ground this week, but to be bright and early too. It's time to get up, dress up and show up!

But before I get on to this week, let me show you last week's desk which never made it to WOYWW because there's a very important little person in residence. Our lovely Annie, Wipso on here, made this sweet little memory bear from Alan's favourite shirt. The tie, a reminder of his career in chemical research, is pretty special too. Thank you, Annie.

Now on to this week's desk. Photo taken yesterday.

I was putting a page together for a Facebook challenge. The first I've been up to participating in for a very long time. It's proving to be a great way of using up old stash and leftover scraps that I've been hanging on to for no better reason than I can't bear to throw any of it away! 

As can be seen, stickers I think I might include in the embellishment clusters get stuck temporarily to any available surface while I think about where and whether to use them. Not all got used on this layout. 

The finished layout is based on a photo taken of us 22 years ago, when my hair was still dark and Alan still had some! His big sister, Margaret, put on a get-together for the family to wish us good luck when we made the big move from England to Scotland. Margaret loved to entertain and she made the most amazingly tasty pink cake too. 

Silver is still a happy distraction in my life. Here she is cuddling up on my lap, preventing me from doing anything but enjoy the moment. 

And finally:

This is the message printed on the side of the box of tissues that's on my desk today. 

Sent to me on Facebook. So appropriate!

Wishing you all a very creative and wonderful week. 

Take care, everyone

Elizabeth

More Catching Up

 Hello Again Everyone,

No fainting, please! I'm excelling myself by blogging two days on the trot! 

The following are more photos taken during my walk down to the seafront yesterday. This time they are of the memorial to HMS Dasher. 

It's dedicated to the 379 men that perished when HMS Dasher, an Archer Class Aircraft Carrier, sank in the Firth of Clyde on 27th March 1943. 

It is also dedicated to the survivors who never forgot. There's a lot more information on Wikipedia for those interested.

I forgot to mention yesterday that it was (inter)National Scrapbooking Day. A day to celebrate this happy hobby of mine. Not that I have joined in with the many celebratory challenges. I'm taking my time getting back into a routine after so many months of no scrapping at all. However, I'm rediscovering the fun of playing with pretty patterned paper. It's my therapy!

Here's the last pages made.

One of the few double-page layouts I've made. Ever! I'm just not a double-page scrapper. 

I have quite a collection of photos of post office boxes, most of which I put on Instagram but rarely make a scrap page with them, but I think these four are quite special. Yarn bombing is guaranteed to cheer up any PO box.

And here's the last page made for this weekend.

This is my middle sister, Margaret, showing off her new hair colour. She may have MS, may be increasingly disabled, may be living in a care home, may have just turned 70, but she still loves life and  cares for her appearance. So when the hairdresser visits her in the home, Margaret is always up for something new. Pink hair! Why not?

And finally:

 

Silver's preferred mode of entry and exit now that the temperatures are rising. So much quicker than waiting for the in-house servant, i.e. me, to open the door whenever required.

Take care, everyone,

Elizabeth