WOYWW 165 & The Big Clear Up

It's WOYWW

Time again to show my desk to the crafting world and beyond. 

I missed last week as I was so busy with a major sort out in the house, garage, loft and ... you guessed it... my crafty room. The roof heaved a sigh of relief as so much stash was recycled or binned and I'm wondering now if I'll be looking for anything next week, that I've discarded this week!?! 

Thanks to those who missed me last week and sent private messages of concern for my welfare. Thanks especially to Annie who had a wonderful family wedding to think about yet still found time for me.

Here's my room in the before and after stages.......

No! Donna and Carol, I did not tidy it especially for your forthcoming visits... it just had to be done. 

Mind you, here's a WARNING!*!*!.... just anyone dare mess it up, heh, heh!!!!! No names mentioned!

My desk before...

and after my modest transformation..... still not quite finished but getting there....

The desk by the window hidden under a heap of stash.....

and now! I just got in before the landslide but still have to tidy all those boxes on the shelves.

The sink area before....

and after. I know, I know... not much has changed here but remember I did the garage and loft too and still have lots more to do here....

I bet I get the coconut for my mess this week but I hope I also get the star for all I've achieved. 

Time now to make your comparisons with all the other brave crafters who weekly show their desks via What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday over at Julia's Stamping Ground blog... pop over and have a nosey at this weeks fun! 

Yesterday I showed quite a lot of my latest crochet bits and bobs and this week it's the only bit of crafting I've managed. Each evening when I finally collapse into the sofa, after a day of sorting and clearing, I add a few stitches to this, the first of three ponchos I'm making for my gorgeous, curly, girlie, grandees. 

Take a peek at my previous post if you'd like to see all the bright coloured bibs and headbands I've made recently. 

Crochet Bibs and Bands

Catching up by showing my latest crochet creations. 

I can now show the first two bibs as they have been received by Sarah's gorgeous little newbie Ruby. Take a look at Sarah's blog.... she is doing so well, managing to produce lots of lovely artwork after producing such a beautiful baby girl.

A rather kitch bright one which I made en route to Slovenia...

and a pretty girly one...made in Ljubljana. they bring back lovely memories of our fabulous trip to Cardarian's Happy Place.

I also made quite a few of these little flowers into bag charms by adding beads and bells and a key ring

The flowers made cute little bracelets, (which I forgot to photograph before giving them away), decorations on hair slides and headbands like these below which are for the Brighton Belles.

I keep changing the shape of the bibs and made these two....

but don't know which one I like best but they all do the same job!

Meander Book / Distress Inks.

Don't be fooled into thinking I've been crafting..... this project is one I drafted a while ago and forgot to post so, as I've been on travel photo overload lately, I thought I'd pop it in. Meander books are a a quick way to make a mini book but they are so small when a 12 x 12 card is used so I cut a 16 inch square from an A3 sheet of good quality cartridge paper, which will make a 4inch square book. 

After colouring it with Distress Inks on both sides I decorated the pages which would be on view once the card is folded, using stencils and masks.

You can stamp images over your decorations but it is also so simple to scribble around the stencilled shapes with a fine line waterproof pen as I did for the front cover, below. Do it quite freely without too much thought or consideration and it will look more "arty".

Here's a full sheet I decorated for another book.

This book I decorated each page separately to show various effects and ideas.

Pockets can easily be cut to take tags

a V shape is cut to make a tag slot.

A circle punch provided a slot at the side of a page.

The quote stamps are from Stampattack and Carol has several of sheets of really special ones for every occasion.

The only crafting I have done lately has been with my visiting little fraulein, now back home so I am really missing her.

No! It's not WOYWW but with this mess below....

She helped so well to make this bit of fun...

however she preferred it on her head and not as a mask.

The elastic proved so fascinating.

Last Collection of Photos from Slovenia

Whilst I have so many more photos I will make these few the last of my Slovenian trip as it encapsulates and finalises the span of the wonderful places we visited, thanks to Dolores during our superb holiday with her.

Our visit to the Postojna caves was somewhat overwhelming and this photo does not show the grandeur and spectacle of it all. We rode really fast in a rickety train, which was just like a metal toast rack. The tunnels and passages were so low that we were strongly warned not to stand up or move to either side as it raced into the hillside. We travelled for 15 minutes, viewing many wonders of stalagmites and stalactites. We then disembarked to follow pathways, walking through the multi million year old wonders of cavern after cavern for an hour before we met the train to return to the outside world.

The formations took so many forms which rocked our minds and imagination.... some looked like draped transparent fabric, chambers of Hobbits, chess sets, tiered wedding cakes, water falls, Moomins... etc., etc., etc!!!

It takes 100 years for 1cm to form on a stalactite so it was mind blowing to see what millions of years had produced in this fascinating place.

Photos were banned until we reached the vast chamber of the

The Concert Hall 

A group of people took advantage of the amazing accoustics in there to sing in harmony, much to everyone's delight.

Ljubljana old town

... note the shoes hanging high across the street??!!??

Statue of Preserem, a famous Slovenian poet

Engraved padlocks are fastened to the sides of the bridge as declarations of love... the bridge has glass on each side of the walkway making it so weird to walk across and the tour boats can be seen passing beneath. Remember to wear jeans and not a skirt!!

Handcrafts everywhere and here, carved walking staffs for sale.......

Beautiful views at every turn on the road to Kranjska Gora

The story of the road and church

Tiny Russian Church built as a memorial to all the prisoners of war who died in the construction of this high mountain pass.

The man walking up the steps gives the scale of the church.

The Winter Olympics Ski Jump

Two brave souls were walking up to the top but I wouldn't fancy that any more than I'd fancy jumping from the top in the snow. I'll have greater respect now for the jumpers.

The new jump in progress for the next Winter Olympics

Trieste

 across the border in Italy where we were caught in a rain storm so it became really humid in the heat.

Bikes and scooters everywhere.

If you've never been to Slovenia... GO!! 

WOYWW 163 / Birthday Treats

WOYWW brings together the snoopers and the daring folk who share their desks via Julia's stamping-ground each week. 

My work desk this week has been the cutest one ever as I enjoyed my first attempt at face painting on such a wriggly canvas, namely my little fraulein grandee. 

As I've been enjoying special time with my family this week, I am showing more of my belated birthday gifts which are still on my desk. Donna didn't know about my birthday, (which was June) so she made an extra special box of tricks to give to me before we left for our Slovenia adventure.

(Be warned....more Slovenia pics next post to finish off my saga of fun so pop back if you are at all interested.)

Here's the box top...

the inside of the lid....

The treasure chest of gifts within....

Also the mini tag file filled with wonders....

Thanks so much Donna, so exciting to open... it's a forever keepsake and I can't stop browsing it's contents. I'm well blessed to be treated so fantastically.

Neet, another lovely friend, you'll know from Hickydorums, gave me a pack of nail grooming products which includes this amazing magnetic nail polish (by Nails Inc.). It is such fun! Neet is so thoughtful, and knows me so well, so this is a great treat for me. 

After a first coat, a second coat is applied nail by nail then the magnet provided in the lid  is held over each nail, one by one, giving a special transformation from plain to patterned. Quite fascinating! There are different designs and this one is a fishnet effect and Neet has one with a wave effect. I'm told it can also be applied over a coloured base. The varnish is exceptionally chip resistant and so lasts really well.

Neet, thanks again and you are a star!!!...Hope you are recovering PDQ from your hospital stay this week....brave gal!

I also received a parcel of goodies from Lorraine including a much needed hand scrub I have wanted for ages. Lovely gifts, really appreciated, but even lovelier friends!