Blog Candy Draw due soon!

BLOG CANDY last few days to enter!

to be drawn 2nd Sept

I really appreciate the many visitors to my blog, especially those who leave a comment and all the lovely followers who are interested enough to keep an eye on my posts. I had intended to offer some blog candy when my hits counter reached 88,888 but I was so busy that missed the magic moment.

I have got to know so many lovely crafters and made lasting friendships via my blog and I've even been lucky to meet up with quite a few these very special people. 

To say a big "Thank You" to every one who visits and leaves comments I'm offering some blog candy and, since I've had a mega clean up, I have found quite a few items surplus to requirements and I'll even add a few extras to those in the photo.

Here's the stash on offer so far!

I will also make a special handcrafted gift for a couple of winners which can be chosen from several items such as, (below) a hand painted art apron, a decorated key chain, handbag bling, a crochet bag decoration etc. I'll discuss preferences with the winners.

To qualify 

Please leave me a comment stating you'd like to be included.

I always make you work for my blog candy so.......just for a bit of fun we want your alter ego...

 tell me (and Blogland) what your name would be if you were a pole dancer, created by giving the name of your pet (past or present) and your maternal grandmother's maiden surname. It will gain you an extra entry in the draw!

Mine therefore would be Ziggy Boguski !!!

Add the first picture to your blog, leaving a link and mention my candy offer.

Be a follower, but don't sign up unless you are really interested as it would be unfair to take the chance away from others who are regulars, as they are the people I want to thank. 

The draw will be made on Sunday 2nd September.

Have some fun reading these alter ego names from those already entered... 

Brighton Rosebush, Rusty Rose, Jezebel, Winker Heuser, Bimbo Redfern, Snicker VanNatter, Mingo Jahn,

 Miss Dixie Bolitho, Sikkhi Von Flotwell, Scruffy Newbie, Boots Bentley, Butterscotch Mooney, Scooter Wilson, Tiggy Rowan, Fudge Rickard, Bojangles Waters, Taibo Canatser,

Maysa Suslova, Lambert Simnel, Rex Bloomfield, Smokey Mallett, Nimbus Breen,

Shadow Schliinzi, China Richie, Brownie Parker, Tinker Maas, Fluffy Koekemoer, 

Donna Cipot, Hammy Pearson, Rusty and Fluffy Burns, Poppy Woods, Goldie Gilpatrick,

Zola Slidermum, Samwise Bentley, Sid Perkins, Missy Galvan, Titch Elliot,

Wotchit Matheson, Fluffy Dingwal, Jesse Wolfe, Grizz Thiele, Bozo Roley, Zizi Smith, 

Lulu Dumbreak, Baggins Gregory, Iggy Alviola, Pinky and Perky Laws, Misty Tye, 

Randy Douglas, Duchess Von Scaffenberg, Snooksy Wilson, Jelly Belly, Squeaky Sorrell, Bruno Lobo, Ringo Turkki, 

Pickle Brown...

and, believe it or not, a real ex pole dancer signed in as Autumn Palmer!!! 

If you aren't already on the list why not fess up to your special name!!!

Everyone will be entered into the draw in their real name too.

WOYWW Curly Girlies

A little table in the living room is the location of my WOYWW post for this week.

The Curly girlies, alias the Brighton Belles are staying with us so, between going out, we have been crafting and here they are making masks. Lots and lots of sequins and bling....

Great fun was had by all...

I found a packet of skinny balloons I'd had in for years and I'd never managed to produce a recognisable shape from them... until today!! Woo hoo! a new skill! I may start a new career as a children's entertainer as we all laughed so much whilst I quickly honed my skills, popping so many balloons until I got the knack and now I can produce a reasonable dog, a sword, a flower with leaves on a stem and a hat.

 I hope you are as impressed as the children were...personally I'm not too proud to say that I am thrilled. Any bookings please? Shame it's a couple of weeks late for my little fraulein's 3rd birthday party.

Short and sweet post this time for our lovely Julia who is the "Hostess with the Mostest" to the crafty desks around the world each week. 

Join in if you dare or just drop in, as I'll be doing, for a good snoop to her stamping ground to see the rest!

Blog Candy

BLOG CANDY 

to be drawn 2nd Sept

I really appreciate the many visitors to my blog, especially those who leave a comment and all the lovely followers who are interested enough to keep an eye on my posts. I had intended to offer some blog candy when my hits counter reached 88,888 but I was so busy that missed the magic moment.

I have got to know so many lovely crafters and made lasting friendships via my blog and I've even been lucky to meet up with quite a few these very special people. 

To say a big "Thank You" to every one who visits and leaves comments I'm offering some blog candy and, since I've had a mega clean up, I have found quite a few items surplus to requirements and I'll even add a few extras to those in the photo.

Here's the stash on offer so far!

I will also make a special handcrafted gift for a couple of winners which can be chosen from several items such as, (below) a hand painted art apron, a decorated key chain, handbag bling, a crochet bag decoration etc. I'll discuss preferences with the winners.

To qualify 

Please leave me a comment stating you'd like to be included.

I always make you work for my blog candy so.......just for a bit of fun we want your alter ego...

 tell me (and Blogland) what your name would be if you were a pole dancer, created by giving the name of your pet (past or present) and your maternal grandmother's maiden surname. It will gain you an extra entry in the draw!

Mine therefore would be Ziggy Boguski !!!

Add the first picture to your blog, leaving a link and mention my candy offer.

Be a follower, but don't sign up unless you are really interested as it would be unfair to take the chance away from others who are regulars, as they are the people I want to thank. 

The draw will be made on Sunday 2nd September.

Have some fun reading these alter ego names from those already entered... 

Brighton Rosebush, Rusty Rose, Jezebel, Winker Heuser, Bimbo Redfern, Snicker VanNatter, Mingo Jahn,

 Miss Dixie Bolitho, Sikkhi Von Flotwell, Scruffy Newbie, Boots Bentley, Butterscotch Mooney, Scooter Wilson, Tiggy Rowan, Fudge Rickard, Bojangles Waters, Taibo Canatser,

Maysa Suslova, Lambert Simnel, Rex Bloomfield, Smokey Mallett, Nimbus Breen,

Shadow Schliinzi, China Richie, Brownie Parker, Tinker Maas, Fluffy Koekemoer, 

Donna Cipot, Hammy Pearson, Rusty and Fluffy Burns, Poppy Woods, Goldie Gilpatrick,

Zola Slidermum, Samwise Bentley, Sid Perkins, Missy Galvan, Titch Elliot,

Wotchit Matheson, Fluffy Dingwal, Jesse Wolfe, Grizz Thiele, Bozo Roley, Zizi Smith, 

Lulu Dumbreak, Baggins Gregory, Iggy Alviola, Pinky and Perky Laws, Misty Tye, 

Randy Douglas, Duchess Von Scaffenberg, Snooksy Wilson, Jelly Belly, and, believe it or not, a real ex pole dancer signed in as Autumn Palmer!!! 

If you aren't already on the list why not fess up to your special name!!!

Everyone will be entered into the draw in their real name too.

WOYWW 168 & Prize Time

Despite making a mess whilst prepping my samples for a forthcoming workshop, I have been extraordinarily, exceptionally, good and tidied up my desk as on Saturday... ta dah! I will be sharing my "Making Room" with the little curly girlies. The Brighton Belles are coming for a week's Summer holiday and I'm soooo.o.o.o.o. thrilled! More precious time with some of my lovely grandees.

What is under the flat iron there on my table? Well, it is weighting down a book that I'm in process of altering and a smaller art journal, so that they will be completely flat and dry. It's the only ironing I'll be doing!

 

I thought for a while that I was a follower of Anne's (of Redanne) blog but when I realised I wasn't listed I added my name only to realise that I was honoured to be Anne's 100th follower. What I did not expect was this lovely gift from her that she had secretly planned for whoever signed up to No 100! Thanks so much Anne, it's fabulous to receive not only the Spellbinders dies (just what I need) but also in my parcel was a fabulous note book made by Doodly Bird Lynne.

Thanks so much to you Anne for your generosity and you well deserve all your followers and here's to the next 100. 

Pop over to Anne's blog and you'll see why!

 Here are a couple of pages from my "flat ironed" art journal sketched with a permanent pen, just for fun on my travels, and I added a little water colour as an experiment. I think I will play around and do more sketches in the style of the right hand page as I like the effect of the drippy paint. This one was quite quick and free and a nice little play time away from home.

 Two of my altered book pages, which are also a bit experimental and I'll probably add to and alter them as the book progresses.
Note the quote on the left page which was told to us by Dolores whilst we were  in Slovenia... "Oochi Moochi Pjevajuchi" (can't vouch for the spelling!) which means "Go home singing"!! We certainly did that often with all the fun and laughter we had there!

Spot the red and green pot on my table???
I recently rediscovered Swarfega, a product from my childhood that my Dad always used to clean grease and dirt from his hands... it cleaned my inky stained hands amazingly after a mega Alcohol ink, Colour Wash and Glimmer Mist session.This green jellified slime is, I'm sure, some thing from outer space,  and the jar when tapped gives a strange sensation and a weird, funny, odd, sound. 
FYI, I found the Swarfega in Home Bargains, a local bargain store, so cheap I just had to try it and it worked! Home Bargain branches all over the North West and spreading across England. No doubt it will be available in most hardware stores. Just try it if you find it. I even cleaned my stainless steel table top with the gunge I wiped from my hands onto a rag.... eeeew! It's crazy stuff.

I'm already counting sleeps as Morti tells me that it's only around 50 days to the WOYWWfest in October. 

My name is on a seat and a butty so I'll be there....will YOU??? 

It will be so great to meet up with even more WOYWWers!

All thanks go to the big boss, our fab Julia, for starting this weekly snoop fest which has spread around the globe to become a great Wednesday MUST. 

Well you must!... show us your desk or go snooping around ours...

 HERE at Julia's place..the stamping ground.

Don't forget .. still time to enter my Blog Candy Draw!!

3rd Birthday Cards & Market Day

Here's the Secret Message / 3rd Birthday card I made for a special little girl. 

The card has a fascinating system of opening out so that there are four different surfaces of the card exposed. I will soon be making this in a workshop for Vicky Stampers with lots more styles and variations but here I went over the top with lots of points of interest for a 3 year old. She really loved  the worm and the gingerbread man. 

Thanks to my lovely friend Neet of Hickydorums blog who sent the birthday girl this special card with a pocket full of tags and a page inside asking lots of fun questions about all these super gnomes. A great interactive card idea, and perfect for a 3 year old. Pop over to her blog to see all about making it.

Such a coincidence how Neet's fab card matched the theme of the birthday cake my DD made.

When we go shopping in DD's town, I always visit visit this lovely Quilt Garden shop (which Wipso, Twiglet and LLJ would LOVE) and, from across the road, my little grandee shouted.... "There's Joma!" (that's ME, my German Nannie name!!!) Do I really look like this? Well maybe it's because she always sees me making things.

However I can't understand why she saw this fellow outside a toy shop and said.... "There's Popops" (my DH!!!) We must look a right pair through the eyes of a child, tee, hee!

The beautiful, ancient, Rathaus on Market Day

This interesting guy is always there selling preserves, honey and pickles.

It was almost the end of the strawberry season

I wish I could grow agapanthus like this!

I also wish I was back there but it's a good job I can look forward to the visit of the Brighton Belles next week.

Have a great weekend and hope the weather is good wherever you are.

WOYWW 167

WOYWW 167

I arrived home late last night so I'm just posting a quicky but a reminder first of my Blog Candy and I wanted to thank the people who have already joined in the fun... including at random, Whiskey Burns, Sikkhi von Flottwell, Foxy Lady, China Gregory, Fluffy Koekemoer and lots of others with amazing alter egos!! Read on and you'll find out all about it!

BLOG CANDY

I really appreciate the many visitors to my blog, especially those who leave a comment and all the lovely followers who are interested enough to keep an eye on my posts. I had intended to offer some blog candy when my hits counter reached 88,888 but I was so busy that missed the magic moment.

I have got to know so many lovely crafters and made lasting friendships via my blog and I've even been lucky to meet up with quite a few these very special people. 

(Take a look at the last post to see yet another live meet up with WOYWWer Lynn and her Doodly Birds.) 

To say a big "Thank You" to every one of you I'm offering some blog candy and, since I've had a mega clean up, I have found quite a few items surplus to requirements and I'll even add a few extras once I get a chance to shop.

Here's the stash on offer so far!

I will also make a special handcrafted gift for a couple of winners which can be chosen from several items such as, (below) a hand painted art apron, a decorated key chain, handbag bling, a crochet bag decoration etc. I'll discuss preferences with the winners.

To qualify 

Please leave me a comment stating you'd like to be included.

I always make you work for my blog candy so.......just for a bit of fun we want your alter ego...

 tell me (and Blogland) what your name would be if you were a pole dancer, created by giving the name of your pet (past or present) and your maternal grandmother's maiden surname. It will gain you an extra entry in the draw!

Mine therefore would be Ziggy Boguski !!!

Add the first picture to your blog, leaving a link and mention my candy offer.

Be a follower, but don't sign up unless you are really interested as it would be unfair to take the chance away from others who are regulars, as they are the people I want to thank. 

The draw will be made on Sunday 2nd September.

WOYWW 167

This week my work desk has been playtime with my little fraulein grandee as I made a visit to Germany especially for her 3rd birthday. It has been great with sunshine and laughter and I didn't want to come home.

Guess what was her special birthday gift?

My DD made this super cake with 3 gnomes and 3 toadstools and mini bunting

I did some crochet in the garden

And now, boo hoo, I'm home!

 Hope to visit lots of your desks this week.

Pop over to Julia's stamping- ground blog to catch up on the desks of the crafty world

WOYWW 166 & Blog Candy

BLOG CANDY

I really appreciate the many visitors to my blog, especially those who leave a comment and all the lovely followers who are interested enough to keep an eye on my posts. I had intended to offer some blog candy when my hits counter reached 88,888 but I was so busy that missed the magic moment.

I have got to know so many lovely crafters and made lasting friendships via my blog and I've even been lucky to meet up with quite a few these very special people. 

(Take a look at the last post to see yet another live meet up with WOYWWer Lynn and her Doodly Birds.) 

To say a big "Thank You" to every one of you I'm offering some blog candy and, since I've had a mega clean up, I have found quite a few items surplus to requirements and I'll even add a few extras once I get a chance to shop.

Here's the stash on offer so far!

I will also make a special handcrafted gift for a couple of winners which can be chosen from several items such as, (below) a hand painted art apron, a decorated key chain, handbag bling, a crochet bag decoration etc. I'll discuss preferences with the winners.

To qualify 

Please leave me a comment stating you'd like to be included.

I always make you work for my blog candy so.......just for a bit of fun we want your alter ego...

 tell me (and Blogland) what your name would be if you were a pole dancer, created by giving the name of your pet (past or present) and your maternal grandmother's maiden surname. It will gain you an extra entry in the draw!

Mine therefore would be Ziggy Boguski !!!

Add the first picture to your blog, leaving a link and mention my candy offer.

Be a follower, but don't sign up unless you are really interested as it would be unfair to take the chance away from others who are regulars, as they are the people I want to thank. 

The draw will be made on Sunday 2nd September.

WOYWW 166 

Here's my cleaned up work space and despite making quite a few items this week I've kept it quite tidy.

I also made headway clearing the sink area...

and tidied all these boxes and did a bit more on this other window area......

All my ribbons, card stock etc., are stored in these file drawers...

If by now you've had a good snoop here then you can continue spying on the crafty spaces of many others who add their names to the list of WOYWW, What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday, via our General Factotum, the lovely Julia,  at her Stamping Ground Blog

Just thought you'd like to know that Ikea (other home stores are available!) have revamped their stores and now include a gift wrapping section where I bought, at reasonably low cost, these really interesting quirky tags (£1 pkt) and stickers (50p pkt).

Won't be blogging much for a while!

I'm so thrilled to be flying out to Germany tomorrow for the 3rd birthday of my lovely little fraulein grandee and the day after her birthday she starts kindergarten. DH is staying home as it was a quick last minute decision for me to go. He's too good to me and so aren't I the lucky one to share these special occasions? 

When I return the Brighton Belles will come for a weeks holiday so there's  even more fun to come.... woo hoo! 

Lots of love from my alter ego.....Ziggy Boguski!

Doodly Birds at Browsholme

Quote of the Post

My friend Jean, in Oz, sent me a long list of one liners so I'm going to add one at the start of each post until they run out.

"Start every day with a smile and get it over with"....

 ( W.C.Fields American comedian 1880-1946)

We had another great day out today when we visited Browsholme Hall in Clitheroe for the Craft Fair and Farmers Market. We love going to this part of Lancashire, it's an English gem with lots of lovely places to visit and lush green, beautiful, countryside. 

We were lucky to meet up with yet another member of WOYWW, Lynn of oneimadeearliertodayblog who had a stand selling her fabulously quirky Doodly Birds on a range of handmade craft items.

Doodly Birds with Lynn and Jo

When I saw Lynn I held up my handbag and asked if she liked it...... "Oh yes", she said, "I do", wondering who was this strange woman and not realising it was me. When she saw the WOYWW badge on my bag she shouted "Oh! It's YOoooU"!!!!! and we both burst into laughter. 

So good to meet up with another really lovely member of the group in this lovely venue... 

Browsholme Hall.

Before long we were joined by Carol of CarolCs stuff blog

We all got along so well and it was really special to meet someone I felt I already knew.

Jo, Lynn, Carol and the Doodly Birds

DH and I had a stroll in the beautiful grounds of the hall

and around the lake

I loved the old boathouse.... 

After we'd been around the stands at the fair we took the rare opportunity to visit nearby Stonyhurst College, which is open only at weekends, only at the end of the academic year and out of term time, for just four weekends per year. I've wanted to get there for a few years!

It's a public school and many famous people have graced it's stately portals, including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (of Sherlock Holmes books) and Charles Laughton (an early English film star). Also Titus Oates the renegade priest responsible for the Popish Plot in 1678. 

Cromwell stayed there too when he travelled North for the Battle of Preston in 1715 and we saw the long table where he slept in full armour ready for action!

You'd certainly need to be rich to send your children here and whilst it started off as a boys college it now takes girls too and it has every modern facility within it's ancient walls!

The early parts of the college date back to the days of Elizabeth 1st and whilst the guided tour was fascinating we were not allowed to take photos. 

I risked it for Carol as she was especially interested as one of her great, great, great grandfathers was a tailor who made these special uniforms for the boys of the college. The breeches were made of soft chamois leather!

A superb meal in the Waddington Arms (in Waddington Village) ended a perfect and very interesting day out.