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!
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 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...
Don't forget .. still time to enter my Blog Candy Draw!!
37 comments:
Fab crafting and well done for getting the prize. Thanks for sharing and hope you have a good week. Hazel WOYWW #8 x
fabulous surprise, love those nesties! love your atsy journal too, you are so talented. Funny to see the swarfega, I remember that from years ago too!
Debxx
Love those old irons. that girl wants to make me cry lol I had to look away quickly
Bridget #7
always have Swarfega under the sink, hubby swears by it for cleaning his oily hands, of used to, he now war those very tight latex gloves and doesn't need it. The WOYWWFest sounds interesting and pages look fantastic!
Have a lovely crafty week Happy WOYWW!! ((Lyn)) number 18
Hi Jo, what on earth are you (we) doing up at this hour? I love your paintings, the drippy one especially and your pages are simply gorgeous. As for the Swarfega I remember my Dad using it too, goodness that brought memories flooding back!
Glad you liked your gifts, you are welcome and I am so happy that you are following my humble blog! Thank you for the mention. Isn't Lynn's book lovely too?
Crafty hugs, Anne x #32
Wow Jo what a fabulous gift for being Anne's 100th visitor congrats and I love the doodly bird notebook.....very lucky you.
Elaine #31
Have fun with your grandchildren...what a treat that will be!
Your pages are lovely...I especially liked the quote from your trip!
wish we had that in the USA It's tuff when I have those inky hands and have a case in surgery... have a great day!
Great tidy desk Jo, Love that page on the right where you have used more water.. it looks AmAzing.. great effect.. all you pages are Brillant.. What a fab prize from the lovely Redanne for being her 100th follower.. so generous of Anne..
Well I'm impressed with your hand cleaner we all can do with that one!! Have a wonderful time with your Brighton Belles.. Happy WOYWW.. Hugs May x x#4
Love the pages - especially the drippy face.... Have a great time with your visitors . Helen 19.
So much goodness in one post!! Congrats on your winnings and great job on your artwork!! So creative and colorful!
Jeannie #62
Do you know? I'm actually excited for you :-) Have a fab time with your gorgeous girls.
Swarfega....now there's a blast from the past...we always had some by the sink for Dad to clean his hands with. :-)
Hugs,
A x #72
Good morning Jo, lucky you with your gifts from Anne, she is so kind. It made me laugh seeing one of the Doodly Birds unexpectedly.
Swarfega, ugh the smell of it. I remember it well.
Lots of exciting things going on for you AND our Lino printing workshop in November. Happy days
Lynn xx 65
Beautiful art journal pages and I ADORE your portrait drawings especially the drippy one on the right. You should definitely do more of those. And I love the quote about going home singing. So lovely. Pxx
Great looking workspace today. Congrats on the Brighten Belles coming for a visit I know I would love it if my g-daughters came to play. Interesting sounding stuff the green slime... Wish I could come to UK for the WOYWW get together but money is short so you guys will have to take lots of pictures to share with the rest of us. Have a great week and thanks for sharing. Vickie #68
I did not know that Swarfega still existed, but I will have a look for it round here. I usually find that Imperial Leather soap usually gets rid of most staining (tip from Barbara Gray). your painting is lovely and you should be very proud of it. xx #102
Wow, wow, wow - your altered book pages are astonishing - fabulous! And drippy lady is amazing, if a little freaky, but in a good way... Hot tip on the Swarfega, thank you, and happy WOYWW!
Alison x
#101
I really like your painting. Especially the one with the drippy paint.
Enjoy your time with the grandies.
Happy WOYWW!
Tertia #52
Hi Jo I love the water drip image too. What a great effect. You wouldn't mind your make up running if it looked that fab!! Thanks for the cleaning tip - I normally have to wait until it wears off - you get some strange looks when you fingers are all funny colours!! Have fun with the Brighton Belles. WOYWW Hugs to you from Helen 15
I remember Swarf from my days in the Enginering Dept at Aston Martin, there was a big pot of it in the break rooms where the shop floor workers would wash up before lunch or break! Lovely goodies from Anne, what a nice surprise. Your tidy desk is putting me to shame this week and that's an odd turnabout! Wish I could come to the meet up but like Vickie, it's a bit too far and would cost too much! Enjoy the Brighton Belles.
Hugs
Brenda 5
Enjoy your little Belles. Amazing water colour paintings and as for the Swarfega .... absolutely incredible, never heard of it and now I want it!!
Sandra @95
LOL
Bless the Brighton Belles - may they bring you a happy week!
I remember Swarfega - my dad was a mechanical engineer and we always had a huge tin of it in the house for him to use. And my brother, who wound up a spark and was often getting his hands into filthy places!
Your name isn't just on a seat and a butty but on a bed and a seat at the breakfast table too hun! Looking forward to meeting the Chaos Twins, that's for sure!
Thanks for stopping by.... :-D
Gosh. I can remember my dad using Swarfega; I hated the smell; but it is a very long time since I actually saw some.
I like the watercolour pages from the Art Journal. (Don't add to them too much!).
It all looks a lot of fun in your bust space. have a whale of a time in there with the Brighton belles.
Kate x
Wow Jo, LOVE those faces, totally gorgeous!! Trish #90
I remember Swarfega - it's incredibly effective at stripping dirt and oil from anything. My grandchildren used to have some play gunk that was remarkably similar ... it used to make me cringe. Lovely unexpected prize too - congratulations :) Have a great time with the Brighton belles. Happy WOYWW, Elizabeth x #105
Great post Jo - love the use of the flat iron - that reminds me - I have broken my ironing board - how long shall I leave it before I replace it lol! x Jo
Oh, that takes me back to our early married life when my DH used to fix our Polish landlord's car for a reduction in the rent on our first flat!! We used to get a phone call early in the morning, especially in the winter, and Mr Kania's gruff voice would inform us that his car wouldn't start. Gordon always had oily hands hence the Swarfega connection. Happy days...the only 3 pin plug socket was two foot above the bath, all the others in the flat were round two pins..and this was in 1982, lol!!
Have fun with your lovely grandees and we are really looking forward to meeting you in October too :)
Hugs, LLJ #71 xx
Never heard of SwarFega but it sounds awesome...not as awesome as you're art though...wow! #20
Love your sketches! The colours and the way you have used them are fantastic! I have missed your blog as I have been missing WOYWW lately, hope to get back on schedule with it!
Have lots of fun with your grandees!!!
Happy WOYWW!
xoxo Karen #150
Love your drawings in your altered book, especially the one on the right! Your blog candy post looks awesome! Lindart #153
Ah Swarfega! I remember that sooo well. My Father, my Brother and Hubby are all big users of that stuff. They all like/d to dabble in cars!!
I too use old irons to weigh books down when I am gluing them!
Lovely book. Cannot wait til the Grand Crop event. We will get to meet at last!! Yeay!
Hugs
xx
I love the pages. I used to use Swarfega when doing car repairs in the olden days. I haven't seen it around for years.
Have a great time with the Little People.
Carol
Sorry to be so late visiting this week Jo.
Congrats on the candy, what a lovely surprise.
Your desk looks amazing this week….wonder how long it will stay that clear? You’ve obviously been busy though and I love the two pictures.
Now, you’re taking me back to my childhood talking about Swarfega. I used to love the smell of it when dad had finished messing around with the engine on his car and came in to clean in.
Happy Crafting!
Sue
x
#56
Would love to go to Port Sunny Jo but I’m probably going to Alexandra Palace this year. I can’t justify two craft shows especially as I’ve just taken delivery of a shed load of Craftworks Cards stuff that I brought from QVC on Tuesday.
Sue
x
Don't know how I managed it but I ended up commenting on the post below (and so glad I did or I would have missed it). Loved your pages - especially the dripping one (have to be careful how I say that).
I remember Swarfega and am going to HB later so will look out for it. Thanks for the 'nod'.
Great prize from Redanne.
Hugs, Neet (late but got an excuse) cc
Awesome post for us all today, Jo!! Loved snooping around and seeing your fab gift from Annie! It's so neat the way everyone supports everyone else in this little community. Your art is stunning! Hope you have a wonderful week! Darnell #136
What a gorgeous prize and your pages are just fabulous Jo. Ahem......since your desk is so tidy now......any chance you popping onto a ferry and coming over to Northern Ireland and tidying my desk for me? lol Thats if you can actually get to it and then find it! I'm NEVER getting my craft room into a tidy state Jo. Its just too tiny with too much stuff in it. I actually think I am defying the laws of physics by fitting more into a small confined space than is actually physically possible, heehee. Sorry I'm only visiting now, Ive had a chest infection and this is my 3rd week with it now.....its getting a little boring, haha. Lee x
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