WOYWW 618 - the hublets desk

 Well its that time of the week again, and I very almost didn't blog as I haven't done any paper crafting at all. What I have been doing instead is working, working towards my career as an IT teacher, so my desk this week is just that, my desk, but not the one you have seen before I don't think, you see, I have an additional desk that I use for demos, where I show students tech, what the stuff is and how it works, they will typically get an areal view from an overhead camera out of shot bringing in the camera for close ups. 

The view behind the image is unfinished decorating from a couple of years ago for the hall and stairs I never got round to finishing. 

The desk is set up for this mornings class, we are about to go over networking hence the cables and things laid out to hand. This stuff will get swapped out for the evenings class as we going over hardware with them. So yes, two classes, one at 09:30 -12:30 and then 18:00 until 21:00 it is keeping me busy again and i feel its what I need right now.

But, while it has not been used for that I have put it to good use, we have had a dremel for many years, what I didn't own was the long flexible shaft for the extra control, nor did I have the stand the dremel is suspended from.

The reason I made the purchase is of course who else could I entrust in the correcting of  the mistake on Sharon's urn? 

So that cup you see in the image is what I have been practicing on, it dawned on me as I was lay in bed (mithering) as you do, and had a eureka moment, that lettering in white would be ideal to practice on.

The cup was destined for the bin as the one side of the handle had came away.

So I am learning to engrave (still not quite happy with it but I have a lot of time to perfect it) I can't actually see that well extremely close up. 

You would think being long sighted and short sighted would cancel each other out?

I digress...

So I feel another purchase is on the cards, a hands free magnifier for that super intricate stuff 

The metallic sharpies I have had for years but I feel the tip is too fat, (the artist that made the mistake is sending one over and I have had a partial refund and apology) I have come to the conclusion that the ink they used was the gold and not the bronze.

So no paper crafting as yet, I am not sure when I will have the time either as I need/wanted to work on the garden so I can do a memorial garden. We had planned a while ago to sort the bottom of the garden (the jungle) so that we could sit down there and just relax.

Believe it or not this are the same area a few hours and many scratches later, all that shrubbery (love that word...Shrubbery) was mostly bramble, it all got shredded not burnt, in fact anything that was live did, only the dry stuff got incinerated.


At the very bottom of the garden will go a rather large workshop/summerhouse/shed with a large pathed area in front of it and a nice water feature.
or at least that is the plan.

Anyway that is it from me, its late and I need to get to bed (yes I am typing this the night before) don't we all?

So thats my desk, do head over to our Julia's Stamping ground and share yours for Whats On Your Workdesk Wednesday  

Random pic of the bird, this from 2014 Kos

So that just leaves the and finally..

WOYWW 616 - So where exactly does stuff go in here?

Well it is wednesday again, so that can only mean one thing , "Tuesday is behind us and we are one day closer to the weekend", and while that is true it is the one day a week that the crafting community shares what they have been up to on their desks, now that may or may not be some actual crafting, What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday.

This week I am afraid there has been no crafting, I am sure you can all understand as to why, but that does not mean craft related stuff hasn't been achieved.

Shaz had a load of tubs of stamps and stencils all over the shop in different tubs for either projects she had planned or projects she had completed, So today I have been mainly dealing with finding homes for all the stamps and stencils, Stuff and Things.

The binder is labeled Lavinia 2, it is reputed to store all the fairy houses, animals and trees etc.

So at the top of the desk you will note the lavinia stamps, they all look new and unopened, but they have all been listed in onenote (Shaz listed everything she ever bought including pictures) One note is something I am getting more and more familiar with as I have started using it for work. 

If you need something to keep yourself organised to prevent you buying duplicates i highly recommend it.

So what else have I been upto? 

I have been in contact with a womans refuge and I am awaiting them getting back to me with regards to some of Sharon's clothes (not the fancy stuff), things like leggings, socks, smalls and plain tops etc

Believe it or not she does have some plain stuff too!

I know right 😂 but it is true.

Things that can do some good and I won't feel a loss, baby steps and all that x

Ok so we are going to talk about the elephant in the room, the eagle eyed among you may have done, and those are the new stamps on the right of the desk too,  caught red handed.
What can I say? 
Well my excuse is LOOOOK at them trees, just LOOOOK at them!

So we have the Tree of Hope & the Tree Of Courage, then the sentiment one is called Magic Surrounds us 

Your welcome👍

They will be used with a future project I have whirling around in my head, just need the skills to pull it off, the choccy in the bottom, yeah I got that,  pretty sure I can manage that without trying 😋.

Anyway, that is our desk covered, what is yours like? head on over to our Julias for a link up and share what you have been up to.

Cheeky holiday snap, this one is from Kos in 2019, from the last working windmill on Kos, the tour guide said to pop your hands in the air, so we both did, Shaz let go of her walking stick to do so, this resulted in it falling to the floor ha ha  

so that just leaves ....

WOYWW - organising stuff and things edition

Another Wednesday which can only mean one thing, its time to visit our Julia at the stamping ground for another "Whats on your work desk Wednesday" So head on over the the Stamping ground for a view of some actual crafting.
 
As the title says, there hasn't been a lot going on, other than loads of organising, but with that said, take a look at the desk this week

Well, I take no credit for any of this little lot, we have more beautiful cards, if you look carefully in the top left hand corner, you will note I found the Sir Tim Holtz stamping platforms and dug out the large and medium one.
At front and centre we have 2 beautiful Bouquets in black and burgundy, the one on the right is Sharon's original bouquet she put together for our wedding 12 years ago now. 

On the left is one that Sharon's Daughter in-law and eldest son  Anthony worked on, this is (with the exception of the ribbon)  is created with all natural materials,  so paper flowers and wooden BBQ skewers etc.

I had this vision of having Sharon cremated holding the wedding bouquet, but with what it was made from I needed a plan B as plan A wasn't happening.


So a request for a duplicate with some minor differences, a flat side so  Shaz can have it lie flat on her chest


What an incredibly amazing job they have done on them too, they even have glitter on the leaves x


I kind of also ordered a stamp too for something I want to work on, I am a noob when it comes to ordering stamps so if this is a clone or copy please let me know. Clicky me
 
I could have looked through all of Sharon's binders but that would have taken forever and lets face it, I am not getting any younger.

So yes, watch this space I hope ..

A cheeky shot of Sharon with one of her Granddaughters (Merlin)

And that just leaves and finally...

WOYWW but its the last one.....

Welcome back you lovely lot X

 
So here is a dilemma I faced the other day, you see I asked the lovely Annie to make me some bears, not just a few either as we are a large loving family.

So I did what anyone would do and think, right I need a thank you card. 

Shaz made large amounts of cards, and kept them in a large box all sorted with index cards so you could find them ( I know right how organised is that?) , anyway when I go into box to get a card out there is just the one thank you card left.

Now I know what some of you are thinking, it was meant to be.

But for me I was in a dilemma, this was Sharon's last thank you card, and it was sealed down, how could i open it and use it, I wanted to save it....

So conflicted I take it out the box and take it downstairs, staring at it willing it to somehow multiply, but alas it did not. So still unopened I went to bed, the next morning the bears were due home (they may need a lift, it's a long walk and they only have short legs) so I needed to make a decision.

I could almost hear Sharon mocking me "the cards are to be given, not kept, you keep received cards not unsent ones"  

Anyway I open it and to my dismay, there is no stamp on the back?, It is sealed you unfinished? WTF, this cant be right!

I can't hand this over like this, it has to have a stamp on the back, Sharon's handmade by ShazSilverwolf, it was not there...


Slow down, yes I did but let me tell it.....

Now I am not a stamper, so I could really stuff it up, right, couldn't I?

This is the last of its kind, there will be no more of these made by my wonderful Wifelet, and I am about to deface it.

The decision was made, the next challenge was to actually find the stamp, it had to be close to hand as surely it was in constant use, so a draw maybe, on the desk possibly.

And it was, but OMG the ink, wtf does she need this many ink pads for, ink is ink right, I get the different colours but come on... Really?  

There is just so much of it!

So with shaking hands after looking at the colours on the table, at the bottom of the pile is one that compliments the colour on the front of the card, it’s a "VersaFine Clair  - Warm Breeze" and I am now looking for Sir Tim Holt's stamping platforms, (look I am a noob ok , don't judge)  Shaz had at least 3 of them in this room ........somewhere......But I can’t find them.

I am going to have to free hand this bad boy

 The time is ticking and i need to be on the road, so the stamp gets peeled off and stuck on the acrylic stamping blocks, cleaned with the baby wipe and dabbed dry on kitchen towel and I practice until I am happy.


Jobs a good one, I did it and it looks kind of OK, not wonky, not as defined as I would like, but I did it, go me!


I close the ink pad, dry it and think, but there are other things on that sheet, and the top needs something. Like the newbie I am, I open the inkpad upside down and end up with ink on my finger.



Does this make me a crafter or clumsy ?

                                                         answers in the comments below


I then balance it out with little crow, and dragonfly that was with the set, (had a smart and stuck them on opposite ends of the long thin acrylic block, give them a quick dry with the warm air gun and take it down stairs feeling like Shaz is just grinning at me all the way down stairs.

I did not think to take a picture of the back of the now finished card, but i am Sure Annie will be sharing it ..

For actual proper bona fide, qualified crafting head over to the queen of the deskers at the stamping ground  and check out some more crafty goodness from those that actually know what they are doing.


Another gratuitous picture on our way to Tenerife back in 2016

And that just leaves the and  finally ...

Note to self type much less ha ha 

The Hublet gets the hang of posting edition WOYWW

Where to start, I think it best if we choose the thank you's as it kind of makes sense to do so, or at the beginning as that may be best? 

Nay I say let us start with a picture and work our way from there :)

So this is an image of get well cards, yes we had some arrive while shaz was in hospital, and because I stayed in there too, I arrived to find them in the letter rack as my brothers and sister went through the house tidying and removing some of the medical equipment etc which I was thankful for none of the equipment was thrown away, it was not an issue to find them honestly xxx
Now this picture is a collection of all of them, including the care package Shaz mentioned in an earlier post.

A Shaz post would not be right without more images, so here is one of the cards (and Cake, there is always cake?)

Special shout out to Annie for the cake, honestly that is 2 slices consumed not one large one and only by moi, and my life is it nice, seriously nice xx

 
Talking of Annie Sharon's Beautiful wedding dress and cape are now with Annie for some of her Memory bears  they managed to drive themselves their all on there own, no lock down rules were broken or dented  to get them there or the aforementioned cake back home to me.....honest guv ;)

So now onto the rest of the thank you's I have read (but not always replied) I would be here forever if I tried, but I have read them all (Sharon was well loved), each and every comment, some made me smile, laugh or cry which was expected so thank you all for each and every one, they have kept me going and are helping in keeping me sane.

Shaz was a member of many private Facebook groups (too many to list), I had no idea she was so involved in some of them (not surprised this is Shaz after all) dang she was/is so respected. the love and respect that poured from them was heartfelt, thank you xxx

Now for the sh!tty sad part, lockdown!!!!!


Due to the human malware crisis we are in, even if you could travel (which most can't) we can only accommodate 30 attendees, now we do still have a small amount of spaces left, so if you are midlands based and would like to attend please get in touch e-mail me here Clicky and provide a link to where you and Shaz have commented on your own blog to weed out the crazies (the cookie kind not the crafty kind ;) if I have a slot it's yours but please note there are currently 4 left and i really want to fill it will crafters as crafting and crafters kept her going when the going was tough x


Time for another picture, this one though is from my desk, or one of them at least, and what I am working on.

Well on the left hand screen I have a folder containing loads of pictures, some I have had to scan in as we kind of pre-date digital cameras. 

You should  recognise blogger on the right hand screen, below it is an Amazon show 5
Front and centre is the project I am working on, a slideshow to music using the pictures we (or others have taken) over the 28 years we have been together.
Screen 4 the little one underneath is a YouTube playlist I am working on of favourite songs we both loved, along with three used in the project. 

As for the funeral it is looking to take place at the Redditch Crematorium on the 19th march at 10:15am and it will be broadcast, once I have that link I will of course share it with you lovely lot. The stream can support between 100-150 simultaneous views so please only watch on one device as i don't want it being taken off-line, so I think it best i figure out a way to get it you rather than simply post it in here, that is unless someone wants to be the one to share it?

Post Covid we will of course crop, and morn Shaz properly, at least one of Sharon's siblings would also like to attend,  of course I will be still attending the crops as you are my extended family too x.

Going to call it there for this one as its dragged on a bit, well done on staying with and reading up to now :)

as a reward a random sweet photo taken back in July 2007 on Crete 

I have this scheduled to go live at 6 am, and if I am up I will do the linky too, if not I will do it later, if you want to see some actual crafting for that you will have to go elsewhere I am afraid, so check in with our own queen of the desk Julia at the stamping ground and take a peek at what is going on. 

And that just leaves the and finally...

WOYWW#604- The early New Year Edition.

A little early, buy no certainty I'll be up to posting on New Years Day! So I want to wish all my WOYWW friends a Happy New Year, from the bottom of my heart. For all the good wishes, and all the concerns for my health, for all the times we are there for each other, you have more gratitude than you can imagine.
 On to the subject of health, and it's possible that at last we have a reason for the recurring uti's. It's odd how just speaking to a different GP can make a huge difference! I had to call yesterday, as I had an unpleasant discharge appear, and this time got to speak to my main named GP, the senior partner. As soon as I mentioned the colour/smell from the discharge, his next question was ' and you've been having a lot of uti's?' Turns out - and Annie will understand this- I have developed a fissure thats allowing fecal matter into body cavity, and thats providing the reason for all the uti's. As it happens, my oncologist had requested an appt for me with my original surgeon over something different, and that came through for January 12th. But my GP was getting in touch to inform him of the new situation, so thinks it likely that will get brought forward. So thats where we are, the solution is going to be some surgery, but will enable an end to the uti's, and let me get some strength and weight back. On that front, because I've been only able to hold down water for two or three days when it kicks in,I've now dropped to 9 stone 2lb, which is a bit further than I'd like to have gone, to be honest, but I should be able to add a few pounds to my frame once this is sorted. For scale, when you last saw me at Crop, I was in the 12 stone 5lb region!Which is around a 45 lb weight loss, so more than I'd have ideally lost. But thats for another day, and I'm sure a few custard creams and bourbons will lay down their lives in a good cause, rofl!

And so we come to .....And Finally........enjoy a last giggle of the year.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WOYWW #602- The Almost Christmas Edition

 I'm afraid its a bit more enabling this week- first is a set of Christmas stamps and stencils that were free with Creative Stamping magazine. I rarely buy magazines these days,but liked all the small stamps in this set. I can use them on smaller cards, and inside bauble shapes, which is what caught my eye. It also comes with a tree and stags head stencil, and also you get the mask shapes too.

Lots of images, so was worth the cost. Normally thats why I don't buy them, the cost is too high for the use I'd get from them.

 Had lots of Christmas cards arrive, thank you all, I'll try and remember to take pictures for next week!

More stencils, this time from Lavinia Stamps, I'm very keen on stencils for adding some extra interest to backgrounds, and these are quite different from the heaven alone knows how many others I have!

I mentioned this book to Zsuzsa last week, and said I'd post about it. I bought it a couple of years ago from Amazon, and it's one of the best books I've ever bought. Some amazing ways to not only make projects, but the different ways you can treat paper/cardstock to get some spectacular results. And at the moment, a real bargain, as Amazon has it used- mine was bought used too- for less than a fiver including shipping.

On Amazon, here.

EDIT: link here  to the blog post I did about it a couple or more years ago, showing some of the projects inside.

Hopefully there will be a few more crafting posts done, as having just finished a two week antibiotic course, I'm feeling much better. One of my Consultants from the hospital is also putting me on a longer course of low-dose antibiotics, so that should really help to keep on top of the problem. 

Just to make clear from last week, the Pineapple is claimed to be a great help in avoiding/getting rid of oral thrush, which is always a risk when you've been taking a lot of antibiotics, and I've had a stupid amount! 

 Regarding things to drink to help avoid UTI's, Cranberry juice isn't recommended any more, not sure why, but my Moms practice nurse recommended her to drink a glass of Robinsons Lemon Barley Water every day. Mom had a few UTI's a couple of years ago, and since she's been drinking this, she's not had one, so I'm trying that out too. It has to be that specific drink, apparently, the other Barley Waters, or lemon squashes don't work.

 Which brings us round to.......And Finally.......

WOYWW #601- The After Zoom Edition.

 Still nothing much happening craft-wise on my desk, so looking rather tidy apart from a few new Lavinia stamps. I almost got thrown by our recent Zoom meet, and only just realised today was Tuesday!

Still quite gutted I couldn't make it to post for week 600, but I was literally lay on the sofa, with no energy to move, from Sunday till I think, Friday. Just happy I managed to pull a bit of energy from somewhere to join the Zoom Crop. It was lovely to see so many other WOYWWers, and to 'meet' so many new faces.  So far this week I've managed to get pretty much all my Christmas Cards written,addressed and stamped, just need Beloved Hubby to drop them in a post box for me.

 Sat here at the moment drinking Pineapple juice- fortunately, I love pineapple- as I'm now on a second week of antibiotics, and it's supposed to help a lot with getting rid of/preventing thrush. And hopefully a second weeks course will finally see the uti's off completely.

Next item on the desk is a new laminator. The old one had decided it wasn't going to heat up properly anymore, so, Amazon to the rescue. This one has a fast heat-up speed, a fast release button, and probably a couple of other fancy, but unnecessary bits. £23.

Popping back to the Zoom crop, I'm sat here unsure whether I should be quietly pleased with myself, or hanging my head in shame, for enabling our lovely LLJ into purchasing a Tim Holtz product! as she showed she's bought the deckle edge guillotine. I suspect it should be the latter! So, until some crafting happens, and hopefully it will in the next few days, thats me done.

Which brings us round to.......And Finally..........

Particularly apt, in light of Kirsty Allsops comment, I thought.

This did make me laugh-LLJ and Annie, I trust your hair & make up is in order, rofl.😆😆😆😆

WOYWW #599- The Shameless Enabling Edition

 Back again for our regular Wednesday blog fest, thanks to our lovely leader, Julia over at The Stamping Ground.  Just a week until our HUGE 600th edition, and just over a week till our virtual Crop via Zoom.

 So, my shameless enabling then- a few new Lavinia stamps- loving those owls- and some of the new Distress pads in the latest colour. 

 The reason for nothing but enabling on my desk is that once again, I was back in UTI land, and then I decided to round that off with a weekend in Sciatica City. I like to get around, lol. But so far the UTI seems to have gone, and the Sciatica as well.So, fingers are being kept extremely crossed.

Next item has a bit of a back story. A set of 24 Zig Clean Color markers. I'd seen them used on some HoneyDoo cards, and also by Jennifer MacGuire, and being water based, looked fairly easy. They run out at about £1.30ish a marker, so finding a pack of 24 on E-Bay for just under £20 was a bargain. Shipped from a UK seller, so no long wait. So I thought. After having the delivery date pushed back twice, I messaged and asked if they could give me a definite delivery date. Next thing I know, I've got a refund for them, so that was that. Moving ahead about 4 weeks, and I get a package from Japan. No idea what it is, not ordered anything from there. Turns out to be the Zig markers! So, thank you, unknown Japanese company.

Which brings us round to .......And Finally.......

WOYWW #597- The Not so Tidy Edition

 Yes, not quite so tidy this week, crafting has been done. Cards for the Christmas Club Challenge, using a Sweet Poppy stencil and home-made glitter stencil paste.  Mixed in some glitter to a Translucent stencil paste. Works like a dream, you get all the glitter sparkle when it dries, but absolutely no shedding. Way cheaper than buying the overpriced little pots of glitter paste too.

Talking of Sweet Poppy, stencils have been bought,lol. A set of four aperture shapes, and a lovely leafy background, should serve for this weeks enabling.

Someone asked what the deckle edge cutter looked like- it's this. Gives a sort of torn edge look to the paper/cardstock.

And back to enabling, this is actually a follow up I forgot to do. You may remember those generic tape refills for the ATG I bought a few weeks ago, from Amazon. A pack of 12 for £25.  Well, they work perfectly. Load the same as the brand name, apply just as easily, and stick perfectly well. And as they work out to around half the price of the brand name per roll, darned good value.

So thats my desk for this weeks WOYWW, courtesy as always of Julia, over at The Stamping Ground.

Which brings us round to.........And Finally....................

Can tick of pretty much all of them, apart from The Beatles. Was never a fan. Oh, and I didn't drive, lol.

And we all know the truth of this one, I'm sure. 

WOYWW #596- The Tidy Edition!

 

And indeed, tidy it is, this Wednesday, our regular meet up over at Julias place, The Stamping Ground, to bare our desks to the world. 

Cleared everything away and gave it a clean, along with the desk behind the desk too.

The reason for nothing at all on my desk- yep, I'm back in UTI land again, and since Friday, I've felt pretty much like crap, just been lay on the sofa either reading or colouring. But, the antibiotics seem to have kicked in now, so I'm starting to feel human again.  It's a real nuisance, but having a catheter and no bladder sensation means that my first indicator is back pain, which is normally the last symptom people get, when it's actually become a kidney infection. But, I had a chat with my practice nurse, and she's given me some dip sticks and explained what I'm looking for, so hopefully by regularly testing, I can pick it up earlier. Fingers crossed.

The other desk, still some stuff on there,but it's all sorted into 'stuff to do' piles now.

This is the wall next to my desk, with my rotary trimmer, large guillotine and an assortment of scoring boards, along with a glass mat. Stored handy for use, but not the most practical storage solution, I keep knocking the guillotine over with my chair. And the reason for showing this? I have a new thing to store, lol.

I saw these demoed a while back- a deckle edged guillotine- and it went straight onto my must have list. I use deckle edging quite a lot, either on layers, or card bases, and often for my inserts. Which was how I did my shoulder in a while ago, as my rotary cutter takes a bit of pressure to get clean cuts, and I haven't dared to cut any since. So, this will be a game changer, for sure.

I think it'll end up being stored on the desk behind the desk, rather than on the floor!

Something I've meant to mention a few times, and always forget, Shoshi, I am visiting and reading your blog, but I'm blocked from leaving comments again,lol.

And so, that just leaves.....And Finally......

Thanks to Ann in Spain for posting this one on Facebook.😀