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This is intended to be mainly about my crafting stories, as a personal record of what I do. However, I interpret crafting quite widely, not just paper crafting but other things too. I have a butterfly mind and like to change from one thing to another depending on what I feel like on a given day - knitting, crochet, cross-stitch, cards, baking and several others, including my favourite right now, parchment, both traditional skills and Groovi, very relaxing and calming to do.

I have decided to put some structure into my blog so that each day will have something of a theme.
Monday- for Mindfulness; Tuesday - Tidy Up Day; Wednesday - What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday; Thursday - Technique and Tips; Friday - Finish Off Day; Saturday - Start Something New; Sunday - Anything Goes
These themes are not hard and fast and will be changed if I feel the need.

Wednesday 11 April 2012

WOYWW - 149

I am only showing you a very small portion of my desk today.  Anything else would be too soul destroying, it is such a wreck.  I have had so much out all at once, Cuttlebug, Nesties, brayer, ink pads, Promarkers to name but a few.


Artistic licence
I started off with one of the cards I showed the other day, using Clarity Stamps Barge kit, trying to make a card for a friend with an old working narrow boat, but the stamp in the kit was more of a pleasure narrow boat, which did not quite fit.  So I managed to dig up a photo of their boat at the right angle for my purpose and reduced it to a line drawing, scanned that onto the computer, and did the same with a suitable bridge, put the two together digitally and printed them onto smooth paperstock.  Then there was a lot of masking and brayering, before using the Promarkers to colour in other parts.  I went back to the Clarity set for the bullrushes, large and small, the horse (Our friends don't actually have a horse, just engine horsepower, but we do have to have some artistic licence, don't we.  Nor is there a canal within sight of the obelisk at Eastnor, but I am doing this card so I can do what I want) and the herons.  The geese came from another Clarity set, the small Village kit.  they are supposed to be walking but I wanted them in the water so I just masked off their legs.  The bushes were from the same set.  I also used the Cut and Dry nibs to create tree shapes in the background, and finally a pencil to suggest a fence on the hill, and an obelisk on the other side.  to finish off, I used the Krylon copper pen to edge it before mounting it on Centura Pearl white card.  All I need to do tomorrow is a suitable insert and it can be sent off.

For those of you wondering why I should shame myself by showing the remains of this card on my desk, it is all part of the great desk visiting blog call What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday, hosted by the lovely Julia.  If you want to see many varied kinds of crafting, this is the place to go to find the links to everyone else.  Everyone is welcome.  All we ask is that you read Julia's very small number of rules, come and visit us and leave us comments.  We will undertake to return your visit if humanly possible.  Go on, join in, you know you want to.  If you can put your number from WOYWW at the end of your comment, it makes it easier for us all to visit you.

43 comments:

Morti said...

Hi Maggie

A delightful card, well done you! I bet your friend will love it.

Morti #4

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

Wow, you have really bared your soul or desk this week. Have a great week ahead. Have a super WOYWW from # 9 this week!

Astrid Maclean said...

All sounds so familiar....:o(
Card looks lovely!
#24

Lisa Richards said...

You've been working hard on that card! Looks great! And your desk is beautiful. Aren't they all? :)

505whimsygirl said...

Hi Maggie,

Aren't you clever! i bet they love the card, especially when they recognize their boat.

My desk doesn't look as bad as I thought -- haaa. I've been going through my craft closets and vowed not to just throw things back in. I guess most of the pile is actually in the living room! Didn't include a photo of that.

Happy WOYWW
Hugs,
Kay
#37

Angie said...

Lovely card there! I've never done a scene like that, hmm..might have to!
Thanks!
Angie #28

Joynana said...

Wow, what a wonderful scene. I wish I had your patience and your talent. I love it. So many different techniques used on one card. #26

Spyder said...

Well, don't worry...I did tidy, and my crafty space is still messier!! Have a great crafty week HapPyWoYwW!!
((Lyn)) #38 I think

Bernie said...

WOW your friends should love this card, it's fabulous!
Hugs

SandeeNC said...

I would love the idea of laying back in a boat and having a horse pull it along for me! lol I love the card, as is! waving hi from the hills of North Carolina #51

HeARTworks said...

I think your card is a masterpiece! How smart of you to do all that! It came out absolutely perfect! Patsy from
HeARTworks

Inkypinkycraft said...

Wow that sounds a complicated card, but worth it! Hugs trace x no 61

Darnell said...

Wow, Maggie! You did some amazing artistic and engineering and gymnastic and computer feats to make your friend a fantastic card! I'm so impressed!

sandra de said...

No shame in showing our desks it is actually quite affirming seeing our mess duplicated all over the world. Lovely cards.

Helen said...

You have taken your desk at a very jaunty angle today, Maggie! The things we do to hide the mess we make!! Have a great day. Helen, 39

kay said...

phew what a lot of work has gone into your fab boat card,do hope its appreciated.
have a fab crafty week and
happy woyww,
kay,x

Cardarian said...

I am a big fan of narrow boats but I never had a chance to go on one...maybe one day...LOVELY CARD!
Hugs,
Cardarian

Glenda said...

Looks like a very creative desk! Thanks so much for sharing!

okienurse said...

great looking card and I agree if you are doing the card then do what you want. Artist license I think the call it. Have a great week. Vickie @106

shazsilverwolf said...

Love the card Marg, very creative- I think thats the word we crafters use for 'highly stressful', isn't it? To be fair, our roof has taken as long as it has due to us having the dormer changed, they haven't got to the brickwork yet, as he has to source the bricks for the arch over the window, they are too cracked to re-use. They've been very good though- always difficult hiring a builder unless you get a recommendation, isn't it?
I've had more problems with Blogger than I care to mention at the moment-writing a post and adding pics is a nightmare- the pictures keep vanishing, or failing to load into the post.
see you soon, Shaz Love, xx

Julia Dunnit said...

Gracious Maggie, that's a hug amount of work for a single card! Am sure they'll love it. And you know us..once you've admitted to an untidy section of desk..you might as well show us...especially as the section I can see looks rally rather in control!

Elizabeth said...

Hi again, Maggie, You've gone to enormous trouble to produce this card, but well worth the effort - it's fab. I can see the recipients framing it and displaying it in their barge. Your desk is looking fine to me - can't see a problem with being selective with how much you reveal :)Happy WOYWW. Elizabeth x #26

Shaz in Oz.CalligraphyCards said...

Hi Maggie thanks for popping by and thanks too for your kind words and I am sure your friends will be delighted with your card artistic license and all! Shaz in Oz.x

The Determined Scrapper said...

Very pretty card, I would love to be on the receiving end of a card as nice. WOYWW is to show us in all our bad habits. At least that is what I think. I normally clean up at the end of the night but not lately. Thanks for sharing your piece of heaven.

May said...

Fabulous card Maggie... your friend will love it i'm sure!!! Have a good week, Hugs May x x x No15

CraftygasheadZo said...

Such a fab card! Lots of work in it but it's worth it for the finish. Take care, enjoy WOYWW snooping! Love Zo xx 75

Kyla said...

ooh clever idea with the boat, I would never have thought of that (I will now though, thanks).

Thanks for sharing your desk...its not too bad! LOL!
kyla

Samantha said...

Maggie way to make technology work for your art that is amazing but girl you should have showed the whole desk we love a good mess. Happy Woyww! #59

Princess Judy Palmer said...

I doubt that your desk would be too soul destroying. I've whipped up some pretty crazy messes in my time too. I love, love, love your boat on the canal piece. You put a lot of work into that-drawing, scanning, stamping, inking, wow! It is very lovely. Your friend will be quite pleased. And they will probably be sad that they don't have a horse to pull their boat with.

Scrappekatten said...

great ide to reduce the photo in to a line drawing, copy that..

Ali said...

Your card is lovely - what a clever idea to create your own elements... and I am in awe of your line drawing ability! :)

The snippet of your desk looks tidy compared to the very small workable space left on mine! :lol:

Ali #117

Linda Simpson said...

Hi Maggie, you definitely want to see my room at the moment everything is out while I am doing DT work and no intentions of putting it right until they are all done.

Thank you for sharing your desk and your card is STUNNING!!

Hugs
Linda xxx

BumbleVee said...

Artistic licence...absolutely....go for it!

trisha too said...

Maggie.

I showed you my desk at its worst.

And you are hiding yours.

Tut, tut . . .


Happy woyww!

:)trisha
#48, I think.

Lunch Lady Jan said...

That's a nice card - I really like narrow boats. I live a stone's throw away from the Kennet and Avon canal, so we're often to be found tramping along the towpath! I'm sure they'll love the card :)
Hugs, LLJ #3 xx

Emma Williams said...

You should be so proud of yourself because that card is GORGEOUS!! So much detail and stunning work...now you know what life is like at my house when all the Clarity stamps arrive for the C&C shows!!! lol.

Thank you for your lovely comment on my scrapbook layout..the roses, come on a long strip and I snipped them off to use them on my page, over the top of some of the die cut flowers. They are gorgeous ~ aren't they?
Hope you have a lovely evening.
Love Emma xxx

Belinda Basson said...

well, you should show it all, reading it has my mind imagining a desk like mine...that is catastrophic!

She Who Doodles said...

no fair, i want to see the whole room.

Eliza said...

What lucky friends to have and such a special card that you are making them. I am sure they are going to love it and recognise the boat too.

Happy crafting
Eliza #80

SophieNewton said...

Love the card, fabulous artwork
Sophie x
no.79

BJ said...

Thanks for your comments on my scrapbooking. Your drawing is lovely. BJ #42

JoZart Designs said...

Hang the mess on your desk Maggie... what a triumph your car is... well done, it's super.
Lv Jo x
Thanks for popping by mine and hope you get cracking soon on the granny square quilt. I've started my next one already!

Becky said...

That is a beautiful card! You are well deserving of the mess :)