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I hope you enjoy reading my posts, and please leave me a comment. I always enjoy reading them, and will try to visit you in return.

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You are welcome to copy any of my designs, as long as you do not take credit for them yourself. I am very happy for you to sell them. If I have used anyone else's design, I always try to give credit where it is due. If I have missed anything, please let me know and I will put things right.


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 26 September 2012

WOYWW 173

I have been a very bad blogger in recent months.  I have very good resolutions to do it each week, but they fail, mainly due to life.  I need extra days in the week to keep up.  Anyway, this is my workdesk this morning.  I actually tidied up after my last piece of work was finished - shock, horror, that is unusual, but I assure you I am feeling quite well (apart from severe stiffness following yesterday's visit to the chiropractor). 

I said I tidied up but I did leave a couple of things out as they will be needed in today's project.  After hearing so much about the Splodge Away mat and watching Barbara Gray using it, I fell and got my own.  I love it!  (Julia, I hope you do not think this is advertising - I certainly do not profit from this apart from saving my ink and my copy paper.)  I loaded ink from the brayer onto the mat, and did the background for the card, which was great.  Then I was disturbed so left the whole lot just sitting there overnight.  When I went back the next day, I thought I would just try to see if the ink still on the mat was useable - it was!  I did another card topper and two inserts with what was left - a real saving on ink and effort.  It also meant I did not have to try to recreate the colour I had mixed first.

By the way, that is not chocolate ice cream on my desk, just the container I saved and now use for the bits and pieces I keep losing on my desk, such as the glue runner, pencil, craft blade, my most used punches.  You know the sort of things I mean, the general dross most of us have hanging around.  Just noticed that my blade is not in it, so failure once more.

I am hoping to keep my desk fairly clear for at least a couple of weeks as a friend is coming round for a lesson or two on stamping techniques, and we need the maximum room in which to work.  Can I keep it up?  Time and future photos will tell.

I hope this post is going to work as it is the first time I have used the new "improved" blogger layout, which I don't like very much.  Anyway, I am off now to see what everyone else is doing this week at Julia's place (by the way, I have added Julia's blog to the list of best crafting blogs on the latest voting thingies).  Are you going to come along with me to see everyone else?  You can bring your mug of coffee or whatever else you choose.

10 comments:

Twiglet said...

Pretty card above and the Splodge mat sounds useful. x jo

Lunch Lady Jan said...

Hey, Maggie!! Good to see you again! You've been missed you know :D
That's an incredibly tidy desk - needs to be messed up a little, in my opinion *grin*
Hugs, LLJ #59 xx

Annie said...

Splodge mat sounds a good idea but I must say you really do need to get that desk messy :-)
Hugs,
A x #64

lisa said...

It's lovely to see you, Maggie. I was only wondering about that greenhouse of yours the other day. Have you managed to get out into the garden much lately. This weather is a nightmare isn't it.
Still, you look as though you are getting lots of crafting done. I've seen the splodge mat on a few desks this week. It sounds good.
Happy WOYWW
Hugs Lisax #80

Bernice said...

Have fun using your new crafty stuff. Yes, I'm not that happy with the new blogger layout either- why do they have to keep on changing these things?
Bernice #69

Shaz in Oz.CalligraphyCards said...

Hi there Maggie, ah was so very good to have you pop over to my blog and say hi - WELCOME BACK - and also another one I am wondering about cos I miss her posts is Shaz Silverwolf ~ is she okay??

Oh this splodge mat sounds super - was brayering last night ready for my next card - and embossing folder.
But my problem is I dont use things when I have them have craft mat but dont seem to get it out like my stamping mat instead for some weird reason which was only a few dollars about twenty years ago now!

..and the new blogger - ugh do not like it either but slowly getting used to it.. does not seem as intuitive as the old user interface was to my mind.
Thanks so much for popping over and thanks for sharing ~ happy WOYWW! Shaz in Oz. x #21

sandra de said...

A splodge mat ... I have never heard of it but can see in your latest post a gorgeous pic of your card. One more little crafty item I will have to look into.
Sandra @23

Unknown said...

The splodge mat sounds great! I might have to invest in one sometime - it might even get me to start using my brayer!

I'm a little late but still wishing you a happy WOYWW!

Sheena
xxx
#140

Princess Judy Palmer said...

If you leave the Splodge mat sitting full of ink and then lean into it, will you have just colored your forearms? Us clumsy people need to know these things.

I hope you can keep up your goal of keeping your desk tidy. It is good to have goals, or so I've been told. You can do it!

Elizabeth said...

Hi Maggie, I've read this and your more recent post with great interest. I've considered whether to blow my pocket money on the Splodge Away and so far haven't succumbed - I need to convince myself that it will be worth the expense. I'm impressed that the ink was still usable after being left out overnight. Perhaps, I'll put it on my Christmas wish list. Thanks for sharing. Have a great weekend. Elizabeth x #77

PS: did I hear your name mentioned in the homework section of the last Barbara workshop?