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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, 7 August 2013

WOYWW 218

If you are wondering why I am showing you such a messy craft room, I can only refer you to our leader and her explanation over at Stamping Ground.

The pictures, as usual, this week are taken in the late Tuesday sunshine, but there has been no crafting yet this week.  I think my desk this week is even messier than last week.  My excuse is that I am reorganising things, gathering the things I use most to a space closer to me, and moving others further away.  I have this nagging feeling that this might cause me to ignore the things I have moved further away, but only time will tell.  I have one or two punches, Martha Stewart and EK for example, which you might pick out in the mess.  I am trying to find those a space within reach in the hope that they may enable me to use us some of my snippets when I get time to play.

This second photo shows that my collection of ink pads is growing slowly, to the extent that whenever I need to use one, the whole stack collapses.  Hence the new storage units.  I think you are only supposed to put one in pad in each space, but two fit quite comfortably, although I now need to label them on the side as well as the ends.  Below the left hand unit, there is a little pile of Dufex, which I bought earlier this year in a sale.  How sad that Dufex is now no more.  Can I bear to use what I have, knowing I cannot replace it?  Probably, but only to special people, I think.  Anyway, that pile is waiting for me to put it away into the Dufex box - meanwhile it sits on top of and hides my printer.  I have been asked what Dufex was.  It was the most beautiful reflective foil printing for decoupage and topper.  It was produced in such a way (using a wax technique) that it caught the light and reflected it back wherever it was in the room - perfect for Christmas.  Just a small topper would catch your attention.  I found this description by Googling it -
Dufex isn't foil and it isn't holographics, it's something different - it's a special foil material with colour reflections.
The reflective and faceted surface of Dufex will really make any craft project come to life.
Hand engraved designs or patterns are embossed onto foil sheets to create the distinctive Dufex quality of depth and movement.  This is achieved through the diffraction of light on the image surface.

This week has been a bit mixed, both emotionally and practically.  It should have been our wedding anniversary last Friday and I chose to spend the day on my own with my thoughts and memories.  My family were good enough to respect my choices and waited for me to contact them.  I did start the reorganisation of my craft room as something very positive - positively messy!

Now that the roof is finished, I can take a breather before the next lot of jobs that need doing.  Having said that, yesterday (Tuesday) had to be a clear out of the conservatory.  The heavy rain storms of the last couple of weeks reminded me that there was a leak from the roof light in the conservatory.  So I have now called the company in to sort it out, and they are coming to look at it on Thursday.  It would be useful if they can get somewhere near it, so that put the conservatory a bit higher on the list of places to be sorted.  Thanks to my army of helpers (daughter and two grandchildren) it is unrecognisable and much more inviting to sit in.

Thank you to all those who were kind enough to leave a comment last week.  I was quite pleased to succeed in getting back to all of you, bar one, where I had a problem.  I was asked to join another group, which made me very wary, so I backed out of that.  So, if you were the person I missed leaving a comment for, I apologise and that is the reason.  Hope to see as many of you as possible this week.

PS Having just told everyone that Dufex is no more, I had a wander round the internet and found that it seems that the company has been resurrected, and there seem to be a lot of new and discontinued designs available at 
 http://www.moonstonetreasures.com/Dufex.html?gclid=CMqa0M_D67gCFZMQtAodvg8Arw  Needless to say, I succumbed to some of the beauties on offer there.

27 comments:

Unknown said...

Re-organizing can be fun and a pain. Good luck. Happy crafting #1

trisha too said...

Oh gosh Maggie, it does get worse before it gets better when reorganizing. I'm neck deep in it right now, bleah. Maybe we'll dig ourselves out someday!

Happy woyww to you!
:)trisha
#17ish this round
with an atc and mail art

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

I'd love to know what dufex is. I've never heard of it. But that's the fun part of visiting. I always learn something when I come around.

Have a great WOYWW from # 2. Good luck with the leak, too.

Darnell said...

I can see your dilemma on where to put what items, Maggie. As you say, it will all sort itself out. Your new ink pad storage is great! Sorry you are now having to deal with the conservatory and I hope the repair goes smoothly. Happy belated anniversary. I can imagine that that is a tough special time for you. I'm so glad you have great kids who respect your wishes. Happy WOYWW and have a wonderful week! Darnell #12

Helen said...

Love the storage for the ink pads, I keep meaning to find something similar for my distress inks (most of the others are away in drawer units.. unused lol!) Hope the problem with the conservatory isn't too bad to fix. Helen 6

Nikki said...

It's tough to figure out where everything goes I'm having the same problem you have a way better ink storage then me mines in a box that I always mess up to get any out of :) Happy WOYWW hugs Nikki 7

Belinda Basson said...

So glad your roof is done and just a few smaller things to get through before winter. Love the ink storage. Did you purchase those? We never had Dufex so I won't be missing them, but it is always hard when a company selling products you love closes. Last Friday sounds like it was hard, but you got through it and will be stronger for it. Hugs. #43

Julie Lee said...

What wonderful storage for ink pads. I have to do something about my burgeoning pile that collapses regularly! I don't know what Dufex is, but what a pit it is no more, as you love it so much. Why does that have to happen? Have a lovely WOYWW. Julie Ann xx #41

Uuna said...

It is very interesting to can look at Your workdesk. It seems that You have many projects to go on. It is very good.
This is an excellent challenge.
Hve a nice WOYWW, Uuna #42

Lunch Lady Jan said...

I think you are doing amazingly well and everyone copes in different ways..your family sound wonderful and that's the lasting gift that you have, isn't it? I'm glad you're having a massive clear out..I think it helps.
Hugs, LLJ 58 xx

Robyn Oliver said...

Glad to read your roof is finished Maggie,....but as always there's something else to take it's place so hope you get the leak in the conservatory fixed soon. We all seem to be reorganizing our workspaces and it's great to read other crafters ideas that just might help out. Cheers RobynO#51

Silvia said...

I like the Idea of organizing!!! But only the Idea...lol
I DO love the storage Units for the Inks though.
Happy WOYWW
Silvia #66

sandra de said...

I never think your desk is messy. It is always bursting with wonderful creative tools. I like the ink organisor and very sensible to stash two in one space. Have a lovely week.
Sandra @46

Shoshi said...

I love reading about storage and re-organisation, Maggie. I am planning to make a carousel for my distress inks once I get installed in my new ARTHaven. It's great to have everything organised so you can use it more efficiently.

Glad to hear your roof is finished - so is ours! The front scaffolding has gone, but it's still up at the back. Work continues apace on the new house!

Happy WOYWW,
Shoshi #75

Unknown said...

How sad that dufex is no more, my Mum loved all those things especially at Christmas time.

Hope your leak can be fixed without too much upheaval.

Lynda #82

ddazzled71 said...

It must be the time of year for reorganizing and I definitely agree on moving those things you use the most within arms reach. Loving your wonderful designated storage slots for your ink pads. I hope you get some time to be creating in the coming and your conservatory leak gets sorted. Happy WOYWW! Danie #14

The Taming of the Glue said...

I'm glad that the roof problem is no more. Owning a home is a never ending list of jobs that need doing! I always enjoy rearranging my craft room...always find things I didn't know I had! Yours is looking very organised. Happy WOYWW. Hugs. Pam#40

Heathers Inspiration said...

Hope that your conservatory will soon be fixed and that you can enjoy it :)
To me your workspace is really tidy x
Have a Beautiful week Heather #103

shazsilverwolf said...

Hi Marg, its amazing how a quick browse around the net can involve buying craft stuff, isn't it? Looks like you get 'enabler of the Week' badge this week, lol.Just let Hubby know when you want him to come do his techy stuff. Glad the roofs all done, such a relief to be rid of the scaffolding, I agree. The novelty of it soon wears off.Have a good week, speak soon, Love Shaz xx

JoZart Designs said...

One roof sorted and now for the conservatory. Poor you having so much to deal with but you are being positive and getting on with things. Such a big job to have to sort your craft room but it will be great to have a well organised space before Winter comes and you are in more.
Treasure those thoughts and memories, no one can take them away. They are precious and all yours.
love Jo x

pearshapedcrafting said...

Nothing like a bit of sorting out and giving yourself more room - even though, in my case it's often temporary. Love the look of Dufex though I have never used it myself! Have a great week, Chris113

Cazzy said...

Happy WOYWW Maggie. I am glad your roof is done, our neighbour's builders have vanished apparently they need the windows to arrive bfore they can crack on. The other neighbours had all their windows replaced last week causing much barking for the several days that it took!
Sorry you have had a sad week, must be so hard. Good for your family all helping though.

Cazzy x

Caro said...

The organisation looks like it is coming on nicely...there is always that stage where it looks a lot worse before it gets better. I like the ink pad storage units...much more practical than my piles! Thanks for sharing. Happy WOYWW. Caro x (#112)

Linda Simpson said...

Hi Maggie, lovely to see your messy desk I sure have missed it. Great storage for your ink pads. Enjoy the rest of your week.

Hugs
Linda xxx

sandysewin said...

Great stamp storage. I know what you mean about the stacks getting so tall they're no longer practical. But it's not like we could possibly manage with less supplies, could we? ;-)

Thanks for stopping by my blog earlier and for your kind comments.

Happy Woyww,

Sandy #9

Kim Ferguson (Paper Crafting) said...

Thanks for the intro to a new medium, I had not heard of Dufex. Kim 56

glitterandglue said...

Oh boy, it's just never ending, isn't it? BUT _ you will soon be all weatherproof before the (dare I say it??) winter!!!! comes.
Brae to tackle re-organising - I never get round to that - I just work in the muddle around me. Would you believe that back in Feb I put a few tester colours on the dining room wall...our visitors are STILL asking whether this is my attempt at modern art?! Haven't done any more to it since.
I'm glad you were able to just sit and remember on the day of your anniversary. That's so good - well done. I'm sure it was a day of happiness, sadness, joy, laughter and tears - so many memories.
Have a special week.
Margaret #68