Crafty Boots DT crafty get together - Swaps

Well good evening!

I'm home! I've been away since Friday as I went to Milton Keynes to meet up with my fellow Crafty Boots Design Team for a crafty day.

I decided to travel up Friday and stay till today just so I had some rest in between. My good friend Debs came with me to help with navigation, carrying bags and to keep an eye on me because I need someone to keep me in check and to make sure I don't over do things and, most importantly, to share some laughs and this weekend enjoy the crafting too! Oh and Debs helped with the driving which was fantastic as well.  I'm so lucky to have such friend who makes trips like this possible.

We had a super time and I'm pleased to say all of the ladies were amazing, so lovely and every bit the kind caring and super talented people I've come to know through their blogs, Facebook and Twitter.

Before the day some of us agreed to do a swap, to make a tag, ATC etc to swap with the others. This is what I made - I used my favourite colours of blue and lime green Dylusions inks combined with Wendy Vecchi and Stampin' Up stamps.  I laid all the tags on my mat and sprayed them all together randomly moving the brick mask. This meant all of the tags were the same but different if you know what I mean!

I dried them before lightly spraying some lime green Radiant rain shimmering mist over to give the sparkle. I added the stamps and then used a black and white pen to highlight, doodle and add detail. I used Picket Fence distress stain for the first time too. Great fun and it seemed the ladies liked them!!

We had an amazing time during our crafty day, trying new techniques and having fun.  On the way home today me and Debs stopped just outside Swindon at an Outlet park to have lunch in Dunelms, do some shopping and we popped in to Hobbycrafts, well it would have been rude not to, you know to finish off the weekend!

Now I'm off to bed once I un-pack, I'm shattered and hurting lots but it was so worth it.  I'll share some more photos soon. Take care Zo xx

Remember - Crafty Boots challenge

Good morning everyone, it's a really wet horrible grey day here in Somerset, but at least it gives me an excuse to stay in and craft!

Anyway over at Crafty Boots Challenge Blog a new challenge is launching today and the theme was picked by the lovely Bev, who chose REMEMBER. A very appropriate theme considering it was Remembrance Sunday yesterday.

So we want to see your cards, tags, art, journals, whatever you choose as long as it has the theme of Remember.

Right my DT project is a little different perhaps, but very personal to me - 

 You'll have to click on the pictures if you want to read the details.

This memory/family history page relates to my 2nd cousin 2x removed.  My 3x great grand father is Joseph Edwin's great grandfather. I found out about him through my family history research. I started searching maybe 8 years ago and spent 4 years of none stop research, I even volunteered and transcribed part of the 1861 census for an on-line project. To date this is my only relation who died during the first world war, Joseph died while fighting as a Bombardier with the Royal Garrison Artillery.  I felt the theme of Remember was a perfect opportunity for me to do something with my research instead of keeping it in a file.  I do plan to create more pages with the information I have, and believe me, I have so much!

The poppies are Sheena Douglas's Paint Fusion stamps which I stamped using Distress inks onto watercolour card.  They are coloured using the inks, after they had dried I did use my Copic markers to define the lines.

I kept it simple - a relationship chart to show how we are related along with the details I gained from the CWGC who have information relating to service. 

I hope you find this interesting and that you'll join our challenge this fortnight.

Take care Zo xx

Crafting for ME!

Morning!

Those of you who read my WOYWW post Wednesday will know I've decided to craft for me and not do the 1 fair a year I've been doing. My health means I focus all year on this 1 fair, making things when I can, planning months ahead and then it makes me bad cos of the sheer amount of work involved. This year's  fair was so busy I only managed to have 1 quick breather to pop to another stall and buy a lovely handmade phone case! I was literally on the go (stood up on my sticks) the whole day, how I don't know, as people swarmed the hall and my stall. While it was so lovely to get so many fab comments, it hurt me so much physically and I was so tired. I saw a chap yesterday I know who actually bought something from me around lunch time and he told me I looked absolutely shattered then, and he could see I was barely coping physically with it all. It's just not worth it.

Anyway decision made - so the other evening I set about my 1st crafty project - at the WOYWW crop Pam was putting together this wreath that I has seen on the front of the Stampin' Up seasonal catalogue. She showed me in more detail and I knew I needed those stamps and dies. So once I got my hands on them (thanks to Stampin' Boots Stephanie Emma) I couldn't wait to play and this is my first attempt! 

Wow I surprised myself at how I managed this - the dies made it so easy to cut out the stamped baubles and I just stuck it together the best way I could. My fab friend Stephanie-Emma sent me instructions to follow as well so that made it a lot easier for me as I do tend to forgot! I like the fact it can be made slightly different each time depending on colours and embellishments.  I'm so going to make a blue version!

So my friends, this is what I shall be attempted again, hope you like it!

Take care Zo xx

WOYWW 179 - I'm here & all's well

Hello everyone, happy Wednesday to you all, or whatever day it happens to be if, like me, you tend to visit fellow Woyww-ers any day following!

Right get on with it Zoe - so desk, erm, not sure I can share it but, hang on - light's are on cos it was dark and I took these pics last night, so I just pushed things here and hid that bit, okay you can look now.......

(If you look closely you might see my new pen storage far right but it might be a bit dark!)

Usual things present - inky things, pens, glue and mucky craft mat. Piece of kitchen towel is hiding my swap I'm making for my fellow Crafty Boots DT members who I'm meeting up with very soon. Super excited about that.

So you see normal signs of a happy crafter. 

I suggest you pop over to Chez Julia's Stamping Ground to take on a worldwide tour of desks galore if that's your thing.

On a personal note, I know I've been a rubbish blogger.  I'm finally feeling better after my virus but it really knocked me and I've taken some time out to get myself well enough to continue with my Hydro which I had yesterday.  I'm very sore and tired today, I know I have to rest but it's frustrating. But I am crafting and I even managed to do a Craft Fair on Saturday as some of you know.  

I only managed this with the help of Lisa (yes my trusty sidekick who came to the WOYWW crop) who carried all my stuff in and kept an eye on me. Also the ladies in the kitchen who made sure I was supplied with coffee and food (sounds familiar, doesn't it Julia & Jan!). I did rather well and sold many things but physically it was too much leading me to decide I'm not doing any more and am going to concentrate on crafting for me.  Up till now I feel my whole year is focused on this one fair and I then find I've no time for the crafty ideas I want to do for gifts. So tis decided - no more!

Right I've gone on for far too long, I'll be getting told off if I'm not careful.  But I do feel that as this is my 200th post (yes really!!) I am allowed a little leeway! 

Ooh look too what I have ordered - 

Very moi, don't you think!

So take care & get crafting!

Zo xx

On top of everything else....

Good afternoon

Well it's been a horrible few days for me, on top of my usual problems I've been hit by a virus that started to affect me Wednesday evening when it was clear my temperature was rising, by Thursday morning I was really feeling ill, and apparently looking rather poorly as well, so my mum had to cancel my Hydrotherapy.  I spent the majority of Thursday and Friday in bed. Thank goodness for craft shows on TV which I watched when not asleep and having my iPad, phone and laptop to hand (yep gadget geek here!) I was able to keep in contact with the world.  I emailed into one of the Crafter's Companion shows and Sara pulled my email out!

This is what Sara sent me, it's from her colouring demo she did on air - 

Now taking pride of place on my craft room wall.  Both Sara and Martyn Parker who presented the show knew I wasn't well as I had tweeted them both earlier in the day and Martyn recognised my Twitter name which I put into brackets on my email.  Being pulled out of the Spotty Potty really cheered me up as I'm a huge Crafter's Companion fan!

I'm now feeling a bit better, my temperature has returned to normal but I'm still sleeping lots but feeling more like normal me. 

While ill, I managed to capture this photo, I'm lucky my bedroom looks out across fields up to an old railway station which is now a rail museum.  They still run steam trains up there and I often see the carriages and puffs of smoke. The sun was shining and hitting the changing colours of the trees - 

I zoomed in a bit to pick up the trees further away but love how the sun is even catching the scaffolding that surrounds the neighbour's over the road side-building. I'm so lucky to be able to look out across fields that reach out far to my right. Our town is built in a valley with my house being about 3/4 way up or so which is why I look down onto the houses further down. This time of year really brings stunning views all around. Lucky me!

Anyway hope you are all having a super weekend. Thank you everyone who has popped by over the last few days and left comments, I know I've been by a few of your blogs, but know I haven't been to everyone I should. Sorry if I haven't I'm just doing so little at present, having to concentrate on things that have to be done.  I've got an article deadline looming so thankfully was able to type it up yesterday so it's ready to be read and checked today by my fab friend, Debs who reads all my work for me.

Right I'm off to sleep again!

Take care Zo xx

WOYWW 177 - new desk/tidy room!

Hmmm it's not exactly what's on my work desk today that's interesting, it's the blooming new desk and fab workspace I now have, that's super exciting!

Okay I confess I am a bit excited here, but if you pop to yesterday's post HERE to see pics of what my craft/office room looked like before you'll understand.

Right there's a few photos to share of my new tidy space so I'll keep it simple -

Starting behind the door (then moving in an anti clockwise direction) - bookcases now neat & tidy and full of  inks and supplies and neatly stored paper, card and folders containing stamps, oh and a few books too. I do need my dictionaries when writing!

Love that I can now have my jars of flowers on display as well as all my inks.

Okay next we move round to my writing area, where all my Bristol Rovers articles are produced -

Then the NEW desk - 

It is the same height and width as my other one so I now have almost wall to wall workspace. As you can see I've moved my Cuttlebug on to it and my pens. The white drawer tower holds my ribbons. The Ottlite and bling bin are where the 2 desks meet.

So we then look across the old desk to the now tidy shelves and windowsill -

Looks a bit dark here cos of the misty day, but it's light in real life as you'll see in the next photo!

And finally my small bookcase that was rammed full and piled high before - 

Now all neat and tidy and it even has some space on the top, a rare thing in a craft room.  Many of the baskets and boxes that were on the window sill are now tucked away in here. 

One thing that isn't clear as such is the floor space I now have, and the ease I can now move around the room in my chair.

But it's all thanks to the troops, mum and dad, and Keagan, of course!

Right quick, pop over to Julia's HERE to link up if you haven't already and see many other desks, though I don't think many will be as tidy as mine! Ha ha.

Take care Zo xx

PS - will try to get to as many as you as possible today, but after that, well I'll say sorry now, because I have Hydrotherapy tomorrow so will be resting up for a few days afterwards and won't be doing much sitting at my puter.

My craft room 'before'

Good morning!

Things are quite exciting here - I'm currently having my craft room totally sorted, yay!

My little room (box bedroom size) was home to my crafting and my books, with bookcases covering 50% of the wall space and crafting crammed in at the window end.  As many of you know I spend 90% of my day upstairs as that's where the bathroom and my bedroom and craft/office are.  Due to my problems I stay up there to avoid having to use the stairs more than I have to.

Anyway as crafting takes over, like it does, my room has become cramped, overloaded and difficult for me to get to things I need as well as not being able to move my super duper chair around easily ( I have a custom made office-type chair that has been made to suit the shape of my back and it can be adjusted so many ways to mould to and support my hips, back and it also propels me forwards when I need to get up) so I decided it was time to call in the troops to get it sorted.

Troops equal Keagan and my mum and dad. Over the last few days they have, under my supervision, removed 90% of the stuff from my room, carried bookcases downstairs along with the books (I'm having a reading corner in my back room now) and have moved furniture around to make room for a new desk to go next to the one I have already to make a working space the width of the room. The result means I shall be able to move my chair around, access all of my inks etc with knocking stuff flying and have 2 areas to work both at the right height for me in my chair. 

So the 'before' photos - 

As you can see it's all a bit of a mess. And apart from the window desk it's all getting dark too, with so much stuff piled high. What with the dark evenings coming in, I'm really finding it difficult to craft without my Ottlite.  

So I shall be sharing the 'after' pictures tomorrow for WOYWW, so fingers crossed it's all finished. Mum is coming again this afternoon to finish off the last bits but it's already looking fab. 

So see you tomorrow I hope!

Take care Zo xx