WOYWW February 24th

It's Wednesday again and time to join Julia and the gang over at Stamping Ground for What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday, a time when we hop around looking at other desks. It's really fun.

Well, my desk isn't too bad that week. I actually haven't done too much. I'm still stuck on mini-albums but can't find just the 'one' I want to use for Mum's photos. Grrrr. I just realised how close Mother's Day is! I have to get to work creating a lovely card for her and one for my sister whose birthday is on March 17th.

Last week I was complaining about space on the desk. I actually went out and bought a larger one. Guess that solves the problem lol. No worries about anything falling off the end and breaking. Unless it's one of those things that once you get a larger one you end up filling that one too lol.

I did end up and give in and buy some of those crazy birds too.

Couldn't resist lol.

It's been a strange week here in Kalamazoo. On Saturday night the whole community was shocked when a man shot several people - a woman at an apartment building, two people at a car dealer and another five sitting outside a restaurant after a show at the local theatre. Wrong time, wrong place. It just goes to show how quickly things can change. You never think it will happen in your community either. Lives just destroyed in the blink of an eye.

I'm staying in today and will hopefully get some crafting done. We are under a Snow Warning - total of 6-12 inches. They usually aren't right. Luckily lunch/dinner was brought forward from Thursday to yesterday as my friend forgot an appointment she had on Thursday. We had a lovely meal out and lots of gossip. We even got a free dessert. We'd been sitting at out table for a long time and apparently they needed the table to add to some other tables as a large party was coming in. The manager asked if we would mind moving tables and she would get us all free dessert! How could we refuse? LOL. At that point we were only nattering away.

Well, I'm off to travel around to other desks before going to exercise (in the cold, cold basement).

We saw a warm up here on Friday - it was actually 15c!!! Very warm compared to what it has been lol. The snow has melted. Now it's just very muddy. It was really windy Friday - could hear the winds howling.

Did a little bargain shopping on Friday. I had a library book to pick up so couldn't resist popping into the book shop down on the bottom floor of the library. It is all donated books and books the library is discarding. There are some really cheap prices - most books 50c to $2. Some of the books the library donates are really new and not out in paperback yet. My mum had a lot of fun there when she came to visit.

There were a bunch of stamping magazines out. Once in a while there are crafting magazines about. These were .25c each. I couldn't resist!

I also picked up a few books (another of my weaknesses!)

Also went to Barnes and Noble to see what new magazines they had. There is a Tuesday Morning shop next door. I remember someone on WOYWW saying what good deals they got there so I thought I'd pop it. WOW! I have got to go back and check it out some more. I did pick up a few goodies at bargain prices. The tape was .99c, stickers .49c a pack and paper between 1.99 & 2.99 a pack!

What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday 17th Feb

Another WOYWW. Middle of February - closer to spring! It's only -1c this morning lol. It was really, really cold at the weekend and by Friday it's supposed to be 12c. I think that has to be a fluke.

Anyway today I'm linking up with Julia over at Stamping Ground for WOYWW. I have fun travelling around looking at other desks and seeing what other crafters are up to. There are so many very talented people out there!

My desk hasn't changed a lot since last week except to get messier. It's driving me crazy - hardly any workspace - so I think I have to clear it up today. Hopefully next week it will be cleaner.

There is yet another mini-album on my desk. I'm in the middle of working on it and pondering about some of the papers I'm using on it. This one is a split paper bag album. My daughter sounded a little skeptical but I assured her it wouldn't look like paper bags when I'm done (I'm hoping!).

Last night before I finished crafting I pulled out some Isle of Wight pictures to sort through. I need to get these put in an album. I'd like to give it to my mum. It sounds funny but looking through them makes me homesick. I miss Mum and I know it will be a few months before I see her again. Every year it seems to get harder. I think after last year with the cancer it made me realise just how lucky I am to still have her around and how much I appreciate her!

Anyway here's my desk.

It will be a quiet Wednesday here so lots of time to look around. Quiet last Wednesday too - lunch was cancelled as we got too much snow :(

Brrrr it's cold here in Michigan! It was -17c yesterday morning when I got up. Next week the high is going to be 11c. That's a crazy swing of temperatures. We'll all be outside in our tee shirts thinking it's really warm.

No crafting today. I don't tend to do a lot of it at the weekend. We visited middle son yesterday. He's moved very close to Lake Michigan. We haven't explored there a lot but I found out there was a lighthouse there so we decided to stop by yesterday. Unfortunately the pier was closed that you walk along to get to the lighthouse. It was bloody cold anyway. I could only manage a few minutes outside before my fingers got really, really cold and I could barely hold on to the camera.

I did manage to get a few pics though. I bet this is beautiful in the summer. We will be visiting. I was sad that I couldn't get the other side of the lighthouse as last year I got some beautiful pictures of the icy side of another lighthouse. I'll have to see if I can drag up the pictures.

Some of the lake is frozen but it doesn't look like all of it is.

The ice build-up along the pier was interesting.

Wish it had been just a little warmer so I could have spent more time getting pictures!

WOYWW February 10th

Wednesday again. Time to join with Julia and the gang over at Stamping Ground for What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday.

Woke up to snow this morning. Quite a lot. Didn't think it was supposed to snow. Shows how much I know! Or how much attention I pay to the weather forecast. I'm supposed to have a lunch today with some old work friends - we have been getting together once a month - but there looks to be a lot of snow so maybe not.

My desk doesn't have that much on it today. I am finishing up another mini-album and there are a couple of bits and bobs in the background.

I need to tidy it up a bit as there are finishes in the background that I need to put away lol. Still haven't found the scissors but I did break something else - my paper cutter. It fell off my desk, hit the wood floor and broke. Sigh. Another thing to replace. Luckily it was not that expensive and I'll probably find a coupon somewhere.

I don't usually make a lot for Valentine's Day but as I won some goodies from Nikki I decided I had to put them to use! 

I ended up making this card that I will give hubby on Valentine's Day. It uses some of the papers and embellishments I received from Nikki along with some stamps from Unity Stamps.

I think it turned out quite nicely.

Loved making this mini-album so much I've already started making another one. I really have to start putting photos in them, but I can't seem to stop making them. It is such a joy to see something come together from just pieces of paper and card. I am determined to make one of them for Mum filled with pictures and anecdotes from our holiday to Isle of Wight last year. I will get it done! I just haven't seen the papers that make me go 'Wow! That's the One!'

Lovely post delivery

I received a lovely lot of Valentine's goodies from Nikki over at http://graphixanddesign.blogspot.ca/

I'm up in my craft room trying to decide what to make with them! Hopefully I'll be able to share a pic later. It was lovely to receive something other than bills in the mail!

WOYWW Feb 3rd

It's Wednesday again - time to join Julia and the gang over at Stamping Ground for What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday.

Phew am I glad January is over! I broke my Kindle, my computer, lost my phone and had to replace brakes on one car - it's been an expensive month! I did not find my phone or my scissors. Hopefully I won't be losing anything else. I didn't realise I would miss my phone so much! I had another one within a couple of days but I felt sort of lost. Two of my kids live in different towns and regularly text if they want to 'chat' or send me something funny. I missed that.

Anyway here's my desk for this week

I did end up colouring a few images. I made a couple of cards - one for a friend's birthday and one for a 'just because I love you and miss you Mum' card - I posted pictures of them on my previous posts. On my desk are a few finished images and the pages are another mini-book in progress.

I did pretty well with my no-craft-spending challenge for January. Not great. I admit to spending some BUT it was dramatically less than usual - having to fork out so much money for other stuff helped lol.

I did buy some Dylusions paints. They were on sale on the colours are just gorgeous. I couldn't resist. Sigh.

I'm off to go looking around at other desks. Hope everyone has a great week! 

Made another card today. This one is for my Mum. She must have been thinking of me too as I received a care package in the post today! Some lovely cuppa soup and chocolate! Yum! They don't have the cuppa soup I like here in the states - even at the online British shops here. I bring some back with me when I go but have to ration myself out to make them last the winter. She sent me some so now I can drink soup as I want!

I made this with a Unity Stamp. I love these stamps! I 'discovered' them late last year and love ordering from them. They have really great sales and the stamps are very good quality.  Unity Stamp Company