Wednesday 4 February 2015

WOYWW 296 The brayer saga continues

Hi peeps,
We’re back from Holland and I’m aching to get in that craft room and make something, but nothing seems to come out of my hands. I’m just faffing about! I've joined His Kingdom Come, (Christian artists and crafters) and have been doing some faith journaling, but my desk hasn't seen much action. (Where's my mojo?)
I do apologise for not visiting many people. Not my fault this time: we've had terrible gales. Here out in the sticks this means No Power! We're used to it and do most things on gas and even have gas lamps. But it does mean we have no internet. For several days we been without internet. The storm has died down a bit now but it's still horrible out there. The power cuts yesterday have been short luckily. 

My desk is an unholy mess. I’m trying to make cards for my grandson’s christening next month. I’ve been asked to make 15 cards. My first efforts are there in the foreground (turquoise and cream). On my laptop is a photo of my mother having her hair done which I was going to scrap for the CSI challenge but I never got any further than prepping my 12x12 paper with gesso and you can see it drying in the background. 

Also on the closed laptop is a box with acrylic mediums. The middle one is gel medium! I have been trying to buy/source gel medium for nearly a year and I have finally found a tube of it in a shop in Holland! Hurray!

And what have we here? Another thing I have been trying to find is a brayer (unsuccessfully I might add). The other day my DH asked me to ‘close your eyes and hold out your hand’ . And I ended up with this half brayer. I know it’s not what crafters use but it’s the closest I’ve ever got to a brayer. He used to use it for wall papering seams. I haven’t used it yet but I’m going to experiment with that.


We had quite a bit of mail, having been away for two weeks. Among the pile of mail were many postcards (10) from all over the world. I belong to Postcrossing.com, a postcard swap thing. My favourite this time is this beautiful card from Hongkong. 

If you were wondering what all this deskhopping is all about, then have a look at http://www.stamping-ground.blogspot.com.es/

That's it for this Wednesday. Wishing all a good week (with lots of mojo),
Lisca


32 comments:

  1. I'm whizzing round all my fav blogs while the twinnies do some drawing by me 😃
    I really hope the weather settles down for you soon so you can enjoy you card making. Let's hope your mojo comes home soon too 😃
    Hugs Annie x #15

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  2. A postcard swap sounds rather fun!! So sorry you can't get a brayer where you are - how strange. I hope the storms quit soon too!!! Have a great week & God bless!

    Happy Crafting!
    Jeannie #9

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  3. I shouldn't complain of the cold here! I would not want a gale and the accompanying power outages! The first thing I noticed on your desk is your die-cutter. I have a Big Kick, but mine is plain blue. I wan't able to get the beautifully patterned one that you have. I really like that one. Oh well -- mine does its job all the same. :) That is an absolutely gorgeous postcard! Your husband is a sweetie for surprising you with that brayer. As for missing mojo -- I blame it on February Slump. Bring on March and longer, sunnier days. Have a better week.

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  4. I'm glad you found the mediums... I buy these kind of acrylic mediums in 'kunstenaarswinkels' in the Netherlands... they have big(ger) brayers too. Next time you're in Holland you should look for a shop like that - most have it ALL (but bring your wallet..*haha*) I have a colouring book similar as yours (I saw it in your former post). I think mine is from the same series even, and I love the images. It's very relaxing, almost meditative, to colour those designs. Ideal for times when the power is down ;) Have a great day Lisca, happy woyww and a hug from Holland, Marit#62

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  5. Hi Lisca, can I suggest having a look on the De Stempelwinkel site for a brayer? She's in the Netherlands, and has an amazingly stocked site. You ideally need a 'soft' brayer- the Speedball is perfect, you will get some interesting effects with your seam roller though.Have a great week, hugs, Shaz #16 xx

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  6. I think your half brayer is very cool! Never seen anything like it. I never heard of that postcard swap, but it sounds cool. I have about 16 pen pals, and this year I am joining in on InCoWriMo which is writing a letter,card, or note for 28 days of Feb. Should be a hoot. I can see why you love that postcard, it is a beauty. Winnie#64

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  7. Hi Lisca! That Sizzix die-cutter looks very ornate. I don't think I've ever seen one like that! I mainly use online stores for buying art supplies. The stuff in the shops is either too expensive or non-existent, apart from the "thrifty" items like those notebooks I bought the other day. Love the card you got from Hongkong! Thanks for visiting earlier! zsuzsa @ InkyDinkyDoodle #34

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  8. You have a lot going on there - the postcard swap sounds like fun, it must be so nice getting real mail (instead of emails and texts etc!). Thank you so much for visiting me earlier, I hope you have a fun week trying out your new brayer and I also hope the weather eases up for you soon too.
    Diana #36

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  9. Lisca, if you happen to find your mojo, see if mine is hiding there with it, and send it home!!! But it sounds as if you've been busy, with your journaling, and those backgrounds are lovely.

    If you have a rolling pin, that may work for you as a brayer, depending on what you're trying to use it for.

    Happy woyww!
    :)trisha
    #67 this week with the
    finished chair & a chalkboard

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  10. Lisca, I love that little brayer! Just because it was used for wallpapering it is still a brayer and I covet a small one like that!!! I find the 6 inch and 4 inch brayers often too big to have the control I would like to have. Now I will have to look in the wallpapering section to see if I can find one here in the US! :D
    Hugs for this week,
    Beth P
    #76 WOYWW

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  11. Thanks for sharing your desk with us and have fun using your new 'goodies'. Happy WOYWW! #80

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  12. That postcard is indeed beautiful. I first thought it was an image for coloring.

    Thanks for the visit to my blog earlier and for the kind words.

    Happy creating and happy woyww,

    Sandy #10

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  13. Hi Lisca! It is nice to see you back home and not so nice that you are suffering from stormy weather. Nice to see you got some new supplies. Have fun with them and believe me, your mojo will come back. I am sure you will get new inspirations on your WOYWW travel.
    Thank you for your earlier visit!
    Hugs
    Gabriele 23

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  14. Sorry you are having bad weather. It has been cold here but no snow. Love your desk, looks like you have a lot going on!
    Glenda #48

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  15. Gosh sorry to hear about your awful weather. Hope you find your mojo soon. My DH has a little brayer just like that one ( he used it when wallpapering ) Hope you manage to find one if you are still trying. The postcard is beautiful. Have a lovely week. Anne x #40

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  16. I love the postcard from HK it's absolutely stunning. The brayer will work well on small pieces of art work - I use mine for spreading paint over canvases in random areas mines a little bit bigger but not much. I have the bigger one but it rarely gets used. I love my texture paste and gel medium. I've managed to find a shop in a nearby town that stocks the golden products. Good luck with the card making.

    The inches that you saw on the board are actual 1 inch square pieces of artwork that I have traded with other artists. I'll try and get a closer photo next time. Thank you for visiting my blog earlier today. Anita 49

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  17. I see it!!! I see your Walking 4 Fun badge! Yay! It motivates you to walk doesn't it?
    About the 1/2 brayer; I have been looking for a small one to use in my mixed medium art, like when Gelli Printing. That is funny that you wanted a large one, and you got what I have been looking for, a smaller one. :) Thanks for stopping by earlier. We are getting to know each other this way. #32

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  18. That Oriental angel is beautiful, she's my favourite thing on your blog this week, though your greeny blue backgrounds are lovely too. What a pain not having power for that length of time, at least you've been connected again :-)
    Hugs, LLJ 26 xx

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  19. I love those blue/green backgrounds, so vibrant. The post card is just gorgeous. Those gales don't sound like fun and what a bummer that you lost power, I'd go nuts.
    Have a great week,
    Von #42

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  20. Great post today Lisca, love the blue and green backgrounds and the oriental postcard. Sounds like you are going to be busy. Thanks for the visit and have a great week, Angela x 33

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  21. I live in a border town of Texas that has no art shops, so I purchase most of my supplies online. Therefore, when I visit large cities, I can spend hours perusing through art stores. Your brayer may be small, but you should be able to use it for smaller projects. I hope your electricity situation gets resolved, since it would definitely be an issue for a blogger. Blessings, my friend!

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  22. Hi Lisca, Oh I do feel for you with no power, sounds like you're used to it and prepared but it's still a nuisance. I don't think your desk is a mess, your a busy creative lady. Love the postcard, enjoy your week and thanks for visiting my desk RobynO#20

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  23. Hope the storms pass and your power stays on now! I would hate to be without internet..!! Your desk looks great - hope you get to play soon. Good luck with the half brayer - let us know how you get on. Helen 8

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  24. You sounds as if you're being pulled in so many different directions...then throw in a few power cuts......eeek! Anyways, good luck with it all......I don't know that I could cope without the computer for more than a few hours!!!!

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  25. Oh my goodness, all the FUN things you have going on here..... Love, Love, love the postcard, it's so simple and beautiful. Thanks for sharing it with us.
    If you have time stop by....

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  26. Lisca,

    We had a massive power outage here last month and ours was out for nearly 14 hours, my DD did a mad panic worrying about her stomach and dinner, I just booted up the BBQ and did some vegetables in the wok, wonderful and no stress. I sometime work all over the state that I live in and have to heat things on the cooker to feed myself until the caterers are on site, I really love doing that it always makes me feel grounded. Good luck with the invitations and make sure you share what they look like when you are finished. We are all interested. I do hope the weather improves for you. Gosh the house must be coming along nicely by now.

    Hugs Eliza & Yoda 21
    Happy WOYWW

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  27. Sorry to hear you've been suffering storms and power cuts, Lisca. I'm such a computer junkie that that would put me in a seriously bad humour lol! Interesting projects going on with you - I've got one of those mini-brayers for wallpaper but have never used it for art!

    Thank you for your lovely comment on my Cancer Diary page on my blog - I am so touched that your group prayed for me. I said to my hubby this evening how uplifted I feel by the prayers of all my friends around the world - it means more to me than I can say. The meeting yesterday was very helpful but the waiting period still goes on and it is very trying, not knowing exactly how bad it is! Mum's improvement has come at exactly the right time as the last thing I need at the moment is that sort of stress. Another answer to prayer!

    Happy belated WOYWW,
    Shoshi #89

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  28. It drives me crazy when the power goes off, even though it doesn't happen very often, fortunately. Your backgrounds are looking good! And isn't that oriental postcard gorgeous! Hope the power situation improves!

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  29. We go into a mad panic if the electric goes off for a few hours here! Isn't it funny how we come to rely on things like the internet so much.

    Your postcard is just gorgeous and the cards are looking lovely too.

    Carmen x #53

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  30. Welcome home! Gosh, 15 cards - you're going to be busy. Let us know how the braying works, and the card from Hong Kong is gorgeous. Hugs, Chris # 11

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  31. Wow - lots going on there, Lisca. Trust that by now the cards are going well, and that you have had time to play and experiment with that brayer/seam roller... Can we look forward to seeing the results?
    Thanks for visiting - the wet room has been done specially for John, as we were having real trouble trying to shower him in an ordinary shower cubicle. I had to stand outside, and he sat inside - usually ended up with me soaked down my front. Tried out the new one - hey, I didn't need to be in swimming gear!!!
    Take care. God bless.
    Margaret #7

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  32. Hello!
    I have finally got around to doing some visiting and getting around blogs - since I have moved to England there is just so much to do I am always getting myself lost in sorting out things! Anyway thank you for commenting on my blog - I see you are ready to make something very nice and I think maybe that half brayer will do! :-)
    Hugs,
    Cardarian

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