WOYWW-289 weddings and funerals

WOYWW-289

“What’s on your workdesk? Wednesday”

Hi Deskhoppers,

Thank you for visiting my desk again this week. I must apologise for not visiting many of you this past week but we have had the devastating news of the death of one of our grandchildren and we are still reeling from the shock and very understandibly not in the mood for anything really. Our son and D-i-L in the UK are finding strength in their faith and are getting a lot of support from their pastor and church friends.  The same goes for us. Our church friends are wonderful.

This is what’s on my desk at the moment. 

It’s the beginning of a large wedding card. One of our young friends in church is getting married this Saturday and I’m preparing a pressie and a card. I’m struggling a bit to concentrate on a wedding but ‘life goes on’ as they say. The lace is a roll of Scotch tape that I bought at Lidl’s (European supermarket) last week. I found some rub-ons in a box that were many years old and sometimes rub-ons don’t ‘come off’ when they’re old, but I held my breath... and they did!

Here is another photo of the card. (The front)

This box on my desk I also bought at Lidl’s on the same day as the Scotch tape. It’s a rhinestone applicator. I haven’t played with it yet but when things are back to normal I will.

We are decorating the church for the wedding and as it’s Christmas we thought we’d make these paper stars which are so easy and cheap to make, and non-crafters can cope with that. One of my friends came to keep me company and we made quite a few stars. I think they're great! (This is my friend from Peru. Sorry for the bad focus)

No news on the house build front. We have finished the roof completely and the builder is doing the main stairs as it’s too cold to work outside. (We’re having a cold spell). I’ll post more photos when there is more to see.

That’s it for today. I can’t promise, but I’ll try to visit as many of you as I can. God bless you all and give your grand children an extra hug today if you can.

Lisca

WOYWW 288 (Such a mess - not worth looking)

Hi peeps!

This is my terrible mess! You have been warned! So you can still turn round and walk away.....

Alright, if you insist, here we go:

I have no project on the go at the moment. I’ve finished my embroidery (cross stitch on my linen hand towel), but that’s not what you want to see I guess.

Last week we spent the week in Valencia. We felt we needed a little holiday. (Have a look at the photos at my previous blog). The city map is still on my desk and I think I might use it for scrapbooking at some stage.

My first Christmas card has arrived and takes proud place on my desk (top left). Further to the right past the punches is a postcard with an image of a medieval lady. It was sent to me from Russia through Postcrossing.com.

In front of the card are two rosettes, which I made for my latest scrapbook layout. I made three and only used one in the end.

The green/black/white thing in the foreground is my laptop, on top of which lies a dark green gadget. This is an ‘e.dentifier’ which I need for online banking. I have become a grandma of a little grandson in Italy and I’m going to send him some money.

The two plastic bags on top of the laptop are a lovely surprise. They contain gorgeous charms and were sent to me (all the way from Australia) because I was voted ‘Star Witness’ at CSI Color, Stories and Inspiration. They came in these sweet little bags. I was really chuffed! (Is that a terribly British word? OK: it means ‘very pleased’)

That’s it for today. I’ll try to visit as many of your desks as I can over the course of the week (Yes, I like to take my time)

Have a great week!

Lisca

PS If you’re wondering what WOYWW is all about, have a look at Julie’s website at http://www.stamping-ground.blogspot.com.es/  

Valencia

Valencia

Last week the builders had a week off and we took the opportunity to go on holiday. We took the campervan and drove to Valencia (took us 6 hours in our ‘slow coach’).

I’d never been to Valencia and we were pleasantly surprised. The Camper Parque was outside the city but next to a Metro station, so we did not have to drive into Valencia.

One lovely feature of Valencia is the (dry) Turia river that runs through the town.

In place of 120 hectares of dry riverbed, the city centre has a lush green garden split into twelve parts and full of native and non-native plants and Spanish wildlife, ponds and a zen garden, all developed by the Catalan architect Ricardo Bofill. As a real park for the people, it is also home to an athletics track, artworks, climbing walls, football pitches, cafes, ponds and flowers. Traffic is diverted over the top of the 11km-long park via bridges at several intervals.

(Funny to see palm trees grow through a hole in the bridge!)

Children can explore the Gulliver Park; an adventure playground featuring a large fibre glass model of Gulliver tied to the ground with ropes. Children can climb on it. Gulliver’s clothes make a network of slides and ladders.(Adults not allowed...)

There are beautiful buildings in the old part. We liked the train station. Estation del Nort, a modernist building, built in the Arts and Crafts style.

And we liked the National Ceramics Museum, which is housed in a palace that dates from the 15th century and was refurbished in 1740 in rococo style with a magnificent alabaster entrance. Inside, we found 18th century carriages, the 19th century rooms, medieval ceramics and an important collection of tiles.

While window shopping in town, I really liked the shops that sold beautiful fabrics that are used for making traditional costumes. In the photo you can see shawls, hair combs, a fan, beautiful fabric, and cotton under garments.

The modern part of Valencia is architecturally just as spectacular as the old part. The Opera House, 

the Science Museum, 

the Oceanografic and the Agora and the surrounding park are worth more than one visit. 

We spent a day in the Oceanografic, a huge aquarium with a dolphin show and whale and shark tanks.

There is a very interesting covered food market 

and of course I must mention that Valencia is where paella comes from. 

There are loads of lovely restaurants. Most have outside seating which in winter have heaters. The food is great and so are the people.

I heartily recommend Valencia as a city break if you ever have the chance.

That's it for tonight, thanks for visiting.

Lisca

WOYWW 286 Raspberries and Christmas decorations

Raspberries and Christmas decorations (Warning: photo heavy)

Hello desk hoppers! I hope you’ve all had a good week. Mine was good because it has flown by. I know we all complain that Wednesday comes round so quickly. It certainly did this week.

Here’s a photo of my desk on last night (Tuesday evening). 

I had just finished making some Christmas decorations with the DoCrafts X-cut large die. 

You cut out 12 pieces and then ‘hook’ them together. It took me all evening to make these two. But it was fun.

There are two red rosettes which I made this weekend for my scrapbook lay out, and you can also see a Christmas card leaning against my little bin. (also made with die-cuts)

You can see some cards on the shelf. On the left a pink girly card I made with a stamp I bought not so long ago. Next to that a Christmas card made with a magazine freebie from years ago.

Then there's a postcard from Russia (www.postcrossing.com) and on top of the Bible, a Happy Anniversary card as it was our 22^nd wedding anniversary on Saturday.

The postcard from Russia was this cute little art work by Anna Silvonchik.

On the house front... we had a chappy come round spraying polyurethane foam on all the roofs and ceilings and some walls. It’s insulation. At our request he sprayed our water bottle, so that in summer water will keep cool.

Ah, the raspberries.... I found them in my little court yard. It’s unusual to have fruit at this time of year. It’s getting cold and the days are short. But we have more than 300 days sun a year, so that’s probably why.

That’s it from me this week. I’ll try to visit everyone in the course of the week, but I like to take my time and read blogs, look at photos and click on links.

Have a good week. God bless.

Lisca

PS: Here are two more Christmas cards I made (with the same freebie papers):

WOYWW 285 - Friendship and postcards

Hi desk hoppers, it’s Wednesday again! (If you have no idea what WOYWW Whats On Your Workdesk Wednesday is, go to Julia’s blog:http://www.stamping-ground.blogspot.com.es/ and read all about it.)

Here is my desk as it was last night around midnight. A total mess! So much stuff on the go.

The left hand side of my desk still has Christmas stuff on it as I haven’t quite finished my Christmas cards. There is a stamp set and a small paper stack from 2011 (another old magazine freebie). The 12x12 paper is ready to do a layout for the CSI challenge that I like doing (http://csicolorstoriesinspiration.ning.com/). The colours this week are really nice and there is a sketch by Em Stafrace to guide me.

On the right hand side of my desk you can see my lovely Anna Griffin ruler and a ‘holly’ punch.  On my closed laptop there are some insoles I was cutting out. (I have bought two new pair of bootties and I like insoles in them. That is more comfortable.) You can also see four postcards that I received this week. I belong to a club called Postcrossing. (www.postcrossing.com) There are around half a million members all over the world and when I request (online) a random address to send a card to, someone else (also random) will send me a card. I have received hundreds of cards over the years. I have my favourites. I like images of doors and windows.

Here are four of my Christmas cards. The bottom right hand one is made with that 6 or 7 year old kit I showed you last week, the two left hand ones are cheat cards. (images cut from old cards and re-used).

My little grandson is doing fine. He is home, drinking well, sleeping well and already putting on weight. Thank you for all your good wishes.

I’m still crafting in the pantry, it’s nice and cosy. The building of the house is coming on nicely. We are building on a hill/cliff. The plot narrows towards the top, resulting in a small strangely triangular shaped bedroom on the top floor.

 But to make up for it, the window (and view) are spectacular.

To finish: here is one of the cards (from Germany). The quote is loosely translated: Friendship is a door between two people. It can sometimes creek, it can jam, but it is never locked.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. As most of you know, I take all week to look at your desks. I love to read what you're up to, watch photos, follow links and look at earlier posts. 

Have a good week and CU next Wednesday!

Lisca

WOYWW 284 I'm a grandma

Hi Peeps! It’s Wednesday again! It comes round so quickly.

On Wednesdays around 80 crafters photograph their desk/work space and post it on their blogs. Then we all have fun hopping from one desk to another to see what people are doing. It’s a great source of inspiration and encouragement. Read more about it at Julia’s blog:http://www.stamping-ground.blogspot.com.es/

Here is my desk. I continue with my motto: ‘use up the stash that you have’ and I’m making Christmas cards with papers and elements from a cardmaking magazine from 2009! I love the colours.

The Christmas cards were pushed aside temporarily to make a very special card! My son in Italy and his wife have just had a baby boy! So I’ve made a little bassinet card from an Anna Griffin book. Anna Griffin was very popular a few years ago but I still like the style and from time to time I dip into my Anna Griffin box to do a project. 

Isn’t it cute? The colour is a soft olive green although it’s not very clear in the photo. My daughter-in-law doesn’t like the boy-blue/girl-pink thing and she has decorated and painted the nursery in green, so she’s getting a green card too!

I’m still crafting in the pantry and I’m finding it very cosy. As many of you have commented, I can just stretch my arm to get my hands on a large slab of dark chocolate..... (Oh temptation...)

The build of the house is going to plan although no work was done today as it rained. I had to smile at that. I’ve lived in the UK for several years. If builders went home every time it rained in England they would never ever get anything built!

Here is a photo of the building so far. It’s built over 4 floors. The men are working on the roof. We’re having a wooden roof with wooden beams, visible on the inside. (It will be tiled on the outside). The white building on the left with the green gate is also ours. The green gate is the entrance to a small vine covered court yard. From that court yard you can come into the (cave) house where inside I am typing this at the moment.

Do come in! It’s nice and warm inside. I've just made a pumpkin pie. (I made pumpkin soup the yesterday. These pumpkins are so big I have to continuously think of things to cook with it.) But the pie is definitely my favourite. I had some allspice sent to me from a friend in Mexico, and although I don’t know what it’s supposed to taste like, an American lady  in our church said my pies are delicious.

Thanks for visiting. I will try and visit as many of you as I can over the course of the week. Have a good week.

God bless

Lisca

WOYWW 283 - Now crafting in the pantry!

Hello desk hoppers! It’s Wednesday again! (Actually, it's the middle of the night and i can't sleep. That doesn't happen very often, but when it does, I just get up and do something.)

Welcome to Whats On Your Workdesk Wednesday! where we all share photos of our desk and show what we’re working on. (see: http://www.stamping-ground.blogspot.com.es/)

 The time has just flown by! Our D-i-L plus one of her children came from England to stay for a few days. We had a great time. The weather was warm and dry, so ideal weather for outdoor activities with a nine year old. No time for crafting though!

But you are here to see my desk. Here it is:

The building situation dictated that i move my desk and craft stuff to the pantry! I spent most of Monday cleaning and moving my things. So, that’s where I am now: in the pantry!

So yesterday (Tuesday) I started crafting again in earnest. Christmas cards. 

Last week I was doing die cuts of snow crystals. Here are two cards I made with those. Strange how on the photo the die cuts look gold colored. They are actually silver colored on blue.

I just thought I'd finish with a photo of my grandson a few days ago in a beauty spot near where we live.

Bye for now. Thanks for visiting. I really appreciate your comments.

 I'll try and visit as many desk as I have time for. 

Bless you all

Lisca
PS CSI Color Stories and Inspiration made me 'Star Witness' last week for my scrapbook layout "Me? Messy?". Have a look on my blog of 28 October.