Plaster Cast Flowers and WOYWW

In between all the usual lock down stuff like gardening, housework and competitive backgammon with the hubs I have discovered a new obsession - casting plants in plaster!

Sitting here on my desk are my first attempts - it's been a steep learning curve but hopefully I've learned from most of the numerous mistakes I made!

  I'll start with my favourite (and most successful so far!) The brambles are from my front garden and I think they look quite beautiful here although in the garden they promote swearing and frustration on a regular basis.

Chives on the left - dropped on the floor and smashed.
Baby ferns on the right - had to be chiselled out of the mould as I forgot to use mould release!

Pyracanthus buds

A rose with Lavender and dried grasses - I enthusiastically sanded off some of the stalks!

It's quite a long process, letting the plaster set then letting it dry out for days on end, but I did remember to take a desk shot earlier in the proceedings!

I'm linking up Julia over at WOYWW this week.

Animal Tag

Over at Tag Tuesday the theme is 'Animals' so I've put together 

an animal tag using a beautiful paper napkin that I've been saving for just such an occasion!

I added fussy cut leaves from an old book and I also found some rusty metal palm leaves and tied them on with sari silk.

Vintage Photos and WOYWW Anniversary

I stamped images onto these old vintage photos a long time ago, with the intention of 'doing something' with them!  
All I needed was the WOYWW 11th Anniversary and Hey Ho I've spent a delightful week playing about and turning them into little collages. 

 I thought they showed the Victorian's love of collecting and hoarding but actually I think they depict mine!

A quick and unusal shot of my desk last night without the white 'photographic' tablecloth on it!  It had been whipped away and some little paper clay moulded shapes left out to dry -I made the 4 flowers at the front for a specific project but decided to use up the rest of the clay in random moulds before it dried out completely.   

And finally a Happy Anniversary to all the deskers, a huge thank you for the kind, supportive comments and warm friendship over the years, and a massive thank you and virtual hug to Julia who has amazingly brought us all together and kept us going - what a star!

Cathedral Window Patchwork Pin Cushion and WOYWW

In stark contrast to last week I am so pleased I managed to work out what day of the week it is today so I can join in with WOYWW!  

I have been quite busy this week but did manage to find time to make myself a pincushion.  I was taught this Cathedral Window patchwork technique by a friend back in March and the one I made then was rather too vivid so I've made a more neutral coloured one - it matches the colours in my studio much better!

I  have some old antique photos I stamped some images on a few years ago and they've been sitting in a box doing nothing ever since - so they are going to be my UFO for next week - now I just have to find them!

I hope you are all keeping safe and well.