ANTIQUE SPECTACLES

We inherited a large bag of antique spectacles from my late father-in-law.  We have no idea where they came from or why he had them, but I decided they were not going to be thrown out!  I knew I would find a use for them eventually.

Here's one pair being used as a photographic prop for this weeks

 Texture Tuesday.

I used Kim Klassen's Lightpaper3 and Lightpaper 4 textures.

GARDENING AND TAG TUESDAY

This weeks theme for Tag Tuesday is gardening.

I made two tags using a water-colour base, stamped images and gold embossed highlights to each of the seed heads and torn flowers.

I ended up making two because the first tag didn't quite work - the stalks were too thin to edge in ink, but I felt they needed something more to make them stand out.  Also, the image wasn't stamped straight.

The close up photo is the only one I managed to take where the gold embossing actually looks metallic and shiny.   

LOVING BLUE

I have just purchased this lovely little bowl from Etsy - it's beautifully handmade by Hodaka Hasebe, and it perfectly matches the little blue bowl I already have (bottom left picture in mosaic).

I am so in love with it at the moment that I had to celebrate it with photographs!

Also on the theme of blue, I have photographed the last of the forget-me-nots in my garden.  I don't think they are the wild ones as they are a more pastel shade of blue - they have given such a wonderful splash of spring colour I shall be sad to see them die back.

I am linking this to Mosaic Monday and Color Me Weekly.

I have also found a new place to play at Blue Monday, so I thought I'd link to that as well - as the name suggests it is all about capturing the colour blue and there are some great pics to go and look at!  

THANK YOU TO SHOSHI

I would like to say a big THANK YOU to Shoshi at shoshiplatypus.blogspot.co.uk who has so kindly written a piece about my blog.  She is a very talented artist  and if you want inspiration or simply to mooch around an interesting blog, this is the place to go!

It's a wonderful feeling knowing that the work we do is enjoyed and appreciated by others, so while I'm at it I would also like to say a big THANK YOU to everyone who leaves such kind and positive comments on my work.

Every comment is totally appreciated and they quite often encourage and spur me on when inspiration is running low!!!

WOYWW #153

   On my desk this week you will find pages covered in cream emulsion drying (ready for card-making) - several cards made and ready to put in bags - my wonderful button box - an old jewellery box that now holds all my precious 'little bits' of collage stuff - more 'little bits' of collage stuff - my paint splattered specs - some very necessary mini chocolate Easter eggs - and under the desk two kitchen rolls to mop paint, dry brushes etc etc!

These are some lovely crafty bits I purchased at the the Needlework Fiesta at Brockenhurst the weekend before last - my friend Jane and I had a great day out there.  I have only just unpacked them as it always involves quite a lot of shuffling things around and re-arranging boxes whenever I have new stuff to add!  

I was so pleased to find some spiral bound square sketchbooks with good quality paper in them - most are rectangular, but I rather like working within a square frame.  I bought some gummed silk, which looks quite textured, almost like bark, and some hand dyed velvet in moth colours!

If you are wondering why I am showing you my work desk it's because it's Wednesday and over at Julia's place (clickk the WOYWW badge on the right) you can visit all sorts of wonderful and interesting work areas - it's great if you are like me and enjoy a good nose around!

TEXTURE TUESDAY AND MORE MACAROON MADNESS

 I decided to join in with Kim Klassen's Texture Tuesday this week.  My image of macaroons has had two textures added to it - Paperlove (a texture freebie) and Hello (from the 2011 collection).

If you fancy looking at some fantastic texture photography click the badge to Kim Klassen's cafe on the right and enjoy!

MACAROON MADNESS

I'm often amazed at where inspiration comes from - sometimes the most unremarkable object can lead to an entire series of art works.  While at my favourite farm shop last week I was seduced by a little box of the most beautifully coloured macaroons - raspberry pinks, pistachio greens, creamy whites, chocolate browns and soft inky blues.  

As far as a packet of biscuits goes they were grossly overpriced, tasted of nothing in particular and were too dry and crumbly BUT they were beautiful and I felt a photo coming on - or should I say several!   

  

I am linking this to Color Me Weekly and Mosaic Monday (Little Red House).  Why not hit the links on the right and visit them for some wonderful inspiration.

WOYWW 152 AND TAG TUESDAY

This week I was moaning about the fact that my reels of washi tape were bursting out of the box they were in and the lid wouldn't close.  So, my wonderful husband disappeared into his garage and came out with this tape holder - it fits perfectly on the top of my shelf units and under the sloping ceiling - he even left room for me to buy a few more reels of tape - but I don't think he realised that!

The over-sized teacup is from my favourite book store/coffee shop in San Diego.

   Still in the mood for getting organised I sorted all my plain ribbons onto a wire coat hanger - I was fed up with sorting through a box full of tangled mess each time I wanted ribbon.  It is rather big to live on the notice board so I shall have to find a home for it - but it's a lot easier to use like that!

The little tags on the board are covered in small pieces of lace, patterned ribbons, stickers and tapes that I have -it's a quick reminder of what is hidden away in the bottom of boxes, without having to rummage too much!

For Tag Tuesday this week I decided to stick with the theme of pollen, despite the subject being sewing!   

I printed pollen images onto silk and then sewed them onto tags (so I am being true to the theme!).  I decided on a white background so the pollen could 'float' around.

My current obsession by Rob Kesseler and Madeline Harley

I know a lot of people feel quite negative towards pollen as they suffer from it so badly during the summer.  I get terrible hay fever each year and I find it hard to believe that something that makes my life so horribly miserable can be so utterly beautiful!  What is so wondrous is that life is dependent on each of these exquisite little works of nature!

I'm linking this to WOYWW - if you want to nose around other people's work desks and see what they are up to click on the link on the right.

Also, why not visit Tag Tuesday and see some beautiful tags with this week's theme of 'sewing'.