WOYWW - the indeterminate table and a whole load of blank canvasesesesessss

No news is good news that's it isn't it. We are still waiting for the surveyor to go into the flat on behalf of the person buying it (one week and waiting) other than that all is ok, oh yes and the perspective buyer doesn't want to hand over their solicitor details until they know that they have a mortgage........ so it's a waiting game.  That one is less hard than the other one my family and I are playing we are waiting at the moment as my 25 year old cousin is in hospital and under maximum sedation following a massive brain haemorraugh at the beginning of last week. No one knows yet if it will be ok, ok given time and extensive therapy or if it is already over.  That aside really can't complain I have a table of indeterminate purpose for you this week - see:

It is a canvas of blankness awaiting opportunity and time.  There are all the lovely fabrics I washed the other week - but look I now have the threads and some extra bobbins so I can start bag crafting.  Then there are a couple of my other Christmas projects - clear plastic baubles and a puzzle maker. Next to that there are some glass painting pens for another idea in my head. Then lastly are the 3 nesting boxes that I made the last couple of nights - based on an idea over on the graphic 45 website from a project that Laura Denison did.  They are blank canvases too waiting to be created on - was looking at my pile of Lavinia Stamps for inspiration (and to see which other ones I really really need  want!). Starting next Monday I have a run of 3 or 4 weeks where I won't be tutoring (due to late holidays) and Timothy is in nursery I am hoping to be a hive of activity for 2 days a week. 

So how are you anyway?  Want to see lots of exciting desks - hop on over to Julia's place (vis the WOYWW widget on the right and discover a desk or 2 or 150 that are waiting for  a good nose.  Now put the kettle on I am looking for distractions.........

WOYWW - Onwards and upwards

Thanks for all the lovely words and support for last week.  I'm on better form this week, mainly for being proactive rather than reactive.  Nothing exciting to report but no bad news either just keepin' everything crossed.  End of last week (literally Friday), I finally got my butt in gear and washed all the fabric that I have been hording: (it's pretty :)

At last I have a desk to show you (well actually it is back to the table of indeterminate purpose) - mainly because cutting fabric requires floor space and I needed somewhere to iron to.  

Resplendent with all my Argos value equipment (don't knock it, it's cheap and it works).  I have created my first piece of sewing in 20 years. It's got a couple of obvious mistakes, but it will do what it needs to and I learnt a lot.  I'm sure the recipient will forgive me the dodgy stitching and all that makes it unique.  By the time I get round to the last stitched bag as a Christmas gift I'm sure I'll be a pro.  Now to knock the paper-crafting into touch too.

For more desks of indeterminate purpose as well as most definitely dedicated for purpose desks press the WOYWW widget on the right and find friends, inspiration and just well good company dammit.

WOYWW - gosh someone got out the wrong side this morning

Hello everyone.

I am having a grumps day, do you get those? I'm sure it will all pass soon.(post holiday blues? we had a nice time in Scotland last week catching up with family) .    Timothy and I are home alone for a week and a half (with a days respite in the middle).  Motivation for everything has hit a low point. I really must get round to the washing up, and sorting the garden and up the stairs looks like a bomb has gone off.  Then that depressing moment where you have been doing everything right - your calories are under control, you've exercised and for no sensible reason you are heavier this morning than last night (oh I know there are lots of splendid explanations from water retention due to periods, muscle gain - don't weight yourself everyday - its Wii fits fault it says I should take the body test everyday - why I should listen to it when I ignore rational people I don't know.....) still it puts a gloom over everything.  There is a part of me that thinks if I just do some every day then there will be plenty of time to do the things I want to do - but then I forget I have a child who is being incredibly demanding at the moment - which is OK he is allowed to be he is only wee after all. But golly it is draining on energy.  Then the internet thing - does anyone else lose time (I mean masses of it - like hours in one go because you start looking for something - in this case material and then the next thing you know it is dinner time and you have done nada?

So crafting - I have a plan - bags, I got a book and the fabric is one the way I also want to have a go at clothes but figure bags are one up form cushion covers (my only previous sewing experience) and therefore a good interim stop.  Also will make excellent christmas gifts when they turn out all splendid (see optimism appearing already!).  I'm sure I could be getting on with papercrafting projects but every evening by the time I get the boy down I am ready to curl up myself.  Then there is the worrying - someone is interested in the flat and wants to go back and look again - but knowing our luck it will be one time to many the evil neighbour will appear and we will still have that bloody flat for ever and ever.

Right so creativity at the moment nil - there were days when I happily crafted away these are from last year for a competition entry that went no-where - I liked them though - Cosmo Cricket.

Ok no promises next week - but who knows the flat may be on its way to someone else, I may be lighter still and I might just have made my first bag...............

So press the WOYWW button and head on over to The Stamping Ground - most people are no where near as grumpy promise.......

WOYWW 116 - Gosh has it really been that long?

Well it has been far too long.  It is lovely having a dedicated crafting area except now I never seem to find the time to get up there with part-time tutoring twice a week and the little fella (who is now 3 and doesn't stop talking all day).  I disappeared under a mountain of exam marking for 3 months and then there was the gardening to get to grips with.  But there is a light on the horizon the little fella is going into nursery on a Monday - a precious Monday with no other commitments and my brain is a whirling with plans for presents for that time of year (you know some people have already mentioned and got it out there) so I anticipate having glimpses to show.  This year with having the 2 places (no luck selling the flat yet the evil neighbour has so far foiled any likely buyers) it is going to be a handmade Christmas - there I said it.  The other full time job at the moment is weight loss so armed with an app for my ipod (as I don't have £72 a week to try that Lighter Life thing) I am doing OK so far but it takes a lot of commitment and planning to get in the exercise - funniest thing watching the little fella using some bathroom scales to do stepping, running and hula hooping because the Wii board is too big mummy, I laughed until I cried.

So no desk this week - but I do have a couple of past creations to keep things ticking over until the new master pieces start appearing!

I think the first is obvious and was made using spellbinders, the second card I folded an A4 piece of card in half and stamped the poppies in the corner (Lavinia Stamps - love her stuff) then carefully cut round.  The poppies underneath were done by first loading the stamp with a clear ink for embossing, then the coloured inks, stamping and then sprinkling with embossing powder and heating this allowed me to put other poppies behind as the inks resist the embossed surface. A few strategically placed butterflies (you know where that bit of ink on your thumb transfers to the card -sigh) and a leaving card for a lovely friend was made.

Looking forward to having a nosey at what everyone has been up to so put the kettle on (but no cakes or biscuits for now - sighhhhh).

Return of the indeterminate crafting womble

Hello again. How is everyone? needed an excuse to visit again and today seemed a good a day as any. We have been in our new place for just over 3 months and it took me until the end of last week to finish getting the craft room sorted........ A combination of being on an adrenalin (I don't care if it is grammatically incorrect it sounds better to me) fuelled emotional high for 6 weeks after we moved in followed by 4 weeks low then high, low, high, low oh yes and the tansforming of my garden from nothing to productive! - mostly portable so we can take it with us when dh gets the long awaited permanent lectureship thing that he really deserves - although not the proper established one because that has to involve living by the sea and none of the current chances offer this. Anywhoo I have a desk and mostly I have somewhere to put everything (hurrah yay) or possibly not enough stuff.......... ;)

So crafting has been little and sparse, mostly stamping because it is small and highly portable. There was a new addition to my storage crafting space shown below a final treat before the drawing in of the coffers (unsurprisingly the flat is still unsold despite its bargain price tag.......).

There are a number of projects still on the go go and once the exam marking and moderating season has ended (that would be the growing (and still growing) piles scattered about) and the garden is maturing nicely the rains shall be picked up once more. So much to do and so little time. Of course it would help if the dear chiil stopped waking me up in the earlier hours of the morning (it is 4am as I write this) he was fast asleep 5 secs after he was returned to his own bed that was well over an hour a go. Oh well on the plus side it is my birthday today :)

Oh Gosh has it been that long?

Hello everyone - I'm still here I've been doing the mountain and valley thing emotionally since we moved at the beginning of February.  Things are so much better now (nice neighbours for a start).  It has been an entertaining catalogue of disasters too though - nothing I wouldn't take over the last nearly 6 years of my life though :D

The day we moved in the washing machine and fridge/freezer packed up (took 2 weeks to sort the first and a month to properly sort the latter). At this point the shower stopped being able to turn itself off so we had the landlord round at 9:30 at night trying to locate the stop tap (it was hidden behind a panel - at least he did the bashing - I'd already had my fill but more about that later.  Then the next day the boiler packed up (and it was still pretty chilly at the beginning of March.  Still we have shiney new replacements of most things and only the cooker left to pack up (so far it seems pretty solid - touchwood).

Timothy has been delighted with our new place and settled in straight away. He sleeps through the night and everything now :D The instant relaxing of his parents has been attributed towards this.  He delights all by taking them up to show them his bedroom when they visit.  He has, however, been rebelling about the amount of time mummy is spending unpacking and building furniture etc so we have had a number of 'exciting' incidents to deal with, from flour over the floor (makes pretty patterns mind you)

That was the first week, then there was the sanitary products floating in the bath that was 3/4 full.  Followed by the spreading of shredded paper through the whole of downstairs.  The locking of himself and a friend in one of the bedrooms - that would be the door banging part -I had to smash a door panel to get them out (then the shower packed up later that day...........), still need to replace that.  This week we ended up with a bottle of salad cream emptied over the railway tracks and all over the livingroom floor.  Got to love them though right :D

Crafting has largely taken a back seat - there is only so much a girl can do in one day and still need to finish sorting the craft / office space.  There have been a couple of cake decorating moments though:

A couple of scrapbooking classes and I've dug my stamping stuff out and did a trial run for creating mothers day cards.  I've also been trying my hand at gardening the last few days and I managed to remove a very nasty prickly thing and dig over the whole border, next I need to create again :)

border before

Border after

OK it is not quite WOYWW but I'm building up to being back

I promise something handmade to the FIRST 5 people* who leave a comment here who want something. However, to be eligible, you must repost this status, offering something handmade to 5 other people. The rules are that it must be handmade (or homemade) by you and it must be sent to your 5 people some time in 2011. Ready, set, GO!               

Anyone who wants an update on the neighbourly (or lack of situation) please look at previous post.  I've tried putting in some pictures but blogger is not playing at the moment and I have not the patience........

An update long overdue

Hi everyone, hope you all had good christmases or survived the whole thing depending on your take and your health.  By the time it arrived I was ready for the break and the away.  The hardest part was getting out of my sisters driveway on the 23rd as Rugby area had an extreme snow fall on the 22nd.  The motorways were clear and my laptop and Toystory made the whole journey painless.

I'm not really sure what is being dealt with as regards downstairs. He was due to be arrested last week but then yesterday I got a call to say he was being invited in for a chat. One of our neighbours agreed to give a statement to the police (anonymous) regarding the intimidation he and his family have recieved and all that has been said / done regarding ourselves - however (I suspect) as we plan to move on indefinitely (they don't know how soon just the for sale sign board) he failed to show up to the agreed meeting. There are rumours that downstairs is a grass which could explain a number of things. Whitefriars as ever are silent at the working end - we do have one lady who phones up to find out what is being done (but she is not allowed to step in until her colleagues are seen to be failing to do their job............)

So crap out the way.  We are moving out on the 1st Feb, we did the maths and reckon we can just about swing a mortgage and the rent so financially 2011 will be pants BUT, in every other way things have got to be better.  We are moving to a 3 bedroom terrace with a garden, 20 doors down from one set of friends and over the common and across the railway bridge from another.  I CAN'T WAIT -  the reason I haven't posted before is I'm terrified of jinxing the whole thing. The paperwork is now in my hands the rented sign is up and everything set up bar the gas and electricity so I am taking the risk.  So my friends it will go quiet again until we are packed, unpacked and set up but then there will be a shared (office space for dh) dedicated room for crafting in - let the productivity commence and start to build our lives again. All we need to do is get the flat sold - surely that can be accomplished in 2011 - surely.

WOYWW

HI everyone, a quieter week this week.  This is not the time to bog people down with personal stuff but in very brief. Whitefrairs incompetent and useless, West Midlands Police fantastic won't hear a word said against them, there will be an arrest and HE will be tried in the criminal or civil courts and lastly we plan to run ASAP after New Year the flat will end up being empty for a month or 2 maybe but safety is paramount and no one can offer us any protection or methods to obtain proof.

The mini book  - thanks to anyone who stopped by and the handful who left comments :) Hello to the couple of new followers I have acquired and thanks for the support. I tried to persuade T to pick out the name but he resolutely shook his head and said NO! not even for a read of his favourite book. Anyways ONEOFF can you send me your address by email and I'll get the mini in the post to you.

My indeterminant surface is a disaster at the moment. There is some crafting stuff a foot when T will let me between lurgies and insecurity etc.

I have a couple of finishing off bits to do and the assembly of both sets of parents presents the folders of which are visisble here.  I have to take a break as it is DH birthday this weekend and there is much food to be eaten we are escaping over night and then heading for the Birmingham Christmas market on Monday :) Hope you are all having a good week wherever you are and thanks for all the supportive comments at the sucky time.

WOYWW - 78 at least last week was no 77?

Another Wednesday and this one is the start of the Christmas Countdown.  My workdesk this week does not contain craft stuff.  If however you would like to know how to make this:

 

then take a look at the previous link.  If you would like to have this mini book then you just need to leave a comment and check back here next WOYWW -79.  Thank you to the 3 people who have looked in and hello (wave) to my 2 new followers, if you just looked and didn't leave a commnet then that is grand to.  Need more desks check out the link on the right.  If you have turned up here randomly you can ignore the rest for those of you who drop by regularly it's got worse.

I know a number of people who factor in Karma, the thing is if all this crap is happening to us then does that mean we deserve it?  We had to have the police out twice this weekend.  The 1st was a public order offense number 4.  The '__________' (insert suitable expletive) responsible should be arrested at some point this week, I'm afraid I have little faith in many things at the moment so it means very little to me.  I was verbally abused on my way out of my flat and into the street words beginning with F and C were used and I was repeatedly told I wasn't welcome, I'm lucky that T didn't pick up on it because he sure doesn't hear those words at home.  Having reported it all to the police on the Sunday at midday, we left to go to the supermarket to discover that both wing mirrors had been ripped from our car.  I can't tell my 2 year old son why it isn't ok to go back into his room once he has come out in the morning. Or why the piece of scum downstairs doesn't take our wheeley bin out then shouts abuse at one of us for having to take it out before 7 in the morning. Or why mummy is scared to leave the flat and if she does leave why she is frightened to go back. Or why mummy is crying a lot because he only knows crying is because you are hurt or because you can't get what you want and neither of those apply.  The police can do very little as there are never any witnesses. Whitefriars so far have chosen to do nothing, we have a meeting with them on Monday.  We are looking at the best way to try and rent out the flat so that we won't have to foot 2 lots of payments (one mortgage / one rental) because have no doubt this man wants us gone and if we just went (which I would dearly love to do) he would make sure no one else would move in. We have also sorted out a garage to lock the car in from Monday ( the car is called Humphrey and he is away being mended at the moment).  So what ever you believe in please give us a thought, I know there are people who have and will go through far worse, but my little universe is very important to me and at the moment the thing keeping me together is that it is just stuff and I've lost stuff before and that can be dealt with.  My worry is what happens if it changes from stuff to one of us because all the causes and triggers are not going away and can't so where does it end?