What's On Your Workdesk, Wednesday? #145

Hello crafty critters! [Critters? Really? *sigh*] It's another Wednesday and you know what that means, right? It's the day we all get permission to snoop around other desks and peek at different stashes. Yay! Check out Julia, the Queen Snooper herself for ALL the fabby desks and projects-in-progress.

Last night I had a clear-out because The Leaning Tower of Stuff fell off the desk. It was time. It's been Graphic 45 24/7 these days, and even though G45 papers and chipboard are pretty, they are not pretty all over the floor. Plus, I'd have to walk over them to get out the door and into my bed. I was trapped. It was a matter of my own SURVIVAL, I tell you!

Complements of the studio faeries, this morning I found the next project all lined up and ready for today's fun. The only thing the faeries didn't do was make the decision as to whether I'll use the mini screen, paper mache letter B, or a little envelope album thingy.

Heh, it appears they did a little late night shopping with my credit card, too. Cheeky!

I finished the box from last week. There are a couple of detail photos in this blog post, also.

So, I've shown you mine, now show me yours! Join us over at Julia's Stamping Ground for some snooping fun!

Cheers,
Susan

Graphic 45 - Communique Shadow Box

Hiya crafty folks! I've been busy on a new G45 project. Want to see it?

I've used papers from the Communique collection and a few bits and bobs. I absolutely love this George Bernard Shaw quote, "The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place." Isn't that the truth?!

I've used bits of the paper to create communication-themed vignettes in the boxes. Sending a telegram, typing a letter, listening to the Edison phonograph, writing a note, watching the movies and taking photographs, speaking on the telephone. In each of these methods there is a sender and a receiver and the hope that the message sent is the message received. *wink*

The inside of the inkwell is painted with a Qtip.

I love this box and the optical-illusion created by the diamond patterned paper.

Thanks for visiting today! I'll have more stuff up as the glue dries.

Cheers,
Susan

What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday #144

Welcome to another WOYWW! Today is the day desks across the world are bared... exposed... laid out for a snoop. Visit our Master Snooper, Julia, at The Stamping Ground for loads to look at!

Heh, when you see my mess you'll probably exclaim "Wow!"... and there might be an "Oh my" added in. I have the 60mm macro lens on the camera, otherwise you'd get a big ol' eyeful of the scraps and bits cut out from the paper I'm working with these past few days.

Ok, full confession time. As I look at this photo I realize it doesn't show *anything* close to what's at my elbows as I type... and on the floor... The vacuum cleaner is going on strike when it comes near this room!

The project is a Configurations box using the Graphic 45 Communique line and will be one of my final-round design team submissions.

I'll have a poke around your desks in the next few days. For now, I have to go to bed. It's late! Happy WOYWW!

Cheers,
Susan

Graphic 45 Finalist!

*squee*

Thanks so much for your well wishes everyone - it worked! Along with 29 other fantastic folks from around the world, I have been selected as a Graphic 45 design team finalist.

I admit I checked the post a couple of times, just in case I was imagining my name on the list. (Wait, let me check again... oh, there I am at #19!) My foot is really in the door and now I have the opportunity to WOW 'em with 3 projects in their hot little hands. This is an immense honor and I truly appreciate it.

I have to send a special thanks to my big sister for being such an inspiration in life and a rock through this process. L - you affect my life in positive ways every single day. Thank you!

So, wish me luck!

Cheers,
Susan

Trashy Vampire Novel Altered Altoid Tin!

Hi folks! Over at Craftster I'm participating in a "Wicked Vices Altoid Tin Swap". Hee hee hee. My UK-based partner finally received so I can share it with you now!

Each partner was supplied with 5 "vices" to inspire the other to alter an Altoid tin. One of my partner's vices was reading trashy vampire novels. I couldn't pass it up!

The heart and wings are from Grungeboard die cut sheets. Those poor wings have flown around two or three different projects before alighting on this one. The heart was trimmed down to size, painted red then coated with crackle paint. The crackle paint wanted to flake off with all the manipulation so I coated it with Glossy Accents.

The book cover is made from three pieces: the covers are separate pieces of chipboard and the binding is a piece of Grungepaper. I needed the binding to be pliable and the Grungepaper worked perfectly. I adhered the 3 pieces to the ivory liner paper and carefully put the precut red Graphic 45 paper on. There is a wee bit of space between the chipboard sheets and Grungepaper to allow for movement. I used a scoring tool to create the groove on the Graphic 45.

Inside is a trashy vampire novel of her very own! The bookplate is from a set of American Crafts stamps called "Librarian". I jut happened to stumble on it at Tuesday Morning the day I was trying to figure out the inside cover. It was a serendipitous moment!

For the inside pages, I scoured the Internets for fun vampire-related photos and quotes.

This one is my favorite:

The end!

Thanks for visiting today! Here's a link to our Craftster Wicked Vices gallery if you'd like to see more. There's a plethora of funny vices represented in Altoid tins! Here's a little hint for you - to the right of center there's a button that says "show images only". Click and you'll get all the photos without the chatter. :)

Ok, that's it for me. We're going to see 70 degrees today for the first time this year. I've saved up all my errands so I can ride around with the sun on my face and wind in my hair. Glorious!

Cheers,
Susan

Wednesday, Already? WOYWW #143

It's What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday! I'm shaking my head a bit that we're here again SO SOON. Where does the time go? Today is the day we have a snoop around desks all over the world. Fun!

Today I'm in full-on stick pin production mode.

It's bright and sparkly on the inside even when it's wet and dreary on the outside.

There's so much rain I can't even see out the window. That lump on the floor is my 90 lb doberman. He loves blankies!

So I have to share my spiffy new mini photography studio. Heh. I was inspired when my Craftster friend Kira made her own light box. So clever!

The clamp lights were $3.50 each at the hardware store and have 60-watt Reveal* bulbs inside. The frame is actually 3 shipping boxes leaning up against one another with a white velvet liner draped over. You could use a sheet, too.

These are my first "test shots". Not too bad, eh? Now I don't have to go outside to photograph stuff. Yay!

Thanks for having a poke around. I'll be visiting loads of other desks in a bit to see what everyone else is doing. Have a great day!

Cheers,
Susan

*(set camera white balance to "daylight")

You're The Tops!

Hat pins, stick pins, pretty sparkly baubles. So many of us have a feminine side that thrives on a wee bit 'o bling, right? For me, it's bracelets and brooches. I have a small collection of vintage rhinestone bracelets that I love to wear and a monster rhinestone sunburst brooch I bought  from a street vendor in New York. It is a winter staple on my sweaters. Oh, the sparkles!

So, you know my Etsy shop scrapbook and stick pins, right?

Welll, Etsy seller Nekoda, from the It's A Girl Thing Shoppe makes adorable tutu dresses and couture mini top hats. I'm tickled to show you what she's doing with my sparkly little stick pins:

Aren't these the cutest hats? They are 5" - 7" high and come with built-in hair clips. I love them!

Thanks for visiting today. Hope you have a great day!

Cheers,
Susan