WOYWW - Still no Desk, but Art to Share!!

The art I am sharing this week is, again, not my own, sadly!! And why am I sharing anything??? well, if you have had your head in the sand for many moons, you won't know about the wonderment that is The Stamping Ground... And what am I sharing??? It's the art of the chap who was our cabin steward on board the Orchid, on the Nile...

 He started, simply, with a lotus flower, and he added a ickle vase to the centre... very beautiful, eh??

 Next was an elephant... my fave of the week, actually. He was quite large, and his trunk was very clever. My stick was incorporated into the design, as was a toilet roll for the ickle man on top!!

 Actually, he was not just towels, but had an added pillow... the cover was the throw, folded up. The eyes in all the animals were made from the lids of the bottles of water that we were given each trip...

 So here is the Nile crocodile, the only one we saw the whole week, cos they can't get down to the other half of the river since the building of the dam... what a fantastic creature to be made out of towels...

 Think this was the Fragrant Freddie having a nap!!!  Cool dude with those sun glasses... no not really, just a towel man on his bed!! But I bet you guessed that, eh??

And finally, a scorpion. What a talented chap our steward was. He gave us a demo on the last but one morning, and he did a lot more animals and people, but I did not have my camera with me, so I missed taking photos of those...

And finally for this week, I want to introduce you to my latest fur baby -  Bella The Beautiful Belladonna... She is one of my daughter's cat's second litter!!! NO it was not meant to happen but that cat is totally SHAMELESS!!

 So sweet, and tired out!!

 See the markings on her tum?? She is a calico tortoiseshell and SOOOO cute!!

 She has many lovely ickle bits of ginger stripes... and she is so cuddly.

This ickle face is so sweet, with this lovely ickle white nose and a patch of ginger stripes over her left eye. I know!!! I have too many cats, but she really IS beautiful, and her big brother (a ginger from the previous litter) loves to play with her - hope he does not think she is food!!!!

Thanks for coming to look and commenting... I should be able to get to more of you this week as my plaster is off - I persuaded the doc to let me wear my braces, and have to go back in 4 weeks to check on the healing... still not sure it was broken, but just SO arthritic, they could not tell!!! No wonder I have so many probs, eh?? Still hurts like h--l though!!!

Love and Light

Frankie

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WOYWW - Howard Carter's Place!!

STILL no desk!! Why is that important you may ask... well see here at the Stamping Ground... However, my wrist is feeling a bit better and I am so yearning to get back into my craft room!!! Perhaps next week... Meanwhile I thought it might be interesting for you to see some of Howard Carter's stuff... some of my photos are not as clear as I would like, but they were taken indoors and we were not allowed to use flash... so here goes...

 Obviously, a typewriter, upon which he wrote his notes and letters...

 This was beside his bed, with little bottles and razors etc... I LOVE this sort of thing, old cases and boxes with jars, bottles etc.

 A wireless, a fan and a lamp... how beautiful they are...

 This is his actual easel!! I was so overjoyed seeing this, as I felt I could paint really well using it...

 Not really sure what this was... but how beautiful all those wires bits and boxes...

 His cooker in the kitchen - but I expect he never used it himself!! Wonder if he could cook??

 No idea what this was but I love it's design... any ideas??

Yours truly sitting on a bed in the house!!! I WAS invited to do so and my photo was taken by the chappie in charge of the room... they all wore white gallibayas- traditional dress... well, the man in charge of this room said I could sit there and he offered to take my picture... it was very soft but was probably not very comfortable.

Tee hee!!! here is the very fragrant Freddie, standing outside Howard Carter's study, and pretending to be the man himself... well, the hat fits the bill as you see below...

These are the great man's actual hats... Howard Carter, not Freddie!!! It was a fascinating place and remarkably cool, as the design helped greatly, with lots of doors and windows, so that what breeze there was could come in and waft round...

Well, thanks for popping by and commenting. I am very grateful for your visit. I will try to write a few more comments myself this week, instead of just peeking!!!
Love and Light
Frankie
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WOYWW - No Desk Yet but New Pot!!!

 Nice new, lightweight pot/plaster... now-a-days made from polyester...

 Corrr!!! look at 'em poor ole swollen fingers eh??!!

Not much movement for that thumb!!!

Hi all... thanks for your visits last week. I really appreciated them... I am STILL up at the crack of doom to get the boys to school then collapse for a while before trying to do a few jobs... then it's off to get my daughter, make lunch, get the boys, cook for 5 people, and stagger to bed!!! Miranda's letter from clinic last week anticipates her having no load bearing for another 9 to 12 weeks, as apparently, she has damaged a ligament which attaches her leg to her foot, and they take longer to heal than bones... her xray was awful!!!

So we are both locked into this dreadful cycle for the forseeable!!! I might not get to Gran Canaria as I had hoped with Freddie, to see his family, after crimble... don't see how I can leave her and the boys... my mum continues with her pace maker!!! I worry ALL the time about all those indignities she is suffering, that she NEVER wanted or looked to have - so unkind...

Well, that took forever, but I am hoping to do a bit more commenting next week... I have visited many of you but just looked for now - please forgive my voyerism!!!  Thanks for coming over...Thank goodness for the place which allows us to share like this.. good old Stamping Ground!!!
Love and Light
Frankie
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WOYWW - Great Holiday Shame about the Fall!!!

For my story, please see the post here!! It's funny but not fun!!! So now you know...Sorry still no desk then, obviously, to show at The Stamping Ground but here is a little snippet of my snaps to whet your whistle!!!

Egypt was utterly AMAZING, especially the wondrous sky...

 Who is this woman??? Woo tis me in a daft hat!!! It was so hot to wear, but I needed it ...

 Amazing carving...

 And on the last morning, a journey into the sky, in a hot air balloon - always wanted to do this!!!!

 Lifting high into air, above the Valley of the Kings... marvellous

Sunrise over the Nile, how beautiful and how quickly it comes up!!... If you did not read what has happened to me, please look now and PLEASE leave a comment, as I love hearing from you, as always... sorry, but I can't write any more just now
Love and light
Frankie
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Bad Things Come in 3s!!!

Here I am on the last evening in Egypt in Luxor Temple, as the sun is falling fast... Now, speaking of that falling malarkey!!!... see the bandage on my right hand???  Well there IS a story...

My phone refused to get service when I was away, so I did not manage to contact my family all week... dodgy on-board Internet also precluded me from that too... so as I land last Wednesday, I start to get messages, as you do. They are all about my mum from the neighbour, asking me to contact her as soon as I can, so it does not sound good, eh?? When I ring her, I find out mum had collapsed earlier in the week and had been resuscitated no less than three times that very day!!!! After speaking to the hospital, I find she is comfortable and sleeping... but not out of the woods...

I finally get a text from my daughter saying all is well, she has had a little accident but not to worry.. PANIC PANIC WORRY WORRY!!!! so of course I ring her straight away and ask if she has pranged the car!! Hesitation.... deep breath... come on what has happened?? and finally a mouth full of medical stuff which mainly means she tripped and fell and broke BOTH tib and fib bones in her right leg, which pierced and popped through the skin, leaving her foot hanging off at an awful angle!!! - backwards!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ARRRR!!!, terror, worry etc etc... 

Anyway, she had done that the morning after I went on holiday, and had been in hospital until late Monday, getting the swelling down then being pinned and braced etc... weeks to heal and no load bearing for a couple of weeks.. She has two young children, my boys whom you have met before if you follow regularly!! 7 and 5 and no partner... temporary measures applied until I finally came home... we both wept copiously as you can imagine - her with relief I was back and me with guilt that I was not there!!!

And what of that bandaged hand??? Well, I fell on the boat, on an uneven corridor floor, did a superman flight through the air and landed on my face and hands, and flat on my front body with such an enormous BANG, that my head bounced twice and blood shot from my nose!! I thought it was broken at first... I now have a creeping black cheek/eye!!! And the hand?? Yes, I finally was dragged to hospital by the fragrant Freddie, on Friday, and I have broken my scaphoid bone in my wrist/base of thumb!!! Heavy heavy plaster till next Friday and no crafting for six weeks!!! I shall go MAD!!

And so dear reader, that is the sorry tale. 3 rubbish  generations ... they fitted a pace maker to mum on Saturday!!! We went to see her yesterday and I did not recognise her at all... she is so diminished, rambling and vacant... NOT my mum... I am afraid I wish that her God had taken her on Wednesday, as she has been begging me for the last 3 or 4 months... bald but heartfelt believe me... Miranda is healing, and getting around with a zimmer!! Laughing about that, as you can image. Unable to do much though as she has to hop at the mo, climbing stairs on her bum... and me??? Well it has taken a couple of hours to write this, and frustration has already set in!!! NOT supposed to drive, but I am doing the short trip down to daughter's, cos I have the boys here sleeping , getting ready for and taking to school!!! Just hooking with right fingers and driving with left... hey ho!!! I am back to bed at the mo to rest... this plaster is SO darned heavy, I need a crane to lift it by the end of the day...!!

So, dear reader... PLEASE don't desert my blog.... I have been SO pleased and flattered to have your company recently, and so many wonderfully supportive comments, I would HATE it if you strike me off your list cos there will be little art to see for a while!!! I will try to  share some photos etc with you and look forward to visting you all, with perhaps a short comment or two!!!

Thanks for popoing over and reading this tome!!!
Love and light
Frankie
xx

WOYWW #121 - Not a Desk, but A GREAT Day!!

 Well, I am just getting back today, and have no desk yet, so the lovely Helen has linked me here and THANKS to her again... This is my younger grandson, starting a GREAT day of red rosettes for the family!!! he does Best Turned Out Pony, Tack and Rider Lead Rein and the judge was MOST impressed with the way Rosie looked... well done Fred, with tack and Miranda with horse!! Also Matthew for being just SO cute!!

 Fred took her in the ring, in hand, and won... she trotted so nicely... see how beautiful her white socks are?? Jayden washed and washed them till they shone!!

 Jayden carried on the day with Best Rider Lead Rein and I think you can see just HOW PLEASED he is!!
His new jacket matches Fred's and he is very proud!!

 Then this is the Fragrant Freddie on Jade... I am about to buy her, as her present owner needs to sell and has given me a great price... Miranda and I LOVE her and could not think of letting her go!! Miranda is learning to ride her. Fred had no pressure then, us having won 3 reds so far, but you can see, he DID win Senior Best Rider!! Woo Hoo...

So here we are back in the lorry with our haul of 4 first places!!!! Best day ever. Miranda is holding the set of reds, and me??? I am taking the photos, I am chef d'equip, and picnic maker, and I pay to enter the classes!!! But we have a good time together.

Hope you did not mind me having a bit of a brag??!! No art, just my lovely family chez Julia this week, so thanks for looking and I shall pop and see YOU when I get home
Love and Light
Frankie
xx

WOYWW #120 and Second Art Journal Pages + Birthday 66

Well, officially I don't  have a desk today folks, even though it has rolled round inexorably to that mid-week day where we all go a-spying courtesy of Julia at Stamping Ground. That is because I am from home... and off to cruise down the Nile!!!  I feel a Laura Denison vintage suitcase coming on, with an ickle scrappy book of photos and LOTS of  Egyptian stamping going on, when I get back!!! I have the pattern all ready to start!!!

So what can I show you today? Well, I have been playing again - only for a little time, as I have had another awful week with mum, and could not settle to much at all... even TIO has taken a back seat, but the team has done good stuff as ever!! so here goes with my Time to Make Art pages...

 This is the double spread then... lots of clocks and stuff... I MUST get a couple of large alphabets for the lettering... anyone any suggestions at a reasonable price!!??

 Here's how I started, with gessoed page and blue acrylics... great fun splashing and smooching on the paint... VERY theraputic... did this background a couple of weeks ago...

 Then some copper, and afterwards, some blue and pewter Viva paste, through a mask... it was doing this that gave me the idea for the VERY red tag on TIO a couple of weeks ago... that's when I realized the FULL import of this stuff!!

 Left hand...

 Right hand

 and now for some detail... a TH dotty stamp and some gesso and mica smooched  across the page behind the writing, printed on my inkjet, and distressed...

 OOO, I LOVE all this great texture - well you know me folks, it's one of my fave things that is!!! and a TH clock stamp for good measure.

Here is a wonderful conglomeration of all those pastes and stamps and clocks, etc ... I am lovin it!!! WHY did I dally and refuse to try out this lark?? I am not into the diary side of the journalling, but want to do pithy sayings and phrases to inspire and remind myself of stuff...

By the time some of you read this, I should be sunning myself, I hope. We have just looked up the weather and it is VERY hot, so I shall be in my element... a whole week where my arthritic aches and pains (and my poor old mum!!) will take a back seat!!! Thanks for looking and please do comment... I am hoping for some internet time to visit you back...

OH yes... and it's my 66th Birthday today, so Huppy Burpday to ME!!! (equinox baby, and it's all downhill to crimble now!!! boo...)
Love and light
Frankie
xx
PS if you have not linked your birdcage on the appropriate linky thingie... would you please do it, so they are all there together like a gallery for us all to see... taa
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WOYWW #119 - Tim Holtz Birdcage Swap Results

It happened, and without too much of a hitch!! One poorly person, and one person away because of a new-born, but otherwise I have not heard of any problems... I expect not everyone has received their birdy cage yet, as many were coming from overseas, but hopefully they will all show and tell about the one they made, here today, via the linky thingy at the bottom of this post... They could be tags or postcard sized. So here is the one I made, and sent to Hels...

 Yup!! Guess what??? It's a tag!!! Hels VERY kindly called me the "Queen of Tags" and said I do the most AMAZING taggy art, on her blog!!! WOO I was SO pleased... but, you are now asking yourself, but where is the birdy cage, arn't you?? Well, you see, the truth is I CHEATED!!

 Yes, I made a tag, but also made a 6"x4" postcard, so I could fill up all the spaces with the ideas I had for this piece!! So above, and below, are both pieces in process of being painted, ready for thier embellies...

 I used some acrylic paint in brown first, then a layer of pva glue with another layer of paint on top, then dried to get these fabby crackles. The thicker the glue, the bigger the cracks so I went for a mixture...

 I had several ickle birdies to make and here are two of them - the larger one was for the front, as you can see below...

 So how did it work with two pieces then?? Well, I decided to fasten them together with some hinges. I would have liked to have real hinges, but don't have any just now, so I made them by cutting a TH die top on each end of the grunge paper, then painted...

 So this is how it stands up to be displayed. It was great having 4 sides to deorate!!

 Here is the inside, showing the bird letters, which were TH alphabet pieces fixed to the grunge blocks, painted and distressed...

 I used rub 'n buff and Viva Inca Gold pastes to colour over the paint...

 Voila, finally, my birdy cage, complete with ickle bird, who sits outside, looking at the bits and pieces... the "lock" diamond is a Vintaj filigree, distressed with paint and paste. Hung from the holes is a chain with a pen nib, bead, metal disc, light bulb and tiny penny farthing!!  At the top is a hitch fastener for the cage to hang from. I also added a spinner and gears and a pocket watch I made from an idea-ology type tag... the 300 is to commemorate my 300 blog posts to that date...

Just a small view to show the key, lock and metal tag on the right hand side... I put the tag through a folder, then shone it up... well thre HAD to be a tag somewhere, eh??

 And now for the back of the project... one of the ickle birdies has sat on the clock hands, mounted on to a large rosette, escaping from his cage beneath!!

 I embossed with several different powders, as on the large one... the green is a wonderful verdigis one I have had forever, it's wonderful stuff... oo I do love embossing... I pressed a stamp into the birdies whilst they were still hot, to make the illusion of feathers... I think embossing powder is like using alchemy...

Hurrah, you shout, this is the end... well yes, this is the last photo of the piece. I think I have showed you most of it... and I hope you liked it. I LOVED it and Hels tells me she loves it too!! Most people who have contacted me say they really loved doing the swap, and want to do another one, so I shall organise that soon... not sure whether to do another birdy cage or to do a different die?? Let me know what you think, if you are interested at all. I would like to put this piece into a challenge or maybe two, so I have chosen

Shopping our Weekly Stash - vintage/distressed/shabby
Make it Monday - anything goes
Gingersnap Creations - crimping/pleating

Now for the real reason for WOYWW - chez Julia (who joined the swap, so that was gudd!!) there is an admirable opportunity to snoop around others' workspaces and stuff, so hop over and take a look... below is my disreputable desk!!!

However, it's full of good intentions, as I am sorting my stamps into disc cases... found LOADS in Pete's cupboard, so I am turfing out the discs, and popping some stamps in... this set on the left is from the ineffable Wendie Rhodes in conjunction with Kanban... so glad to see her back!!

So that really IS the end... Thanks for coming to look and getting here, because it has been a marathon!! I am thrilled that so many of you visit me these days and I look forward to seeing your work too...

Love and Light

Frankie

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