What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday #773

   Hello, Crafty Mates!

It's time for our weekly WOYWW blog hop! Julia has created a wonderful hop that allows us to take a few minutes to sip our coffee or tea and eat our cookies, biscuits, or bagels while we check out the creative pursuits of our fellow WOYWWERS! Click HERE to find out more about WOYWW. Click HERE to play along!

There's not much on my desk tonight! I have set out some canvases and watercolors I plan to use for the new prompt challenge with my grandson. Our prompt this week is "Eyes!" One of the watercolor sets is metallics, and I want to work that into my project somehow.

I completed my "Flowers" challenge project!  I decided to leave it as a page.

I also completed another alcohol ink project!  This was inspired by my Day Lillies!

I call this "Deconstructed Day Lilly!"  My goal was to capture the colors!  

These pictures were taken last summer.  The deer had eaten a lot of the blooms!

SPRING HAS SPRUNG

THE GRASS HAS RIZ,

I WONDER WHERE THE BIRDIES IS!

I'm off to bed!

Peace, Out!

Hugz,

Chana Malkah

Shopping Our Stash #518 - Delight In Spring

 Hello, Crafty Makers!

This is the first time I have used glitter cardstock as a base for a project, but this theme seemed to demand it!  I had to darken the picture a little to show the glitter on the paper, the butterfly, and the leaves.

It is time for another fortnight challenge at Shopping Our Stash!

Our challenge theme is: Spring Has Sprung!

Create an Easter or Spring Project

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Spring has sprung,

The grass has riz,

I wonder where

the birdies is!

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Delight In Spring

More fun with Alcohol Inks!

 

Deconstructed Day Lilly

I think I am enjoying the unpredictability of alcohol inks the most! There are alcohol ink artists who have learned to control the ink to create beautiful flowers and landscapes, but I am in the early stages of learning that skill. My challenge is creating a project with whatever organic shape the ink takes!

The dark brown color is actually the gold alloy ink. I think it is not showing well because I used glossy photo paper. In real life, the alloy ink is gorgeous and adds to the card's visual appeal.

My beloved Day Lilies inspired this project. Although they will not bloom for a few more months, the leaves have already sprouted and are so green and beautiful! I wanted to capture those colors in alcohol inks.

These are photos of my Lillies before the Deer held their backyard dinner banquet! :D) 

I don't mind the deer.  I am part Native American, and I respect the fact that our subdivision is an invasion of their natural habitat.  We found a product on Amazon that keeps them away from my Lillies, but they feast royally on my yellow tips!  I don't mind!  💕

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I look forward to seeing your Easter or spring-inspired creations!    SHOPPING OUR STASH!

Hugz,

Chana Malkah

What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday #772

  Hello, Crafty Mates!

WOYWW #772

It's time for our weekly WOYWW blog hop! Julia has created a wonderful hop that allows us to take a few minutes to sip our coffee or tea and eat our cookies, biscuits, or bagels while we check out the creative pursuits of our fellow WOYWWERS! Click HERE to find out more about WOYWW. Click HERE to play along!

 

On my work desk, this Wednesday is the beginning of what I hope will be a master sheet from which I can create several cards.   My grandson and I have started a weekly "Prompt" challenge.   We take turns coming up with the prompts. The prompt is given on Sunday, and the project must be completed by Friday!  This week's prompt is Flowers!

My grandson is a "real" artist. He took a gap year but will enter SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design) in the fall.  This young man had already earned an academic scholarship. When the school sent his acceptance letter, they informed him that he had also been awarded an "Achievement/Resume Scholarship" for his work at three elementary schools as an assistant art teacher, his summer internships, and his portfolio.   They also awarded him an additional Academic Honors Scholarship.  Both are four-year awards.  I said all that not just to brag on my grandson, but to keep reminding myself that my art will not compare with his.  We used to craft together when he was little, and he expressed a desire to do that again!

I am several media layers away from being done with this page!  I did visit Angela's blog and I found a few ideas there that I may be able to employ.  I think my next step will be to apply a light whitewash and then do some more stenciling and stamping!

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Last week I mentioned that I was expecting a new promotional craft item from Amazon!

Here it is! I really needed a smaller die-cutting and embossing machine, and I really like this one. We had a choice between this 6" flatbed and the 9.5" fold-up unit. I have learned one thing from The Hubster, who is an Engineer: the more moving parts you have, the greater the potential for parts to fail.  And I didn't want or need another large machine.  This one is perfect!

The starter set includes Three acrylic plates, the base plate, and a plastic shim!

Two small metal die sets, two embossing folders, a stamp set, and 

ten sheets of cardstock are also included.

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I had a strange situation with one of the promotional items, an 18K Gold Zodiac Medallion. The box I received was empty, so I called Amazon, and they sent another one. That box was also empty.  They are sending a third medallion and have promised to escalate this if this box arrives empty.  I wish people wouldn't steal!  They are stealing from small businesses, not Amazon!

Man

by Simon Friedman (1930)

Man is an incidental garment

on the clothesline;

Hung between the poles of life

and death.

When he has dried well,

He is taken in.

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Thanks so much for stopping by!

Peace, Out!

Hugz,

Chana Malkah

Redora Lee Designs _2 Cards Using Alcohol Inks

Hello, Crafty Peeps!

 I am revisiting alcohol inks and having a wonderful time!  These initial cards are just baby steps, but I am excited about learning more techniques!   

I call this my Flower Blooming, but The Hubster calls it The Flower Pot Genie!

                        

                      

Hugz,

Chana Malkah

Happy Birthday! Alcohol Ink Card #1

 Hello, Crafty Peeps!

I hope you are having a fabulous week so far!

I created this card for my SIL.  I was playing around with alcohol inks for the first time in over 10 years and the pattern formed by the inks movement was just so pretty, I thought it would make a nice card!  I had planned to hand-deliver it, as is our custom, but she and her husband have COVID, so that was a Nope!

These Kamenskaya Alcohol Inks were a promotional item from Amazon!   I like them.  They perform well and to me are as good as, if not better than, the Tim Holtz Inks!  I used Epson Photo Paper from my stash and 70% Alcohol (99% alcohol is the best.  I didn't have any at the time, so I used what I had.)  The inks performed very well despite the diluted alcohol.

I am trying to use more embellishments so that I can declutter my stash!  I pulled out some butterflies and this one was just perfect.  Although the ink appears grey in this photo, it is actually silver and has a beautiful shine.

The HAPPY sentiment was cannibalized from a slimline card. I didn't like the card but kept it in my stash for moments just like this.  I cut a cute shape, stamped birthday on it and I was good to go!  I  had fun rediscovering my Alcohol Inks!  I have two more cards to share later in the day.  I have a lot of synthetic papers and they work very well with alcohol ink.  Yupo paper is simply too expensive for my non-existent craft budget.  In Real Life, my cards look good!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Hugz,

Chana Malkah

What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday! WOYWW #771

 Hello, Crafty Mates!

Time for our weekly WOYWW blog hop!  Julia has created a wonderful hop that allows us to take a few minutes to sip our coffee/tea, and eat our cookies, biscuits, or bagels, while we check out the creative pursuits of our fellow WOYWWERS!  Click HERE to find out more about WOYWW.  Click  HERE to play along!

I have had a very crafty week!  I have also been very productive reviewing some crafty goodies!   The items on my desk are the next group to be reviewed!  Craft products take longer because I have to create projects and videos.  Next week I am expecting a 6" die-cutting machine to review.  This is going to be helpful since I was criticized on my YouTube channel for embossing off-camera!    I also received a fancy webcam, so The Hubster is going to set up a second video recording station in the area where my Big Shot is located.

This is my new friend "Ollie!"  I always try to review handcrafted products!  These handmade tassel charms were just too adorable to resist.  Ollie is going to live in my studio!

I created three projects using the Alcohol Inks and Alphabet Stamps!

The three cards will be on my blog later today in all their glory!  I like the Kamenskaya Inks.  They can be purchased individually or in color-coordinated groups!

I just love these hand-painting pads!  I have used a couple of them for some background work and they are pretty nice.  My grandkids are coming down for Spring Break, so I thought they would have fun with these!

12"x12" Acetate sheets!  Great product for me because I create my own planner dashboard!

The frosted vellum is great for planner dashboards and cards.  I love the A5-sized sticker sheets!  It is so convenient.  I can punch my sticker sheets and keep them in my planner avoiding a lot of waste!  The two packets of super smooth cardstock are 4"x6" and 5"x7".

I used the alcohol Inks and Alpha Stamps to create this card!  The Hubster says it looks like a Genie rising from a flower pot!

Thanks for stopping by!  I wish for you a magnificent week!

Hugz,

PEACE, OUT!

Chana Malkah

Shopping Our Stash 517 - Round and Round

 Hello, Crafty Makers!

The fortnight Challenge at

Shopping Our Stash is Round and Round

Create a circle card or feature circles (dots, spots) on your project!

A Day In The Life

This card is dedicated to any and all crafters who have had days like the ones I describe below!

I had a funny accident in my studio last night.  While working on this card, I managed to sit on my Pan Pastels tray.  I thought I had cleaned everything off my pants, but when I sat in my chair, I transferred the entire pastel palette to my brand-new task chair!  I wasn't so worried about that since Amazon has several available for review, I can simply request a new one, but it was frustrating.

As if that were not bad enough, I somehow transferred black ink onto my card.  I was able to remove most of it with my sand eraser.  I was so over it by that time that I decided I would just go to bed and finish preparing my post in the morning.  Well,  I overslept and when I got up, I only had an hour and a half to get ready for the doctor's appointment that I had totally forgotten about.   I was not about to get zinged with a $50.00 no-show fee.

I came home and took a couple of "lousy pictures" of my ruined project.  The Hubster brought up lunch!  I fell asleep while chewing.  The Hubster took my plate away.  Came back to wake me up and help me get into bed.  My treatments always leave me with chills and very tired.

I woke up at 6:30 pm and finally got the picture added to the SOS Challenge Blog.  I am done!  It is now 7:00pm and I am going back to bed!

Tomorrow, I will be back to my creative self and I look forward to seeing your fabulous creation in our challenge at Shopping Our Stash!

Hugz,

Chana Malkah

WOYWW #770 - A BIG MESS!

 Hello, Crafty Mates!

***WARNING***PHOTO BOMB***

I'm back for another trip through WOYWW land. I couldn't participate last week because I was too deep in the weeds. I still am, but I thought that this week I would just share the weeds!

What is WOYWW?  Click HERE   Want to join in? Click HERE!

The Mess That Is My Desk (Studio!)

This is the least cluttered area in my studio right now.

My week got off to a fairly normal start!  Sunday is the first day of my week, so I was busy putting the final touches on my personal blog and double-checking my challenge blog!  I had managed to write up four product reviews and even finish two loads of laundry!  And then it happened, the doorbell rang and it was a delivery from Amazon!  A new promotional product to review!

The Hubster got busy putting the cart together, and I began contemplating where I would put it in my studio. I have been putting off decluttering, and this seemed like the ideal time to get started. I could kill two birds with one stone: Clean my studio now and not have to worry about it too much during my preparations for Passover. Then the Amazon driver came back!

Unfortunately, my decluttering and reorganizing resulted in my studio being  covered in "precious junk!"  So I had to pile the new products on my cart.  Then, to my dismay, I discovered that the four review videos I completed were done without SOUND!  I spent the rest of Sunday and all of Monday and Tuesday doing voice-overs for those reviews and creating review videos for the new products!

This is what my studio looks like tonight!

There has been little change here. Two new products for review. The MP3 player is so cool! The Hubster has staked a claim to that. The blue box is a really nice goal-setting system.

This is my side desk.  Three products are buried in the mess!

Well, this corner is not so bad!  At least when I get around to it, I will be able to put some of the vinyl rolls in the vinyl section of the cart!

I think I will be organizing for a long time!

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I tried to find a poem that adequately expressed how I feel tonight!

Chemical Lament

                       by Betty Birostack (1949)

All term he struggled through the course-

He was a nervous wreck.

He'd acid burns upon his nose and boils upon his neck.

His hair was turning blue and green,

(From litmus tests, you see.)

His eyes were shot with lurid streaks

of BLO2D.

But when at last exam time came,

He knew he was prepared.

The test for him would be a cinch-

No reason to be scared.

He knew the allotropic forms

Of alcohol and gas.

And he could take the atom count

In any drinking glass.

He knew how many molecules

Were present in the air.

And who discovered solium

And why, and when, and where.

But when the tests were handed out,

He died from shock or woe.

The fatal query put to him

Was_What is H2O?

*Solium is a hypothetical element with the atomic number A3 and the symbol Sol. Sol.

Be Well!  

Peace, Out!

Chana!