WOYWW147

(eeek...new style blogger...hopefully this post works OK!)
So......my desk today is full of beads, I'm busy making up kits for my next jewellery workshop!

Bit tedious, counting out beads to make sure everyone has the right amount......but strangely relaxing too!!
Which is a good thing, as I need to be relaxed! I REALLY should be running about like an idiot getting organised as we're all off to Florida at the weekend! Yep, should be sorting out the packing for all six of us......and am I? erm, that'll be a no then! plenty of time yet........................
So, WOYWW? its the most fabulous blog hop around the desks of the world, hosted by our leader Julia !!!! Why not pop over and have a peek at whats going on!
So, thats me signed off for a fortnight, see you all in two weeks....you be good now!
Trish xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Its Spring- For Calico Crafts

Another little sneaky peek at my latest DT project! You'll need to go to the Calico Crafts Blog!  to see the whole thing!!!

Love Trish xxxx

just sittin'......minding her own business.....

Well, this is the art doll. Some of you may have seen her arms and legs yesterday whilst in their unpainted and 'what the flipping heck are they?' stage!!!

Her body is two wooden pieces stuck together for a chunky feel.....and painted in a typical Trish background stylee! Normally I would add some images etc over this kind of background, but with this project I think the background works just as it is!

 Linking up with the following challenges: Simon Says Stamp and Show -handmade backgrounds 

CR84FN colour challenge - pink, yellow, orange.

Love Trish xx

WOYWW146!

I am such a bad blogger.....no post since last weeks WOYWW.... *hangs head in shame*
All I will say is that I'm up to my ears in a very exciting, very secret project. All will be revealed later in the year, but for now I have to keep the lips zipped!
My desk is back to being messy...yay!
Here it is first thing today....

What on earth are those strange things???? You mean these?.....

Why arms and legs, obviously.............!!
Tissue wrapped around a wire frame. Stuck into a bit of oasis until they dry! These are for an art doll I'm making for a couple of blog challenges this week. Once dry, they'll get painted and attached to the body. I had to put a sheet of paper between them and the oasis because all the 'stuff', the gritty material the oasis is made from REALLY didn't like being near gluey tissue, and tried to stick all over the place. Not the look I was after! This will get finished later, so check back tomorrow to see the finished dolly!!!
The most fabulous blog hop on the planet starts at Julias place.... Go take a peek, join in and totally lost in the craft rooms of the world!
Annnnnnnd....HUGE thank yous to all you most wonderful people who were so lovely about my cupcake rings last week! Made me smile lots! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Trish xx

WOYWW145

Happy Wednesday and happy WOYWW everyone!
Enough of the waffle that no one reads eh? You just want to see the mess!
Actually, not that messy! Lots of things on the go means a clear up before I start, so its looking fairly tidy on the desk...

Bit of a coincidence in that both my magazine projects this month are focussing on resin, so my desk is really a 'using up whats left' photo. As you know if you work with resin, if there's any left in the pot when you've done your main item, you need to fill up random moulds so there's no resin waste! So, i've coloured the left over resin with orange glitter and used a tiny flower mould and a mould I made ages ago of a winged heart. Thats the purple thing on the right............ Its a fab shape when its done, I used it for a previous mag project and made this..................

The heart was initially plain black resin, but a light swipe with gold paint gives a nice antique-y look.
I usually use Easy Cast resin, but one project was focussing on a different brand, Ice Resin. (Thats why you can see two brands in the main pic!) Gave me a good opportunity to compare them, and they actually are very very similar. The Ice Resin is a smidge clearer when cured than the Easy Cast, but thats about it! Easy Cast is cheaper and easier to get hold of though........
What else do I do with resin? lots......mostly making funky and kitsch jewellery, always a huge seller wherever there are lots of children present! Long ago dtitched the 'posh' jewellery if I was doing a school fair or fete, the resin stuff flies off the stall! This kind of thing...

(Cupcake rings modelled beautifully by eldest daughter who has a study day off college!)
Right, that's me done for this week!
I'm going off to blog hop...why don't you join me! Julia has all the details of all the fabulous desks to visit!
Love Trish xxxx

A Suitcase Full of Flowers- for Calico Crafts

Still a week to go before Mothers Day, there is still time to make something fabulous for your nearest and dearest!
My latest DT project for Calico Crafts may well be a nice thing to try...here is a little peek...

Hop on over to the CALICO CRAFTS BLOG... to see the whole thing, and check out the step by step pictures on how to create your own!
Have a lovely Monday everyone!
love Trish xxx

squeeeeeeeeeeee!!

Well, it appears I've been shortlisted for the Beads and Beyond designer of the year....
(cue happy dance......!!!)
Its one of those things where you need to get people to vote for you, so that's my cue for a shameless "vote for me" plea!!!
This is the link: Beads and Beyond  ......the designer bit is right at the bottom, should you care to put a little dot in the box next to my name!
Thanking anyone who takes the time to do this.... :)
love Trish xxxx

woyww144!

Its Wednesday......so its time to hop around the desks of the world looking at a)some gorgeous artwork, b) some fabulous craft spaces, and sometimes even c...some seriously messy desks that make you feel SO much better about your own non-too-tidy space!
You'll need to pop over to visit our leader Julia ,and use that as your starting point! Be warned, you may be some time................
My desk today is my jewellery desk. I'm just about starting a necklace to match a bracelet I did yesterday....

Mostly natural light, so the colours are pretty much true to life. Which can't be said for the pic of the matching bracelet, taken under my photo lights......

The phenomenon that is the good old 'alexandrite effect' strikes again! The purpley-lilac hue totally colour shifts under artificial light, becoming very blue! The crystal on the end of the butterfly is a Swarovski, alexandrite in colour. Exactly the same as the box of them in the front of the main desk pic! Even the round glass beads slap bang in the middle of the main pic go a very pale blue, almost clear colour, as you can see from the third big bead to the left of the butterfly. So weird, and flipping annoying when taking pics when its a bit dark and natural light isn't an option!
Bit of a closeup of another new favourite finding, the butterflies....

Love these, they're gorgeous! Now having to stop myself using them all the time........!!
Have a great WOYWW everyone, thanks for visiting! I'm now off to visit all of you!
Love Trish xx

Love Gives You Wings...For Calico Crafts

Just a little sneaky peek at my latest DT project for Calico Crafts......its not a small thing...

To see the project in all its glory....hop over to the CALICO CRAFTS BLOG !!!!
Love Trish xx

Upcoming workshop.....

Getting back to being organised......samples all done with plenty of time!
One of my upcoming classes will be an introduction to shadowboxes..... how to decorate and then fill in the little niches. We'll be starting with a box of shapes, so the before and after looks like this.....

Once the box is emptied, we'll be playing with paint and sponging techniques. Colour the box, then create a masterboard using lots more paint techniques. The masterboard will then be cut up to form the squares in the niches.

We'll be decorating a few of the flowers with paint and text paper, then putting a little bling in there too!
There will be a gorgeous antique gold chain attached so it can be hung proudly on display!

The leftover flowers are yours to do with as you wish!
Click the workshop link on the right hand side for more booking information!
Love Trish xx

Craft Stamper April issue...

Is here already folks!!! And you thought it was only the start of March!
Have a little look at the cover....

If you've got good eyes you can just about see my project this month on the cover ! woooo! Its the purple box using Mica sheets, bottom right hand corner. Its actually a masterclass on the Mica Sheets, so there are four more items in there from me using mica. Including one where I was holding my breath until I knew it had arrived safe and sound and not squished to death!!! Close up peek of the project on the cover...

The whole mag is packed to bursting with gorgeous projects, loads and loads of inspiration and eye candy this month!
Have at look at the Craft Stamper website to read more about the projects in this months issue.....!!
Love Trish xxx