Birthday Desk (WOYWW)

Once again, I'm joining up with other crafty and talented individuals to share our work desks at Stamping Ground for What's on your Workdesk Wednesday.

Before I reveal my desk, let me show what became of some of the junk on my desk from last week.

This necklace was made with those bits.

Here's a better look.

Now for my desk. It's a little less crafty.

Sigh, lots of to do lists. But, if you look there on the left you see my little pile of bags. I've spent the last couple of days doing some shopping with my birthday money. 

Here's what I picked up.

Let's see...the Tim Holtz stamps (and stencil) were on sale at Michael's. Above them is a rhinestone assortment and some washi tape from Hobby Lobby.  Along the top, next to the washi tape is a button stamp and some masks. There are two galaxy markers I got that the dollar spot at Target. I'm not sure how they'll work, but figured I'd try. Then, there are a couple of dies and a die/stamp set from Tuesday Morning. Finally, some little Prima girls and rust-colored Gilder's paste.

I also got a few jewelry supplies.

I found the ear wires and bead caps at Tuesday Morning and the rhinestone spacers on clearance at Hobby Lobby.

So that's my desk for the week. I've still got a little more birthday money and am trying to decide what else I need. Gimmie some recommendations. What's the craft supply you couldn't live without?

Thanks for stopping by!

From the Junk Drawer (WOYWW)

Feeling a little motivated this morning, I pulled out one of my junk drawers. This one is literally labeled JUNK as it doesn't fit into any of my other junky categories (keys, charms, rhinestones, buckles, etc.).

After sorting through it for a few minutes, I had this laid out on my desk.

Mysterious huh? (Sorry for the quality of the pictures. It was dark and I used my phone.)

It's all very organized in my eyes.

On the left is my junk drawer.

Along the top are some items I want to solder for various reasons.

There's a lot of safety pins in the mix because I want to make them even more safe by soldering them closed. That'll make me feel better about using them in jewelry.

Along the right are the pieces for two possible necklaces.

The bolt-like thing on the top is on its own as it looks something like a bail to me. The other pieces may likely come together in some sort of tassel assemblage piece.

In the center of my desk were some watch backs. I realized there were a ton of them in the drawer. As I pulled them into a pile, I saw that they would be perfect for a statement necklace of some kind. But, first they need holes.

After making an arrangement that made me happy, I marked where I want holes and numbered some of the pieces. That wonderful man-of-mine will use the drill press to make the holes for me. And, this picture and the numbers will serve as fabulous reminder of this arrangement.

Now to actually pull all this together and make some jewelry! Do you see jewelry here, or do you just see junk?

I'm linking up on The Stamping Ground for What's on You Workdesk Wednesday.

Keeping Busy (WOYWW)

Last week may be considered the "Lost Week". I wasn't near as productive as I'd have liked because my schedule was off. I did get to spend much of the week with my grandmother and oldest niece while my mom and step-dad went on vacation. As well, I helped a friend prep for her daughter's birthday. We also agonized over what to do about my sweet Asia kitty. Her illness isn't getting any better. While steroid shots seem to make her feel better for several weeks at a time, she's still struggling to breathe and looks uncomfortable the rest of the time. We cried and prayed over what to do, but the decision is so very hard to make. For now, she's received another shot while we monitor her even closer to try to make the decision and come to terms with it.

Gah! Okay, enough with all that. Here's what my desk looks like today.

There's a little of everything on there once again.
At the far left is my art journal, open and waiting with a blank page.
Next is my bullet journal, also waiting for me to set out the day's list.
Then there's the altered playing card that I'm currently working on. It's got some washi tape and gesso lines on it, but that's as far as I've gotten.
Finally, there's a bead mat with an assemblage key, some wire wrapped czech glass beads, and a variety of pearls that I'm trying to decide on. (You can see my mat better and pick your favorite on my Instagram video.)

If you're curious, the top of my desk includes a small trash bin (the green thing at left with the clothes pins on it.), a glass container with various supplies (rulers, x-acto, bone folder, wooden skewers, knitting needles, etc.), a swiveling organizer that holds my pliers and scissors, a bowl of miscellany (tape, glue sticks, lip gloss, liquid paper, and tape measures), a cup and saucer that I throw things in to keep them from getting buried), a plastic cup of water with some paintbrushes, and a nice big selection of pens and pencils (I have an office supply issue.) Also on my desk are my timers, which I set to try to make sure I get up and move around every half hour or so.  You know, for my health.

That's the bulk of it for today. And now, it's time to start tackling some of these tasks. Here's hope you keep happily busy today too.

I'm linking up my desk on What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday at Stamping Ground. Come play along, or just tell me. . .what are some of the supplies on your desk that are always there?

On my Desk (WOYWW)

Ever since I got the craft room cleaned and organized the other week, I've done a pretty good job keeping it that way. I've even been pretty good at cleaning off my desk between projects. . .pretty good - not perfect. And, of course, I usually have several projects going on at once. Currently, this is the state of my craft desk.

In the center is my to do list. I took this picture first thing this morning, just after I finished writing it out. Just above that are some keys for a tutorial I'm working on for a secret project. . .to be revealed later. On the left is my art journal with black scribbles (I was trying to use up some paint) and a finished altered playing card (the flower). Of course, there's also a large mug of coffee and all the other miscellany I keep within reach. Just these few things have me a bit overwhelmed at the moment, so I think I'm going to clear the excess to clear my head and get motivated. Do you work better on a messy desk or a clean one?

I'm linking up at Stamping Ground for What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday (WOYWW).

Days of My Craft Desk | Episode 1 (WOYWW)

I know I've mentioned here somewhere how much I love seeing other artists' craft rooms, workbenches, and creative spaces in general. I've been lax in sharing my own as I'm still not sure how this new space will work for me. However, I don't mind sharing my desk. In fact, I'm going to try a recurring feature giving you peeks of what's on my desk through a single day. Now, this can range from beady to crafty to paperwork-y, and that's just in the course of one day! And, because I'm a dork - I have to name it something corny.

Like beads rolling across the studio floor, these are the Days of My Craft Desk.  

In this first installment, let me start by sharing just how clean and pure my craft desk can be.

Yet, at other times it's quite dirty - piled high with miscellaneous craft supplies, projects, and general junk.

Now, let's begin.
Yesterday's desk was pure beady goodness all day long. It started out with the sorting of some broken jewelry acquired at an antique store.

By mid-day, actual jewelry was being made for a silent auction.

After lunch, a large jar of 'bead soup' was sorted into separate palettes for more silent auction projects.

Before the lights went off in the craft room, this was the bead desk's shameful state. Beads were scattered everywhere as bangles were being created from the bead soup palettes.

Come back later to see what else happens in Days of My Craft Desk!

Ha, see. . . I'm a huge dork, but I like this format so much. I'm sure I'll be sharing many more days. Of course, I'd like to know what you think of it too. Please let me know before I embarrass myself any more!

I'm also linking up at Stamping Ground for What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday

What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday (WOYWW)

In my last What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday post, I showed you a picture of a neat, organized, two-project desk. Today. . .chaos reigns. There's so much going on that I simply labeled the pictures for you.

Left side of desk

Right side of desk

I've been a labeling madwoman; not only am I making jewelry and working on my second Journaling by 5s journal, but I'm in the process of reorganizing and sorting through the found objects and old jewelry elements I use in jewelry making. I spent a good portion of yesterday labeling organizers and picking through the bulk of my stash.

Getting to sort through this stash and see exactly what I have has been so inspiring. I hope that mojo sticks with me long enough to get some items made, hence the chaos.

So, what's on your workdesk?
I'm linking mine up to WOYWW at Stamping Ground.

What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday (WOYWW)

Yesterday's desk started off with an insane amount of chaos. But, I took the time to clean it off and start anew. This morning, I found only two projects on it.

I started with the in-progress art journal page.

And finished it quickly with some doodling.

Now to focus on some jewelry-making.

I'm linking up my desk at Stamping Ground's What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday.

Seriously, what's on your workdesk today?

What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday (WOYWW)

I've been overflowing with ideas lately - for jewelry, for blog posts, for papercrafting-art journaling and thus I seem to get nothing done for jumping from one activity to the next. I think putting some of my jewelry in that display has really given me some kind of new freedom or something. Now, if only some of it would sell!!

Anyway, I'm playing along once again with Julia from Stamping Ground and all the other creative folk for What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday.

This is today's desk. On the bottom left is my bullet journal waiting for me to make my daily list. Above it is some jewelry I'm making for another possible local opportunity for selling. On the bottom right side of my desk are some supplies for a postcard swap I'm participating in. The postcard is actually hidden under the messy deli paper (shhhh). Along the back of my desk is just the stuff I need to clean up and put away.

Yesterday my desk looked like this

A bracelet I was making from old earrings and pins

And, Monday morning I walked in to find my desk like this!

GAHHHH!!! I was a chaotic crafter on Sunday!!

I'm much happier about the shape of my desk today since there's only a couple of projects to focus on. Do you function better with just one or two projects on your desk or do you like to have all the options there at once?

Make sure to hop over to Stamping Ground and see what's going on on other craft desks across the world.

Doing All the Things and What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday (WOYWW)

I constantly feel a need to

Seriously, it's a sickness. I'm forever

• joining and participating in Facebook groups
• taking on challenges
• delving into new projects
• listing and marketing my jewelry
• thrifting whenever I can
• commenting on other blogs
• trying to clean my house
• planning and making meals
• blogging about all of it
• and so much more. 

Sometimes I even get to create something. At the end of the day, I never quite feel like I've accomplished anything. . .no matter how much I've crossed off my to do list. It actually makes me tired thinking about all of it.

Please tell me you feel the exact same way. If you don't, please tell me how you manage all of it. I'm desperate to find some way to streamline all my tasks. In all of this, my desk stays just as busy as I am with the tasks that fly on and off it (or get buried under the chaos).

At the moment, I'm in the midst of working on Shannon Green's Journaling by 5s project. You can watch her video (previous link) or read about it on her blog,

This is my desk prepped and ready for Session 4: Words/Images

If you want to see how the project is going for me, you can check out my first few videos.

Session 1: Paint/Ink

Session 2: Collage/Recycle

Session 3a: Stamps

Session 3b: Stencils

In addition to those supplies, I also have these luscious beads from Juli Cannon at StudioJuls that I just received in the mail. 

I need to carve out some time to play with these yummy pieces. But first, I have to conquer EVERYTHING ELSE!!! Sigh.

Please tell me how you manage it all.

I'm linking up my desk on Julia's What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday at Stamping Ground.

WOYWW (a day late)

I have been up to my eyeballs in paperwork and computer work and I haven't even started gathering the 2014 tax stuff yet. I've been so busy, I actually took all these photos yesterday for What's on Your Workdesk? Wednesday but never got around to editing them. So, I'm a day late. Le sigh. Here's what my workdesk has been looking like.

No beads or paint. . .how sad this is.

Now that my big paperwork-y project is close to done, I can hopefully pull out some of these

Paints and pens

Or these

Spray inks and markers

Or some of these

Stamps

Or some of the fun stuff on this shelf

All kinds of goodies (paints, inks, sprays, powders, etc.)

And, I especially want to play with these!

Beads! Glorious beads!!

I guess I need to stop writing about it and go ahead and get to it if it's going to happen today. Where would you start with all these options?

I'm sharing this late link on Stamping Ground's What's on Your Workdesk? Wednesday (WOYWW)