Wednesday, March 14, 2012

striving: verb

to make strenuous efforts toward any goal

You too?
( photo taken by me at the River Arts District, text added on my editing program, and frame using this fun and easy program called Pixlr-O-Matic, that a fellow WOYWW lady hooked me up with.  Thank you, sorry I am so bad and forgot who sent me the link but it's been fun playing with it! )
UPDATE: It was Needlewings!!
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Hi there WOYWW ladies from the states and beyond the pond! How was your week? I hope it has been as great as all of you are! I just love Wednesdays, it's so much fun to skip around the world and peek, nose, spy, stalk.....errrr.....check in with everyone!! And I have designated Wednesdays to be:
drum roll please
Progress of the Altered Book day courtesy of Elizabeth's AB class!
and to bring out my painty, gessoey, mod podgeyness in me is definitely a goal for 2012!

So a shot of my desk, it got so messy last week that I had actually cleaned it up, but it's already back to its normal look, lol!! I am struggling with the current pages and learning things along the way, some good and some not so good, lol


And last week you may remember my showing you the niche from my AB book, but last week's picture wasn't that great and I've done more work on it since then.

I really worked on her hair, adding small micro beads ( and I used the wet eraser on the end of a pencil trick to pick up individual micro beads and place them just where I want them! ) and stickles, and then adding a layer of H20's to really give it some luster. I also took the blonde-ness of her hair down a notch and gave it a green tint with the H20's.

And I added a little more sea weed; highlighted with stickles. You can see how the sea weed looks really 3-D by being glued in front of the sea shells. I think the niche is the best part about the AB, and it's going to be a let down from here on out! lol
( Confession alert: I actually open the book to the niche just to look at it!! )

Well, let's go visit each other, have a giggle, give out some hugs and generally have FUN!!
It's WOYWW!
And on Wednesdays, it's OK to be nosey ;)

46 comments:

scrappymo! said...

Gorgeous picture...Where is the River Arts District...I think I might have been there on my holidays last year...that name sounds familiar!
Your altered book looks like tons of fun.

scrappymo! said...

Ahhhh...I just figured it out...you must be somewhere near Ashville...we were there in June...Such a beautiful place. We had the best ribs I have ever had in my life. Afterwards, my husband took the doggy bag (box) of ribs we had not even touched, some napkins, plastic silverware, bought some cold drinks and walked back down the hill to the park.
We had noticed a lot of homeless people there earlier in the day. Most did not seem to have drug problems etc...they just seemed to be not educated at all and most likely struggled to find or keep a job. Two gentlemen took the drinks and the box and thanks him and shook his hand.

We loved Ashville...my memories are of fabulous street music...sort of a cross between hillbilly, rockabilly, swing and big band and liberal use of banjo and an instrument we didn't recognize... Fantastic!
Also loved Builtmore. Dh usually hates spending money to kleep the rich richer...but we were delighted to hear the stries of how much they did for their employees and the villagers.
Sorry to take over your post...
Wish we could have grabbed a coffee!
Maureen

CraftygasheadZo said...

Fab AB. Am waving from across the pond! Love your desk as always, so much going on and so much to see. Take care, enjoy snooping the oh so many WOYWW desks & have fun! Zo xx 34

Mary Pat Siehl said...

love all the shells at the bottom

Sara S. said...

I keep seeing all of these gorgeous ABs and keep telling myself I should try it! But I haven't the guts to do it yet! Wonderful work, and thanks for letting us snoop!!

Wendy said...

Wow I love you altered book. I started one a few years ago but haven't looked at since. You've inspired me to go find it and take a look at. Maybe even find some time to work on it some more. Thanks for sharing and visiting my blog.

Jaki Morris said...

Hi,#thanks for stopping by my blog.

Just to answer your question about my slow cooker(crock pot) my craft table is the dining table in our kitchen diner and I put it on the table as it's near an electric socket!

Love the activity on your desk also your random words at the top of your posts. I love words

Jakix

Whimcees said...

Hello!

Love your mermaid - she is so cute! I see many interesting creations in the making on your workdesk and look forward to seeing them! Wishing you a happy day!

Hugs,

Barbara Diane

Julia Dunnit said...

Wow Wow WOw!! I would just be opening it too, to check it was still there! It's gorgeous and my word, you've got so far!

Anonymous said...

oh my gosh this is beautiful, the shells are such a lovely addition, beautiful pages as well, love the colors! Its just so happy.

Spyder said...

oh wow! Doesn't your book look great!! and I love the sentiment...the sea dreams of me, why shouldn't it? everyone dreams of the sea, sometimes it should be the other way round! Thanks for my snoop! Have a great crafting week.
HaPpY wOyWw!!
((Lyn))

Redanne said...

Lovely place you live in. Your desk makes you look like one serious crafter! Love the book. Happy WOYWW.

Unknown said...

oh how wonderful to meet you!!! I love your work....what a fantastic mermaid!!! I have always wanted to be one!! when I was growing up!!! Thank you for the smile!!!

Terrie said...

I'm in the class too and have to say your niche is inspirational. You've made a whole story just on these pages. Great job. I'm going to get busy!

May said...

Love your AB FABULOUS!! you must be so proud of this its fantastic, Have a great week, Hugs May x x x

Darnell J Knauss said...

Cool AB! That is something that I have not yet tackled. I'll enjoy watching from the sidelines!

Unknown said...

Hi Sandee! Thanks for stopping by my blog today;D Even though I'm in WI, it is a beautiful, sunny, WARM day here! Actually in the 70's!! Nice to meet you. I'm following your blog as well;D

lisa said...

Everyone seems to be doing this class. I think I'm missing out. Love all the shells in the bottom there, just gorgeous.
Happy WOYWW
Hugs Lisax #78

Debbie Rock said...

The more altered books I see the more I want to have a go and your pages are truly inspiring!
Thanks for popping by my blog today - it was lovely having you visit. Yes, the light is fabulous where I normally work ... it's our conservatory so half the roof is polycarbonate stuff and I have two wonderful sets of French doors that I can open wide when the weather allows. Happy WOYWWing! Love Debbie #59 xXx

Harborough Dad said...

The mermaid is just sooo cute. Thanks for sharing.

Jumbleberries xx

Linda said...

Great book! I don't blame you for looking at the niche, it is so pretty! Linda #92

Susan ~ Killam Creative said...

How lovely! I'm going to live vicariously through you on the altered book front. I just can't make it happen right now.

Cheers,
Susan #113

Michelle said...

hi sandee you are so kind following my blog thank you im really glad to follow yours too great work desk i can never get mine to look cleaned up for long either your altered book is beautiful and the detailing in the mermaids hair with the micro beads is amazing i look forward to coming back to your blog michelle

Unknown said...

Fantastic Altered Book!

I'm seeing so many altered books on the desks of the WOYWWers, looks like a very fun thing to do.

Have a creative week xx

Sally said...

I love WOYWW, great excuse for a nose :)
I can't believe your patience with the micro beads!
And to your question, Flitterglu is an amazing glue for stamping with that you can then add gilding flakes or glitter to, very sticky and the detail you can get on detailed stamps is amazing (can you tell I'm hooked ?) http://www.clickoncrafts.co.uk/papercraft-flitter-glu.irc will tell you about it and http://www.joannasheen.com/craft-supplies/indigoblu-stamps-and-gilding-flakes/ is my favorite place to buy (free worldwide p&p) if you google it and look at images there are some amazing pictures on people's blogs.
Hugs Sally xx

Angie said...

What a creative desk ....and I LOVE your 'niche' page. xx

Princess Judy Palmer said...

OMG! I love what further progress you have made with your book niche. Of course I'm partial to all things sea related. And I hate it when you have to stop and clean your desk just to have room to carry on.

Joynana said...

Love the altered book, wonderful choice of colors and the mermaid is just perfect. #88

NEEDLEWINGS said...

OH so glad you are having fun with the pixlar-0-matic. I was hoping others would try it. Looks good! Also love your mermaid piece! It's awesome! Oh and I have 15 cats, so if you want me to send you one for crafts, I can fix you up! Just tell me what color! LOL

debby4000 said...

Love your busy desk and what fab project.
luv
Debby

April said...

Wow the book is looking fab! Will take a look at the picture editor thing. x

Jo said...

Wow, your altered book is stunning x

Tracy said...

How cool is your book!!! Aaaah micro beads joyfully maddening to play with! I'm not sure if you can do this on paper... I take one of those little plastic paint cups and mix the micro beads in with varnish - the consistency of stew or thick soup. I then place them where I want them using an Exacto knife. Warmly, Tracy WOYWW #81

Karen said...

I just love the mermaid, she's so cute! Lots of lovely space to enjoy making a mess...wonderful. PS. The long handled brush on my WOYWW page is a cheap way of blending inks. A post will explain all about it soon! Thanks for stopping by. Karen 78 x

Danielle said...

Gorgeous niche! I like the blue tissue paper background-it resembles water so well.

Deb's Pen Pot said...

Hi sandee - love your 'striving' quote; in the last couple of years I have found what it is to really be Me, so I say yay to this sentiment! Not so yay to tearing up a book myself though... ;0)! Your AB niche is lovely, and I like the extra details on the mermaid...you are tempting me to do something like this, but just not to a BOOK! Have a fab week, best wishes Deb x

Clare with paint in her hair said...

Gorgeous little niche book! fabulous

VonnyK said...

I love your altered book. It is so tactile and so much work in it. Really nice.
Have a great week.
Von #67

Barb King said...

The altered book is looking good, I love the sea theme, I collect shells. I wanted to do that class, but just have too much going on. You've inspired me, though.
Barb #90

MaggieC (Silvercrafter) said...

I reckon Elizabeth has over three quarts of the WOYWWers in her class. Almost every blog I visit is doing her class, and having a lot of fun on the way. Thank you for your visit this week, I am off now out to pot up even more plants. so in the meantime, have a great week. xx Maggie #17

BJ said...

Love your niche sandee. Oh and I played badminton AGAIN last night - LOL - BJ

Craftychris said...

Love the altered book! I have never had a go at one of those - yet! Such a fab interesting desk xx

voodoo vixen said...

I love to see what people are doing with their AB's and yours is so pretty and has such lovely details. Pssst... I keep doing the same to my book... just so pleased to have got it done and can't wait for the next class!!

Polly Polkadot said...

I just got really confused, as I viewed someone elses book at an earlier stage, but now I see it was you who is ahead of the field. Like the tip about picking up little beads, OH found the ice cream scoop in my jewellery making kit, I dropped a hint about needing a ring mandrel, but I think it went over his head.

kay said...

you are making excellent progress on your altered book,love your theme,x

Sherry said...

I love all the detail in your niche, and how sweet the mermaid's hand near one of the hearts x