What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday: Giveaway Blessings, Etc.

Hello, blog friends, here is my desk this morning...

I have been meaning to write a post about our visit to the Aeta community, where they gave us thank you gifts of their handmade necklaces made of  beads recycled from foil packaging...

I've been meaning to write a post about some earring giveaways I won...

The pair on the left is from Krishenka  and is made of recycled tshirts and sterling silver (the shop The Flower Press is where they are from).  So unusual and nice and light to wear.  The pair on the right is an OWOH prize I won from GraceBeading.  It has Red Paua shell centers and they are embellished with various glass beads and a Swarovski bead accent in each earring.  Such exquisite beadwork!  (Her pictures are so much nicer.)

I've also been meaning to write about how my Lenten ATC journal is coming along...

Well, obviously, I didn't get to write any of these posts.  The week has gone by so quickly and it seems like if not for Wednesdays and our WOYWW link party, I wouldn't get to post on my blog.  I hardly got to visit the desks last week since I was either out of the house or my internet connection wasn't cooperating.

My hubby had some foreign visitors last week and one of them gave us a box of pineapple cakes.  Here is the brochure that I kept for inspiration.  I love the colors of the graphics!

Next week, I'm sure the box that holds the pineapple cakes will be on my desk.  It has the same colorful graphics on it.

For more desks to visit or to join in the fun of showing off your desk, hop on over to Julia's Stamping Ground!

And while you're blog hopping, why not drop by Tales from an OC Cottage and join the fantastic giveaway...

and Wipso and Twiglet's Big Celebration Follower's Draw for a chance to win a mystery parcel full of goodies by Sisters Crafty Creations, worth over £50!

And join Home and Heart's Giveaway for a lovely necklace...

Happy WOYWW, everyone!

What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday: Lent Week 2

I've finished the ATC cards for the 2nd week of Lent and I'm now starting on the third week.  Well, what can I say, I'm delighted I'm making an ATC a day (wow, that was rhyming! I'm a poet and I just don't know it!)

Here is today's card, made early in this morning...

I have finished my project for the What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday anniversary but it's a surprise so I've hidden it from view.  Here's the list of more desks joining WOYWW.  Come join in the fun of peeking and showing your desks!

What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday: Lenten Project in Progress

A blessed Wednesday to everyone!  

On my workdesk today, for our  

What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday link party...

 

my Lenten ATC "Journal" in progress (an ATC a day for each day of Lent) ...

some silver flowers I punched out from medicine tablet foil and yakult bottle seals (again, my husband says, "funny girl" when he sees me saving the foil)...

and an ATC I am finishing for a trade at ATCs for All...

Come join the party and take a peek at desks from around the world! And while you're at it, show us yours!

My ATC "Journal"

My Lenten ATC Journal is coming along nicely.  I find that as I spend time writing the verse I have chosen, reflecting on it and making my ATC, the image I create helps me to remember the verse. Here is the ATC that I made on Sunday...

May I always speak words of life and love and truth and goodness, that I may praise God not only when I sing songs of praise and pray to Him, but also as I speak to those around me.

And my ATC for today...

What an encouragement these words are as we plan for our mission to the indigenous Aeta community in the province of Pampanga this Sunday.  I shared about this community in this post after we visited them last December.

I always want to grow closer to the Lord and love Him more deeply and in this verse it seems He is telling me that He is all around me, in the least of His brothers and that I must love Him through them.  As I draw closer to them, I draw closer to Him.  I am trying...

An ATC "Journal" for Lent

Today, as I thought about the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, I thought about how fragile life is and how we never know what tomorrow brings.  Lori's post puts it so well, encouraging us to pray and send healing love, to be kinder to one another and to make our world a better place in whatever small way we can as a response to tragedies like this.  Pain and tragedy have a way of helping us see what is truly important in this uncertain life we live... for me, God, loved ones, faith, love, service... 

God.  I am trying to focus more on drawing close to Him this Lent.  Yesterday, I started on my project for Lent.  At first, I thought I would do a little journal but since I am often a messy artist (yes, I finally call myself an artist because you, my blog friends have convinced me), I decided to make an ATC a day (although since I will not trade them, I'm calling it an ATC "journal").  On the front, will be a verse or phrase from my bible reading for the day, and on the back, my short reflection.

As I make the cards, I plan to focus on the words and reflecting on them while I make the card, not so much on the design of the card.  No pencil sketch, never mind if the words are crooked or the colors aren't perfect, anything will do.  Here is the one I made for Ash Wednesday...

for Thursday...

for yesterday (how fitting, we went to visit the prison )...

and today...

Hopefully, I will be able to continue throughout Lent.  And so there's a better chance I will get to finish an ATC a day, I decided to make backgrounds today...

I did them in the bathroom, with the sink and counter as my desk (it would have made a great "What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday" post).  I used my fingers and felt like a kid.

 

My hubby saw me and amusedly said, "What a funny woman!"  

I guess I am.

What's on Your Workdesk this Ash Wednesday?

Today is Ash Wednesday, the start of the Lenten season, which some of us observe as a time of reflection, fasting, almsgiving, and sacrifice, perhaps a way of trying to have more of God by having less of other things.  As the reading for today says 

"Even now,” declares the Lord,“return to me with all your heart..."

Here is a peek at one of the shelves on my desk that you don't usually see since it is on the far end, away from the crafting side...

I want to make a new project for Lent but I haven't decided what it will be yet.  So on my desk today, I am just putting the backing on my latest ATCs.  In my previous post, you can get a closer look at my soapstone heart (an OWOH prize) that's on the ATC backs.

Here is a beaded vest that was just 3 Pesos (.042 British pounds, .07 US$) in the second hand shop!  It is torn in some places so it's perfect to cut up for some project!

 

And for a peek at more desks from around the world, or to join in the fun and show us your own desk, in whatever state it's in, drop by Julia's Stamping Ground!  Happy WOYWW everyone!

My One World One Heart Prize: A Soapstone Heart

Look what was in my mailbox this week!...

 

This lovely soapstone heart is one of the prizes I won in the recent One World One Heart bloggers event.  It came from The Adventures of the Arrogant Frog and the Smug Beef.  They describe their blog as "A French/english couple and their misadventures, thoughts, photos, favourite music, recipes, places to visit, views on history, culture…."

In case you're wondering what soapstone is, here is what Wikipedia says "Soapstone (also known as steatite or soaprock) is a metamorphic rock...composed dominantly of talc...it is is relatively soft (because of the high talc content), and may feel soapy when touched, hence the name. Soapstone is used for inlaid designs, sculpture...traditional carvings."

Thank you so much for this wonderful gift!

What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday: Weekend Art

Wednesdays are time to take a peek at workdesks around the world for those who join What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday.  And over here in this workdesk in Quezon City, Philippines (did you notice that I did some tidying up?), I am busy scanning the Artist Trading Cards and Altered Book pages that I made over the weekend.

Here is a closer view of the page from my Altered book "Words to Live by", which is about some of my favorite bible verses.  This page is a mixed media collage with a magazine picture of a "straight path"...

and turning the page, another collage with magazine cutouts of praying hands, a stairway and a heart that is perfect for the bible verse which tells us not to worry and ends with a promise about the peace of Christ...

More about those pages when they are finished.  Can you guess what bible verses the pages are about?

I got to do more than my usual weekend art because my family spent the weekend at the beach (I know, I know, that may sound weird to those of you who are having cold weather).  The sun can get really hot during the day so I set up a table with the art supplies I bring and spend the day crafting in the cool shade.  I did get to go to the shore early in the morning though.  Here is proof...

My 84 year old Dad's sailboat waiting to be sailed...

This is where I walk, searching for sea glass...

Some flowers along the path to the sea shore...

And you?  What's on your workdesk today?  To visit more desks from around the world, over to the Stamping Ground.  Happy WOYWW!