What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday: Jornada Mundial de la Juventud

On my "desk" for today (although this is really a hotel bed in Madrid, Spain), are my neglected journal (hardly any time to write on it, I just keep scribbling notes to remind me about how my day's sked went), and some of the booklets and things (fan and hat)  in the "Pilgrim's Pack" for participants of World Youth Day.

Whaaaaat? Is anyone saying I am too old for World Youth Day (Jornada Mundial de la Juventud in Spanish)? Well, I say, "Soy joven en mi corazón!" (I am young in my heart!)

It is a wonderful experience to be in a place filled with young people from all over the world, in an event which, in the words of the Archbishop of Madrid, "will allow them to discover the rich expression of culture and faith within the Catholic Church, and discover the universality of the Church as well as the evangelical renewal of the Christian faith expressed by each culture and country."

For a look at some real desks, visit Julia's Stamping Ground for the list.  Happy WOYWW everyone!  So sorry but I'm too busy with WYD to visit the WOYWW desks this week!

What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday: Hola!

Hola, mis amigos!  I have been on three airplane rides since last Wednesday's link party, and today, you will find my desk to be a hotel side table!  No time for a long post but on my desk are clues to where I have been these past few days...

I'm trying to write in my journal, but there just isn't enough time!

What's on Your Workdesk this Wednesday?   Peek at more desks from around the world or join the party! Happy WOYWW, everyone!

What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday: Can You Believe It?

A neat desk!  Can you believe it?!  You may be in shock to see that it seems like my neat desk has lasted a week (since last Wednesday)!  But in reality, last Saturday, it was a great big mess because I was making little souvenir  Philippine flag tokens for my kids to give away during World Youth Day in Madrid this month.  They are now drying on the living room floor (the charms, not the kids).

Here's a close-up...

And on my desk, my altered dictionary, opened up to one of the pages I've worked on...

 

This page is for the words "beautiful" (krásný) and "beauty" (krása, kráský).

Then, here is a metal (I guess it is a calling card holder) medical giveaway that I am altering.  It has the brand name embossed on both sides so I covered it up with gesso. I think it will make a nice stand to display cards or ATCs...

Some recent buys...

a string of real pearls for ₱290 (£4.22),

the book "The Art of Personal Imagery" by Corey Moortgat, on sale at ₱140 (£2) and under it, another book I bought to "alter one of these days."  I liked the title, "Heart of the Land" and it was only ₱10 (£0.14)!  If you want to see a close up of the mother and child painting I was working on, please visit my previous post and if you want to visit other desks from all over the world, drop by Julia's blog for the WOYWW list.

You Make Me Smile

"You Make Me Smile"

7.5" x 10" Mixed Media

I became a mom more than 21 years ago and I can still remember the sleepless nights, the loud cries, cleaning up the mess and seemingly endless diaper changing (we used cloth diapers).  But most of all, I remember the great joy of becoming a mother.  And so, I love painting mothers and babies.

I have always loved children.  When I was 10 years old, my mom had my youngest sister (visit her blog!)  I was the happiest girl in the world!  Babies always make me smile (have you seen this cute baby video?)

And you, my dear blog readers, make me smile, too.  Every comment you leave me delights me!  Thank you so much!

What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday: Finally, Some Order!

Here is my desk this morning.  It is the most organized it's been for some time even if it may not look that way to those of you who are super neat! 

I'm in the middle of my altered dictionary project (if you would like to see some of the pages I've done, scroll down to this post).  The box with the mini album on it is where I decided to keep some of my magazine clippings and paper scraps for collaging.  It has a place on the upper shelf and if I really wanted to impress you with my neatness, I could have put it there before I took the picture.  Wow, imagine all the empty desk space there would have been in my WOYWW picture!  I didn't want you to faint in shock though so I left it where it was.

What's on Your Workdesk this Wednesday?  Why not take a peek at desks from around the world or join the party? Happy WOYWW, everyone!

WIP: English Czech Altered Dictionary

Here are a few pages I've worked on in my altered book project (the Dictionary was included in the 100th post giveaway I won from Lulu)...

The first page, with the word "above".

 This is the page with the words

"nádobía" (crockery), 

"nahý" (naked) and 

"nach" (purple).

The page with

"mirror" (zrcadio - isn't that an amazing word?), 

"moon" (měsíc), 

"moth" (mol - ok, I know that looks more like a butterfly), and 

"mother" (matka).  

 

You can't see it from the picture but the little frame has some foil that makes it look like a little mirror.  I am especially pleased with this page!

What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday: Look at what I won!

  

Here is my desk this morning (I admit I used the push back method to clear up some space!)   I recently won a very generous box of goodies from Lulu, who had her 100th post giveaway...

 

Here are all the goodies before I put them away...

 On my desk is the lovely card she sent...

and the basket of tins to alter, gesso, decoupage tissues, a mini album, and some glitter...

One of the things Lulu sent me was a little "Anglicko Český" dictionary with some pages taken out, all ready to be made into an altered book. I was so inspired (and I remembered the project in Stamping Mathilda) that I started on it right away...

Here is the page where I found the word "anděl" for angel and "amen" for ...well, amen!  I am having such fun with this project because even with a few spare minutes I can work on it, looking for words and images and even learning a bit of "Český".  Since I just visited the Czech Republic (Prague) last month, it will make a nice memento of our visit there.

Lulu has some interesting projects and tutorials in her blog and also joins What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday sometimes. I hope you can drop by her blog and say hi.  Unfortunately, the internet connection at home is not working these days so I have been able to visit only a few desks this week.  Hopefully I will be able to visit more this week.  Thank you for dropping by and leaving me such encouraging comments!  Drop by the other desks in the What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday list for other projects and storage solutions or even just to feel better that yours is not the only messy desk around!

What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday: Mother and Child

Happy What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday (or whatever day you are visiting)!  As you can see, there is not much difference in the neatness of my desk from last week but at least I was able to unearth my sewing machine to do some altering (like I shared about in this post).  I have also made some progress in my Mother and Child painting...

  

Here are some other closeups of my desk.  Right under the painting is a brown envelope my daughter doodled on while waiting in line...

Pretty doodle, isn't it?  I can use it in a collage or something.

Then there is a wonderful ATC that I traded for in ATCs for All, and a tag I got from a pair of sandals I bought.  The butterfly illustration is something I can use in a collage (by now, are you wondering if I throw anything away?)

 

Here is the badge souvenir from my elementary class reunion last Saturday (gosh, I am that old?)...

and the World Vision progress report from a child whose education I am sponsoring...

World Vision is a "Christian relief, development and advocacy organization dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice."  Sponsoring a child and making a difference in his/her life only costs $13.90 (£8.70) a month.  Anyone interested?

In my previous post, I shared about Artsee Bloggers, a new blog/directory.  If you are a blogging artist/crafter, you might want to have your blog listed.  It is a great place to find new blogs and be inspired! But for now, be inspired by what's on the other desks in the What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday list!

Artsee Bloggers!

 

 One of my blog friends, Geri Centonze,
has just put up a new blog/directory for blogging artists. It's called  

Artsee Bloggers, 

"a place of inspiration for the creatively inclined"!
It is, in her words, "a virtual gallery of blogging artists." 

If you are an artist/crafter and an active blogger,
you can choose among the following categories:

Digital Art

Drawing and Painting

Fabric Arts

Jewelry

Mixed Media

Paper Crafts

Photography

and have your blog listed under a maximum of 3 categories.

I see familiar names among those who have joined
and I'm sure I will be able to find some new favorites among those listed.
So many wonderful blogs to visit and so little time!
Drop by Artsee Bloggers and join in the fun!

What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday: Finally, Some Art

Hello, WOYWW blog friends!  The thought of visitors coming over to my desk today for the What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday link party made me determined to finally have some art project on my desk!  So, I took a break last night from scanning memorabilia for our 40th year anniversary reunion of graduating from elementary school (see the scanner underneath?) and inspired by Sarah's Mojo Monthly Post about Kelly Kilmer's art journals...

I started gluing some paper scraps to my altered book project. I also used the stamp I showed you last week to add some texture...

And then, using a background I made some time ago, I also started a mother and child painting.  Hopefully it will look better by next week.

 

Here is the tin of old jewelry I showed you last week after I organized it a  little.

 

And here is an example of what I've been scanning.  This is my report card when I was in Kindergarten.

I got an "A" (Always) for "I keep materials from my mouth."  Ooops, I should remember that when I'm trying to make my painting brush have a fine point !

To peek at more desks, go drop by Julia's blog.  Or why not take a picture of your desk, whatever state it's in, and join in the fun!