Wednesday Worktable - 25th July 2012

Another looong break!  I have been suffering with the after effects of the heavy cold I picked up (and complained about!) two weeks ago.  My asthma got going with a vengeance and I have had two weeks of feeling exhausted, breathless, coughing etc, interspersed with "ok" days where I felt a bit better. 

This morning, I saw my osteopath for a regular checkup.  I sat there wheezing... She recently attended a course about dealing with trauma injuries - stuff like car accidents, falls etc.  Part of the course dealt with chest issues and this morning she put some of her new-found expertise into practice and worked on my chest and breathing. 

All I can say is, "Yay for Ostepathy!".  I went in to see her feeling squashed, breathless, rather ill; I came out breathing normally for the first time in at least two weeks, with my back no longer aching either, able to stand up straight (hadn't even realised I wasn't until it happened!).  Talk about a sudden recovery.  So long as I keep up with my inhalers and don't overdo it, I think I will now recover - hooray!

Soooo.. what has LizzieMade been up to in the past fortnight, other than wheezing and coughing? 

Well, there's been plenty of "mummy-sitting" to do, as my mum has still had problems of various kinds.  I hope she is going to be ok now, as I'm very busy with preparation for the Children's University workshop week, which I will be teaching in August, plus packing and preparing for our holiday next week. 

I thought I'd pop a few photos up, to show what I'm doing just now.  I also finished the two recipe books that I posted about last time, plus a couple of other books, but I don't have photos yet, so these will follow asap.

Today I'm joining in with Julia's "WOYWW", which you can find at her blog, "Stamping Ground".  When you've finished looking at my desk, why not pop over there and follow a few links, to see what else is going on in the Blogosphere? 

Lots of reference material and notes...

Collecting possible materials...

Typing the Course Plan...

Making and collecting Examples and Sample Books

There's a meeting tomorrow evening, for tutors, at the place where the course will be held.  I need to have my Course Plan and materials list all prepared...  So back to work for Lizzie! 

PS. Just wanted to clarify something about the photo of books.  I didn't make all these myself.  The yellow folded mini-book/card with stripes was made by Mel (of ISpeakMelsh), the yellow and green folded book beneath it was made by a friend, Carolyn, the deep burgundy-red palmleaf book under those two was given to me by Mia Leijonstedt when I attended her workshop day in June, and the wine coloured little suede journal was made by the fabulous Katie of Linen, Laid & Felt - one of my Etsy bookbinding colleagues.  Just wanted to set the record straight, as I never like to deceive anyone and my friends deserve recognition!

Wednesday Worktable - 11th July 2012

It's ages since I've posted on my blog! It's been a bit crazy-busy round here.  So, I thought I would join in with WOYWW #163, at Julia Dunnits' Stamping ground.

This has been my work table in the past week. 

Bits of a pair of books.  They're recipe books, A4 sized (letter size) and have matching cover papers, but the spines and insides are in contrast.  I've posted about them before (and on my Facebook Page too).

Basically they are in blue and yellow, but where one book has blue, the other has yellow.  Thus the separator pages for sections of the books are blue in one and yellow in the other; the bellows-type pockets in the folders at the front of the books are blue in one, with a yellow flap, but the other way round in the other book; the spine of one book is blue bookcloth, but yellow on the other. 

I've been sewing their bindings

...attaching ribbon bookmarks to each section

...and stitching in a ribbon which will keep each book closed.

It's still a Work In Progress, but I'm almost finished now.  Both books have been sewn/bound and I am now working on finishing off the covers and attaching these, along with the folder sections, onto the fronts of the bindings (the back pages are attached already and under weights).

I didn't actually work on these today - in fact, I've done nothing since last Thursday, as we were away at the weekend and I had "doing mummy jobs" to do on Monday/Tuesday (it was my mum's birthday on Monday, so we had a family lunch, then yesterday she had two appointments that I had to take her to).  And, just to make sure I got nothing done... I picked up a cold from James (he brought it home from his weekend course) and it started last night.  So, very little sleep and felt really and truly rotten all day today.  I think colds affect me more now, because of my asthma and the problems I still have with my upper back. What is "just a cold" to most people, can be a real problem for an asthma sufferer; and then I often have slightly gummy ears, so the cold has affected them today and made me feel a bit sick and giddy. 

I'm okay though and hope for a good night's sleep and to be able to get on with these tomorrow.  Hopefully, they will be finished by tomorrow night!

So, just a bit of catching up in Lizzieland! I hope to be back soon, posting regularly.  I still owe you all the final part of the Longstitch Journal Tutorials...

Happy Wednesday!

We Have A Winner!

So, it's past 8pm on Monday.... which means that Sami of "Sami's Diddy Pretties" (at Facebook), has done her draw for the prize she was offering.

And if you don't know what I mean, see my previous post, here!

This is the prize, which was won by Jemma:

Congratulations to Jemma!

Thanks to everyone who joined in with the fun and left a comment for Sami.  Her new business has had a lovely boost of interest.  I wish her much success - her hair "pretties" truly are very lovely and I'm sure she will do well. 

Sami's Diddy Pretties Celebration - Win a Lovely Prize

A Guest Post today, with a prize, from a lovely lady I know at Facebook!

Sami Beard, has a business - "Sami's Diddy Pretties" - making and selling gorgeous accessories for children.  This is what she says about herself and her business:

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My name is Sami Beard and I am the owner, and pretties maker at Sami's Diddy Pretties. It all began as a little hobby, making my daughters hair pretties to match the clothes because I just couldn't find what I wanted in the high street.

It became the little business it is today back in april, when a lady in my local supermarket asked me where I had got my child's hair band. I went on to explain that I had made it and told her why, she then asked if she gave me the money and her address would I make her one. I of course did and thats where it began...Sami's diddy pretties was born :)

I opened my page on Facebook and my following increased and I was overwhelmed by the support.

I hit 450 likers before I knew it and decided I wanted to say a little thank you to all the support. Which brings us to here and now.

My giveaway to one lucky Facebook "Liker" :)

The Lovely Giveaway Prize

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The Giveaway is open to all "Likers" of Sami's Facebook page, existing, or new. 
To join in, all you need to do is follow this link to Sami's Celebration on Facebook, have a look round and leave her a comment to say which "Diddy Pretty" you like the most (you won't be able to comment here on my post, only on her Facebook page). 
Also, make sure you click the "Like" button on her page, if you're not already a "liker"!

The draw will take place after 8pm on Monday evening (2nd July) - all entries will be given a number and one winner will be drawn at random.  If you're the winner, Sami will contact you via Facebook, to let you know you have won and tell you how to give her your address, for your prize to be posted to you.

(Reminder, Internet Safety: Don't leave your personal info, like e-mail address, phone no. or home address on Sami's page, as it is a public site!)

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Wednesday Worktable - 20th June 2012

Wow, Two Posts in one day!  This is my post for WOYWW #159, which I'm joining at Julia Dunnits' Stamping ground.  Why not follow the link in a few minutes, to see what everyone is doing today?

But if you want to see what else is going on here today, have a look at my Midsummer Morning pictures too!

And my desk this morning?

Two large, A4 (letter) sized Recipe Books, for Sami.
 
Both have covers that match, in papers by Chatterbox.  However they then have contrasting bindings, in bright turquoise blue and zingy golden yellow.  What is blue on one book, is yellow on the other - and vice-versa! 
This project has been going on for a looong time, but finally we're getting near the finish.  The pieces are all cut and ready, I have lined some fabric, to make blue and yellow book cloth (hence the iron in the background!).  All I need to do now (she says, master of understatement...), is make the pattern for the binding holes, then stitch the bindings.  They're going to be Fab!

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And on the left, are the covers for a Wedding Guest Book, for Melissa. 

The covers are in a lovely natural linen, with golden silk edgings.  The silk is very bright and cheery, though it's a bit overshadowed in this photo, by the amazingly zingy recipe books!
This is another Project, as the book will have two sections, with different paper and design.  The first section will be a medium weight paper, printed with a box layout, for guests to write their messages to the bride and groom.
There will then be a separator page, in a neutral paper that matches the linen, printed with "Photographs"; followed by a set of heavy weight pages, with glassine interleaves, to hold photos of the wedding.
Today I need to cut all the pages (so I'm off in a minute, to get started on that!).

I hope to have both these projects completed by the end of the week!

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Thanks for visiting! Do go and see what else is going on in my own little world, then why not come back and follow the link at the top, to see the wider world's worktables!