Wednesday 31 August 2011

I'm back and it's still Wednesday........ so WOYWW?

Hi there everyone.
Sorry for the lack of activity on here for a while. We've been away for a few days up in Liverpool to settle my eldest daughter in for college. (Did not think I would be so darn emotional about it! They don't tell you it's going to be a big thing to go through!)
So all in all it's been a month a various stresses and changes but I'm back. Keen to craft and blog too.......
So I guess that WOYWW is a good place to begin, especially as I have some overdue thank you's to share with you all. Here is my desk (taken this afternoon)

First I want to say thank you to AJ for her FAB altered matchbox which I received in my matchbox swap a while ago, Beautifully done and stuffed full of beautifully crafted goodness.....
Hand woven coffee mat, wool, and hand dyed threads are just some of the loveliness received.
Then I also received this beauty from Sarah from The Art of Moodling in the same swap. So different but stunning too, I love the material and felting and again, Sarah filled it full of snippets of beauty....
Then there are some boot fair finds from a little while ago
And also some new bits and bobs, Tando butterflies, a new ink (Coffee) and some of my own mixed colour & perfect pearl washes.
And just on the side, one of my latest little journals.
Lastly, when I arrived home last night I found this little bag of charms on my floor from Roni's latest charm swap along with a bottle of black and of white enamel accents that I won from her too. So thank you Roni and to all the makers of them, they are lovely.
It is good to be home again though we enjoyed the weekend and managed to get to the Mathew Street festival on Monday afternoon to catch some of the live music in between last minute shopping, list making and just spending some time together........
Hopefully I'll get back into my studio tomorrow so until then, be blessed in your art.

19 comments:

Spyder said...

ohooo my, such lovely goodies!! The match boxes are brilliant! and yes, when they go off to collage then , Uni, it's hard and when they say they want to live in USA (when they're 12!) and a few years later, do! and stay there, get married, have our first grandchild and well...(AGH!) Have a great time back in your Studio Happy WOYWW
(Lyn)

Sylvia/LittleTreasures said...

Fun post. lots of lovely goodies, Love the Match Box..AH yes, kids leaving home, lifes never the same, ya miss their friends in and out, their little messes, their ways of keeping you young, you relive all of the good times over and over, shed tears,laugh silently about funny little things, shed more tears. You are more PROUD than ever that they are doing their thing and still learning, but I think a real love and future times together are now NOT taken for granted on both sides. A deep appreciation for the memories, and the learning on both sides. Kids have so much to offer and being Thankful for the friendship means so much. Always tell them you love them and to call home!!! Enjoy September

Lunch Lady Jan said...

I shall be experiencing the same mixed emotions in two week's time when my son goes to uni - get the kleenex ready! How lovely to receive all those thoughtful little presents, WOYWW is good for the soul :) xx

Kath Stewart said...

love your creative space neil and chin up...it's hard when the chickies fly the nest isn't it...hugs kath xxx

Dragon said...

Great goodies sharing, Neil.. when my daughter went to uni, i could not go into her room all that first term... it felt like bereavement!!! No mobiles then either!! It gets a bit easier... So get down to your crafting and enjoy!!
Frankie
xx

Helen said...

Good to see you back - and I am sure your daughter will be fine... and you too! Good to see your new goodies too, and those matchboxes are fabulous.

Paul B said...

Reading what you said about the emotion of settling your daughter into college reminds me of "Eskimo Day" by Jack Rosenthal. It's a BBC play which he wrote about just that. No one had told him how hard it would feel either when his daughter, Amy, went to University and he wrote it all into the play. Watching birds fly the nest must be the hardest job a parent has to do. On a lighter note, what a lucky guy you are to receive such wondrous art through the post. Looking forward to seeing your future creations. Be blessed in your art too. Px

Anonymous said...

It kinda hurts when we have to admit our kids have grown up doesn't it, two of mine have fledged & have their own lives now, 3yrs on and the house still feels empty, the fridge strangely full & I miss complaining about the loud music lol.

I won't say it gets easier because I think you adapt by learning to cope not getting used to it)

Love the desk this week, those car boot finds are awesome !


Aj.

jude said...

Lots of lovely creations this week to share .Plus lovely new stash.Just loving your boot fair find they are lush and a bargain im sure.
Hope your daughter settles in to her new college life.It will be hard to adjust to not having her around .Im sure she will be back with her washing ect before you know it...lol
Happy woyww
hugs judex20

Elizabeth said...

Ah, as a one time UG Admin/Manager I quite understand the wrench can be painful when your child leaves home for uni - she'll settle far quicker than you will take to get over her leaving home :) However, it must have cheered you up some to come home to that little package of goodies though. It never fails to amaze me how much you can get into a matchbox - fab stuff. Love the flowers on the altered box - they are stunning. Elizabeth #51

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

I guess I'm the only one who has not experienced angst of losing a child to Uni. Bleubeard has no desire for higher education. He saw how much it took out of me (grin). Great desk and lovely gift exchanges. Happy day after WOYWW.

Hettie said...

Hi Neel. My haven't you been a lucky boy then!! All those goodies.
No chance of any of my chooks going to Uni!! LOL!! Hope you all settle very soon!

Sarah said...

what a feast of fine pics and stash...such great finds - and that is a fabulous matchbox!
Thanks for the peek
Sarah at 4

voodoo vixen said...

You made out like a bandit with the swaps!! Love the match boxes and the boot finds... I miss car boot sales... garage sales are not the same!!
Feel for you about leaving your daughter at college... we were on assignment in South Africa when I had to take only child, my son, back to the UK to start Uni and I was very good... unpacked him, took him food shopping, made his bed up... then howled like a banshee once I was safely in the car and DH was driving us away...
they come back on visits and they are grown up... you can have sensible conversation with them and everything!! LOL

Mrs A. said...

Remember when our daugther went off to catering college. Just far enough for her to feel her inpendance but not too far for the tuck boxes to travel which I seemed to be forever ferrying up on the motorway every other weekend!!!! (I'm sure I was supplying the whole college). How does everyone manage to stuff so many items into their match boxes? I get two things in if I'm lucky. Must be using the wrong size matchbox. Mrs A. #102

Sue from Oregon said...

Although I was sad to have my daughters leave for school, I was so excited to watch them bloom and grow into wonderful adults. Take comfort in the good job you did Dad! Love all your projects today!

Tertia said...

Its hard to see the kids go, but bittersweet too, because then we know that we have done a good job and they are ready to go into the big wide world.
Lovely treasures you recieved from everybody.
Happy belated WOYWW

Shaz in Oz.CalligraphyCards said...

Hi there Neil, ah what a lovely lot of stash there... mmm, think sending them off to college or uni or such like is rather like when they first go to school emotions rare often unpredictable when it comes to your offspring.
and really adore that box lid with bits and bobs.
You know that had me off on a Google search as we say "bibs and bobs: over here and made me wonder why it is was different and found both are relevant just that "bits and bobs" (from threepenny bit and bob- shilling) is the original. I guess it is rather like "sure as eggs" and "sure as eggs are eggs, which was the original expression I suppose.
Weird language English, welcome back to WOYWW, but saw from your posts your time was stretched, Shaz in oz.x

okienurse said...

Great looking box! I wish I had been able to join in! Love your awesome desk and stash of goodies. I am in Virginia this week seeing my new granddaughter born. Hannahs father is my first born and I can recall how hard it was to take him off to the university the first time. It is still hard now to leave and go home. Thanks for sharing. Vickie