WOYWW: Journalling

WOYWW (or What's on  Your Workspace Wednesday) is a great chance to snoop at the desks of other crafters.  You can find this week's edition, courtesy of DeskMeister Extraordinaire Julia, at the WOYWW button to the left.

Postie braved his way through yet more snow to bring some work purchases.  I have two books on art journalling which look as though they will be very interesting on first skim.  One is focused on overcoming a fear of drawing; I think 2011 will be my year of picking up pen and pencil regularly, no matter how much I want to bury the results in the compost heap  The other book is about approaching business plans, strategies and the like by using art.  You can also see two sets of Promarkers to fill in the gaps in my collection.

And I thought you might like to shiver/gasp in wonder at the icicles outside our bathroom window.  This is the lower pane of the sash window, with a fine stalactite of an icicle.  I love the way that the water running down has created all those striations.

The pane above is full of a big cluster of icicles.  To give you an idea of scale, I doubt I could wrap my hand around the biggest icicle.  One thing is certain: anyone going to our coal shed or wood pile over the next couple of days needs to take the route that can't involve getting impaled by one of these these beauties.

Time for me to sign off and wish you all a fabulous time for Christmas.  Keep warm, be happy and thank you for visiting me in my first year of blogging.  It's been, as Smashy and Nicey might say, blogtastic.

Getting Snowhere Fast: An Abandoned Journey to Elf Land

Having carefully checked the weather forecast, traffic news and the reports of ElfDad, who had made half of the same journey in reverse, we set out yesterday to visit the Land of Elf/House with the Big Climbing Frame/Home of the Godchildren.  The route to the motorway was at a crawl, but relatively snow-free, and the motorway itself was no worse than normal.  Then (and fortunately not far from the services) the windscreen wipers decided to pack in.  So we pulled into the services and waited around three hours for the man with a van who can.  

Now hear me loud and clear - I am absolutely delighted with three hours.  We were together, in a safe place (with coffee, food, warmth, loos, and lots and lots of magazines), and with a low priority problem.  Husband did a great job trying to make repairs, and could not have possibly done any more.  We had a relaxing lunch, spent time chattering and reading, and made the decision that there was no way to complete the journey.  The man with the van showed us the service road homewards, and we were back in the house by 5pm.  

Sadly I have no picture reports of the igloo, volcano or other aspects of elven life.  When I put on my pointy ears at night, a delightful correspondence is continuing with Goddaughter E, who tells me that they had great fun playing with the elves out on the Big Climbing Frame.  She was particularly fond of the penguin and snowman earmuffs they had been sent as Elf and Safety Equipment.  Tonight I am told that they have reindeer feeding and a graduation ceremony to hold by Saturday, and then their work is done.  I shall be rather sad to see the elves depart.  I only hope that the Godchildren will want them back next year.  It would make an old pointy-eared Chief Elf (moi!) very happy.

Now, a little teasing.  While Husband has been out today, I've wrapped and hidden his presents.  I know he reads this blog, so I'll just say "try rattling, shaking and squeezing these, sweetheart...".  

Hope your list of things to do before Christmas is getting ever smaller.