WOYWW – Warning! Full Frontal Messy Desk.

/ mariegoodwyn

The Dark Underbelly of a Mixed Media Artist’s Workspace…

mixed media chaosIf you’d like to join in with this great blog hop you need to visit the lovely Julia at Stamping Ground – go on have a peek – it’s fun. There is a ton of stuff just piled here – the orange folder is full of cling stamps – the best way I’ve found to keep them organised. To be honest I can’t even remember why the cat food box is there! 🙂 The most interesting thing -I reckon is my latest bargain from Tindalls the red handled mini foam roller – it came with four swap-able heads for less than £3.00 – now I can cut one about or wrap it for different effects!

Well the previously tidy desk couldn’t last – but on the up side I have been making lots of stuff! Quick set change and Ta Dah!

I decided to attack the blank page monster – by doing backgrounds in three books all at once and I highly recommend it!

The back journal is in a fantastic Spanish Art History book – it has really thick pages with a waffle texture and line drawings of old buildings. My top tip is – Wimpole Hall they have a fantastic Second Hand Book Shop where their sale books are less than a pound.

The central one is a big Moleskine that I’ve been scared to tackle for ages and the front one is a Paperchase book – I really love working on brown paper or kraft – though the pages have to be gessoed to allow any media to move around.

I have come upon a way of getting quite a layered look using just a couple of magic ingredients and I’d love to share – so look out for a step-by-step tutorial over the next few days.

So what are your favourite background making materials? Please share.

16 thoughts on “WOYWW – Warning! Full Frontal Messy Desk.”

  2. I haven’t even started my first journal … oh, the book is sitting there, making me feel bad, but it seems I can live with feeling bad in favour of actually tackling the journal, so there is absolutely no way I’d tackle three at a time!!! Look forward to seeing the tutorial … who knows, it might just jumpstart me 🙂 Elizabeth x #69

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  5. I’m having a quick trip round the WOYWWers before I start on my next batch of little African dresses. It’s great to see what you’re busy with this week.
    Hugs,
    A x

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  6. 3 at a time eh?How do you stop yourself from just doing the same thing three times? Or am i missing something – very likely!
    I like the action shot of your desk – I spot knitting needles – for knitting or a technique I need to know about?!

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    • Hi Julia,
      Being able to repeat the same thing three times doesn’t really work with my brain – that would imply planning!
      First of all I wanted to just prep the journals with Gesso – I use white and clear – so I do a couple of pages – then I think, ‘well what if I put a bit of texture in with a stencil or bubble wrap or the gift card I’m using’ so I do a page or so that way. Then I get another attack of the ‘what ifs’ – ‘how could I add a bit more colour and depth with the Gesso all at once?’
      So I play a bit more – and then I end up with several pages to build on.
      I’m going to have a go at doing a step by step of the process in photos over the next couple of days – so you could see how it works in more detail…
      Ahh, knitting needles – there are quite a few odd ones – so they’re there more for bead making than their original purpose. I do have a crochet hook I would love to learn to use properly though! Thanks for the questions Julia – you made me think about what I do…

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  9. Good idea to do the journal backgrounds three at a time. I can see your keyboard, but wondering where your monitor has got to (it can’t be buried underneath) – Hazel WOYWW #65 x

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    • My monitor is hanging on the wall safely out of the way on a swing- bracket that my lovely OH put up for me. I need all the table space I can get – and it does help it avoid a bit of the ink splatter.

      If you scroll back to earlier WOYWW you can probably see it in all its maccy glory!
      Thanks for visiting.

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  10. No matter how hard I concentrated on looking at your first pic, my eyes kept being drawn back to the dangly pink thing hanging from your shelf!! Is it a leg of something or…. please put me out of my misery 🙂 Your books are beautiful, like the 3-in-one approach 🙂 xx

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