Wednesday 23 October 2019

WOYWW #542: A quick check-in

I thought I'd better check in at WOYWW today as I haven't been heard from in three weeks. I've been pretty busy at work and my creative flurry of activities a few weeks ago have been followed by a hiatus. I haven't fallen off the wagon completely - actually I've been quite busy in my craft room as well - but I haven't got much to show for it other than a very messy desk. I think I'm in the running for the messiest desk title this week, don't you?


I've worked on a few journal spreads, but didn't manage to finish any of them. Here's a glimpse of one of them - it's just a collage at this point.


I've also watched numerous YT videos and tried a few techniques with more or less success. One of them was the wax paper embossing technique. These are my trial runs:


Then I got hooked on hot foiling with laser prints but I didn't have a laminator, so I had to order one. Unfortunately, it broke within 30 minutes of use, so I'm sending it back. (This was before I realised that I could just use an iron, duh!) I may or may not get another laminator - I'm not sure I need one as I would only ever do this technique on small projects to add a little bling and I don't need them to be perfect as I prefer a distressed look. This is what I ended up with when I tried foiling laser printed images. The foil sticks to the dark areas as the toner melts while the lighter areas remain unfoiled - it's pretty cool! I can see this used on ATCs and little journalling inserts, etc. It looks much more impressive in real life. Here's a video if you want to see how it's done - very simple, really.  More experiments on the way! 



While I was packing up the laminator to send it back, I left it unattended for just two minutes to print off the returns slip and when I came back, this was the scene that greeted me. This is exactly how poor Cupcake ended up spending 8 days packed in a box while travelling around the country courtesy of Royal Mail! (just to clarify: it wasn't our cat that got posted - it happened to another cat I heard about in the news some time ago - the link has the full story!)


Happy WOYWW! I look forward to seeing what everybody's been up to while I was gone! xx

21 comments:

  1. Am I reading that right? Did your cat get posted in a box? Surely not....It must be how I've read it.
    Hugs,
    Annie x #8

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    1. Hi Anne - no it wasn't our cat that got posted - but it's a true story - if you click on the link 'Cupcake' you can read about it. I still find it incredible that she survived without any harm!

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  2. Thank goodness Annie is confused about Cupcake - but who is Cupcake anyhow? I know you have Oreo!
    Love the foiling - I had no idea you could do it with an iron. You must put something over the top surely. Now I will have to search for the answer.
    Do hope you get some time to do more crafting - I miss seeing your posts when they are not there and I miss the exciting and wonderful things you do. Saying that I do like the wax paper embossing you did.
    Hugs Neet 7 xx

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  3. Wow...cat in a box. How cute and how terrible for Cupcake's "Mom". I'm afraid I would have had to fret over that!
    Glenda #18

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  4. Love the foiling (was wondering why the iron was out) but don't have a laser printer so I guess that won't work for me. I'm off to check out the cupcake story! Have fun!! Happy WOYWW Cindy #19

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  5. I love the foiling, and didn’t realise an iron’s heat would do as well...I don’t have a laminator either and do the occasional foiling with glue pen etc rather than a heat sensitive foil. I may have to invest in a craft iron now..love the wax technique too, so that’s two things you’ve shown me that could use one tool! Bargain!!!

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  6. Love the gold foil. And I didn't think to use an iron either. Thanks for that great tip from #21.

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  7. Your cat got posted really? Oh my! I have been meaning to try wax embossing, it looks great. Looking forward to seeing more of your journal x

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  8. I've never tried the foil or wax embossing. Love the look of the journal pages so far. Happy WOYWW. Have a lovely week. With love & God Bless, Caro x (#6)

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  9. your journal pages always look so gorgeous, today's are no different. I've not tried foiling or the wax thing either but that sounds fun! Have a great week Helen #1

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  10. Hi Zsuzsa, I looked at the link about the cat but still can't understand how they could parcel the box up and not see the cat or notice how heavy it seemed to be or that the cat didn't make any sound or movement but I bet they are more careful in future. Loving your desk, it's messy just how I like them. I do use filing occasionly but like you I prefer it to be grungy and so tend to use glue to do it and have never found any need to have a laminator to do this. You can stamp with it too and then add the foiling so it works for me but I guess if you need absolute perfection with an image it might be a necessary piece of kit. Wishing you a very happy woyww, Angela x13x

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  11. Hi Zsuzsa, I haven't tried the foiling with an iron. I bought a cheap laminate from WH Smith. It does the trick, but I can see that an iron might be quicker, hmm something to think about. Your Cupcake story reminded me of one on the radio the other morning. Somehow a cat got packed in a suitcase, and was only found at the airport! The couple went on holiday to New York and one of their relatives dashed to their airport to pick up the cat. Adventurous little animals aren't they? Thanks for stopping by my blog. I haven't told the boys the quilts will be ready - they are a surprise for them, so no pressure on me really. Yes, I love the view from my room, especially in summer. Have a lovely week Heather xx #27

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  12. Oh Oreo! Glad you didn't get posted like poor little Cupcake! Great messy desk, very creative things happening there! I have a working heat laminator, I should give this a try! Thanks for you visit, hugs to Oreo for us, Lindart #28

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  13. Love your busy (messy? Noooo - productive!) desk, Zsuzsa, and your wax paper experiments. Looking forward to seeing how you develop your collages, too. I love the picture of Oreo in the box, but poor old Cupcake!! What an adventure. I think that's why they say cats have 9 lives. If they weren't so dreadfully nosy, they wouldn't get into so much trouble! I remember an episode of "All Creatures Great and Small" called "A cat in Hull' chance" where a cat went into an open removal van to explore, and ended up going with all the furniture to Hull!

    Thank you for your visit and I'm so glad you like my slippers. I am wearing them right now! I can't just put them in a display cabinet - I bought them to wear. I shall be careful with them, though, and not potter out to the outhouse where the freezer is without taking them off first!

    I told my hubby that I didn't think Katie 2 was really "baby blue" - but he's colour blind. Actually I'm glad he didn't drive home in a purple car because that's what a neighbour of ours did once, and his wife was furious! He said "I wondered why it was so cheap" and "I thought it was blue"!! I love purple, but perhaps not for a car! I can well understand your hubby being attached to a certain model of car. Very often later models are not an improvement. I didn't know Volvos were no longer made in Sweden. We were fortunate to get a new Katie in such good condition and with such low mileage - she's like a new car!

    Happy WOYWW,
    Shoshi x #14

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  14. Glad you're back. Of course I love the shine of the foils but the collage is lovely already. Look forward to seeing how they turn out xo

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  15. Hi ya Zsuzsa, It looks perfect to me does your desk.. I was wondering about the iron too haa haa! I have a travel iron I use for messy craft and one I use for textiles saves ruining my #Real one :D I don't believe i've seen that laminating technique, what fab results with and without. Foiling looks great on ATC's.
    I'm so pleased Oreo didn't make the same trip as Cupcake..!
    Sending Hugs your way & a BIG Thank you for the Birthday wishes Tracey xx

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  16. Hi Zsuzsa, Good to read you, I love the collages, especially the one with the lighthouse! The story of the cat in the box is just incredible, I am glad that it is not Oreo that had to suffer this!

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  17. Cats and boxes, better than catnip. Good job Oreo didn't end up like Cupcake. Like the foiling technique. You win messiest desk so far certainly Zsuzsa lol. Happy WOYWW. Sarah #2

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  18. Hi Zsuzsa, I love the foiling, it's become one of my favourite techniques. Have a lovely week, Hugs, Shaz #5 X

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  19. the foiled clock faces are just gorgeous. I will need to watch that YT video. Have a great week.
    Soojay 26

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  20. That foiling with an iron sounds interesting, do you have any links about it. That yellow page with foil on it is amazing, love it! Cat in a box is normal, apparently even lions and tigers will do it if provided with suitable size box. Thanks for sharing
    Chris #11

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