Wednesday 28 July 2021

WOYWW #634: Junk Journal July Part 4 and a bit more eco-dyeing

That's better, isn't it? The temperatures, I mean. They have dropped a good 10 degrees so it's now 21C in my bedroom instead of 31C - makes it much easier to sleep and I have a lot of sleep to catch up on! I got by on just 3-4 hours for the past two weeks, it seems. 

My desk this morning: 


I've been continuing with the #junkjournaljuly challenge - there are only a few more days/pages left. This month flew by so quickly! The prompts for the past week were: textured, negative space, sparkle, photograph, warmth, thankful. You can see a glimpse of today's prompt (stencil) in the journal lying open on my desk, but I'll post that spread next week, so I only have these three for today: 





These roses would have normally ended up in my cooking pot but as it was so hot, I didn't do any eco-dyeing up until Friday night, so I just let them dry out, but aren't they still beautiful? 


Last Friday evening, as soon as the cooler air arrived, I didn't waste any time and got eco-dyeing again! I had an uncontrollable urge to play - I was still at it at 11 pm with the doors/windows wide open! I ended up with some really grungy papers, which is what I wanted:


My African Daisies are looking good at the moment. I couldn't get myself to destroy them, so I only cut one lucky/unlucky flower head to try, which is now immortalised on paper. 
 


It's such a relief having cooler temperatures. I know it gets much hotter in other parts of the world, but that's a different king of dry heat, whereas here in the UK, it's the added humidity that makes it so unbearable. Either that, or we're just wimps LOL! My husband thinks the 50C temperatures in Death Valley, California seemed less uncomfortable than the 30C+ we had here last week. (plus, they have air-conditioning there!) Anything much above 21 C degrees is out of my comfort zone! 

Happy woyww! xx

24 comments:

  1. I am relieved about the cooler temperatures too Zsuzsa - last week was just too much but this week is perfect. SUch fabulous grungy eco dyed papers and the flower head didn't sacrifice itself in vain. Hope you catch up with your sleep soon. Stay safe and Happy WOYWW. Sarah #3

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  2. Great to see you really getting into the eco-dying now the weather has cooled - the papers are fabulous and I'm afraid I get a little ruthless when I want to eco dye and most of the flowers will go in the pot with perhaps a token one left on the shrub - I think you showed great restraint!! The journal pages are beautiful too and I love how you link your colours together on the pages - little touches that bring the whole thing together so perfectly.
    Have a great week and fingers crossed it doesn't heat up again!
    Diana xx #13

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  3. We grumble about our cold weather, rain etc but my friends in CA are as much prisoners as I am with the weather - they have to jump from an AC home to an AC car to an AC shopping mall if they want to go out. Our (normal) summer days are much pleasanter. I am with you on the heat we have been experiencing and I can't get back into a good sleep pattern as yet.
    We did find two of our fans not working so we bought a tower fan and it is marvellous. Only used it the one day but what a difference. It sits here now waiting for another heatwave.
    But I agree, the heat in other places is different to ours, just like the snow is different.
    Anyway I came to see your crafting and what a delight! Love that flower (African Daisy) you did - that is tremendous - what a result! Love all you have been doing and I just love your journals and cannot wait to see them in person - hope you get to the crop (whenever) and take some with you please.
    Keep crafting but no more walking miles in the heat.
    Hugs, Neet 8 xx

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  4. Hi Zsuzsa, sorry to hear about your parents’ cat but glad they gave new kittens too.
    Lovely play with flowers.
    To sleep when it’s really hot, I take a cold, damp flannel to bed and wipe myself with it. The evaporation helps cooling. Still, it’s more comfortable now
    Take care and happy WOYWW
    Hugs
    Lynnecrafts 4

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  5. That picture of the roses drying is stunning, very vintage looking, I could live with the on my wall! And the marigold dyed picture came out well too, you’re very clever and have some awesome ideas! I’m soooo pleased the temps are lower, I found last week unbearable, think I have Eskimo blood in my veins, lol!
    Hugs LLJ 5 xxx

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  6. I'm glad you are feeling more comfortable with the temperatures going down, This morning it was 17°C here - lovely to sit on the porch with my morning coffee, imagining I was at a cottage by a lake! We've been so lucky this summer to not have very many blazing hot days. And, for some reason, humidity doesn't seem to bother me anymore, so the only way I know if it's humid is when hubby starts to complain! Your journal is beautiful, I love all the subtle colours you get from eco-dying, something I'm intrigued with, but have never tried yet. Have a great week, Lindart #20

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    1. Just read your comment to mine about the cat bed - I noticed on Mittsy's that I could reverse the bottom pillow to reveal a cooler side, which I did, and that's when Mittsy started using it. I wonder if you can do that to Oreo's bed? Just a thought! Thanks for your visit!

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  7. I’m thrilled with the cooler heat too but last night it was too cold to sleep under just a sheet so we put our very light quilt on the bed but that was too hot....just can’t win!! I really love what you’ve done this week. The colours are just perfect.
    Hugs,
    Annie x #10

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  8. I am with you - with most of us - on the not liking the excessive heat, thank goodness it never lasts more than a few days at a time (but I did get very wet on the way home from work today!) I have just about started being able to sleep a bit better (not well, I rarely sleep very well!) but better... long may it continue! Have a creative week - I adore those African daisies and your junk journal pages too. Helen #2

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  9. Great journal pages. I just love what you did with that daisy flower. I have just got to know how you did it! Do tell and I will rush out and buy some African daisies! Angela #9

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  10. Your desk makes me smile all the time, lots of stuff! it worries me more when I see a tidy desk as I wonder where they are hiding everything Lol! Gorgeous journal pages. It's been a bit cooler here today and we've had thunder, lightening and rain though not enough rain obviously. I tried not to buy the dies but in the end gave up. Happy woyww. Hugs, Angela x14x

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  11. Zsuzsa, I am so sad for you guys having to put up with the weather nonsense!! It's sounds ghastly, especially considering you don't have air!! We are sooooooo spoiled over here in the states with our air conditioning!! But I ASSURE YOU, we would not be able to stand it without it!! The humidity PLUS the sometimes triple digit degrees could kill someone and sadly does for those less unfortunate!! Glad you guys are getting some reprieve!! Here's hoping it either stays that way or goes down further!!! We will just have to grin and bare it here! LOL I have loved ALL of your junk journal challenge pages! I wish I were in to that, but goodness, I have enough on my plate right now!! I will just have to gaze upon your journally talent instead! LOL Love, love the grungy papers from the dyeing!! I KNOW those will be put to good use with you!! Your flowers are gorge! I don't think I have ever seen African Daisies! They are beautiful! I would not have wanted to destroy them either.....it would have been a teary event! LOL Thanks as always for stopping in. I can get ANYTHING from Amazon girl, but there is just NOTHING like going into the little shops and touching and feeling EVERYTHING!! Mom and Pop shops are just so special and in other parts of the country, they have cute little places like that, but just not here in this backwards town! LOLOL I think you are quite right about the "little man" surviving with online shops! It definitely helps their revenue as well as gets their name out there that otherwise would not have!! Living Felt has been my supplier and I can get anything from them, but they are in Texas, so it's totally online shopping there! You take care over there and here's hoping the worst is past and it's back to norm soon for you "snowflakes!" LOLOL Blessings my far away friend! XO Felicia #17

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  12. I couldn't agree more about the heat, Zsuzsa - it flattens me! I'm really glad it's cooler now. You were very fortunate last week not to have got heat stroke with your adventure coming home from work. Poor little Oreo... he doesn't know what's good for him, does he! Our kitties would be the same - they hate you doing anything to interfere with them, even if it's for their own good. I can't understand Ruby, going in such a hot place during a heatwave!!

    I love your eco dying - the flower you did is amazing! Gorgeous grungey papers too, and as for your journal, well, that is just astonishing. I would love to run my hands over all the texture and enjoy the pure physicality of it - something we miss out on with just internet pictures! There's something about the way that hand-made journals feel that is very special.

    Thank you for your visit - I'm really glad you enjoyed hearing about Phoebe's family. I couldn't believe they were still alive - two creaky old geriatrics! (Although I wonder how many equivalent 80 year old humans would still be living with their centenarian mothers! Monty must be a real mummy's boy!) Apparently they are very happy and content. I'm very happy to have those photos to add to my album. I hadn't heard about that cat nearly 40 years of age! That is truly amazing. I wonder where she lived. They say Devon cats live a long time.

    Funny what you said about Oreo not drinking. Our two are exactly the same. I think they drink a bit outside sometimes, but I'm sure they should drink more!

    Yes, agreed, Tim Holtz has a lot to answer for. Have you had any good groceries this week, or has the family been starving haha! I thought of you when my Tesco order arrived yesterday! I think I can manage with my old Distress Stains with their dauber tops - it's easy enough to prise them off (if a bit messy) and filling a mini-mister for a bit of spray when necessary, and I do love the spatter effect you can get with the daubers. I've only got one Distress Paint - Picket Fence. I must say I love Distress Oxides... Have you got any of the new colours? Speckled egg is just gorgeous.

    I had some fun playing with the ToDo this afternoon and did some die cutting which was a great success. I've also cut some more card as mats for the card bases I cut the other day. This time I used my new guillotine and the job took half the time it would have taken with my old Fiskars trimmer. It's an awesome cutter and I'm really glad to have it.

    Thanks for your good wishes re my treatment. Looking at the results so far, the prognosis looks very good, and I've more or less determined to refuse chemo whatever they say, unless I'm in imminent danger of death without it, which is pretty unlikely, given the rest of the results. I really don't think I can face putting my body through that onslought again - it was truly horrific. I've never felt so ill in my life. Anyway, we will know more after 11th.

    Happy WOYWW,
    Shoshi x #12

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  13. Beautiful rose. Mine have just had their mid-winter prune and I have one last small bunch on my table. Can't wait for spring

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  14. I am glad to hear that temperatures have dropped to the normal. Your husband is absolutely right, higher temperatures are better to endure is the air is dry (like in Madrid). Here, we always have a lot of humidity... (In the winter, I prefer to be here though). I love your immortalised African daisy!

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  15. Those roses are a gorgeous colour! Love your junk journal, it's looking great, and your desk is looking very creative. The temps here were around a top of 28C which I was enjoying, but now it has dropped to around 20C with showers, hopefully not for too long! Happy WOYWW! Elle #18 this week

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  16. Love the journal pages and yes the roses are beautiful!
    Love the grungy pages too.
    Happy WOYWW!
    Stay safe and keep well!
    Susan #7
    Calling All Crafters! – My Blog!


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  17. Oh what gorgeous journal spreads, Zsuzsa...that challenge is really bringing out your creative Muse!

    And how wonderful that the eco-dying gave you the grungy papers you were after; you'll LOVE playing with them.

    The roses are gorgeous and your African Daisy photos are outstanding. I totally understand why you were only able to sacrifice one of them to the dying spree!

    Happy week, my talented and inspiring friend...hugs from Canada.

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  18. Looks like you're having great fun with your journals and the grungy papers- can't wait to see them all put together. Luckily I can sleep at the drop of a hat...unless a tap starts to drip! Have a great week! Stay Safe! Happy WOYWW ((Lyn))#15

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  19. Happy WOYWW a day late ! But I've some time to spare, A beautiful day out, temps here dropped by 10 degrees. Here in the Midwest of the U.S. we get high humidity. Our hot heat is gone, had some rain come thru so it's all good. we had lunch in town to raise money for Fair grounds/museum upkeep etc. Was great, saw so many people to chat with. We are hearing of high numbers on the new strain covid in big city areas our rural area remains low for now, .
    Loving all your photos. Your journal pages are gorgeous. Glad you did a little echo dying, it's a great break in a day. I read your comments on another sight and update from the U.S.
    the 99.2 % USA unvaccinated is mis information. HERE they are NOT reporting actual FACTS. Media/Govt want EVERYONE vaccinated and use scare tactics . Most are unsure what this shot is made from and what happens down the road with it. Now they're talking a 3rd shot to be sure it helps with this powerful new strain (another tactic.) .I've no issue with wearing masks Inside, but not doing it outdoors. Distancing, sunshine and fresh air, good ways to stay healthy. Have a happy week and stay safe

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  20. Your eco dyeing makes me swoon :) Your journal is progressing very nicely as well. Still stunning. But you did send me down the rabbit hole on the whole Safmat thing. I have been playing a bit (hence my late visit) and have a couple more things to try before I report on them all. I may have a sort-of answer for you. Funny, that old post on SCS also had a sample where I used LetraTac and dusted Pearl-ex over it for a pretty, dotty and shimmerly effect and I had totally forgotten about that! 100% have to do that again so thanks LOL! Gotta love WOYWW, am I right?

    Happy windy day, slightly late, Desk Hopping!
    Mary Anne (1)

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  21. I'm so glad the temperature has dropped too. Up here in Scotland we are just not acclimatised to anything above cool. As Billy Connolly said, our natural colouring is blue! Your journal pages are all beautiful and I'm totally impressed with your eco-dying. The roses and daisies are very pretty. Have a great weekend. Elizabeth x #22

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  22. Your African Daisies look amazing - such colours - nature is wonderful and so inspiring! Thanks for stopping by Zsuzsa - I hope you have a fabulous week - Cheers Maurs xxx #6

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  23. I'm really glad it cooled down some for you. Hoping the work trek has gotten easier somehow. All of these pages are incredible, but the Book of the Pearl, how enchanting! The latest grungy prints are out of this world. I'm going to be making handmade paper soon and wish I had those rose petals crumpled up to add to my sheets! I told you before we are virtually flowerless people where I live. So sad!!! I have managed to grow some lemongrass in the planters that hold my string lights on the patio. Does that count for something? Soon I will figure out how to harvest it for cooking or tea, but for now I just love looking at it. Big cool hugs, Autumn

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