Last week, I clean forgot it was Wednesday and missed linking up, even though I had all the photos prepped and ready to go. I blame Easter Monday, which masqueraded as a Sunday and totally confused me. As a result, I have now two-weeks' worth of projects to show, but I'll try to be quick, promise. Here's my desk shot taken on Easter Monday:
I was playing with some inky backgrounds, cutting them into smaller pieces for collage or whatever else they can be used for. I'd also just finished decorating my little die-cut drawers you saw on my desk 'au naturele' last week. I decided to just paint them a rusty orange over crackle paste, and later added some washi tape for good measure as well. It ended up a little warped so next time I'll use a better board. Here's a closer look:
This week I continued experimenting more with painty/inky backgrounds inspired by this free tutorial by Jeanne Oliver, titled mini abstracts. I used a cheap file folder as my substrate.
I took it a step further and added some washi tape, old postage stamps and found words to some of the little pieces:
So that's it art-wise. It's good to be creating again. How is your lock-down going? Looks like it won't end any time soon. I still find myself quite busy between my job and homeschooling. My son's learning about the Cold War, which I find fascinating as I lived through the latter part of it on the other side of the Iron Curtain. It's interesting for me because I never knew about the Berlin Blockade, for example - somehow it was glossed over - or rather omitted completely - in my old history books! My secondary school education was still very much dominated by the Soviet doctrine. Anyway, I'm rambling...
Bear with me, I just have a couple of more photos and a video left to share...
The pharmaceutical committee I work for sent all the team members a bouquet of flowers to thank us for our hard work. It's nice to be appreciated and a far cry from the treatment I got in some of my previous jobs working in retail, if you remember - now that I think of it, I guess I just didn't belong there and I'm grateful that I've finally found my place.
The old apple tree down the garden is also in full blossom - I always look forward to the time when these little pink/white petals make an appearance - a sign of renewal and hope - especially in the current circumstances.
Sometime during Easter week when the weather was so warm, we had a little bonfire down the bottom of the garden at night. We were scaring each other with ghost stories in the dark LOL. I hope my son will grow up to remember this as one of the precious family moments of the lock-down of 2020. In all this madness, we have to find the positives and make the most of this unprecedented situation.
Hope everyone's keeping safe. Take care folks and see you soon! xx
Great art work Zsuzsa. Shame that those drawers warped. Funnily enough, I usually leave a project about Berlin to do in school for those in Y8 who don't come on the visit with us. They may all be doing it from home this year if schools don't reopen before September. Lovely flowers, it is nice to be appreciated. Stay safe and happy WOYWW. Sarah #6
ReplyDeleteGorgeous artwork - I love all the different textures you get. Shame about the warping of those drawers. Happy WOYWW. Stay safe and take care. With love and God Bless, Caro x (#25)
ReplyDeleteI'm late in the day managing to get round my blogging friends. I've been busy making 2 Memory dogs for one of my customers.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous artwork...you have such an eye with colours and textures. How lovely to get those gorgeous flowers.
Stay safe and keep crafting.
Hugs,
Annie x #21
Love your painty backgrounds and don't they come to life with the addition of a bit of ephemera! Great to see your work as always. Think I might just have to go and look at your link - thanks.
ReplyDeleteAnd I love your little chest of drawers, what a fab colour and totally not what I imagined from you.
Gosh, never thought about your life having been so different when you were a child - how interesting to read these things and see something different to what you knew.
Those flowers (and your tree) are beautiful and what a lovely way to say thank you to you. I didn't know you worked for a pharmaceutical company now, must have missed that one somehow.
Now to watch your bonfire
Take care and stay safe and well
Hugs, Neet 5 xx
The little drawers are so lovely and very much my colours - gorgeous! The collages are beautiful, I love the soft colours and I love your selection of words - I always struggle to put words on my work but you've got it spot on! I'm sure these times will be very memorable for your son especially as you are making special memories for him - I can very clearly remember the power cuts of the 70's and sitting round playing games by candlelight, and my dad working a 3 day week! How interesting for you to be looking at history from a totally different perspective and it must be fascinating to talk about it with your son.
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a good week and stay safe and well,
Diana xx #12
Hi Zsuzsa. What a thoughtful gift from your employers - lovely! Great little set of drawers - well done. Lots of little pictures too - you have been busy! Loved the campfire video - my daughter sent photos of them all round their firepit - good fun to be playing. I actually think this is a very precious time - time for family, time to slow down, time to think. All of which we tend o ignore in our busy, busy lives. Go for it girl!! Keed those memories coming for your son
ReplyDeleteTake care. Stay safe. God bless.
Margaret #4
Great that you remembered this week - loving what you've done, those little drawers are fabulous, well worth waiting for! Take care and stay safe. Helen # 2
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post. Lots of goodness in there and so glad to see you are back creating.
ReplyDeleteHi Zsuza, had to smile about you losing track of the days but it really is getting difficult. I did consider writing a diary but thought stayed home, did some craft, ate my tea would get a bot boring. Seriously, some lovely craft on show - I particularly like those background pieces. How lovely to get those flowers, I bet they cheered your day. Stay Safe, Stay well, Happy WOYWW Cindy #18
ReplyDeleteHi Zsuza, pleased to see you keeping busy and loving the inky background you've made. The drawers look good too. Beautiful flowers. Wishing you a happy and creative woyww, Angela x17x
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely post, it made me smile and added some sweetness to my day. I love seeing your arty space and how it has taken on your personality... I remember when your space was the kitchen table! The photo of your apple tree is just stunning, thank you so much for sharing.
ReplyDeleteLynne Mizera
Easter break and the lockdown has thrown us all into a "what day is it again...?" Love your little pieces of abstract art they are coming along beautifully. An open fire is made for memories and looks like you all enjoyed your time outside.
ReplyDeleteSandra de @14
Hi Zsuzsa, good to hear you're all doing OK. Love the artwork pieces, so detailed. How interesting it must be for your son to get the 'real truth' from those times, recorded history is so often tainted by half truths. Have a lovely week, Stay safe, Hugs, Shaz #11 X
ReplyDeleteYour little boxes turned out great! I like the addition of the Washi Tape. And I love your little mini masterpieces! Well done! Glad to hear you are doing well, bonfires are always great fun, although I have been terrified in the past with ghost stories, especially the one about the guy who leaves the hook of his hand on the car door handle - eek! Stay well, stay busy, and stay safe! Lindart #34
ReplyDeleteI agree totally, lockdown has been a great family opportunity for those together, and like you, I hope some great memories are amongst all the madness. My goodness your garden looks very looooong! What a fab gesture from your Company, it does make so much difference doesn’t it, to have your work noticed and acknowledged from time to time. I like the colour you decided on for the mini drawers, they look good don’t they. I very much like the mini abstracts, as soon as I saw your desk with all those bottles on I knew we were in for something colourful. Love the way you’ve added the bits and pieces, the look great. I’m fascinated by your real life experience of the last of the Iron Curtain years, I’ve often wondered how the history We were taught would compare to the history you were taught...just like the Blockade, I guess letting you know about that Have signalled some sort of political weakness. Tell us more!
ReplyDeleteMorning lovely, im glad you shared last weeks as well as this weeks creativity as I wasn't around the week. Those boxes look great all put together love the simplicity of the crackle and colour makes it look like something i#d have found in my Grandads shed full of odd rusty nuts and bolts. Nice painty backgrounds as well perfect for ATC's.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you are getting on with the situation we are all faced with, i'd have loved lockdown even more when my three were younger, school holidays were very precious to me. Take care & stay very safe Hugs Tracey #3
Hi Zsuzsa, I'm glad you have found a lovely company to work for, and so nice that they sent flowers to show their appreciation. A little thoughtfulness goes a long way. It's a shame the drawers warped, they do look lovely. As does your apple tree - wow, its huge! I'm really missing my daughters and their families. I haven't gone this long without seeing them all since the grandchildren were born. We video call but it's not the same. They keep asking when they can come for a sleepover. Sorry for the late visit. Have a lovely week and stay safe, Heather xx #28
ReplyDeleteHi Zsuzsa, I am glad to read that everything is all right for you and your family. I love your little drawers and your inky backgrounds! The flowers you got are beautiful also.
ReplyDeleteI wish I had such a garden to make a campfire, telling each other ghost stories, eating and even sleeping there maybe, when nights are a bit warmer. The lock-down here will last 2 more weeks, and I hope then we'll see the end, slowly. Of course we will all have to take our summer holidays in the country we are in, now, it is too bad for us (we will probably miss a wedding in the family, if it's still not allowed to travel in August). But the most important thing is to stay safe, of course.
Hi Zsuzsa, I don't know what's going on, but this is yet another blog where I just know I left a comment, but it seems to have disappeared! I shall try again, and hope it appears this time. I love your little drawers, and your abstract pieces are just gorgeous - brilliant use of the lovely postage stamps, and such appropriate words, too. As for the camp fire and the ghost stories, what a smashing idea! I am sure your son will remember this time as a very special time in years to come. I certainly shall - it's been so lovely having my hubby to myself all this time, and it's been so companionable, and the kitties are really enjoying it too. Definitely silver lining time! I was fascinated to read of your experiences of education under the Soviet system. My hubby would love to get his head together with yours over this, I know - the Cold War is one of his favourite areas of interest. He served for a few years in the Royal Observer Corps. It is so good to hear that you have found a job you really enjoy, and that your employers care enough about you to send you flowers! What beautiful ones, too! Your apple tree is magnificent. Ours is only just starting. We had such a bumper crop last year!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your visit, and I'm glad you enjoyed our umbrella! No, it wasn't cheap, but after years of not buying one for that reason, we decided finally to bite the bullet and go for it or we would regret it! We are so glad we got it in the end. I'm glad you like my little drawings. I've done some more since then, and am now busy making cards. More to show this next week, I hope.
Happy belated WOYWW,
Shoshi x #15
What a lovely catch-up post, Zsuzsa - I love your die-cut drawers, and appreciate you giving the link for the mini abstracts. Maybe that will get the muse motivated again!
ReplyDeleteYour bouquet of flowers is stunning, and that apple tree in flower just melts my heart. We're not quite there yet in Creston, but getting close!!
Happy end-of-April - may things look even better in May! Hugs from BC, Canada!
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