I often pin pictures which I think will make good palettes, like these:
I have used this palette to create a couple of alternative colour ways for my monster mash design:
Thursday, May 19, 2011
(p)inspiration
I'm absolutely loving Pinterest for the wealth of inspiring web eye candy that I can pin to my virtual boards. I'd read lots of praise about it but steered clear of it for a while as I didn't want to get into something that might just become one of those fads I got bored of quickly (a bit like facebook). How wrong I was and how on earth did I manage before I found this?
I often pin pictures which I think will make good palettes, like these:
I have used this palette to create a couple of alternative colour ways for my monster mash design:
I often pin pictures which I think will make good palettes, like these:
I have used this palette to create a couple of alternative colour ways for my monster mash design:
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
mostly...
Inspired by the paper cut design I did a few weeks ago, I've been working on a couple of greetings card designs with a similar feel:
I think the sentiment is 'mostly' sweet. 'Mostly' is a bit of a disclaimer, for all the times when the person in question isn't being quite lovely. Of course, I wouldn't know about that though.
I think the sentiment is 'mostly' sweet. 'Mostly' is a bit of a disclaimer, for all the times when the person in question isn't being quite lovely. Of course, I wouldn't know about that though.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Friday, May 13, 2011
fab
Do you remember fab ice lolly's? I think they are still available. I don't actually remember eating one but I'm pretty sure I did when I was small. We used to have a ice cream man (in a van) who came around once a week. The ice cream of choice when I was little was a screwball. A screwball was basically a plastic cone with a bubble gum ball in the bottom topped with soft ice cream and luminous red sauce, which was usually eaten with a little coloured plastic spoon/scoop.
This is my ice cream themed fabric design in the latest spoonflower contest:
A little ironic really that it features mint choc chip ice cream as It's not a favourite of mine at all.
If you like it and you'd like to vote (I'd be extremely grateful, and offer you all the virtual mint choc ice cream you can eat) then you can do so by clicking here.
Also, late to the party I know, I am now pinning. Pinterest is a is really great way of bookmarking all the loveliness to be found on the internet:
You can have a look at what I'm pinning here, and of course follow my pins if you so fancy.
This is my ice cream themed fabric design in the latest spoonflower contest:
A little ironic really that it features mint choc chip ice cream as It's not a favourite of mine at all.
If you like it and you'd like to vote (I'd be extremely grateful, and offer you all the virtual mint choc ice cream you can eat) then you can do so by clicking here.
Also, late to the party I know, I am now pinning. Pinterest is a is really great way of bookmarking all the loveliness to be found on the internet:
You can have a look at what I'm pinning here, and of course follow my pins if you so fancy.
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Lamb - Gorecki
Today, I am very much liking Gorecki by Lamb, performed live on 6music this week. You will too, I promise:
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
For Sale
If that wasn't enough excitement for one day, I have also released a couple of individual fabrics for sale too:
Excuse me a while will you. I'm just going for a little sit down.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Fréya Eté
A few days ago I stumbled across a new (to me) etsy shop which I just love. How could I not have found this shop before?
Fréya Eté is London based. She describes herself as an artist and poet and she creates the most lovely prints, wedding and birth gifts (which can be personalised) and greetings cards.
I've picked out a few of my favourite prints from her etsy shop. She also has a website here
Fréya Eté is London based. She describes herself as an artist and poet and she creates the most lovely prints, wedding and birth gifts (which can be personalised) and greetings cards.
I've picked out a few of my favourite prints from her etsy shop. She also has a website here
Monday, May 09, 2011
paper cutting part 2
The gift I made for my friends who got married on Friday:
Alex and Tim's wedding was very lovely and quite different to any wedding I've ever attended. Very informal and laid back, almost more of a social gathering than a wedding.
They loved the gift I made for them. I framed it in this white gloss frame from habitat, which worked really well. You can't really see it well from the picture on the website but the frame has two pieces of glass to sandwich the contents between, so it almost looked as if it was floating.
Alex and Tim's wedding was very lovely and quite different to any wedding I've ever attended. Very informal and laid back, almost more of a social gathering than a wedding.
They loved the gift I made for them. I framed it in this white gloss frame from habitat, which worked really well. You can't really see it well from the picture on the website but the frame has two pieces of glass to sandwich the contents between, so it almost looked as if it was floating.
Friday, May 06, 2011
a trio of baby squirrels
I was watering my plants in my garden last night when I heard some rustling in the tree above my head. I guessed that it would be a squirrel as I often feed the squirrels and they are really quite used to seeing us and coming into the garden to feed, even when we are just a couple of metres away.
I was quite surprised that it wasn't the squirrel I usually see, but a little baby squirrel, swiftly followed by another one, and then another one. The mummy squirrel was keeping an eye on them from the neighbouring tree. The babies were so playful - just hopping around, jumping for branch to branch and chasing each other around the trunk of the tree. They weren't half as nimble as the mummy squirrel - they looked a bit clumsy and unsure of themselves - I think this was the first time they had been down the tree into the garden. It was such a lovely sight to see.
Worryingly, they didn't seem at all bothered by me and Mr Monda (and the cats) just a couple of metres away from them. I quickly went inside to grab the camera. Sadly I didn't manage to get a picture of all three together - they were too quick:
It's times like this when I wish I had a zoom lens. It would have made for fantastic pictures.
We were not the only ones interested in the baby squirrels:
I was quite surprised that it wasn't the squirrel I usually see, but a little baby squirrel, swiftly followed by another one, and then another one. The mummy squirrel was keeping an eye on them from the neighbouring tree. The babies were so playful - just hopping around, jumping for branch to branch and chasing each other around the trunk of the tree. They weren't half as nimble as the mummy squirrel - they looked a bit clumsy and unsure of themselves - I think this was the first time they had been down the tree into the garden. It was such a lovely sight to see.
Worryingly, they didn't seem at all bothered by me and Mr Monda (and the cats) just a couple of metres away from them. I quickly went inside to grab the camera. Sadly I didn't manage to get a picture of all three together - they were too quick:
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| 2 babies - the third was on the other side of the trunk |
We were not the only ones interested in the baby squirrels:
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| Stevie couldn't believe it either |
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| "What? I didn't even see any baby squirrels" |
Thursday, May 05, 2011
paper cutting
Paper cutting is something I've really wanted to do for a while - like most things it's just a case of finding the time to do it. My friends are getting married this week so I decided to make them a commemorative paper cut as a wedding gift.
I'm very happy with how it is coming along but have learnt a few things along the way for the next time I do this:
Paper cutting is not as easy as it looks.
I actually used quite a thick paper (thin card) as I didn't want to accidentally tear it - doing this is tougher on the fingers as you need to press harder with the scalpel.
I drew my design faintly with a hard pencil and then begun the cutting process on the right side of the design. In hindsight (which is such a wonderful thing) I should have drawn my design backwards, or scanned it and reversed the design as the results on the reverse of the cut seem cleaner, and there is less of a need to be so meticulous with a rubber to get rid of any remaining pencil marks.
I used one scalpel and should have used two. Towards the end of my cutting the blade was not as keen and the cuts not as clean.
All this said, I did actually enjoy this, and I know my next attempt will be a much slicker version of the first. I'll show some pics of the final design in a day or two.
I'm very happy with how it is coming along but have learnt a few things along the way for the next time I do this:
Paper cutting is not as easy as it looks.
I actually used quite a thick paper (thin card) as I didn't want to accidentally tear it - doing this is tougher on the fingers as you need to press harder with the scalpel.
I drew my design faintly with a hard pencil and then begun the cutting process on the right side of the design. In hindsight (which is such a wonderful thing) I should have drawn my design backwards, or scanned it and reversed the design as the results on the reverse of the cut seem cleaner, and there is less of a need to be so meticulous with a rubber to get rid of any remaining pencil marks.
I used one scalpel and should have used two. Towards the end of my cutting the blade was not as keen and the cuts not as clean.
All this said, I did actually enjoy this, and I know my next attempt will be a much slicker version of the first. I'll show some pics of the final design in a day or two.
Wednesday, May 04, 2011
Project 1p - the power of the swap
Are you getting married? Do you need a wedding dress? Would you be willing to swap something you own to become the new owner of this wedding dress? Have you heard about project 1p?
Project 1p was started on 1st January 2011 by a guy called Luke. This project is basically this. Over the 365 days of 2011, Luke is trying to turn 1p into something of greater value.
You can read more about this story and the progress so far here, and of course offer to swap something with Luke. Currently he has a brand new wedding dress which he'd like to swap for something else.
Not bad considering Luke stared out with just 1p.
Project 1p was started on 1st January 2011 by a guy called Luke. This project is basically this. Over the 365 days of 2011, Luke is trying to turn 1p into something of greater value.
You can read more about this story and the progress so far here, and of course offer to swap something with Luke. Currently he has a brand new wedding dress which he'd like to swap for something else.
Not bad considering Luke stared out with just 1p.
Tuesday, May 03, 2011
finding the dress
Like most people, I've gone through phases with clothes I wear. The black phase, the skirt phase, the pink phase, the jeans phase (I'm still in this one).
I have a bit of a love hate thing with clothes shopping. I love the fabrics and patterns but generally dislike my pear shape and find it quite difficult to find things that fit me well. I'm a size bigger on the bottom than on the top so things that fit my hips tend to gape at my bust and vice versa, and because of this I tend not to buy clothes often.
I've been invited to 3 weddings this year and my jeans and floppy tops just won't cut it, so dress shopping has been thrust upon me. I never buy dresses - the last one I bought was my wedding dress - prior to that, I cannot actually remember buying a dress. I wasn't really looking forward to this shopping experience so was pleasantly surprised when it wasn't actually as painful as I thought it would be:
You can spot a bit of a theme here can't you. 50's style prom dress suits my shape and I love the bold floral prints.
I am now the proud owner of 2 of these dresses (1 and 2) which should sort me out for all 3 weddings. Thankfully no one from the first wedding will be going to wedding two or three so I can safely do some dress recycling. Now all I need to think about is shoes, bags, hair etc.
I have a bit of a love hate thing with clothes shopping. I love the fabrics and patterns but generally dislike my pear shape and find it quite difficult to find things that fit me well. I'm a size bigger on the bottom than on the top so things that fit my hips tend to gape at my bust and vice versa, and because of this I tend not to buy clothes often.
I've been invited to 3 weddings this year and my jeans and floppy tops just won't cut it, so dress shopping has been thrust upon me. I never buy dresses - the last one I bought was my wedding dress - prior to that, I cannot actually remember buying a dress. I wasn't really looking forward to this shopping experience so was pleasantly surprised when it wasn't actually as painful as I thought it would be:
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| 1. Phase Eight, 2-3. Monsoon, 4-6. Kaliko |
I am now the proud owner of 2 of these dresses (1 and 2) which should sort me out for all 3 weddings. Thankfully no one from the first wedding will be going to wedding two or three so I can safely do some dress recycling. Now all I need to think about is shoes, bags, hair etc.
Friday, April 29, 2011
a right royal affair
This is my contribution by way of celebration of the Royal Wedding today:
I'll be watching the royal wedding today - it's a little piece of history in the making. In years to come I'm sure I'll recall (probably to my grandchildren who are not remotely interested) the day I saw the King of England get married and I'll no doubt give chapter and verse on the dress that Queen Kate wore. I'm sure William and Kate's day will be lovely, but definitely not a patch on the actual wedding on the year
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Ice, Ice baby
I loved Vanilla Ice back in the day. I did, and still do know all the lyrics to 'Ice, Ice baby'.
Here are some fun ice cream designs I was working on yesterday:
This has given me an idea for something soft and squishy too. Watch this space.
Here are some fun ice cream designs I was working on yesterday:
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| don't you just love the hair sprinkles on this dude |
This has given me an idea for something soft and squishy too. Watch this space.
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