The Golden Boot

. . . I admit . . .

 . . . I am introverted.

 

 

(Leslie Supnet)

 

xo

Some new books . . .

I have always been a bit of a bookworm (have I ever mentioned this before in this blog? I probably have, does it make me a bad blogger if I forget these things? I don't think so, just means I am emphasizing my love of all thing book-ish, I think). I received yesterday some new books. Have you ever heard of Edward Gorey and Elizabeth McGrath? No? Well here's a taster of their work from my new books! ;)

 

 

 

Edward Gorey

 

(I can see this style translated very well into stitching, I am starting to experiment)

 

 

 

Elizabeth McGrath

 

(As an artist I have always had in mind to explore, creatively, notions of the freak show - particularly in regards to my own experience of living with a physical disability. I really like Elizabeth's play with the macabre, difference, the idea of the freak from a historical context.)

 

I am always inspired by other artists. When I am a little bit stuck for creative juice I flick through my artist books, childrens book, zines, etc, and find ideas dump on me by the truckload. I love being creative and I love being inspired by other creatives, who inspires you?

 

xo

Friday Favourites #17 - the cake in the tiny?!?

Yes, todays FF is about the cake in the tiny, or the miniscule in the food, or cupcake in the small . . . or about PetitPlat in the magical world of miniatures. I stumbled across Stephanie Kilgast's etsy shop when I was looking for gifts for folks . . . (sorry, can't mention any names here ;). However, isn't her stuff just amazing? I have never seen such detail on miniatures like this before.

 

(These macarons are my favourites)

 

I have always loved teeny-tiny things. When I was a child I was so convinced that as I slept my tiny Star Wars dolls would actually come alive and live out their lives in my room. My favourite books were about a tenth of the size of the average book (the books were little picture books about different ballets). I used to make tiny creatures out of polymer clay who lay in little beds of walnut shells. I was so excited when I was about 6 or 7 and the first thing I ever knitted was a purple and gray box dress for my barbie doll. 

 

xo

 

p.s. have you been to my etsy shop dementedsnowflake lately? I have a few things on sale at the moment and more will be going up in the next few weeks (to make room for new stock). So please go have a look and see if you can snap up a bargain!

Friday Favourites #16 . . . a squidy whale . . .

It's that time again (isn't it amazing how quick the weeks go by?) 

 

This weeks ff is a representation of "textile design of mythical proportions." This is a quote from the makers of these textiles of mythical proportions and their name . . . Squidwhale Design. They really are masters of design, just check out some of their stuff!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

xo

Friday Favourites #15 (I skipped a week, why yes I did)

I am not well. I have not been sick for ages and then a sore throat and fever just smacked me down yesterday and I have been holed up on my couch (and bed) ever since, with no energy to do anything other than occasionally peruse etsy and change the channel on tv. But, after taking to Panadols and having a nap I am feeling up to a rather quick friday favourites. Enjoy! ;)

 

(maechevrette)

 

 

(diabolus)

 

 

(pouch)

 

 

(tisSewcute)

 

 

(sherrifairy)

 

 

(jarosdesigns)

 

Now off to sleep again, and hopefully be well enough tomorrow to actually do some design work!

 

xo

Fascinating earth.

Something perhaps a little more life and a little more learning. Last night my flatmate and I watched a very interesting doco about the way that the earth works. The doco is called Journey to the Centre of the earth and the first episode last night was amazing. What I loved the most was the part about the sea turtles - did you know that they have magnetic workings like a compass in their head and this is how they navigate the world!! (I am no scientist, so consider this a laymans interpretation of the information, lol). 

 

I would recommend watching it (even if your not a fan of Richard Hammond, lol); I can't wait until the next ep! Really, the earth is a fascinating place!

 

 

(Jessica Illustration)

 

xo

Oh My Gosh or OMG

It is a rainy day here today in the north of England. But I do like the rain. People give me funny looks when I say this, especially here in England, but maybe I love the rain because in Australia it always seems rare (although apparently they have been getting a lot of rain lately). So what else is there to do on a rainy day (other than work of course)? Look through your extensive blog list and discover treasures like this . . .

 

Just wow, just OMG, just Oh my Gosh, just WOW!!

 

 

I had to share cause these Warrior Rabbits are just amazing!!!!!

 

xo

Friday favourites #13 (Spooky! :)

For FF this week I am going to introduce you the works of a Victorian designer called Christopher Dresser (I mean he was a Professor of Design as well, how cool). He designed rather back to basic images and objects, paring things down to their basic elements and drawing on those elements to create. His work is so different to what we normally associate with the Victorian aesthetic (of over the top fussiness and an emphasis on detail and beauty); but Dresser created his own sense of beauty in his work. 

 

Christopher Dresser was a man ahead of his time. Check out his work . . .

 

flickr

 

flickr

 

flickr

 

and my favourite

VAM

 

I loved the basic design principals that he has emphasised in these botanical drawings. I love them so much so that I am currently working on some stitchery designs that encapsulate Dressers aesthetic here. I will keep you posted.

 

xo

 

p.s. I just heard thunder, I love thunder storms, I hope we get a big one . . . though I doubt it.

Friday Favourites #12 (cause it's Friday somewhere)

Happy Friday Folks (though it's saturday morning here!). I am writing this after not much sleep . . . no I am not that exciting that I went out clubbing somewhere last night, but my upstairs neighbours did and boy were they noisy when they got home. My poor flatmate got no sleep at all!!!!!!!

 

But off the negative, pull-you-down kind of stuff and on to the happy.

 

FF this week is a shop called Cart before the Horse. Run by Dylan and Jo, Cart before the Horse is a shop that fulfills all of my softie fantasies (does that sound wrong??) Their dolls are so artful, so special, so beautiful that they melt the heart on sight, check some of them out . . .

 

Jo also has a blog which is pretty cool!! 

 

 

 

 

On a side note, I am also running a fundraising campaign for myself (does that sound selfish???) for a new computer and some marketing material for my shop. It really is for a good cause, as my current laptop is on it's way out and I really can't afford a new one, and if this laptop dies than I can't effectively run dementedsnowflake. The campaign is running at Indie GoGo and it is here. If you donate some funds you will get discounts in my shop as well as some other little goodies to enjoy. So please, if you have some spare cash laying around (which I know might not be much in this economic climate), please head on over and spread the love! :)

 

 

xo

Friday Favourites #11 - Thud!!!! (that's me, having fallen over with admiration)

Yes, I am heart stopping-ly in love with this artist and her work. Quirky (cause I like the quirky), whimsical (cause I like the whimsy), but with a slightly serious, noir effect that makes you want to contemplate the sketchy style and perhaps replicate (and by replicate I do not mean copy, I mean the feel, the coolness, the outright hip aura that the items exude) into your own art practice in your own way.

 

The artist is Jess Quinn and I will let her work speak for itself (and if you would like to own any of Jess Quinn's pieces then you can find her shop here).

 

xo