The Golden Boot

Oh where oh where has the time gone?

I seem to be taking an unconscious break from blogging . . . but you know what? I don't mind, sometimes you've just got to go with flow of time and go where your mind takes you. Mine has been taking me to motivational speaking - another job that I am developing. I now have three jobs coming up and am very excited.

 

I am still crafting when I can, and I will photograph what I have done over the next few days. I haven't been well over the weekend, and so the energy to work on anything has disappeared. How do you cope with not feeling the best? Especially when you are a driven and goal oriented person?

 

(my motivational speaking website has been update and is looking oh so prett-eh!!! - Elizabeth Wright)

 

 

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!

You know what?

I need a plan. A business plan, a life plan (dare I say it - a Christmas Plan) is needed. I am feeling all of the ideas for both businesses (motivational speaking AND my etsy/cottage business), but non of the direction. I need direction, I need to develop goals and mini goals, and pathways to get myself moving forward. So I have made a plan. A plan that this week will be my planning week. I will research, read, listen, look at anything that will give me inspiration to plan my careers. Anyone have any advice? Anyone else in the process of making a business and/or life plan?

 

What else have I been doing? I have been designing and stitching - 

 

 

I have been watching The Borgias - 

 

(aren't the costumes divine??)

 

(and the men handsome!)

 

I have also been cooking up a storm. This week I have made Carrot Soup (so SO good), Potato, Onion, and Garlic Soup (good - not as good as the carrot, but good), and Whoopie Pies (though I substituted the plain flour with rice flour and made buttercream icing to use as a filling as opposed to marshmallow).

xo

A pretty something to distract from the grimness . . .

I am really moved by the personal stories coming out of the riots in London today. It is horrible what is happening and for awhile my faith in human nature was in danger of disappearing completely, but when you see the good, law abiding citizens coming together to support and protect each other it is heartwarming. My thoughts are with those affected by those idiots that are rioting . . . (Okay, digging myself out of this sadness . . .)

 

I have made a garland!

 

 

It is a deliciously simple garland.

 

 

I want to make a lot of them to hang all over the place.

 

 

(excuse the slightly messy flat in the background).

 

xo

Will you make do?

I like to make do (and make stuff), do you?

 

Lupin is having a sale.

 

 

Lupin makes do and mends.

 

xo

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

Stitching Scandinavian Style!

 . . . or my own interpretation, lol. Two new stitcheries are up in my shop - dementedsnowflake. Here they are -

 

 and my favourite (below) . . .

 

I went and saw Slash last night (of Gun's and Roses fame). He is an amazing guitarist, watching him play is truly seeing man become one with the instrument. I want to go and see him again, and again, and again! Who's your favourite musician? What concert is the best you've ever been too?

 

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