some motivation... I think?

I'm still in a bit of a creative "slump" at the moment! Just when I think I'm back on track, I go "slump" again! I'm not sure if it's because I have to many things whirling around in my head at the moment and I have no idea where to start so I feel a little paralyzed... It's driving me a little bit crazy!!!

I have been cruising around lots of creative blogs, looking for inspiration and motivation when I bumped into this!

Very interesting! I think.... it's motivating (?) or it could be a bit depressing, if you look at in another way? (oh dear... I have so much work to do!) But I suppose it's good to know that others go through the same thing too! And it's ok to have high expectations and a vision of the work that you want to create and make! Hmmm... well I better get on with it... I have a huge volume of work to do if I want to get anywhere! :)

Where do you find motivation and inspiration when the going gets tough? I would love to hear any ideas!

Hope you are having an inspiring week so far!

my creative space: chevron screen print

I haven't had much time for being creative this week but I have had an idea rolling around in my head to make a bag with a chevron screen print which refused to be ignored.. you know those little ideas that wake you up in the middle of the night and won't let you get back to sleep... grrrr!! So I thought I better do something about it!

step 1: cut the stencil out

:: chevron stencil cutting

step 2: screen print the fabric

:: screen printing chevron light grey on charcoal fabric

That's as far as I have got so far... but least I have kept those midnight idea gremlins at bay and happy... for the moment... phew! I am looking forward to having a new bag soon...Thank you midnight gremlins :)

Oh and **Happy Australia Day** we had a such a great day at Hyde Park today, despite the rain! My little man got to meet Jimmy Giggle (a kids presenter here in Australia)... he was so excited and a little star struck... it was so cute! I printed this picture, framed it and hung it on his bedroom wall... he's one happy little man today :)

:: Jimmy Giggle and my little man having a chat

Hope you are having a great creative week!
There are loads more creative people over at our creative spaces...

crackers... yum!

I have been making lots of crackers lately... they are SO easy!! Warning... they are extremely moreish too! I got this great birdseed biscuit recipe from my lovely friend Jo from Bubala!

:: crackers with sesame seeds, poppy seed and cumin seeds

I had been meaning to make them for ages... so glad I did! I switched the butter for margarine (because of my cows milk allergy) and only put 1/2 tsp of salt. My little man loved helping and absolutely loves eating them too... bonus! I couldn't believe how easy it was.. needless to say we won't be buying crackers from the shop! Thanks Jo :)

Hope you are having a lovely Monday!

my creative space: wool before & after

It's taking me a while to get back into creative mode.. my brain is still on holiday... but I'm getting there slowly! I had the urge to do some dying! My gorgeous grandma sent me loads of wool last year when she found out I was getting into knitting and crochet.. love her! There were 6 balls of a terracotta colour which is not really my colour so I thought I would have a go at dying them!

:: terracotta wool - before

I used iDye and mixed the colour gunmetal and half a packet of navy together to make a grey blue.

I prepared the wool by winding into a loops and tying them up, then placed them in the dye bath and gently move them around... I was so worried they were going to get into one gigantic tangled knot! I used boiling water and I think the wool has shrunk a bit but not too bad! I also went a bit crazy and rummaged around my wardrobe to see what I could re-dyed... just couldn't help myself :)

I had no idea what colour the wool was going to turn out like... I was thinking I might have gone a brown but to my amazement it went this gorgeous deep aubergine.. I am SO pleased!

:: aubergine dyed wool - after

:: aubergine balls of wool :)

Hmmm... now what can I make with 6 balls of aubergine wool..?

Hope you are having a great creative week!
There are loads more creative people over at our creative spaces...

photography: assignment #1 "bad photos"

I am joining in on a little photography course (online) from Stanford University which the lovely Halina from moments of a libra found! It's a great course so far! I have completed assignment #1 "bad photos" which just means get creative with exposure, movement, blurring, white balance and composition... so not "bad" really!

I took over 400 photos... yikes!!! A LOT of trial and error, but I had lots of fun experimenting and discovering what I can and can't/shouldn't do with my camera... I learnt a lot! I do love to experiment! I had such a hard time choosing only five photos.. I was really please with what I've done! :)

So here are my five photos for assignment #1 "bad photos":

:: 1 - poorly exposed - sunlight shining through blinds behind a red curtain

:: 2 - motion blurred subject - sunlight shining through blinds behind a red curtain

:: 3 - nothing in focus - trees and sky through mesh screen window

:: 4 - wrong white balance (shade) - bedroom ceiling light

:: 5 - poorly composed- travelling on a train

There are more photos from the group on flickr here! If you are interested in joining in, it's not too late as we are doing it at our own pace! There is more info over at Halina's blog here!

Hope you are having a great week... :)

this week...

I have been busy enjoying doing other things...

I read this book.. a great book! I haven't read a book in ages... just haven't had the time! I love getting lost in a good book :) but I'm always really sad when it ends :(

drooled over this book I got for christmas: I just LOVE the illustrations and it's a cook book too! Daniella has such an inspiring story about her book too, read about it here :)

:: my abuela's table - daniella germain

:: my abuela's table - a look inside

made yummy things from this book: It's got some delicious summer salad recipes! Love bills recipes they are really easy to do and follow!

:: bill granger - open kitchen

painted a cute little card and made some heart ginger biscuits - with some help - for our 10 year anniversary! Can't believe it... it only feels like yesterday when me and my man had our first date... time flies when you're having fun :)

:: helping... eating the icing!!!

went to this wonderful exhibition at the MCA: recorders by Rafael Lozano-Hemmer
It is totally interactive where you make the exhibition...literally!  It's a must do if you are in Sydney and it's free! We had so much fun! I think we will have to go back again... LOVED it!

:: pulse index - my finger with M = my little man

:: people on people - me and my little man

not much crafting happening around here... it's nice to have a break and do other things! I'm sure I will back into it all again soon... I'm starting feel that itch to create!

Hope you are having a great week and doing lots of fun too :)

a spot of screen printing and sewing

This week I have been busy making my little niece a cute little handmade doll for her birthday! I have been itching to make one from the hop skip jump pattern book for ages!

:: Violet from hop skip jump pattern book

I decided to make Violet... I didn't have the right colour fabric for her body, so I screen printed it and I also decided to screen print some mary-jane shoes for her too! I love that I can do that... just screen print what I need :)

:: screen printed fabric for body and mary-jane shoes

:: putting her together

The pattern instructions were really easy and straight forward, I put her together in no time! I changed a few things like the position of her arms, added some plaits (red wool) and made a pleated skirt (fabric from Ikea). I think she looks SO cute! I wish I have made an extra one for me :)

:: handmade doll finished

I also screen printed a little rainbow cloud t-shirt for my niece too.

:: screen printed - rainbow cloud t-shirt

I hope she loves her new handmade doll and screen printed t-shirt! It's so much fun making things for the little ones... I love it! :)