It was my uncle Hector's birthday on Saturday.
I made him a rather ludicrous card based on a silly conversation we had
a few months ago about a zoo that was run by Liberace...
I'm glad my family appreciate silliness as much as I do!
this week has been so busy
Phew, this week has been mad full of work, custom orders and more skate portraits.
I love that my desk always reflects the kind of week I am having - this week it looks totally full, unorganised and slightly panic-y... which is just about right.
It's all very well having a nice neat and tidy desk, but I find I don't get as much done when I don't have everything surrounding me in some kind of haphazard manner.
The theme tune for this week has been Honeybee by Steam Powered Giraffe which I just cannot get out of my head...
NB: if you don't like mime artists, don't watch the vid - the band are dressed as robots and miming is a large part of their act. I posted it on my Facebook wall and the miming freaked out a couple of people.
I love that my desk always reflects the kind of week I am having - this week it looks totally full, unorganised and slightly panic-y... which is just about right.
It's all very well having a nice neat and tidy desk, but I find I don't get as much done when I don't have everything surrounding me in some kind of haphazard manner.
The theme tune for this week has been Honeybee by Steam Powered Giraffe which I just cannot get out of my head...
NB: if you don't like mime artists, don't watch the vid - the band are dressed as robots and miming is a large part of their act. I posted it on my Facebook wall and the miming freaked out a couple of people.
beat it, creep!
It'll look so ace on my derby bag or I might sew it onto a shirt, I've not decided yet.
I kinda wish I'd got one of every colour so I could make a Wanda patchwork...
You can get your own right here.
You know you want to! And if you don't want to then shame on you.
I ♥ treasury features
As busy as I often am making my own pretty things, it is nice to take a break every now and then and look through gorgeous lists of Etsy treasuries for inspiration.
Oooh, such tempting pretty things! I love seeing peoples' interpretations of a particular theme/colour/concept, and it's even nicer when you come across treasuries that feature some of your own items - it warms me inside to think that out of the hundreds of items of every colour/subject possibly, they chose something of mine to make it into their carefully chosen selection of 16 items!
Oooh, such tempting pretty things! I love seeing peoples' interpretations of a particular theme/colour/concept, and it's even nicer when you come across treasuries that feature some of your own items - it warms me inside to think that out of the hundreds of items of every colour/subject possibly, they chose something of mine to make it into their carefully chosen selection of 16 items!
Here are some of my most recent favourites:
You have to shine // featuring gold & black glitter hair clip
bloom // featuring blue floral pinwheel necklace
monday 3 // featuring blue floral pinwheel necklace
Found and Folded // featuring yellow and blue spinning pinwheel brooch
blue happiness // featuring blue floral pinwheel necklace
purple & gold // featuring tiny purple and gold glitter bow necklace
in the sky // featuring blue floral pinwheel necklace
have you seen any super cute treasuries recently?
the newest snowstorm in the collection
I am very pleased to welcome a new snowstorm to the collection...
This one is from my lovely friend Ruth who recently returned from Thailand.
You might think it's slightly lacking in the glitter/snow front, but she told me that this one has the most glitter in out of all the snowstorms she found - I'm so lucky to have friends who will go that extra mile when snowstorm-hunting for me!
a Grease-themed bout this weekend + a few more skate necklaces
After the first batch of skate portrait necklaces, it was kinda inevitable that some of the other Belles would want them too ;) so here's my second batch...
I don't know if it's obvious in the pics but I made slightly more effort to get the wheels right on these skates - like the detail of the girl in the pink Suregrip wheels and the wording in the Mayhem wheels (second from left).
I've officially joined our Belles Merchandise team now and I've got lots of plans for various Belles goodies to make, but I'm very busy making plans for this weekend - a couple of the girls I started Fresh Meat with back in January are already playing their first game for the Belles!
We have a double-header on Saturday - a mixed scrim (featuring some of our wonderful InterBelles) before the main game against the London Rockin' Rollers Rising Stars (LRR's B team). They're about 90 places higher in the national league than our little team, so whatever happens it's bound to be a darn good show! Plus it's Grease-themed so how can it be anything less than electrifying?*
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I don't know if it's obvious in the pics but I made slightly more effort to get the wheels right on these skates - like the detail of the girl in the pink Suregrip wheels and the wording in the Mayhem wheels (second from left).
I've officially joined our Belles Merchandise team now and I've got lots of plans for various Belles goodies to make, but I'm very busy making plans for this weekend - a couple of the girls I started Fresh Meat with back in January are already playing their first game for the Belles!
We have a double-header on Saturday - a mixed scrim (featuring some of our wonderful InterBelles) before the main game against the London Rockin' Rollers Rising Stars (LRR's B team). They're about 90 places higher in the national league than our little team, so whatever happens it's bound to be a darn good show! Plus it's Grease-themed so how can it be anything less than electrifying?*
I'm NSO-ing so I can't show any team allegiance during the bout, gah!
Come along and cheer on the Belles on my behalf if you're around!
*I'm so sorry, I just had to.
new additions to the shop - Le Lapin Série
There are a few new additions to my Etsy shop this week...
Le Lapin Série is a collection of pretty bunnies with sparkly Swarovski crystal eyes who would be more than happy to adorn your cardigan or jacket... I'm sure there's one to match almost any outfit!
You can see them all in my Etsy shop ♥
I'm the luckiest girl in the world
After a long stressful day, it's nice to have a lovely treat like this waiting for you...
...what a wonderful boy I have - I certainly am a lucky girl!
*plus it was delicious, so that was also a nice surprise ;)
my favourite things this week #69
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♥ oooh, check out theses love heart pinatas from Studio DIY
♥ cute pin of deputy badge with a moustache by Pterodactyl Pants
♥ I love the intricacy of this papercraft wolf by Helen Musselwhite
♥ who could possibly not benefit from owning these fab kitty leggings by Pretty Snake?
♥ this Around We Go clock by The Make Lab would look so neat in my studio
♥ check out this awesome London Underground map made of lego!
♥ I love this Arrested Development cross stitch from Books, Crafts And Other Procratinations
♥ sweet paintchip paintings by Seonna Hong
♥ I have to get some of these amazing bunny tights
Doppelganger zine - call for entries
My my, Miss Franipeg has been a busy bear!
Ever since our first conversation about zines she's been working on a new idea for a cool artists' book, called Doppelganger. It started off with my comment "wouldn't it be cool to do an Exquisite Corpse type thing as a zine..." and from that she built an extraordinarily more awesome idea...
The gunslinger shown in the pic (but is he a ghost? You'll have to wait and seeeeeeee!) is Fran's own entry for the book, which I think is a superb start.
The entry I am proposing will be totally different, but that's part of the fun - to see how people react to/adapt the initial brief. Mine will probably include a unicorn... Or perhaps a ghost-icorn... who knows!
If you'd like to contribute some artwork, and have your illustration bound into a neat book and sold at conventions around the country (excellent publicity, methinks) then go have a look at the Doppelganger FB page and Doppelganger blog.
Ever since our first conversation about zines she's been working on a new idea for a cool artists' book, called Doppelganger. It started off with my comment "wouldn't it be cool to do an Exquisite Corpse type thing as a zine..." and from that she built an extraordinarily more awesome idea...
The gunslinger shown in the pic (but is he a ghost? You'll have to wait and seeeeeeee!) is Fran's own entry for the book, which I think is a superb start.
The entry I am proposing will be totally different, but that's part of the fun - to see how people react to/adapt the initial brief. Mine will probably include a unicorn... Or perhaps a ghost-icorn... who knows!
If you'd like to contribute some artwork, and have your illustration bound into a neat book and sold at conventions around the country (excellent publicity, methinks) then go have a look at the Doppelganger FB page and Doppelganger blog.
I'll update when I've decided on my final illustration for the book... ooh, exciting!
I ♥ treasury features
As busy as I often am making my own pretty things, it is nice to take a break every now and then and look through gorgeous lists of Etsy treasuries for inspiration.
Oooh, such tempting pretty things! I love seeing peoples' interpretations of a particular theme/colour/concept, and it's even nicer when you come across treasuries that feature some of your own items - it warms me inside to think that out of the hundreds of items of every colour/subject possibly, they chose something of mine to make it into their carefully chosen selection of 16 items!
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Oooh, such tempting pretty things! I love seeing peoples' interpretations of a particular theme/colour/concept, and it's even nicer when you come across treasuries that feature some of your own items - it warms me inside to think that out of the hundreds of items of every colour/subject possibly, they chose something of mine to make it into their carefully chosen selection of 16 items!
Here are some of my recent favourites:
Spring Time Bliss // featuring origami crane necklace
growing in the garden // featuring pink wooden butterfly necklace
hello color // featuring red and aqua pinwheel necklace
Going to the fair // featuring floral pinwheel necklace
Dreams are forever // featuring purple wooden butterfly necklace
Thanks to all the lovely Etsy sellers who featured my items in their treasuries!
the gift of (somewhat hideous) owls
I'm not quite sure how it's possible, but I seem to have inadvertantly forced my lovely friend Laura to start collecting owls. It could be partly due to the fact that they are still just about everywhere at the moment despite my attempts to pass the title of internet's best bird to the more-deserving pink parrot, and partly because I find them popping up in the most ridiculous places/situations.
The first owl I ever gave to Laura was a housewarming gift - a fairly hideous, but somehow also wonderful, kitsch owl-shaped teapot. I gave it to her with the proclamation, "if you think it's too hideous, I'll gladly take it back home with me". Amazingly, she accepted it and it has lived on her bookshelf ever since.
Since then, every time I see a hideous/fabulous owl in any form I will almost definitely buy it for her...
Wonderful crocheted owl magnets? I bought her two.
Insane looking enamelled owl beads? She'll be getting them very soon (shhh!)
A weird owl head on a key pendant? How could I possibly resist?
You've got to admit - the owl head on a key is pretty special just on its own, but perhaps it'd be even better with a bit of snazzing up... let's add some Swarovski crystal eyes... and some more crystal beads... and perhaps a couple more charms... and a nice long chain so it's nice and obvious if she ever wears it... PERFECT!
The first owl I ever gave to Laura was a housewarming gift - a fairly hideous, but somehow also wonderful, kitsch owl-shaped teapot. I gave it to her with the proclamation, "if you think it's too hideous, I'll gladly take it back home with me". Amazingly, she accepted it and it has lived on her bookshelf ever since.
Since then, every time I see a hideous/fabulous owl in any form I will almost definitely buy it for her...
Wonderful crocheted owl magnets? I bought her two.
Insane looking enamelled owl beads? She'll be getting them very soon (shhh!)
A weird owl head on a key pendant? How could I possibly resist?
I can't wait to let my imagination and bead box run wild with this - I'm sure she'll love it!
all the fun of the Zombie Rockin' fair
I thought perhaps I should share some pics from Zombie Rockin' - these photos are all from Joe Pop who makes wonderful kitsch cards - go check him out!
Clockwise from top: the fab Naughty Monsters stall featuring monster and zombie plushes by my awesome friend Emma, my gorgeous friends Kate of Kate's Fascinators and Alice of Stitch Your Soul, various zombie-inspired costumes, and finally it's me in my derby gear all calavera-ed up.
It was a day of immense fun, hence the lack of photos - we were all too busy chatting/selling/making friends with random members of London Rockin' Rollers who turned up *swoon*
I didn't get any pics from the day of Miss Fran of Monsieur Monsteur, Nicola of More Brains, Vicar or Fabrice of Kaiser Calavera, but they were all there too...
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Clockwise from top: the fab Naughty Monsters stall featuring monster and zombie plushes by my awesome friend Emma, my gorgeous friends Kate of Kate's Fascinators and Alice of Stitch Your Soul, various zombie-inspired costumes, and finally it's me in my derby gear all calavera-ed up.
It was a day of immense fun, hence the lack of photos - we were all too busy chatting/selling/making friends with random members of London Rockin' Rollers who turned up *swoon*
I didn't get any pics from the day of Miss Fran of Monsieur Monsteur, Nicola of More Brains, Vicar or Fabrice of Kaiser Calavera, but they were all there too...
Woooohoooo, a fun day indeed!
my favourite things this week #68
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♥ Thor Pracercising. Enough said.
♥ talking of Sherlock - this gorgeous gal cosplayed as 221B Baker Street!
a rather bizarre illustration request
I try and make an effort to draw birthday cards for friends and family, and it's usually incredibly amusing to be told what the boy wants me to draw for his friends or family's cards. The planned drawing for his younger brother's birthday next week was no exception.
Having had no experience of wolves driving or riding in vehicles of any sort, I found this a slightly difficult request, though of course the fact that it "didn't have to be realistic" (!) was something of a bonus. It's not easy to know how a wolf would look inside a paintball tank, or the angles at which his paws and tail would poke outside the tank opening, but hey ho, it didn't have to be realistic, and realistic it certainly was not.
In the end my "wolf" looked rather more like a dog than I had hoped, but I think the general gist is there, even if it was a fairly ridiculous concept to begin with...
"Wolves and tanks are manly, right? Could you draw a picture of a wolf driving
or riding in a paintball tank? It doesn't have to be realistic..."
Having had no experience of wolves driving or riding in vehicles of any sort, I found this a slightly difficult request, though of course the fact that it "didn't have to be realistic" (!) was something of a bonus. It's not easy to know how a wolf would look inside a paintball tank, or the angles at which his paws and tail would poke outside the tank opening, but hey ho, it didn't have to be realistic, and realistic it certainly was not.
In the end my "wolf" looked rather more like a dog than I had hoped, but I think the general gist is there, even if it was a fairly ridiculous concept to begin with...
derby update and our next bout
My not-even-begun-yet derby career has hit another bump in the road. After weeks and weeks of back pain, doc wants me to go for an MRI scan to see what on earth is going on with it and why it's not stopped hurting for the last couple of months.
I'm only very slightly worried about it... I mean, it's not like I get panic attacks in stressful situations or freak out at the idea of being trapped... oh, right, yeah, I guess that is kind of true. But I'm sure it'll be fine. And my back will be fine and everything will all be OK *deep breaths*
Nevertheless, that sure as hell doesn't mean that I'm not going to be involved in derby while I'm in limbo - hells no! I won't be NSOing at the next bout *sad face* but I am going to be working the merchandise stand - woo! Come and buy pretty things!
Our next game of the season is on Saturday 15th June, and it's against the awesome Mean Valley Roller Girls - it looks set to be a great game, so why not come along and perhaps I'll lend you my pom poms and homemade Hell's Belles flags... as long as you promise to wave them around like a maniac!
I'm only very slightly worried about it... I mean, it's not like I get panic attacks in stressful situations or freak out at the idea of being trapped... oh, right, yeah, I guess that is kind of true. But I'm sure it'll be fine. And my back will be fine and everything will all be OK *deep breaths*
Nevertheless, that sure as hell doesn't mean that I'm not going to be involved in derby while I'm in limbo - hells no! I won't be NSOing at the next bout *sad face* but I am going to be working the merchandise stand - woo! Come and buy pretty things!
Our next game of the season is on Saturday 15th June, and it's against the awesome Mean Valley Roller Girls - it looks set to be a great game, so why not come along and perhaps I'll lend you my pom poms and homemade Hell's Belles flags... as long as you promise to wave them around like a maniac!
zine "research" ...aka zine wishlist
Ever since meeting the lovely Franipeg (yep, that name is staying with you) of Monsieur Monsteur at Zombie Fest the other week, we've been chatting about how much we both want to make a series of mini books or zines.
Obviosuly, I immediately headed to Etsy to get my research on. And I've only bought a few of the ones shown, honest. They all look so pretty and super inspiring, it's hard to resist...
I guess the most obvious theme out of this selection is animals. I'm pretty sure that they will feature heavily in my mini books, though I imagine Fran's will have more monsters and cool stuff. She's a proper illustration graduate and I'm a printmaker who no longer finds time to print but still draws and makes stuff with glitter, so it will be pretty neat to see what we come up with.
The annoying thing is that while I have tonnes of ideas for characters I don't have much in the way of storylines for any of them, so mine could end up just being a picture book, which is kinda cute, but I'd rather there was a teeny bit of a narrative.
Obviosuly, I immediately headed to Etsy to get my research on. And I've only bought a few of the ones shown, honest. They all look so pretty and super inspiring, it's hard to resist...
I guess the most obvious theme out of this selection is animals. I'm pretty sure that they will feature heavily in my mini books, though I imagine Fran's will have more monsters and cool stuff. She's a proper illustration graduate and I'm a printmaker who no longer finds time to print but still draws and makes stuff with glitter, so it will be pretty neat to see what we come up with.
The annoying thing is that while I have tonnes of ideas for characters I don't have much in the way of storylines for any of them, so mine could end up just being a picture book, which is kinda cute, but I'd rather there was a teeny bit of a narrative.
I'll keep working on it... but storyline suggestions will always be welcome!
summer holiday planning
I wonder if you can guess where the boy and I are planning to go for our summer holiday?
skate portrait necklaces
Now that Fresh Meat has finished, some of us have gone onto Intermediate training... we're no longer Baby Belles, we're now Inter Belles!
I wanted to make something for the girlies who have moved up to Intermediate with me, and after much thought I asked them to email me a pic of one of their skates. It took a couple of weeks, and a lot of being asked why I wanted them (to which I naturally responded that it was a very important secret project) but I finally got 11 skates sent to me.
From the photos I received, I made little charms of each of the FM girls' own skate - like little skate portraits, and added tiny charms saying 'FM 2013'. I'm such a sentimental doofus.
I still have a few more to get made/photographed, but now the rest of the team are asking for them too! Guess I'm going to be pretty busy drawing skates for a while yet...
I wanted to make something for the girlies who have moved up to Intermediate with me, and after much thought I asked them to email me a pic of one of their skates. It took a couple of weeks, and a lot of being asked why I wanted them (to which I naturally responded that it was a very important secret project) but I finally got 11 skates sent to me.
From the photos I received, I made little charms of each of the FM girls' own skate - like little skate portraits, and added tiny charms saying 'FM 2013'. I'm such a sentimental doofus.
I still have a few more to get made/photographed, but now the rest of the team are asking for them too! Guess I'm going to be pretty busy drawing skates for a while yet...
walnut whippin'
Now that summer has decided to turn up it's getting a bit too warm to risk sending chocolate in the post - which is a shame as I had just bought this to send to my mum, who is rather a fan of the walnut whip...
I guess I'm just going to have to keep it all to myself. Darn it.
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