Merry go Round

Jump on our merry go round and join a group of artists/crafts-women as they link hands around the world and tell you a little about their lives in art a

We are group of 8 women from all over the world, we have got together in what would constitute an example of peaceful idea exchange and diplomacy, and agreed to come to our blogs once a month and share a bit more about ourselves.
We choose a question and all of us have to answer it in our blogs. It will be very interesting to read what each of us has to say, taking in account how much our lives and crafts differ.

This months question:

What is the scariest part of crafting

I don't think Im scared per se... I think the feeling which could describe what I feel about crafting is a bit of anticipation, or anxiety. I enjoy making different things. I get super excited at the prospect of trying something new. Acquiring new skills and knowledge and then mix them up with other older skills is always a thrill. Sure, sometimes this means wasting materials or...failing in the attempt... but that is a given part of the game. No one can go forward if he/she is not willing to experiment. You have to dare.
Scared of people not liking what I make? Nah... too egocentric I suppose LOL!
Scared of e-commerce? interaction with other faceless people behind a computer somewhere on the other side of the world? No, not really.

I think the only thing that could quilify ...just a bit, as a scary part of crafting would be ...mmmh that very first moment when I took the decission of putting it out for the world to see, and therefore, judge. It was that moment. Now it is passed and I am enjoying the ride. Is it dissapointing at times? yes... very. It's a learning process... but exciting, not scary.

To all of you out there who celebrate Halloween tonight... have fun!


Do visit the other blogs who join this merry-go-round!

Anna, Half and Acre
Andreanna, Glamasaurus
Charlotte, Fancypicnic
Agathe, Le bar du vent
Fabianna, Easterya
Lily, lilypangartanddesign
Ruth, Birdland creations
Sara, Crafts of Texture

Look look!

Look what I got!



I've been following Wendren's blog for a while and when she posted about some coffee beans bags she had laied her hands on, which in turn became hand bags... I knew I was going to be shopping soon. From the moment it was just a coffee beans bag, I saw this one with the blue elephant "Asian coffee and Tea LTD" and I wanted it! It sounds so much like an explorer's bag... adventure!

So, the moment the coffee beans bag became a handbag, I bought it. And a week later it was in my hands. Talking about fast shipping...from South Africa all the way to The Netherlands!

Now, my son thinks it is something for him to play with because it has an "Olei" on it (Olifant is elephant in dutch). My husband keeps inspectioning the carved wooden button and I saw him looking for a way to take it off........ try again dear......just try....


Moi?? I love this bag. So big! I can put all my stuff in here and there is still room! A laptop fits in it!!! I love that everything is recycled. These are Fair Trade coffee beans bags!
It all just works out great!
I love handbags and, according to my husband, I have way too many... and I just saw Wren has some new handbags with colored lining............ how many are too many?

Thanks Wendren!

Cherries and sunny treasures...

...and what about monday?? don't know... I don't think I noticed it going by... It's dark so early now that by the time I got home at around 5, and started cooking, the day felt completely gone. Done.
I have a whole lot of photographing to do today. The last weak rays of sun from the autumn are trying to lighten things up, but before that...a couple more necklaces:

Sunny treasures in a string:





and


Passionate cherries:



Lots of different beads. Hand felted ones, glass, seed, wood, metalic, acrylicum, hand made polymer clay beads... They are long ...quite long, and they do have a clasp so if you want, you can wear them long, or maybe turn and turn around your arm for a thick bracelet, or neck and have a very thick rich necklace.
What I like the most about these lot of necklaces is that they don't have a conscious pattern. I was just stringing beads. That spontaneity make them look quite interesting and full of treasures...lots of tiny beads to find... which would make them great necklaces for when you are bored at work...hahahaha hmmmm let's see what I can find today! :)

They are both in my shops now!

DaWanda

Etsy

Shopping List Saturday!

I looove paper. On my last birthday I got a 100euro gift certificate for my favorite place in the town: a paper shop. Bought all that money in paper... handmade paper, recycled paper, colorful paper...whatever paper!
I love notebooks as well, especially hand made ones. Whenever I go on a trip, I come back with a new notebook. It can be a normal, not fancy at all one... one that kids use for school.. If I have never seen it before, and can't find it where i live...it gets purchased.
In Etsy you can find a whole lotta notebooks... and I want to buy them all... maybe for christmas!

Here a small selection:



From top left, clockwise:

Paintedfishstudio, Burst journal-celery
Suebleiweiss, Vintage map and travel theme journal or notebook
Jovencio, Latigo leather notebook
Paperiaarre, I need some privacy (part 5)- coptic bound journal


Hope you like them and have a nice weekend!

Sparkly grapes.

Before I sign off for today..

This is the newest on the shop.
Following the week's theme, another necklace in purple tones with glass beads, seed beads, *handfelted beads and *handmade polymer clay beads ... a bit of everything! There are more pics in the shop!


*handmade by me!

On my desk wednesday!

This I'm working on:

More desks, here

And this Merengue balls necklace, all finished, is in my shop:

Drops of autumn...

...is the name of one of the new necklaces I've made, which is on its way to my shop.
Hand felted beads, plus seed beads, glass, wood, ceramic and fimo beads. So many things, all in the same tone of colors, yet simple and elegant.
I'm really enyoing making this necklaces... so soothing...as a matter of fact my kid smeared half a jar of nutella on the couch while I was doing this one, and I didn't even notice. I was in another world... Doesn't make me sound too good, does it?





The couch will survive...ad so did the kid :)

Tidying up...

I was looking around my own shops today in DaWanda and Etsy. I've talked to lots of people whom check stats and favorites daily or even a few times a day/hour :) I don't have anything against that, it is just that I...forget. Basically.

I do so many things on a daily basis, and many end up in the shops (and so many more, don't): illustrations, cards, hand felted items, handpainted totes, handpainted tiles, brooches, etc. And the thing is that I never intended for the shop to look like a bazaar... you know, one of those places in every picture of Maroocco where there are a million different things in every cm of the shop. To tell you the truth, I love Bazaars. The colors, the smells, the treasures one can find if one stays long enough.
But anyway, I thought, Im going to delete some stuff...but checking stats, they are all sort of the same, they are all hearted or marked as favorites so... I don't know how to choose! And then again, considering that DaWanda doesn't charge (yet) for listing...why not just leave them... dunno.
On the very last page I found these:

The Heart handbag: nunofelted bag (wool felted onto fabric)


The Red Bowl
The Swirly leaf bowl

The Red Heart Pouch, excellent for your small Moleskine agenda:

Same idea as the one above, but with leaves in different purple tones:
It's the Leaves pouch.



...And some more... like these handpainted cups:

Florecillas cups:




And the Pajarito (little bird in spanish) cups. The birds were just, as I was fiddling around with the items, sold to a client in India, so... they have a long trip ahead!

I feel like my daily life is represented in these shops. I can remember the moments when i made all these things and how much I learnt... I guess in a few months i will be talking about the insanely amount of things i am making with all these beads i have! hahaha ... is there such a thing as bead-addiction? If I told you that I have now boxes of them, would you look weird at me?...should I see a shrink? :) Retail therapy!

have a nice sunday!

The first of many

I was asked to make a few pieces of jewellery for a customer. She wanted some handfelted necklaces. Talking to her about what she wanted and how she wanted, we both agreed that we like a bit of sparkle here and there. No bling bling... hahah I can' t pull that one off... and she can't either. But a bead here and there. She already took her necklace and earrings home and then I was left with an itch... to design colorful necklaces which involve hand felting. Now, I do apologise to all those jewellery makers out there. I respect your work, this is my humble attempt :)
Considering that I just received a whole treasure of beads from my mom, I started working.

This is the first one, already in my shop:



Well, that is number one but there are a whole more in the works. Longer, shorter...some even long enough for a couple of turns around your neck!

A little tease:



I went shopping this morning (what a mistake, shopping on a saturday morning! so many people!!!!) and I walked by a little shop with looooots of beads...and I HAD to get some more for another necklace. A red one... how can I live without a red one...!


Have a nice weekend everyone!

Faltehalter- DaWanda

A few months ago, whilst getting lost in DaWanda, I found this shop in the german interface. It is called Faltehalter. Since I don't speak german I wasn't really sure what it all was about, but it just looked really cool. Then I read -in english- that this was the sole creation of the person who was actually selling them. And I thought it was even cooler... she thought of it, experimented, designed and now sells them.
I then understood *enlightment! hahah* that the Faltehalters are convenient, sturdy, pliable, pretty containers for all those bits and pieces on a desk... pens, sissors, brushes...

So I contacted the owner of the shop to congratulate her and also to ask her if she wouldn' mind answering a few questions so I could "blog her". I think people whom actually come up with things like this that are new should be noticed. So... here: (bare in mind Im not a reporter...)

-Name/country: Svea, Germany

-Have you got a background in design? No, i wish i had sometimes. it's simply a hobby.

-How did you come up with the 'faltehalter'design. What inspired you?
when i lived in london for a year, i didn't have any of my equipment and materials there, that i would use when i have a creative moment (sowing machine etc.). i had the idea to make a bag with many different compartments, and so i tried to create a design with a piece of paper - the only thing that i had at hand in this moment. that's how i created the folding technique, really by coincident. then i realised how stable, decorative and useful it is, and how many things you can develop from this technique. and when i found really great paper on a trip to florence, i had the perfect material, too!

- Why paper and not any other material... I dont know... canvas?
i use paper, because it's such a simple and diverse material: there's so many different patterns and structures. it's easy to recycle. you can fold it well and it keeps it's form. and i am working on printing my own paper.
-Is your hobby your job or just a something you do after work.
something i do in the evenings and weekends, exactly.

-Your place to pitch the faltehalter. Introduce it the way you want. Pics and all. Any new projects you have in mind? different materials?
i want to start printing the paper myself. and i just created a version for the wall, the 'wall bag'. besides, i'm thinking about a waterproof version that can be used as a vase. and some bigger editions, for newspapers and the like. and i'm working together with a friend and dawanda 'colleague', nora aka eleanorot, on a couple of cooperative projects. two works can be seen on dawanda already, and there's more to come.

Cute mention

Quick post! One of my handpainted canvas bags has been featured in the very acclaimed
Cuteable blog...might know it, once in charge of selecting a collection at DaWanda. Very interesting blog.
Go check it out!

Gray handbag

Remember a few weeks (!) ago, I showed a little bit, a teaser, of something I was doing...and then I forgot to show the whole thing! Well, here it is. Im not very happy about the pictures, so I hope to get a sunny day soon and replace them. But for now:



It's a wetfelted handbag. I used grey Gotland wool. It was handfelted as one piece, so it has no seams. Very strong!. I added later lining in solid black cotton. Very neat. And what I was working on was some embellishment, basically because it looked a bit dull otherwise. It has black and transparent beads in all sizes and combination. The bottom line is made of acrylic black drop beads which dangle move a bit and so it gives the whole design a bit of movement. It was all hand sewn so it took me a while!

I will be putting it in my Dawanda shop later today...hopefully!

Shopping List Saturday!

While Im cooking some figs in syrup, and the whole house smells of cinnamon and orange and dark sugar... here I am doing some window shopping. I've decided that this year I will avoid the shops and do all my holyday shopping on DaWanda or Etsy. I guess I should get started soon to avoid all the postal crazyness later in the season. Packages seem to either arrive too late or get lost in a big black hole!

So, here... beautiful autumn day... and this small collection was chosen because of their autumny colors. Enjoy!




Click on the image for a better and bigger vieuw!

From top left:
Autumnal Equinox handpainted Ramboulliet Wool roving- 4 1/4 ounces from the gorgeous Moonlightbaker shop.
Table coaster rug upcycled vintage pillowcase from the talented Sosorosey shop
Pumpin spice earrings ...sound yummy! from dkjewels always full of pretty earrings. love them!
Bohemian tangerine 12 matchbox notepads from DribsNDrabs I love all those patterns!

Have a nice weekend!

Tagged!

Inger and Ruth, both incredibly talented artisans, have tagged me! And prepare yourself, because you are next! :)

So, the rules are:

1. Link to your tagger and list these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving theirnames as well as links to their blog.
4. Let them know they have been tagged by leaving acomment on their blog.

7 facts about moi...let's see...

1. I love travelling. Everywhere. I travelled down the Andes and around Europe with just a backpack with a few clothes inside and a good pair of walking shoes (which both times I had to throw away after the trip because they were completely torn apart).

2. I don't like shopping. I actually don't like going to shopping malls or places where there are tons of people frantically trying to grab and buy something. I do shop, mostly online (and way too often that way!). When I HAVE to go to a shop I go, grab, buy and leave. No lingering around.

3.I miss tea time with my grandmother. The wife of a diplomat, she always taught us manners and protocole. Eating a meal with them was always more of a ceremony. As a kid I hated all the cutlery and rules. One day, whilst studying abroad, I was invited to dinner at a castle with very distinguish members of the literary and political world. I felt like fish in the water...no sweat!

That said... I love, and rather, eating with my hands, squatting by a fire in a camping trip.

4. I love the ocean, and miss it terribly at the moment. However, I wouldn't mind living in the middle of the woods. My ideal home would be in the woods with the ocean nearby.

5. I love reading. Although not the only things I read, I enjoy philosophy, sociology, anthropology and history books even though I am not at school or have to read them. I just like stuff that makes me think.

6. Family and friends are very important to me. I grew up with a big, close, honest and caring - but not asfixiating- family and group of friends (some I keep since I was 2yrs old), ready to do what it takes for the other. I miss that and the sense of community and support it gave me. It makes me feel very lonely here. Differences...

7. After running away from kitchen duties my whole life, I am now learning to cook and actually enjoying it. Not so good for the figure though... hahaha... My husband and son seem to enjoy it too!

Ok... now you!!!

Charlotte

Lily

Reya

Achtung

Wren

Eren

Hope I didnt bore you much. Have fun checking the other blogs as well!

FINALLY my husband went back to work. He has a weird schedule and works 6 days, has 4 off. These past 4 days he decided to re...do something with the computers in the house so he hijacked them all. Kinda annoying but on the plus side, I got time to do lots of thing without the computer getting in the way.

A few days ago I received a package from Argentina that my mom sent. There were a couple of books in spanish, some yummie goodies typical from my home land which I can not get here (all gone by now) and among other things, beads. Seed beads, focal beads, ceramic beads, metallic beads, glass beads, with aboriginal drawings. Big, small, colorful, black...





I do not know where or why my mom had so many beads at home, but she packed them all in little paper envelopes by color and shape and sent them to me. One would say, beads aren't that expensive anyways... so..what was the point. But the fact that my mom is sending me crafting materials and that she took the time to catalogue them all hahah it really means a lot to me.


So, I made a few little things... don't know for sure what these will be..brooches?







And there is more to show but at the moment the sun is shinning... and that is rare around here so, Im off for a walk in the woods!

Weekend results

What a miserable, cold, rainy sunday! This meant staying indoors naturally...I come from a very dry part of the south of Argentina, in Patagonia. It rains maybe once every 4, 5 months... or even longer. When I first came to The Netherlands, known for it's wet weather, I used to backpedal at the door every time I was going out and it started raining. In my head, when it rains you stay in... put the kettle on, have some tea...and stay dry. We even have special cookies which traditionally are baked on rainy days. I tried to do the same here... stay in. I kept asking my then boyfriend if plans weren't cancelled now that it was raining. And he kept looking at me as If I were mad... completely mad. I had to get used to the idea of walking under the rain. If you cancel all plans here when it starts raining, well.. you just stay inside for the rest of your life.

But this weekend we did stay in and worked some. On sunday we had some guests coming at around 2pm and staying for a espontaneous, quick dinner of pasta alla bollognesa... we had fun. Lots of talking and laughing.
I did get some stuff done. Another nuno felted scarf with a square ceramic button, made by me:


It's creamy merino wool felted onto silk. There is so much texture in this one! There aredifferent yarns, silk, locks and stitched lines in browns that form very subtle squares. It's really nice. I think this one Im going to submit for the Dawanda monthly color challenge.

I also made a scarf for my little one, who loves the bird


Best of all though....

Chocolate, cream...last strawberries......