Thursday 28 May 2009

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 and art.

We are group of 10 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 month: Did you think you'd be doing what you re doing now (craft/selling) say 5 years ago? What has surprised you the most?

Five years ago I was still struggling with my new life. I moved to The Netherlands 7 yrs ago so, 5 yrs ago- the moment of our question- I was still trying to get a grip of my new reality. I had finished the mandatory language course in a national record time and although that made me a very promising candidate for a job, I was working in a mindless little job that had an ok paycheck but bored me to death. I had trained to be a psychologist so working on a desk shuffling papers around in a no future position was not my ideal life. And the mandatory steel toen/safety shoes did not help.
Five years ago too, we bought the house we live in now. An old house with a huge garden which we found just by chance. There was a lot to do: from changing all the electricity in the house, sanding massive wooden floors, a new bathroom to...painting... but the fact that the garden is twice the size of the house was enough for us.
Did I think then that I was going to be spending my days, 5 years later, crafting and trying to build a business? No. I had always done things one way or the other related to arts but I never thought- or had the confidence to- I could actually show it to the world. Lots of things happened in the middle that allowed me to be today where I am...
I've chosen the path of arts and crafts and decided to immerse myself in that world. To do that I had to say goodbye to my "old" self, and reinvente moi.
Today, on the eve of starting my first workshop with an internationally reknowned professor/artist/felter, I'd say that I have never been more content, satisfied and excited about what the future might bring. I did figure out during these past 5 years, that my life is in a large part, consequence of my own choices and that therefore I have to grab it and manouver it in whatever way I want....with mistakes and triumphs all along.
And now an early night because I'm dead nervous about tomorrow!!! I will tell you about this workshop with Karoliina Arvilommi and Roderick Welch later on.


For more interesting posts, do visit the blogs of the other girls in this merry-go-round:
Jenny at Jenny Karlsson design
Nikki at Beaded Zen
Wendren at Wren
Sara at Sara's Texture Crafts
Agathe at Le Bar du Vent
Fabienne at Easterya
Andreanna at Glamasaurus



Tuesday 26 May 2009

Flickr Favorites, Tuesday: Patagonia


Flickr Favorites, Tuesday: Patagonia
Originally uploaded by Marian Florcita

I come from Patagonia, the southern part of Argentina. And this Flick favorites reflects today a sudden longing I have for the place. as you can see from the picture, nature and open spaces are two of the omnipresent characteristics of that place...something which lacks a bit in one of the most populated countries in Europe.

So, today, a little sample...

If you want to join Flickr Favorites, hop to Mitsy's blog: http://artmind-etcetera.blogspot.com/

Do please click on the pic for a larger view and for the list of talented photographers from whom I've borrowed these pics. All the credit to them, I didn't take the pics!

Saturday 23 May 2009

Texture experiments


Texture experiments
Originally uploaded by Marian Florcita

Have I mentioned my mantra lately? "experimenting, that is how we learn"... well... guess what... that's is what I've been doing.
I'm not sure what precisely will become of this textured bits, but it was interesting to practice the technique with them, learn a bit more about the materials and what my hands can make.

I have a couple more done but those will become cushions... as soon as I, first, find a torche...oh yeah... playing with (wool and ) fire now.

Have a nice weekend everyone!

Friday 22 May 2009

orange ripples


orange ripples1a
Originally uploaded by Marian Florcita

This year has been declared by the UN as the year of Natural Fibres. There is a whole lot going on in this respect. I think that the main objective of this is to recover the lost respect for this magnificent produce of nature.
Natural fibres are ussually a byproduct of keeping animals, they are biodegradable, very versatile in their use, easy to obtein and also clean in the sense that the producer/animal, doesn't have to die in the process.
In the last few decades with the development of synthetic fibres, natural fibres were left a bit to the side. However, as silly as it might sound, all those synthetic fibres always had natural fibres as their "role model" : the fact that they are maleable, fire and water resistant, anti bacterial, biodegradable, temperature regulators, dust repelent...and much more.
So, all in all a pretty good material.
October 3rd is the International Day of Felt. A group of artist got together and set up a group, Felt United, to organize an international event that day. All those who want to participate only have to take felt out of their houses and aterliers to the street... show your art to the world... take a pic and send it to the group. A multimedia gallery will be set up for the ocassion... and artists from around the world will be able to come "virtually" together honouring this ancient art form.

Do please check out the website. It has been translated to different languages (I did my bit with the spanish translation, although I must admit that being a spanish speaker who rarely speaks spanish anymore, the whole task became a tad difficult!) so scroll down and read it in your own language if you wish.

I hope you participate.




Tuesday 19 May 2009

Flickr Favorites Tuesday: sheep


Flickr Favorites Tuesday: sheep
Originally uploaded by Marian Florcita

And it's tuesday again! Here is my mosaic with Flickr Favorites for this week. Sheep! I was actually looking for pics to see how a merino sheep looks like, since I mostly use merino for my felted work and then I find all these pics and sheep are so funny looking... must be those skinny legs under a big curly coat... don't know, but these pictures made my day.

If you want to join in the fun, hoop to Mitsy's blog and sign up!

Do please click on the pic for a larger view and for the list of talented photographers from whom I've borrowed these pics. All the credit to them, I didn't take the pics!

Saturday 16 May 2009

Carolita hand bag - Línea Tierra


Carolita hand bag
Originally uploaded by Marian Florcita

Well, this is what I've been working on for a while. It took me some time because along the way I had to learn about measurements, wooden buttons, handsewing leather and a bit of design.
I name it after my sister, Carolina -Carolita is more of a pet name :) . She is a big executive woman at her tender 29yrs old, always running around with bags full of cell phones and daily planners, books and papers. And this bag is big, simple in its design, strong and -I think- chic.

The bag itself was made with Mongolische wool, which is dark brown and with a thick hair. It was handfelted without seams so it's very sturdy. I lined it with light cocoa brown cotton and added and inner pocket which closes with a handmade wooden button (one of those from the previous posts!). Outside, metallic rings are attached with hand sewn leather straps which hold the also handfelted handles.

This new line of handbags I'm working on (There are more to come) I call "Tierra" which means "Earth" in spanish. All basic elements like wood and leather, metal and wool... basic and pure.

Going bacl to nature but with style!

Click on the pic for a larger view... and it directs you to my Flickr!

Wednesday 13 May 2009

33



It's my birthday!!! 33 yrs old! WOW! Remember when you were a kid and thought that by 33 you were going to be a serious, well adjusted, busy adult?? Good thing I didn't turn into that! HA!

I must have gone a long way considering that today I'm seriously looking forward to celebrating my birthday. Years ago I wasn't so keen on it. I'm still partial on surprise birthday parties which save us, the birthday people, from spending the whole day cooking and baking for guests...but nonetheless...joy.

My husband and son gave me for my birthday a spinning wheel with a detachatble thingy on top for winding the spun wool, two carding brushes and 4 kilos of wool. YIPIIIIEEEEEEEE! Me happy. A few days ago, for mother's day, I got a pasta maker so I guess I will be busy in the coming days...months.

Without getting too sentimental, I must say that, looking back, I've had a great life and I am today happier than ever. I'm looking forward to this "new year". I just need an adventure now to shake the dust of the comfortable, safe and stable burgeois life I lead....hmmmmm........ideas?

Happy birthday me! :)

Tuesday 12 May 2009

Flickr Favorites Tuesday: red


Flickr Favorites Tuesday: red
Originally uploaded by Marian Florcita

A new feature, I hope I don' t forget. I'm joining the crowds for a tuesday feature posting a mosaic of my Flickr Favorites. Today, red pics...it ahd to be red!

If you want to join in the fun, hoop to Mitsy's blog and sign up!

Wooden Buttons




Remember a few days ago I was talking about sneaking into Mr Husband's workshop to use his tools for making buttons?
Well, they are done. I needed to make fast a bunch for a friend, so I grabbed the hand saw and cut around 30 slices from a piece of wood laying around. I cut some square ones and some round ones.
Sanded them down a bit ...all by hand done this...ouch my fingers! And then went on to embellish some of them. Put a coar of lindseed oil, which is just natural oil taken from the flax plant so all very eco here!
Lastly I drilled some holes.


This is such a nice little project. So relaxing, simple and you can do so much to and with them!
If anybody wishes a more detailed step by step, say it!

Sunday 10 May 2009

Interviewed!

Hey everyone!
I was interviewed by Anabel from "Crear es Creer", a very multitalentend and multilingual artisan from Argentina, residing in Paris at the moment.
The interview was done in spanish and english so you can choose which link to click on. You know I'm such an interesting person that you should click on thr links and head to the interview to find out all sorts of torrid details about my life... :) no, not really...but do click on it.
Whilst you are there, do check Anabel's shops on Etsy and DaWanda.

Hope everyone is having a good sunday!

Friday 8 May 2009

Carboncitos


grey clay beads
Originally uploaded by Marian Florcita

A coconut full of hand made clay beads.

I know, I haven't posted much this week. The thing is that with a couple of days of constant rain and sun, the veggie garden...well, the whole garden, have grown like crazy. So, there has been a lot of weed pulling and trimming and harvesting (about 3kg of spinach!!) and all around gardening. My fingers are indeed green...

I have also been busy with crafty stuff. I've been making some wooden buttons which I planned to show you today and pass on the easy way I found to make them, but the light is so bad that pictures are turning out very dark.
So instead, here are some beads I made with clay and then painted with engobe (which is clay slib). They have been fired once and as long as I don't put some transparent glazing on them, they will look like this...a bit like grey stones. Or coal... I call them "carboncitos" which means "little charcoals" in spanish... they look like that!

The idea is to mix them with wool somehow... I just have to get around doing it.

Anyway, another week is gone and next week is my birthday! Everyone keeps asking what it is that I want and all I can think of is wool... :) I think I overheard my husband talking to someone about a spinning wheel.............................joy!

Anyway, have a nice weekend everyone!

XX Mariana

Monday 4 May 2009

Woke up too early this morning, 6am, courtesy of my son. So I went on to surf blog-land and saw some pretty interesting things... this vid, pay attention to the lyrics, just made my day:

Saturday 2 May 2009

New header

Mr Husband is sick, so while he lays in bed sweating his stomach flu away, I sneak into his workshop and steal some wood and make some things... all part of a bigger project. Will show you when it's done! aaaah the suspense :)
In the meantime, a new header. I was bored already with the other one.

Have a nice weekend!