On my desk wednesday!

Wednesday again.... I know, I sound like a broken record... but I always get mixed feelings about this post. Not because of the post itself, but because it makes me realize that we are in the middle of theweek...again. And that time passes by so fast! I know, I sound like an old woman... but it's true!
So, autumn is here. It is quite cold at night here and durign the day it doesnt get over 15C...so, plenty of "fresh and cool" air. Which to me means:
1- baking
2-staying indoors more
3- taking the wool out and felting like crazy! :)

So that is what I've been doing. Baking muffins (not so good... a bit hard...they are gone anyways...)




I found this scarf I nunofelted last year with mocha and off white merino wool onto organza... it has a greatbubbly texture and some little "windows" where you can see the organza...well, I'm trying to embellish those windows by hand sewing a million little beads... :)



It will take a while really...... I better go make some tea...

Glass bead making

After much anticipation, yesterday I finnally had my workshop on learning how to make glass beads. I was so excited...I really wanted to learn. I have always wanted to learn to work with glass but because of how expensive it is and also the fact that you need to have your own place -atelier- without kids running around or possibilities or burning/hurting someone...it gets difficult. I only got to learn the basics of making vitreaux and managed to make a small window in blues and red for the small bathroom.
But anyway, glass beads. This was a full day workshop at the same Atelier where I learn ceramics. Maud, my teacher, is a woman of many trades! She explained how things work, showed us how it was done, how your ellbows have to go, the glass, the mandrile (the metalic stick onto which the melting glass is rolled ti make a bead), the fire...and there I went. it is so difficult! I have a renewed respect for all those artisans that make beads! having a round, smooth bead requires lots of practise (more than a day). I guess like with many crafts, you have to get a fel of the materials. At the end of the day, after around15 beads, I managed a really nice round bead...sort of.
With the torch burning in front of you, and the noise it makes, you cant really chit chat with other people, so you are concentrated in your own work chossing colors and...trying not to drop melting hot red glass on your hand or get burned.
I liked also the surprise element... I guess this has to do with my newbie rank. When glass is red hot...it is like that...red.... regardless of the original color. Well, some don't get red...but most of them do. So you can add little dots and things here and there but if you dont remember well what you are doing, you can't really tell which color you used where...it's all red...

Anyway, really nice. I highly recommend a workshop like this...and here, my creations...


Now I wish I could have the money to invest in getting all the supplies and for an atelier or even small room where I could work... *sigh* Some day.

Premio...

Mrs Charlotte from Fancypicnic has been kind enough to bestow a prize on this humble blog. We thank thee! :)



I am supposed to pass it on to another 6 blogs apparently... so here they are:
The Wren design
La Srta Pil
The Spotted SparrowHalfAnAcre
Lawatha's glassThe Vintage Chica

...and some more...just because I want to. There are more than 6 blogs that I think are "brillante"...

Edward and LillyInside the ArtisanLilyPang Art
On My Perch

I always read these blogs even If I dont have time to comment on all. There are many more I visit and read (I have around 250 blogs in my bloglines... blogs in 3 different languages!) and with these prizes situations I always find it difficult to chose just a few. If I wouldn't think they are great, interesting, fun blogs, I wouldn't even read them to begin with...

I hope you all take the time to discover them, some fine people behind those blogs.

Have a nice weekend!

How do I get this busy that I can't handle five minutes of peace for writing a post?? Weird...
It was my husband's granmother's birthday. She is probably my favorite person in this family, closed followed by an aunt who actually lives in England so it kinda sucks because we don't see her as often as I would like.
For Oma (grandma in dutch) I decided to bake a huge chocolate cake with lots of peaches and cream and pure chocolate covering it, and I made her a brooch. She always liked my handfelted flowers so I made one (very sober...) for her present. She turned 89 years old. I hope - if I get to that age- to arrive in such good shape mentally!!!!



Since I was playing with wool already, I started to play around with scraps that are always left out although I keep them...I never know for what, but I do. Just one more thing laying around!


I actually wanted to try, because I had never done that, drying what I handfelted, in the tumble dryer. It gives a whole different texture....a bit bubley! Not done yet, so I will show you later.
Im still trying to tech myself how to sew with a machine, and I made this little cones as pin cushins. I took the idea from a blog but, even thoug I have looked around, I can not remember which blog it was. Im very sorry...but due recognition to the person who thought of this before!



For those of you that already know how to sew, this nexxt effort probably will look simple and silly, but for those of us that are trying to learn, learning (or guessing) how to make a simple envelope type bag for your cosmetics...is a huge accomplishment. I used some Amy Butler fabrics I purchased not too long ago via Etsy, and...voila:





And... how about this?




...and more to come!

Walnuts

Last year, for our 5th wedding anniversary, Mr Husband gave me a tree... a walnuts tree. I was expecting diamonds, but...well... nuts will do! :) I actually was surprised because I wasn't expecting anything at all. And to hear him -ussually quiet, a bit shy- having a whole speech prepared about how planting a tree together to last for years to come, was symbolic of our love... was much more than what I was expecting to come out of his mouth. So, the tree was planted. This type of trees ussually take a few years to get settled and start giving fruits (aka walnuts), but surprise! Today we harvested the first one...



Hopefully we will get more next year because we can't do much with one... split it three ways is not very easy really...

On the crafty side of life, I've been working on more illustrations and painting a couple more bags...



They will be listed in my DaWanda shop later today.
I'm off to bake a cake for my husband's grandma who turns 89 tomorrow... and to coook some Pasticio for dinner... great yummy and yet simple sicilian food.

A look around Dawanda's shops VI

It's been a while, but here it is back again... I didnt stop doing this type of post for any particular reason but it just happens sometimes that the week goes by so fast... I just... don't manage. Simple.
Today I was looking for magnets. There is a bit of a fight going on here because Mr husband likes fridges all clean and perfect without any colorful attachments. That is too clean and neat for me! hahaha I like magnets and pictures and recipes ...everything. When something is too neat it gives me the "clinical" feeling... what is this a lab or a house?

So, I've been looking around for some magnets because the ones we have need replacement. The good thing about these is that they are very pretty and very affordable, which means that they can become a "self" quick gift.

These little cute apples are the best... I love Tizzalicious' apples! ...all of them!


I love this picture, it is so colorful! Eye catcher indeed! Fused glass magnets... Lawatha has lots of gorgeous glass creations: pendants and rings... but this magnets are just so cool!


These magnetic pegs are the best. How a regular household item can turn into somethig so cute! At Najade's shop there are many different colors and patterns to choose from... and so many more things to check out.



And last but not least... Mariska has many colorful monster-like soft toys... and some of them have their own magnets! Here is Bruno:
...he reminds me of the neighbours dog!

Hey, I just saw that the DaWanda Shopping Directory blog has a new post where it invites people to create their own pinboard of DaWanda items and send them to the blog, to be posted there. Pretty nice... I should have put these ones! :P

On my desk wednesday!

Im not gone! I just recovered one of the computers in the house for a few minutes. The husband is on a short vacation and decided that it was the right time to upgrade I don't know what, so he's had all the computers around the house linked in a network while he does I don't know what to them... very annoying as it is taking a bit longer than expected. Why do men have to upgrade everything every other month?
I have been enjoying the last few days of summer. When I left the house at 8.30am today, it was 14C...in August??? how can it be so cold!
I have, therefore, been working more on my paintings, what with no computers and locked up indoors. It has it's positive sides not having a computer available all day.
I've had a thing with peacocks for the past few weeks... month? I've drawn, painted, molded in clay, handfelted them. Why? don't know. Because I dont stick too close to the original model really, but I think I like the concentrical design in the feathers... or... don't know really!

So, while the kid was napping today, I was busy with this:



I know, the pics aren't very clear... sorry. It is done now... so I will show you later.
Now Im going to sit down and try to draw ANYTHING but a peacock... blank...Im blank