Look arounda Dawanda IV

I love glass beads. I love the colors. I love watching people make them... seeing the red hot glass swirling around... people seem so concentrated and relaxed when they are doing it. I can't wait to have the chance to learn it myself. Im hoping to do so soon at the same Atelier where I go learn ceramics, Maud's Keramiek Atelier en Galerie

In the meantime, I'm always looking for nice beads at Dawanda. So, this time in "A look around Dawanda IV" I bring theeeeee... beads!

Just look at the colors and shapes. Aren't these all just precious!


From Julie 1508 comes the lila/yellow donut




From Smauggs


From Miss Pfeuffer's beads:


From Linakhan


From cdlampwork



All these wonderful artisans have more great glass treats at their shops, so do go visit them...

A whooole new world

A few weeks ago I introduced the first batch of handpainted canvas bags to my dawanda shop . Within the first week they were gone. There is only one left there. I enjoy very much painting them. It's another medium for my illustrations. You've seen the cards, the handpaitned tiles...well, there are canvas shopping bags now!

This idea came when a friend of mine asked me to 'pimp' one of her regular shopping bags. In the Netherlands sometimes as publicity, you get a canvas bag with the logo of the shop as a present. She didn't want to walk around with the pharmacy logo on it, so we made a nice fabric collage of a bird (stuck with pvc fabric glue, and hand sewn), used some buttons and beads, and she had a new bag... a very pretty one as well! So... the idea developed from there. I went and bought a whole bunch of blank canvas bags in 2 sizes (25x21 and 38x42cm) and started playing.
Collage seems to be something I like doing a lot... drawn to it naturally. So many differente materials around us... using hand felted flowers, lovely simple colorful fabrics, fabric paints and markers I let the imagination flow!
So here they are:



small bag, collage with linen, buttons and a silky lint.











Handpainted red edge and stems with a cotton fabric flower. There are some beads there too, see them?










Handfelted flowers with different shades of purple merino, handodranw stems.










Another fabric collage: orange linen and some funky dotty lint (do you call that lint in english???). Some hand embroidery, simple stitches, there too.







Another small bag. A fabric tree and some red apples (beads) in the centre.












Small bag. Two handpainted red hearts with white dots and beads that sparkle with light.






Singing birds. Handpainted and fabric body. Two mother of pearl buttons for eyes.










This is just a sample. Im working on more. So, what do you think... be honest... what's the worst that could happen?? me banning you?? naaaah. :)


Have a nice sunday!

Saturday's shopping list

This is a great idea. We all do it already! Charlotte from Fancypicninc was telling me how on saturdays she likes to do some "armchair shopping", as she calls it. Browse around etsy and mark a few goodies for later... for when we can break the piggy and endulge in some real shopping. So, she came up with the idea of making every saturday a list and share it with the rest of you. It is impossible for everyone to see and know every item in Etsy, or Dawanda for that matter. So this way we share our finds and who knows... maybe more people want to join in the fun??? *hint hint* This is open to everyone who wants to participate. It isnt difficult. You just have to post pictures of these finds and a link to their shop. We agreed on contacting the seller too to let them know that we've featured their product...kinda the nice thing to do.


(first time I do this and im having some trouble placing the collage itself...and blogger refuses to help, so... patience... :) If you click on the mosaic, it takes you to a bigger pic! )


Anyway... in honour of my favourite band, my first collage of goodies follows the theme "Green"


"Green is the colour"



(from top to bottom-left to right)

1.Mexican Garden Necklace by TortillaGirl at tortillagirl.etsy.com 2.Tourqoise and Yellow Bracelet 3.Pipyr ACEO Field study print 4. Happy dance Stained glass Banner 5.Country Road Roving 6.Tulip designer Yarn 7.Rustic green and blue Kyanite Faceted Spears 8.Yellow Turquoise Heishi 9.Apple jacket hand Knit green 10.My city OOAK chushion cover 11. Peruvian Amazonite Tiny Gaspeite Sterling... 12.Deep sea treasury 13. (centre) Button bowl


Do click on the links to go to the respective shops.

Tell me what you think... and...anybody know which band it is that has a song called like that?? Noooo, no googling!! :P

Have a nice weekend! lots of new goodies on Monday!!!!

On my desk, wednesday

Last week I read on Charlotte's blog her "On my desk wednesday" post, followed the links to Kootoyoo's blog ...as I understand it, she is the one organizing it all! So, I enlisted my self and here we are... wednesday, a look at my desk. Not very difficult really, just a snapshot of what is going on in your desk at mid week, what you are working on.

To be honest with you, my desk is on the third floor of this house and since my kid was born getting there during the day -when I actually work- has proved to be impossible. So, the laptop and -slowly and against my better judgement- boxes with wool, felt, buttons, markers, paint, beads and...who know's what else; have started to come down here and coexist among little cars, lego blocks and small animals. And whatever else because this is the living-dining room.

I can't wait until I can go back to my own working space, alone.... but, til then... my desk is this table. And here a snapshot:




Canvas bags, beads, paint, handfelted flowers...and some more. Nothing finished yet, but soon (hopefully by next week) on my shop. The first canvas shopping bags flew out of my shop, so...here come more.

Who else want to join the "On my desk wednesday" fun?

Look around Dawanda III

Well, here we are again. Still dealing with the whole sinus thing, but...life goes on. Just with absolutely no fragrance, smells...good or bad. A world without perfumes... my nose is still numb.I couldn't take it anymore in bed, so I got up and cooked dinner yesterday. I almost killed the husband and the kid with an overdose of sambal*. I didn't realize that just because I can't taste it -due to the nose thing- theyactually can. No, sambal is not gone bland. One spoon is enough...or even too much. They did taste it and didn't take it. Ended up eating fish and chips.
I was sent back to bed with no dinner.
But it is time to take a look around Dawanda... *applause* Watch your step, look out for puddles because it has been rainning here in Europe for weeks so...bring your paraplui/umbrella/paraguas.


PAPER GOODS this week! a sketchbook is all I had in bed (the laptop was confiscated by my husband who lacks the "compasion for sick people" chip, apparently) and some crazy drawings came out. Must be the drugs... I was (am) on a peniciline trip.

Here we go:

First off a friend from Argentina, who often has to "read" me vent in a flow of free association emails. Very popular in Dawanda and in her own right, because her art is simply beautiful. La Srta Pil has introduced these past days a new line of products, gorgeous handmade, handpainted dolls with a papier mache body and beautiful delicate hand sewn clothes.




Next up is Lilypang, from Singapore. I always try to check her shop and blog because she produces the most gorgeous prints. The shapes and combination of colors always seem perfect to me. Although she has many prints and originals for sell, I love this"Mischievous and Passionate Print"...fabulous woman!



"Roasty the dragon" comes from the Stick Nymph shop. I love all these stick faeries, cats and dragons, just beautiful!


From Studio Mela comes this colorful, insightfull and fun print. I like the poster type art with short, consice and smart lines. Just to hang somewhere in your house where you walk by daily ...and on those days just right to give you the needed kick to get going...




And last, but not least... Inikasplayground has some really cool little monsters and fun, colorful and super detailed illustrations. This little pic will probably not show much, but there is so much detail in the flowers! really worth taking a look...





And that is it... well, in my pinboard I have many more paper good entries but, can't put ' em all here!
Hope you liked it...
Now to blow my nose...


*sambal is a veeeeery spicy condiment from south east Asia. Came to The Netherlands via its colonies in Indonesia. It's basically -I think- chilly peppers and other peppers as well. Hot. Very hot.

While I heal...

...I'm trying hard but I can't stay in bed for too long. In the end it is sinusitis (maxillary, frontal and ethmoidal), not just a cold.I couldn't take it anymore, so in the morning I went to see a doc. Peniciline and stay in bed. Problem is that I can hear my husband and son making the impossible to destroy the house bellow me. And I try to stay away, but I have to come downstairs to see what is going on. Second time I did, the kid (2yrs old) was jumping up and down on the couch, Dad was wood carving in the living room, dog -who should be outside- was under the coffee table chewing on lego blocks and there was a big slice of bread with peanut butter face down on my suede couch. Kill me. Kill me now.
So, I grabbed the laptop, a few magazines and upstairs again. Ignore them. That is the plan. Yeah...right.
I can't really work because my eyes and even teeth hurt...not kidding, so I'm leaving here for you to see another wallhanging made of Bergschaf wool for the base or background; and then red, orange and yellow merino for the tulip's base. Some rainbow silk in orangey/golden/yellow colors on top, white silk, red linen fibers....and......what else... ah! a hand dyed yarn needlefelted to draw the vase/stem.
I forget! some little dots are handembroidered on top... I think that is it. All hand felted (except for what was needlefelted and already pointed out...duh!) . Hours with my hands on soapy warm water. It was fun. I like doing this. It's like drawing with wool!





It's not in the shop yet because I have to figure out shipping methods. It's too long and wide for a normal envelope, so..box?? I don't know if the dutch post has this tubes where you can send wine or stuff like that. That would be an option... any ideas??
Yeah, go to the post office you say...of course. But first I have to try and recover. :)

Anyway, the "look around Dawanda's shops" will come later today or tomorrow! some really nice things I found!

New pics

I found some better pictures (follows from post bellow):






And some other necklaces too:

Beaded necklaces

Did I mentioned I've been working on some hand felted jewelry? Well, I have. I finished a bunch of necklaces with different techniques. Quite sober, elegant and chic... me thinks. Nothing flashy. I did add some beads of a matching color. Just to add some texture and a bit of light. They don't shine, obviously...It's wool! but as the light reflects on the beads the whole necklace lights up. As much as I love wool, sometimes I think that necklaces made entirely of wool can seem dull. Not always, naturally. I made a chocker entirely or black merino and it looks really nice as it is. Sometimes the simpler, the better.
I have some pictures but they aren't too good. I know it. I've been in bed with the flu (damn changing weather! choose a season already!!!) and haven't really had time or strength to go out and take new pictures. I've been communicating with the world via de computer.
Except for today that I actually got out of my pijamas to go to the "Consultatie Bureau" for my kid's 2 yrs old check up. What a bright kid! hahahaha all answers correct without even doubting. Then he went ahead and peed on a corner of the doctor's office. Hey! if you leave a kid with no clothes on for a couple of minutes, what do you think he is going to do?? And he is a boy, they pee around to mark their territory...like dogs. :P

Anyway, here some pictures. I will get better ones because Im not convinced about these. I listed them on my etsy shop anyways, because otherwise the shop will seem dead with no movement for a few days.



More to come soon... or as soon as my nose clears and Im able to think properly.
News on blogs, communities and a whole lot more.

Wallhangings

For a while now I've been working on some wall hangings. Mostly experimenting with shapes, fibers and embellishments.
Making a perfectly square piece of handfelted fabric is not as easy as it may seem. Keeping all those fibers straight is quite difficult. They tend to... 'disperse'.
After hours with my hands in soapy water, I did find my own way (which probably is no discovery really) of making perfectly square pieces. And then... I figured they were boring. See, they are not me. I am a firm believer that what you make, if you let your juices flow instead of "copying"; will be a reflection of your personality. Which means that if in life you are a bit messy, loud, spontaneous... your art will probably be too. And I am messy.... and loud... and spontaneous. Exotic they call me here ...which is too funny. Let's bare in mind that I live in The Netherlands and I come from a latin country. Latin culture by definition is all 3 of those adjetives, and more!. (nononono, doesnt mean that the dutch can not be messy. but it is quite unusual! ).

Anyway...
I have this Milschschaf flees which I got some time ago, which is super soft (and still smells like sheep) and used it as the base. I then used merino wool to' draw' the shapes on it. I used silk to give some light to the petals too. But that was not it. I used chenille to needlefelt the contorne of a flower, some rainbow yarn to make stems and leaves (also needlefelted) and I hand embroidered some details as well. Wait! almost forgot! there are some linen fibers as well! pheeewwww... lots uh? Yeah.
I like them. And no, they are not perfect squares. And you know what, better. They remind me of these old mexican paintings made on leather that were always hanging on the walls of my dad's study. Very ethnic!

My husband added a piece of wood on the back for support and then a little hook so they can be hanged (otherwise they wouldn't be wall hangings, right? ).





There are a couple more to come!
Since I am not a good photographer I know the picture do no justice to the actual piece. But... one works with what one has, uh?
These two are listed on my etsy shop. In a few days, some more.

Shopping bags

A few months ago I saw these blank canvas bags in a shop and bought them immediately with the idea of sewing some pattern onto them later. Months passed and I haven't really had time.
But yesterday, since it keeps raining and one gets little time outside in this watery summer, I took out my fabric paints and tried them out on the bags. Drawing my already known birds to them, ironed on the back to press the paint onto the canvas and adding a few details like a red heart shaped bead to one and my signature little flowers to the handles to both (Florcita: little flower in spanish .... ;) ) ...and done!

And here they are:

The flower canvas bag:


some detail:


And the singing canvas bag:

detail of the heart shaped bead:


They are 38 x 42cm.
Useful to go to the market, be environmentally friendly and take your own bags!
To keep toys and little bits in your kids room.
To keep the bread in a bag in the kitchen...
For your kid, or yourself, to take lunch to school or work...
So versatile! you choose what for. Maybe just a gift for someone...and let that someone decide what the bag is for!


On my Dawanda shop now!