Friday 29 July 2011

Folksy Friday - Say Cheese!

Wahooo I have a new camera....
....but more on that later. First of all, here are my everso slightly camera related Folksy Friday picks. Excited? Moi? Yup!

You know the routine, click on the pics to go through to the stores...!


Melanie K Designs 2bert
Sour Cherry Lupin Handmade
weareascuteasabutton pictures by vanillaa


1 Melanie K Designs
2 2bert
3 Sour Cherry
4 Lupin Handmade
5 weareascuteasabutton
6 pictures by vanillaa

Tuesday 26 July 2011

Pantone - Autumn 2011 Inspiration


Pantone, the powerhouse colour company have released their colours for Autumn 2011 and they are gorgeous.



Apparently, they have taken inspiration from the great masters and the sepia tones of old Hollywood.

I love orchid hush and quarry, that slightly chalky, milky quality is just what I've been looking for in beads recently. I bought these lovely milky glass beads a couple of weeks ago to use in earrings....

 

The only colour I couldn't instantly see looking fantastic in jewellery is bamboo, but I think that's because I'm a red head and avoid yellow at all costs. A quick look at the Starving Artists Team blog shows me I'm wrong...

Look at these beauties from Erika Price for example! Just lovely (on anyone but me!).

It just occured to me that it feels completely wrong to make anything that I wouldn't want to wear myself. Is it just me, or does everyone do that?















Friday 22 July 2011

Folksy Friday - Moon shine

Someone mentioned that it was Moon day today. No idea what it is, and a google search hasn't given me any more clues. But with the Atlantis mission over, and safely home I thought it was appropriate. Can you imagine actually going to the moon. Mindblowing!!

This weeks selection was found via a search for "moon" on Folksy
As ever, click on the links to go through to the individual shops! Hope you like them. 



Silver Poppy Designs Island Art
Kirsty Elson Designs Glow Box Solar Lanterns
Earth Deva Miss Bohemia



1: Silver Poppy Designs
2: Island Art
3: Kirsty Elson Designs
4: Glow Box Solar Lanterns
5: Earth Deva
6: Miss Bohemia

Wednesday 20 July 2011

Inspiration - Words (#1)

I often come across inspiring quotes, words and word art on tumblr, pinterest, Etsy, and Flickr etc... and thought it was about time I shared them. This one is The Holstee Manifesto.

I'd never even heard of Holstee before I saw this, but it looks very cool!























Yup, words to live by.
Do you have any inspiring words, or word art to share?.... links below please!!!

Monday 18 July 2011

All the fun of the fair!





The fair was in town this weekend.
Once a year in July it arrives on our village green, admist much excitment. 
The nursery, and reception kids get a walk around to see it being built throughout the week.

Then the weekend arrives (as does the rain), and family and friends.
Stalls, games, a dog show, a rubber duck race down the river.
All of the village with gazebos and picnic blankets sharing an evening picnic.
Local FANTASTIC bands playing on the stage.
A disco playing all the cheesy songs you could ask for to get you dancing....(I will do the cha cha slide perfectly one year)

Kids giggling and playing with the inflatable toys they won on the fair games.
Following the bag pipe man on his march around the green.
A glass of wine (or 3)
Fireworks to mark the end of the night, 
watched from our lawn as the kids head on up to bed 4 hours later than usual.

I do love our village fair weekend.

Friday 15 July 2011

Kids, creativity, and biscuits.

I just love watching the way kids are creative. They have no barriers, no self consciousness... they just do. For children, (or for my two anyway) it doesn't need to be "beautiful or useful" as per William Morris' famous quote. It just is. The finished product is great, but most of all it's about the process and fun they have making. The experimentation of the process. The learning of new skills.

I have a lot to learn from this unrestrained creativity. What freedom!

There was a summer show recently in our village; where people can enter produce and flowers they have grown in their garden. There are loads of different categories you can "show" in, and they also have categories for kids. Chloe got involved as all the children under 7 in her school were asked to draw a portrait of their best friend which we could enter into the competition if we wanted to. She wasn't that keen to be involved, but went along with it anyway. Evie asked to be entered in one of the categories too, for the 3 - 5 age group, she had to decorate 3 biscuits.

So, I got some sprinkles, some coloured icing and some rich tea biscuits and away she went.



Nearly an hour later... and she really did spend 55 mins (thats nearly 15 whole minutes on each and every biscuit!!!) perfecting them... the results....


 The icing was oh so carefully placed. The jelly tot delicately (ahem) covered with 2 shades of icing..

 And of course they have to taste good to, so she made a test one too!

She took them so, SO proudly into the village hall, and put it on the display for her category. She was keen to win, but already it had been brilliant to take part. Then there were the 3 nail-biting hours wait whilst the judging got underway! And what do you know.... she won.

The award ceremony was very sweet, she was awarded a whole pound as her prize.

Big sister went up with her for moral support.

 Look at that proud face!

Ever since then Eve has been even more keen to decorate biscuits, make cards, build junk modelling, just MAKE. Her enthusaism has doubled, and her confidence has grown. I know without a doubt that it wasn't the fact that she won, it was that she enjoyed making, enjoyed proudly showing what she had made, and also enjoyed hearing all the lovely and positive comments from people walking by. She would not have cared if she hadn't won, but what a bonus!

But please, nobody tell her that hers was the only entry in her category!!

Monday 11 July 2011

Jewellery Inspiration - Our pond!

We've got a lovely little patio pond in the new (or now, not so new) house. It's really not big at all, (think very, very small) but it's so nice to have a pond, however teeny. Obviously, whilst the kids are small, and with me looking after other peoples kids quite often; it's not so safe to have a pond. But I couldn't bear to fill it in (where would all the frogs go...?)

So instead we've fitted a grid system over it, that's strong enough for Richard to stand on, but which has holes in big enough for frogs to use it as a climbing frame, and birds to still be able to have a splash and a drink, but small enough for the kids to be safe. Perfect!

Unfortunately, I'm not sure how well it's working for the lily pads - they seem to be pointing upwards a bit too much, as they can't just float on the top of the water, but we're getting some lovely flowers poking through too..



Aren't they beautiful? What a fantastic shape, they remind me of a spirograph - all long curves, and many, many petals. And those colours, especially against the green of the pads.


As you've probably guessed, they've given me a bit of inspiration for some jewellery too.... watch this space.....


Friday 8 July 2011

Folksy Friday - Poppy reds

Lovely poppies around at the moment.... I love the colour, I love the shape, I love the texture. I hope you like my little poppy selection from Folksy. Click on the picture to find out more about each item.






SHOP NAME 1  SHOP NAME 2
SHOP NAME 3 SHOP NAME 4
SHOP NAME 5 SHOP NAME 6


I've recently got some GORGEOUS poppy red beads too and have been making my own poppy red earrings...


Let me know if you have any poppy finds....

Thursday 7 July 2011

Simple dangle earrings

Phew - what a morning. I've spent hours (slow internet today for some reason) listing a few simple earrings to the shop.

I bought a selection of different coloured beads a while ago; I just wanted a splash of colour across the shop.

My favourites are these mouthwateringly gorgeous red glass rondelles..... yum...



and these milky greens....


This is the first time I've used leverback earrings as well - which I think look really nice (and are good and secure too). I think I'll get more, but I also love making my own earwires, and the various shapes you can achieve.
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