Results Etsy craftparty

The results after firing the pieces made at the Etsy craft party. The colors really got very intense and pretty. But this is not really the end result yet, as people will actually make stuff with this...
Be it jewellery, packages, use the buttons for bags or whatever they had in mind...
I hope to see some definate end results sometime! :)
Clicking on any of these pictures will bring you to an enlarged picture of the end result in my Flickr.

Nicole from BabongohomeGreet from FleurFatale
Kim from Viltalakim
Mariana from Florcita
Ina from DeerLola
Veerle from Nevousinstallezpas
Mitsy from ArtMind

Annemiek from TwoTreesBelgium made lovely things too but she took her goodies home with her so she could fire it in her own kiln. She also made some things in paper clay and fired 'em in a pitfire. I love how it turned out! :)

Flickr Favorites

1. Pressure pushing down on me, 2. More Creative Pressure,
3. Under Pressure, 4. Eggistentialsim XIX / Under Pressure

For some reason, I felt a lot of pressure on me last week. I know it's my own doing because I'm taking on too much things at the same time. It was supposed to be a week to relax and do stuff for myself but when opportunities come along, I just can't say no.
Last saturday a ceramic market organiser called me. I had subscribed to be on the market but was too late to enter. Someone had cancelled last minute and they asked if I wanted to be at the market the next day. How sad I felt to turn it down as I never stood on a ceramic market before (and this one is well known and big), but I just could not handle the pressure. I felt tired and decided I would better think of me instead of all the things that drive me...
So I had a chance to catch up looking at all your mosaics, answer some e-mails and even do some sanding outside... Feels good to catch up and get a grip on things again. I'm still behind on some stuff but I'm getting there.

Last week's favorite mosaic makes you want to create right away...

Next week is the first Tuesday of the month so we play by theme. If you feel like playing, take your favorite quote and built a mosaic around it.
If you have a theme you would like to play with next month, let me know please! :)
I've also been playing around with a new comment system. I hope it doesn't give you too much hassle, if it does, please do let me know.

If you like to play this week, make your mosaic and add a link to your blogpost (NOT your blog please) or Flickr in Mister Linky (click on the button below and fill in your name with the link to your blogpost or Flickr picture)...

work in progress

Ouch, sanding does no good to my hands. It hurts.
And I'll never have pretty hands and nails but I'm OK with that because I love what I do.
Sanding makes things look and feel much nicer... so I suffer and sacrifice. :)

Devout / Divine

As promised: some impressions of the opening of the exhibition at the Fashion museum in Hasselt, Belgium.It was too busy to take pictures in the museum shop and entrance where my work is situated.
Will go back another day to take pictures and show you. :)

Weekly happy stats

Things that made me happy last week:

• Winning Veerle's blog give-away
• Making a new series of feelings
• Buying fabric for a skirt
  
• Starting to crochet again
• Chatting and laughing with Karla & her friend Isolde at the opening of the fashionmuseum exhibition.

Random happy pic by me
(detail of the Fashionmuseum)

Happy weekend, everyone! :)

Merry go round

Every last friday of the month, I jump on the 'Merry go round'. What is the Merry go round exactly? Each month, a group of craftswomen from around the world join together and give their reponses to the same question/challenge.The question this time was:
What's on your plate? Share a healthy and quick recipe that give you plenty of time to create.
The following recipe is made in about 20 minutes and need to be cooked in the oven for about 40-45 minutes. So once it's in the baking dish, you have at least 40 minutes to craft! :)

How to make an Italian herb oven dish?

Here is what you need:
fresh herbs (oregano, rosemary, thyme, sage),
zucchini, diced tomatoes (fresh or out of a can),
onions, diced bacon, parmesan cheese,
cream (not on the picture) and a ciabatta bread.

Put the bacon and diced up onions in
the pan and let it simmer slowly.
Take the leaves of the herbs and put them in a bowl.
Cut the herbs with a pair of scissors
(or with a knife on a cutting board if you prefer that)
Add a small bottle of low fat cream.
Dice up the zucchini.
Add the zucchini to the bowl and put it all in a large baking pan.
Then add the diced tomatoes, bacon and onion.
I saw that the baking tray had room for an extra can of tomatoes so I add more tomatoes as I love those. Then add parmesan cheese and stir it all up.
Put some more parmesan cheese on top of the dish so it will get a nice crust.
Place it in the oven at 185°C and leave it in there for 40-45 minutes.
About 20 minutes before time, I add a ciabatta to the oven too.
Ready to eat!
This dish is full of juice from the tomatoes and zucchini.
So to eat it, you just dip the bread
in the with herb-flavour filled juice
and eat the veggies with a spoon.
Nom nom! :) Bon appetit!

Want to know what the other merriers are having on their plate? Hop over to their blogs. Please bear in mind that the members will be posting at different times of the day, depending on which world time-zone they are in :)

Alison at Tweed thoughts
Kim at Vilt a la Kim
Sara at Saras Texture Crafts
Fabienne at Easterya Jewellery
Mariana at Florcita
Agathe at Le Bar du Vent
Lily at Lily Pang Art and Design
Ruth at Birdland Creations

My creative space

My creative space got invaded by my niece and her friend who decided that I would make 'em lunch while they were shopping in the city. They are 12 and came to the 'big' city by bus (45 minutes) and I think it's mighty cute that they dropped by. So I made 'em pancakes with sirop, jam, Nutella, sugar, strawberries and icecream. They loved it and so did I. Today I really need to get a package ready for the fashion museum with some other things they will put in their shop. I need to sand the religious feelings and package some more happy girls. While my Dutch partner is putting out the Dutch flag, I get reminded that we go cheer for Holland tonight at a friends place. And I also need to prepare a Merry go round post for tommorrow which will be a tutorial. Busy, busy life!
I am behind on everything: flickr favorites, e-mail, work, looking at the treasuries, doing nothing,... I hope to catch up during the weekend! Sorry if you're waiting for a reply, life is a bit hectic right now.

Want to show your space? Hop over to Kootoyoo's to play! It's fun! :)

Feeling religious?

Yesterday I went to the fashionmuseum to drop off our collaborative work for the upcoming exhibition. While showing and explaining a bit, the person in charge asked me if I had any religious mini-art-feelings that would fit the theme for the exhibition: Devout/Divine - Fashion vs. Religion
It will be a compilation of creations of national and international designers. The expo examines how religion is integrated in their work. It will not show a traditional overview of historical religious garments and textile, but focuses on the relationship between contemporary fashion and religion. Original interpretations of burqa's, a praying carpet transformed into a handbag, rosaries and habits remodelled as catwalk ensembles and Haute Couture nuns are just a few examples.

Oh man, when I get challenged, I can't ignore so I told her I would try to finish something before the opening this Friday. I postponed some paperwork and I got to work fast as I had to come up with a few religous feelings and they needed to be made and fired right away. This is what is cooking in the kiln right now... a special series made for the Fashionmuseum.

Feeling Catholic
Feeling Boeddhist
Feeling Jewish
Feeling muslim?
Feeling Hindu?

Now I pray they won't explode in the kiln... ;)

Disclaimer:
These are my interpretations of these religions. I hope you are not offended by any of these. It's my way of 'picturing' some obvious icons about the religion and is in no way meant to hurt anyones feelings. Thank you.

Flickr Favorites

1. Untitled, 2. Untitled, 3. minipinzas, 4. joyful simplicity

It has not been that long ago that I made a mintgreen themed mosaic. Not sure why I get drawn to this color so much lately. It feels fresh and energetic. I'm also taking things a bit slower lately as it has been superbusy. I feel like I need to refuel a bit. I've actually picked up my crochet hook. YAY!
I love the picture of Berend as dinosaur. Besides that, AnjaMulder's photostream is among my favorites. Her pictures are quirky and different. I like it!

My favorite mosaic from last week is what we all have! :)

If you like to play this week, make your mosaic and add a link to your blogpost (NOT your blog please) or Flickr in Mister Linky (click on the button below and fill in your name with the link to your blogpost or Flickr picture)...

Work in progress

cutting

fitting

showing

The collaborative jewellery from LilaRubyKing and me, will be displayed and for sale in the fashion museum in Hasselt, Belgium during the next exhibition from the 26th of June 2010 until the 9th of January 2011. Yay! :)