Flickr Favorites

1. Ring-A-Day #1, 01/06/2010, 2. Ring A Day- Jan 6th, 2010 6/365, 3. Ring a Day, 2/365, 01.02.10, 4. RAD3PlasticSpoon

When I was browsing Flick the other day, my eye fell on this absolutely wonderful artistic project: 'ring a day'
I hardly ever wear jewellery and my interest for it is somehow limited. But this project really appealed to me as it is very inspirational seeing all these creations pop up in my contact stream!
Check out the 'Ring a Day'-pool - it's super! :)

Check out my favorite mosaic from last week. I hope to find more time for that this year...

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).

Poor postman... lucky me!

I feel really happy to have met so many amazing people in the virtual world. And I'm superhappy that I had a chance to meet some of them in real life too already.
For some people it's hard to understand, but the friendships bonded through the internet are for me just as real as in real life. The only trouble I have is using their real name as I'm so used to their nicknames. :)

I have met Greet from FleurFatale last August on the Craftparking fair in Maastricht. We had tables next to each other but unfortunately little time to chat as it was superbusy.
Fleur lives in Gent, Belgium which is about 1,5 hour away from me. She's an amazing woman, mother and artist. Not neccesarily in that order. Sometimes I just don't understand how she all juggles it but she does and never fails to amaze me with her new creations and ideas.
Here are some of her lovely designs:
As a complete surprise, she send me a 'spoil-yourself' package the other day. Her wrapping is always downright gorgeous & she has a keen eye for detail & color combinations.
In the package she put a pack of greeting cards she designed herself, a facial mask & a bar of sexy chocolate. ???? SEXY chocolate ???? Well, it's chocolate which is made with ginger and apparently that works his magic. Better wait to eat it when my partner is home! LOL
Fleur told me that 'every hard working woman needs a break'
Thanks for being so considerate, Fleur! You sure made me laugh out loud with your surprise gift!
Apol from LaPomme is another sweet friend. She always makes me laugh as her witty sense of humor is right up my alley. She lives in France with her husband and the most beautiful girl in the world, Lilou. I love that name!
I have not had the chance to meet Apol yet, but I'm sure that at one point we will meet. Her shop is filled with gorgeous, embroidered and handprinted goodies. I always smile when I go into her Etsy shop. The intricate designs and enchanted stories she often writes in her descriptions make it superfun to snoop around.
Here is some of her work:
And she also takes pride in wrapping her items beautifully. I will actually re-use this giftbag to wrap in goodies for someone else. I think it's a great idea to have gifbags like these! Clever Pomme! She send me a salesfaiy. It's absolutely gorgeous and holds the cutest things in the box: a paper boat (I love paper boats), a clove, a spoon, a knotted piece of lace and a little vintage toy doll.
It has of course a nice spot in my studio. Thanks so much, Apol! :) Just because packages are the best... :)

How to make spicy hot chocolate?

Perhaps you have seen the movie 'chocolat' with Juliette Binoche & Johnny Depp. It is a very sweet film, and not only for the gobs and gobs of luscious, mouthwatering, little morsels. I love the fact that a woman tries to set up her business in a little French village where none of the inhabitants believe in her or her business. She fights back with style, reason and sweetness and of course succeeds! 'Chocolat' is a mouthwatering piece of movie magic.
It's a movie I'd like to watch today as it's cold outside. There's lots of snow and I just want to cuddle up on the couch with some hot chocolate and crochet my Babette blanket.

Well, why not do so? Here's what you need to make 2 cups of spicy chocolate:

400ml milk, 10g pure chocolate, cinnamon canes or powder,
vanilla stick or vanilla sugar, chili powderWeigh 10g of pure chocolate.
I use 72% pure chocolate to get the maximum effect.

Put the milk in a pan.

Add the cinnamon cane or some cinnamon powder to the milk.

Add the vanilla stick (cut open with knife before) or vanilla sugar.

Add some chili powder.

Stir until it boils. If you use cinnamon canes and a vanilla stick,
then remove them now. Add the chocolate.
Keep stirring until the chocolate is completely melted.

Pour the chocolate in a cup.
Hmm... looks good hey?

I think adding some whipped cream and
a pinch of cinnamon looks and tastes even better! :)

What is your plan for today?

Dream in progress... part 18

I'm snuggled in under my Babette blanket on the couch and I started edging my blanket with red thread. I've only done 1,5 of the 4 edges so far and I plan to make it 3 stitches wide.
With the little time I seem to have these days, I 'm glad to have actually started it.
It will probably be ready when all the snow and cold is gone...*sigh*

I'm cheeky...

... if you didn't know that yet. I really am!
If you don't believe me, read on...


Yesterday Poppytalk announced The Poppies, a virtual awards ceremony of sorts celebrating the Handmade Community!
First of all, you can nominate people in 12 different categories. The five most nominated artists will but put in a voter on January 12th and then you can vote for your your favorite artist.

The 'prize' when you win is fun and I would love to partcipate on Poppytalk without having to pay for it! LOL Told you I was cheeky! :)
For each winner of each category (chosen by readers)
1. A one month's free participation at Poppytalk Handmade
2. A "I won a Poppy" banner/button for your site or blog!
3. A one year's text link from the Poppytalk blog's main page under "The Poppies" category
4. Traffic to you from Poppytalk

Anyway, if you like my work, I would be superhappy if you can nominate my shop by leaving a comment and a link to my shop here. (Just copy this: Mitsy from ArtMind.etsy.com)
If I get selected for the final voting then I'll be cheeky again and will ask you to go vote for me! :)

Oh, and while you're at it, my work is also available through my favorite jewelry designer LilaRubyKing, so please, if you like our collaborative work and Anna's jewelry, you can nominate her too here. (Just copy this: Anna from LilaRubyKing.etsy.com)

Did I tell you today that you're awesome? :)

I did it!

If you don't use it, why keep it?
I never liked Facebook so I'm not sad. It's an early spring clean & it feels good! :)

HeartART

I while ago, Estella from StarOfTheEast send me a set of awesome skeleton keys.
I found them mighty cool but did not really have a plan for them yet. I just knew I needed them.When pondering about Valentine ideas, I realised that the tiniest key needed to be used so I moulded it.And when you say Valentine, you say 'heart'...And this is the result of the project. (click on the picture to see it in my Etsy shop)I also scored some lace and made these romantic lace lights. They have a beautiful translucent look when you put a little light in them.And I added a section 'heartART' to my Etsy shop. I thought it sounded funny and it will most probably disappear after Valentine. :) I'll be adding some more new products to this particular section dedicated to Valentine.