Flickr Favorites

1. 77/365, you're never fully dressed without a smile!, 2. Rebel!, 3. Looking up, 4. What box shall we think outside of???, 5. The Eye, 6. Last day in Paris, 7. 153.365 ~ . the balancing act., 8. hah!, 9. White

I hardly ever make mosaics with more the 4 pictures but that would have made this weeks challenge even harder. Actually, I forgot all about the challenge and prepared a mosaic and when I went back to check out the link of last weeks favorite, I saw that I challenged you to make a self portrait! Duh! :)

So, I got to work and wrote down a few words to describe myself. Then I tried to find the right pictures in Flickr. Not an easy task as some are creepy and some are dull but let me explain a bit...
1. I smile and laugh a lot. I like to believe it will make me old and wrinkled and then later, when people come and ask me the secret of becoming that old, I would answer: 'smile and laugh a lot'
2. I'm a rebel. Jip, I really am. I dislike being walked over and I often 'fight' for people who are done unjustice. It's not always easy being a rebel but I can't change it, so I try to live with it.
3. Looking up is what I've learned over the years. It has made me stronger and more aware of things. Not being afraid of facing things but take it all in in pride.
4. I like to think outside the box. It is good to look at things from another perspective.
5. I don't like to look back. Memories are great but I don't hold on to them. It's the present that counts. This picture is a bit creepy but it also shows that it's not always easy to look at the present. It can be a struggle but there is no point of living in the past.
6. Small things are often really big for me: a little note in the mail, a blooming flower, an old couple sitting hand in hand in the park, an unexpected gift, an encouraging word,... it makes my world much fuller, nicer, richer.
7. I try to balance things. Not an easy task and I often don't succeed but when I do, I can fly.
8. I'm a patient person. Unless someone puts a cake in front of me...
9. I need space. Space in my head and in my heart. I also love wide open spaces where there's no one except me. Too bad we don't have many of those in Belgium.

Phew, this was quite a challenge but it also felt good to reflect a bit on myself. I hope I haven't scared you away and actually, I'm curious to find out more about you.
I'd love to meet you but if you don't feel like playing the 'selfportrait' game, don't. It's supposed to be fun and if it's not fun, there is no point!

I'm so glad that my favorite mosaic from last week was loved by many!
Very subtle, very delicate, very beautiful...

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).

How to make happy Decopatched clouds?

Living in Belgium certainly has it's advantages: yummy chocolate, good beer and the real 'French' fries, with mayonaise of course...
Like every other country, it also has it's disadvantages: it rains a lot here.
And while the clouds are forming in the sky, looking daunting and grey, I dream of happy clouds. You know, colored clouds that make colored rain and makes everyone happy, even when it rains.

When I think of clouds, I also think of Maartje from Mamutopia on Etsy. She also has a lovely blog where I quite often take a peek to see with what fun creations she has come up with and I adore her weekly happy stats on saturday's.
Recently, I noticed that she has been producing an awesome amount of clouds. That's why I asked her to help me with my happy clouds. She send me some so that I could use them for making this happy cloud tutorial. Thank you, Maartje! :)

Here is what you need:
Decopatch paper, Decopatch glue, glue brush, pencil,
scissor, glass bottle (IKEA), glasses, jars,...

Draw clouds on the Decopatch paper.
This can be random clouds, I used Maartje's because
I love 'em & to hide I can barely draw. :)

Cut out the clouds.I think I have enough clouds. Apply some Decopatch glue on the bottle with the brush.Add the Decopatch cloud.

Take some more glue and brush it over the cloud.
That way it's protected against water.
Note: it is not dishwasher safe and can only cope
with a slight bit of cold water so it's used for
decorative purposes unless you add a thick layer of varnish.

The glue leaves a bit of brushmarks on the bottle.
If you don't like that, take some hot water,
a bit of detergent, a cloth and rub them away. Let it dry & then drink from the happy clouds.

I love drinking water and I fill one of these every day right from the tab. Hmm...

Ripple dreams... part 6

After a few hectic weeks, I was really happy to pick up my crochet hook. It's becoming harder and harder to choose the colors as I think I've used most of the pretty ones already.
Since I ordered 33 different colors, I started to use some darker colors so that they would not all come together at the end. I hope it doesn't look too dark - what do you think?I now have 17 rows of the 33 done - that's halfway of the first part of the blanket.

My creative space

The other day I saw some pretty pink Decopatch paper in my supply shop. And since I don't really have pink singing birds yet, I decided to make a little flock.
I also have some birds waiting to be photographed and listed but I'll do a shoot when I have 'em all done.
And completely off the subject: the letter 'm' is acting really weird on my keyboard. I have to press it really hard or it won't show. It bugs me as I use that letter a lot since my name starts with an 'm'. :)

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

Flickr Favorites

1. You Are Sunshine, You Are Rain, 2. Tulip, 3. full bloom, 4. Untitled

If spring doesn't come to me, I get it myself! :) Adding a touch of pink to your day can make such a difference. I'm not a girlie girl but pink makes me happy because it reminds me of the blossoms in spring, softness and IF colors could smell, I think that pink would smell marvelous.

Every week, we have a challenge on the European Streetteam and last week, it was the theme 'selfportrait' initiated by the lovely Dawn from LaTouchables. I would have loved to make something for the theme but a shortage of hands and time prevented me.
So, I thought: perhaps I can ask the Flickr Favorite players to make a mosaic as a selfportrait for next week... jip, a challenge but it might also be nice to reflect on who you are and it will be nice for us to see who's behind the avatar, username or mosaic... No need to show a pic of yourself, just a gathering of pictures that represent your being.
So, I challenge for you next week. That is if you're up to it of course, don't feel pressured if you don't feel like it... just do as you please! Would love to meet you! :)

My favorite mosaic from last week involves eating... :) Nomnom!

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).

Evanement

First of all, this is the only picture that came out right, the few that were taken at the fair were too dark and blurry.
Just because I'm such a good photographer... *sigh*
So nothing much to show you of the fair itself I'm afraid. It was a small fair only with about 20 stands and lots of them gave information about their organisation so there were only a few stands that sold stuff.
It was inside and there were lots of activities happening in the whole building so people came to the fair on and off. This combination is great if people come for both events: the workshops and the fair. I had the feeling that lots of people came for the workshops and strolled around at the fair to pass the time for the next workshop. So it was definately not a craft fair that focussed only on handmade goods but it was great to show what I am made off and with 99 feelings to show, that was quite a lot. I loved seeing the expression of people's faces when I start to name the feelings while I explain what the project is about.
I was so happy to meet some customers, fellow Etsians and blogreaders and only that made it already worthwile for me being there.Annemiek from TwoTreesBelgium sells lovely ceramics and jewellery and it was lovely chatting to another ceramist and share some knowledge.Also Julia from TheSpottedSparrow showed up at the fair. She's such a sunshine and sells eco friendly, vintage inspired paper goods.
Make sure to check out their shops as they both do great work!

One of my blogreaders, Nynke of TheLifeOfAPurpleRabbit, surprised me with a visit and she made me this beautiful scarf. She made it in my favorite color: green. That gave me goosebumps and I think that unexpected gifts like these are the best! I'll wear it with pride, Nynke! Thank you so much!And Cecilie, originally from Denmark but now living in Bonn was my first customer on the fair. She's a fan of my work obviously and I suspect that she knows all the mini-art-feelings by name too. How cute is that? After the contact I've had with her (and her husband who purchased some of my work as gifts) via Etsy, it was supernice to meet both of them in real life. Thank you too for stopping by.

I did take my ripple blanket along and I did hope to chat a bit more with Mariana from Florcita and with Kim from Viltalakim, but it was too busy for that, which is a good thing I suppose... :)

Jewellery display and price tags

While I haven 't had a chance to crochet for a while, I am really missing it and I can't wait to get back to it next week. But I've done some other cool things besides preparing for the fair.
I love a new project to tackle and making a jewellery display for our collaboration pieces was kind of a challenge. I wanted it to look clean and contemporary but also with a little twist.
I painted the frame, took the picture out and replaced it wit foam board.
Do you think I succeeded?I love the bended semi-transparant paper - it's so easy to hang earrings from too.
I also made new price tags from the left over transparant paper and foambord (used for making model houses). I'm so happy with the new look: clean, clear and modern. And sooo easy to make too.
Print your text on semi-transparant paper (I used 110g). Cut it out with a knife.
Measure how long the price tag is and cut the foamboard a bit longer.
To make the little cut line in the foamboard, I keep the part where I cut it out to put my ruler on. Makes cutting much easier.
Slide your knife, while holding it a bit to the side, through the foambord.
Then squeeze the paper into the foamboard.
So easy to make and good to look at. :)