Flickr Favorites

1. Things to do today: Step out of comfort zone., 2. There might be plenty more Pebbles on the Beach, but I like this one., 3. wave crash, 4. Comfort zone and shadows

A few days ago, LaPomme on Etsy asked us some advice in her blog about some new stuff that she made recently. She regularly steps out of her comfort zone and tries out different things. I love that idea and got inspired by it over the past few days.
I dropped all that was keeping me busy and experimented, drew, used materials I normally don't use and in the end came up with a new idea. I'm really excited about how forcing yourself to step out of your comfort zone can be so refreshing. Yes, it does have limitations, as I can't draw really well, but it felt great to push myself into other mediums then I usually use.
It's like looking around on the beach for shells and pebbles and picking up that particular one.
It's like jumping the waves and get excited about your pants getting wet.
It's like finding the balance of things again.
Try it, it's great! Thanks for the inspiration, Apol! :)

Last weeks favorite mosaic fits mine this week perfectly! :)

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).

Tutorial on Poppytalk Handmade

Today, one of my tutorials is published on Poppytalk Handmade. It's all about how to make an Easter decoration and use a leather punch tool.
Hop over here to find it. Enjoy!
If you leave a comment here, you'll have a chance to win the birdies I made for making the tutorial. :)

Weekly happy stats

I don't have any progress to show on my ripple blanket because every night, I fell asleep each time I started crocheting. Then I decided to follow Maartje from Mamutopia in doing some happy stats this week. Every Saturday, she posts them in her blog and I just love the idea of looking at all the positive things that happened the past week.
So here are my happy stats...

• Getting a haircut and being able to make proper pigtails again

• Sitting outside in the spring sun
  
  
• Making 2 fun tutorials


• Euro week on Etsy
  
  
• Reaching 7000 shop hearts on Etsy
  
  
• Spring cleaning our home

This sign says 'Spring' :)
(via Boomerang)

Happy weekend, everyone! :)

Merry go round

The month has passed super quick and 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.
This month we were challenged to take a photograph of something and create something inspired by it. For those among you with sensitive souls, I have to warm you 'cause what I'm showing is not a pretty sight...
Regular blogreaders know that I have been on a hunt for fish lately. I have been looking far and near for plastic play fish, lures, moulds,... but have not had much succes.

Therefor, a real fish is in order!

It's not the head that's important...

It's the tail that I need!

So, I moulded half of it...

And then pressed porcelain clay in it.

I hope that Anna, my collaboration partner,
will be able to use it in her creations...

I must admit that I had a different picture at first but the end result didn't work out the way I wanted. Hopefully I can still show that sometime later...

Want to see what other merriers made being inspired by a picture of something?
Hop over to their blogs to see! :)
Alison at Tweed Delights - http://idreamoftweed.blogspot.com

Kim at Vilt a la Kim - http://viltalakim.blogspot.com

Sara at Crafts of Texture - http://sarastexturecrafts.blogspot.com

Fabienne at Easterya Jewellery Creations - http://easterya.blogspot.com

Mariana at Florcita - http:/www./florcita.eu/

Agathe at Le Bar du Vent - http://lebarduvent.blogspot.com

Lily at Lily Pang Art and Design - http://lilypangart.blogspot.com

Wendren at Wren Design - http://thewrendesign.com

Ruth at Birdland Creations - http://insidetheartisan.blogspot.com

My creative space

Today I'm going to make a tutorial. A few weeks ago, I got some tools from EviesToolEmporium on Etsy. She participated in the Totally Tutorials Exchange program and gave away a leather punch tool set in exchange for a tutorial. It is the second time that I work with Michelle and it's always a joy. I made a prototype yesterday and can't wait to show you but I'll keep you in suspense for a bit longer! :)

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

Herb tags

In the beginning of June, I'll be attending a fair in Eindhoven called 'Crafty Gardens'. It is in a garden center and every year they have a theme. This year it will be 'herbs'. The people who organise it, asked if we could create something according to this theme.
So I thought about making herb tags and already took 'em to the last fair I went to. I realised that I didn't show 'em yet so here they are. They won't be for sale in my Etsy shop as they are in Dutch. I fired them really high so that they can stand all the weather influences.

Flickr Favorites

1. Egg Carton Curiosities, 2. DIY Hollow Secret Book - Step 17, 3. Paper Bead Tutorial, 4. Paint Chip Notebook Tutorial

First of all I'd like to thank you for all those 'selfportrait' mosaics that were made last week. It was such a joy to meet you and I'm glad you all liked the challenge. If you ever feel the urge to do another challenge and want to suggest a theme, don't hesitate to let me know and we'll go for it! :)
I made this mosaic last week because I made a new group on Flickr called 'ArtMind tutorials'. It's a place where I'll drop all the tutorials I made and hopefully people will start adding pics of things they made being inspired by my tutorials. :) Feel free to join the group. So today's mosaic is all about tutorials...

I don't really have a favorite mosaic from last week, I loved 'em all! :)

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).